Chapter 70: Personality
It was yet noon when Chen Sanlang’s carriage pulled up to Chen Rong’s courtyard the next day. “Ah Rong, let’s go,” a servant called in.
Chen Rong gave a reply and then carried her zither out.
When she got to the gate, she was surprised to find Chen Wei peering over from next door, curiously watching her and Chen Sanlang’s carriages. She appeared a little fearful of him, for her eyes were nervously darting around.
When Chen Rong approached, Chen Sanlang lifted his carriage curtain and gave the zither in her hands a glance. “Won’t so ordinary a zither make us look bad?” he commented with a frown.
He next leaned outward and handed an exquisitely made zither studded with jade and pearls to Chen Rong, smiling all the while: “Luckily, your third brother is well prepared. Ah Rong, use this one.”
Intentionally or not, his hand grazed the back of her porcelain one when he gave her the instrument.
Chen Rong held her zither with the same faithful appearance and took a step backward, faintly smiling: “You’re needlessly worried, third brother. Qilang has seen my zither before.”
Chen Sanlang paused to recall that Chen Rong had played ‘The Phoenix’s Love Song’ in front of everyone for Wang Qilang. He shook his head, mumbling: “Never mind, then. Do as you wish.”
He placed his zither back down and then glanced at Chen Rong’s full bosom, laughing as he did: “Ah Rong, come sit with me in the same carriage. We should let outsiders know just how close us siblings are.”
“Thank you third brother, but they’ve already prepared my ride,” said Chen Rong with a shake of her head and a smile. She then turned and walked toward her carriage.
Inadvertently, Chen Rong noticed Chen Wei peeking from behind the door with some envy.
Chen Rong withdrew her gaze, lifted her skirt and stepped inside, after which the two vehicles drove to the main gate, one following the other.
“I heard you and Wang Qilang had met on the road, is that right?” Chen Sanlang raised his curtain and smiled at Chen Rong. “And that was when you drew his attention?”
Behind the curtain came Chen Rong’s charming voice, which had an eerie allure just like her looks. Chen Sanlang squinted his eyes as he enjoyed listening to her reply. “Wang Qilang is quite the gentleman,” she said. “I’ve merely spoken to him once or twice.”
“The House of Wang ranks first among the nobility,” Chen Sanlang told her, “and their totem is Qilang. Meimei, it’s great luck for someone with your station to befriend him and receive his good opinion.”
Chen Rong could hear from his words that he thought she was reaching for the moon even if she were to become Wang Qilang’s concubine. But though she would only be a concubine, she’d be a favored one thanks to Wang Qilang’s good opinion of her.