A Second Chance to Live

Chance Meetings (Cont'd)

Belatedly, with the aid of the maid's petulant statement, this young lady's vaguely familiar face sparked an inkling of recognition for An Jing Yù. His brows wrinkled slightly as he repressed his dismay. 

This was that young princess, the young lady whose commendable musical prowess had made a favourable impression with An Jing Yù during the Farewell Banquet of the Spring Hunt!

Gentleman Ruì Héng scolded himself, how quickly he allowed the memories to leave him! How careless he had become!

No wonder the young lady felt comfortable enough to follow in his footsteps! After the royal hunt, they could be courteously taken as being already acquainted with one another.

What's more, they're also —through blood and well as marriage— broadly seen by the lenses of society as “cousins”, if one was to use the term loosely. By rights, she could honestly be excused for her maid's high handed expectations of being immediately recognized.

Silently, he continued to berate himself, this was the fruits of his overly negligent manner, of being constantly dependent on his cousin Xu Yù Jīn to be always by his side, whispering important details pertinent in such occasions. His family's oft repeated admonishment rang in his ear, the blunder that they had warned of, had finally arrived to take a bite out of him!

Childishly, a part of his mind complained that this was the reason he hated going out! He should never be counted to be prepared for such situations, not with his abysmal facial recognition skill and lack of interest in such matters.

His brain could easily recall the written characters by their tens thousands, myriad of brush strokes notwithstanding, but do not expect him to be equally deft when it came to unfamiliar persons who seemed to change their features with every turn of the seasons or capricious whims of 'fashion'.

Added this to his tendency to avoid eye contact in social situations and his long disinterest in outsiders, it was a troubling recipe guaranteed for disaster.

***

Caught by the handmaiden's outburst, Ji Yang gaped for a moment before quickly regaining her composure, scattered after finding out the illustrious identity of their mysterious guest. Dropping to her knees, she performed the salutation each and every single commoners knew, for such incredible situations as this.

Who would've thought that a daughter of the Dragon —usually so tightly guarded— would suddenly popped up out of nowhere?

Her rote greetings rang out in the room.

"No!" Zhào Mí, Princess DuànJiā, the only full blooded sister of Kāng wangye inadvertently protested.

This was not what she had intended, when she first set foot into this room. Setting such formal boundaries between them so firmly, creating a great distance between her and that person! Him, whom she had silently admired for so long!

Her expressive eyes flew to the standing youth by the doorway, her hands frantically gesturing to stop his next actions. She shook her head, wordlessly pleading him to desist from following his servant down to the floor, to offer the same proper obeisance expected from a commoner to one of royal blood.

This was not how she pictured their first true meeting would be! His pristine robes, his noble self, they must not be blemished by the dust of lowly floor because of her!

Taking his cue from her visibly distressed behavior, An Jing Yù compromised by giving the royal daughter a silent salutation, from a gentleman to an acquaintance. A slight bow from the waist with his hands cupped together in a respectful gesture. And then the youth swiftly resuming his previous sentinel position by the doorways.