20demayo Chapter 190: First Encounter in the Garden
Chapter 190: First Encounter in the Garden
Shen Yu saw Lin Rusi deeply moved by the garden she had built from afar, and said, "Miss Lin, please wait a moment. May I...?"
Lin Rusi turned to look at him, waiting for Shen Yu to continue.
But since they were a man and a woman he didn't know, Shen Yu still felt a little awkward when he spoke.
He considered his words carefully and said, "Miss Lin, I have no other intention than to ask you to teach me a thing or two about gardening, given your exceptional talent and knowledge."
These words were spoken with utmost sincerity; to refuse would have made Lin Rusi seem a bit too deliberate.
Thinking of this, she no longer hesitated and said, "It is my honor to have gained Mr. Shen's appreciation. May I ask what Mr. Shen would like to discuss?"
Seeing that the woman had stayed, Shen Yu was overjoyed. He smiled and said, "Just now, you said that the garden I built was ingenious, and you even emphasized the distribution of the land. I wonder what you mean by that?"
His tone was extremely proud, as if he were boasting, but it didn't offend anyone at all. So Lin Rusi laughed lightly and said, "Haha, then I'll make a fool of myself."
Shen Yu nodded, letting Lin Rusi continue.
Lin Rusi turned to look at the flower bushes, reached out and touched one of the blossoms, and chuckled, "These flowers need to be grown in different types of soil. For example, there's a saying: 'Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges.' That's pretty much the idea. Many people grow flowers without considering their needs, and some flowers naturally won't grow well. But Young Master Shen separates the flowers to grow. This not only shows that Young Master Shen is meticulous, but also that he has a clever way of thinking about flowers."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yu realized he hadn't seen it before; this person was indeed his confidant!
He was overjoyed to have finally met someone who understood flowers, and he respected Lin Rusi even more.
So when he spoke again, his tone became increasingly humble: "Miss Lin is too kind. I have always been troubled by the fact that no one understands my thoughts. Today, I feel that I have met a kindred spirit, and that even a few drinks are not enough. If we do not see eye to eye, then even half a sentence is too much!"
Lin Rusi smiled generously. This young master Shen was truly exceptional in both talent and ability. She praised him without reservation, saying, "I dare not accept such praise. Young master Shen is so learned and talented; it is I who should be the one to admire him."
Shen Yu smiled and then brought up the flowers again: "Does Miss Lin have any objections to the flowers I'm growing?"
"Um……"
Lin Rusi carefully examined the flowers, and then, considering the current season, replied, "Well... I won't hold back."
"Please speak freely, young lady."
"Although this season is suitable for growing flowers, the air is humid and there has been a lot of rain recently, so there is no need to water the flowers too much. It would be counterproductive."
Shen Yu pondered for a moment and realized that was indeed the case. Although the rain had been light and short-lived recently, it didn't mean it hadn't rained at all, and they still needed to pay attention to this aspect.
He nodded and said, "Miss Lin is absolutely right. Your talent surpasses mine, and I will certainly consider Miss Lin's words carefully."
Lin Rusi took a few steps forward, changed to another flower to admire, and said, "I wouldn't dare. I was just mentioning a small detail. Compared to Young Master Shen, I'm far inferior."
"Haha, it's rare to see someone as humble as Miss Lin."
Watching the Shen sisters chat, she noticed how well their thoughts aligned, and couldn't help but sigh. Why was Sister Lin already married? It was truly remarkable that her brother had found such a kindred spirit. Alas… what a pity…
Shen Yu found Lin Rusi increasingly appealing and subconsciously asked, "I don't know... Miss Lin's full name?"
Lin Rusi replied, "Lin Rusi."
Shen Yu silently thought to himself: Lin Rusi?
Wait a minute, King Jinglie's wife also has this name.
At that moment, Shen Yu's gaze towards Lin Rusi became strange. After thinking for a moment, he tentatively asked, "I wonder... is Miss Lin married?" In fact, asking this question was too hasty, but Shen Yu was also frightened, and his words were somewhat unrestrained.
The Shen sisters thought Shen Yu was inquiring about Lin Rusi's marriage and wanted to marry her, since asking like that seemed too obvious. They immediately said, "Oh brother, Sister Lin is already married. She is the principal wife of Prince Jinglie. Don't... think so much."
Upon hearing the Shen sisters' words, Shen Yu knew he had guessed correctly. He quickly rose and bowed, saying, "It is truly... I was foolish to have been unaware that you were already betrothed, my apologies..."
Lin Rusi hadn't thought anything of it, so she returned the greeting and said, "It's nothing. I was being presumptuous and didn't say anything beforehand."
Shen Yu nodded, turned his head slightly, and lowered his voice to say to his younger sister, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Lin Rusi noticed their subtle movements and guessed what they were talking about. She didn't interrupt and waited politely.
The Shen sisters replied to Shen Yu in a similarly soft voice, their tone filled with helplessness: "Brother, you didn't ask..."
This time it was Shen Yu's turn to be helpless: "I..."
The Shen sisters were unaware that Shen Yu was unaware of the situation, and they immediately felt somewhat helpless.
Shen Yu remembered that his younger sister had spoken somewhat recklessly earlier, and considering that Lin Rusi was still there, he pretended to be angry and said, "Since she is the wife of Prince Jinglie, how could you speak such nonsense just now!"
The Shen sisters felt wronged, but they wisely kept quiet.
Lin Rusi knew Shen Yu was putting on an act, so she gave him a way out: "It's alright. Young Master Shen's younger sister is clever and adorable. I like her very much. Please don't blame me, Young Master Shen." This was the truth. Lin Rusi knew that the Shen sisters were good to her.
Shen Yu readily agreed, saying, "Madam Lin is very generous and tolerant of my sister. I am deeply grateful."
After saying that, Shen Yu knew he couldn't stay too long, or he would be gossiped about. It was fine for him, a grown man, but if a woman's reputation was ruined, it would be a disaster, especially since she was the wife of Prince Jinglie.
Then, Shen Yu straightened his clothes, a move that was rather abrupt, but he couldn't think about it too much right now. He said, "I have been discussing with Madam for too long. If we continue any longer, it may attract criticism."
After a pause, Shen Yu continued, "It is truly my honor to discuss this with Madam today. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
Lin Ru thought that it had indeed taken a long time, and that self-preservation was very important. She replied, "Being able to discuss this with Young Master Shen is already a rare opportunity. Alright, then Young Master Shen, please go ahead and do your work."
After Shen Yu left, the Shen sisters finally spoke: "Sister Lin, my brother..."
Lin Rusi laughed and put her arm around the Shen sisters, saying, "Let's go and see something else."
Over here, Li Jingyang was still being pestered by those young masters from noble families when the young master from the Zhang family on his left offered him a cup of wine, his obsequiousness practically written all over his face: "Your Highness, please do me the honor of offering a toast."
The person next to him also raised his wine cup: "Your Highness is truly the most talented and resourceful man I have ever met, both in literature and martial arts. This time, you have even won the heart of a beauty. Congratulations!"
Li Jingyang was a little annoyed by the toasts, but out of politeness, he couldn't refuse, so he raised his glass and lightly clinked it with the other person's.