Chapter 44: It’s Snowing! Part 3

“Mm.” Mu Shanyi observed their interaction, standing in place to watch them leave the room first.

Outside came Ni Xiaoying and Miao Ling’s cheers and applause.

Mu Shanyi’s gaze slowly withdrew. How much did her baby like Xingran? Once Xingran appeared, all her attention was on Xingran. On the way out, led by the hand, she didn’t look back once.

Under Old Madam Mu’s witness, Miao Zhu and Sheng Xingran signed the wedding book, one copy each, for the families to keep.

Outside, dusk had fallen. The group chatted and laughed as they moved to Emerald Bamboo Hall in Jade Garden for the dinner banquet.

At the table, Old Madam Mu secretly observed Mu Shanyi, who behaved as usual. She then glanced at Miao Zhu. Unlike her mother, Miao Zhu wasn’t so lively. She spoke little, and when she did, it was in a soft, gentle voice, extremely well-behaved.

Neither of them showed anything unusual.

After the meal, the highlight of the evening arrived.

The modern lights in the garden were extinguished, and someone carried lanterns to guide everyone to the Waterside Pavilion, where they took their seats.

The pavilion was warm and cozy, with tea and fresh fruits readily available.

Miao Zhu sat in the back row with Sheng Xingran, according to seniority. The Waterside Pavilion faced a pavilion in the middle of the pond—that was the stage for tonight’s performance. Behind the pavilion, artificial rockeries loomed faintly, and the Kunqu Opera actors would perform this excerpt in the garden’s natural setting.

The troupe leader first introduced the play to everyone. Miao Ling’s hastily crammed knowledge came in handy here. Whether it was the water-polished singing style or the roles like sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou, or even the content of The Peony Pavilion itself, she could chime in with a comment or two. Old Madam Mu nodded frequently in approval. Once the troupe leader finished, a beam of light suddenly shone on the central pavilion, and everyone fell silent, knowing the performance was about to begin.

Dry ice produced white mist that slowly enveloped the pond’s surface.

A clear, ethereal flute melody unfolded, and the female actress stepped forward gracefully. She walked along the stone bridge leading to the pavilion, her figure exquisitely beautiful. The light and shadows played on her body, her silhouette reflected in the water below. As her melodious singing began, her water sleeves fluttered, creating a dreamlike illusion.

Everyone was immersed in this wondrous scene, time slipping away minute by minute. Suddenly, Sheng Xingran’s phone rang jarringly. She lowered her head to silence it, glanced at the screen, but neither answered nor hung up—she simply turned the screen face down on her lap.

The surrounding light was dim, making the glow from the screen particularly conspicuous.

The screen flashed several times; the more persistent calls from the other side, the more restless Sheng Xingran became.

Today was Li Zi’s birthday. She had clearly said she wouldn’t attend the party, but now Li Zi was calling one after another. Sheng Xingran feared another mishap.

Sheng Xingran gripped her phone tightly and leaned close to Miao Zhu’s ear. “Longlong, I need to take this call.”

Miao Zhu whispered back, “Okay.”

Sheng Xingran walked far away.

On stage, the intricate lyrics and melodies conveyed deep longing and sorrow.

A breeze brushed her face, rippling the pond’s surface. Miao Zhu closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. Between her and the stage lay not only the night but also snowflakes that had quietly arrived.

Just as the weather forecast predicted, Cloud City’s first snow fell silently on this night.

“Old Madam, it’s only November, and this year’s first snow came early,” Ni Xiaoying said.

“The snow makes the performance even more beautiful,” Miao Ling chimed in.

Miao Zhu turned her gaze to Mu Shanyi in the front row, just as Mu Shanyi looked back.

Snow danced under the eaves, and Mu Shanyi silently mouthed the words.

“Dare you?”

Sheng Xingran was once again overwhelmed by Li Zi. Li Zi begged her to meet on her birthday. Sheng Xingran subjectively wanted to cut ties with Li Zi, but as soon as she hinted at it in her words, Li Zi’s reaction sent chills down her spine.

Facing the pitiful Li Zi, whose health hadn’t fully recovered, Sheng Xingran couldn’t bear to hurt her further. She feared her refusal might lead to irreversible consequences.

In the end, she agreed to meet.

As Sheng Xingran walked back, she hesitated—should she tell Miao Zhu the truth, or make up an excuse to hide it for now?

Miao Zhu already lacked security in their relationship. They had gotten engaged first to resolve the Flora issue and rebuild trust. Compared to Flora, Li Zi was clearly a ticking time bomb… Better to hide it for now, buy a little time to handle everything.

Miao Zhu’s seat was empty.

Sheng Xingran looked around but saw no sign of Miao Zhu, so she dialed her number.

“Where did you go?” Sheng Xingran held out her palm, standing under the corridor to catch the snowflakes.

It was utterly quiet on Miao Zhu’s end, no background noise. “Emma had something urgent, so I left first.”

Sheng Xingran’s mind raced. “Does Aunt Miao know?”

Miao Zhu: “No.”

Sheng Xingran: “…Then I’ll leave too. If Aunt Miao asks, just say you were with me, so she won’t scold you when you get back.”

Miao Zhu paused for half a second. “Xingran, thank you.”

“Why so polite with me?” Sheng Xingran guiltily rolled her eyes, then noticed that not only Miao Zhu’s seat was empty—Mu Shanyi’s was too.

That secretive unease visited her again. “My sister disappeared too. Longlong, did you see her?”

Miao Zhu said, “She was still there when I left.”

A new incoming call notification cut into the line. Sheng Xingran glanced at it— she’d just calmed things down, not knowing what Li Zi wanted now.

“I see, okay then.” Sheng Xingran shook the snowflakes from her hand. “It’s snowing, Longlong. Be careful on the road. If Emma needs anything from me, just let me know anytime.”

“Mm, got it.” Miao Zhu hung up the phone. In the quiet car interior, Mu Shanyi held her hand beside her and removed the obtrusive Engagement Ring, casually stuffing it into her coat pocket.

“Did you bring it?”

Miao Zhu knew what Mu Shanyi was asking about—the Tongue Piercing Chain connected to the white lace choker.