What was even more inappropriate was that what he was thinking was something he shouldn't be thinking at all.
Before he really never thought about it. He just wanted to see her and ask her.
Just like what his friends had said about the youth who first tastes yearning for another in his heart.
Of course, he could not have such a yearning.
That metaphor was too inappropriate.
Ning Yunzhao sighed lightly and turned around. He would come back tomorrow.
Seeing her in the daytime would not be inapproriate.
The night and the hood of his cloak obscured his face and hid his status. In the daytime, the Fang Family residence would be busy. Even if he was careful, it would be hard to avoid being seen by someone.
Tenth Noble Son Ning came to the Fang residence - this news would send Yangcheng into a flurry.
Inappropriate, inappropriate.
Ning Yunzhao led himself around a corner, following along the walls of the Fang Family slowly.
Then how could he avoid people's gazes and meet her?
Climbing over the walls?
Ning Yunzhao sized up the walls.
He was a scholar and a gentlemen. Horseriding and archery were necessary elements of the Six Confucian arts, but wall climbing was not one of them.
Moreover, after climbing over the wall, how would he find her? It would be even more unclear if he were seized by the Fang Family guards.
Ning Yunzhao smiled at the thought.
This was not a time for smiling.
He frowned.
The most suitable action would be to find someone to give her a letter, and tell her to come to meet him.
But, who would be most suited to delivering a letter?
This was also a problem.
Ning Yunzhao was so old, and this was still the first time he had to worry about meeting with someone.
He was not this worried about meeting the emperor.
To meet the emperor with his background, all he had to do was work hard at his studies and gain reputation, then there would be a chance. This was for certain with his path of hard work.
Ning Yunzhao circled the Fang Family's property at a leisurely pace.
The March winds were slightly chilly, keeping him wide awake. In reality, he should be tired and thirsty now. The most logical thing to do would be to leave her and find an inn to drink some tea and eat a bowl of hot soup, then take a bath and sleep comfortably.
But he didn't want to leave. Afterall, so many things happened today, and he still hadn't finished something. He wouldn't be able to sleep in the inn. It would be better to walk and think.
Today people who could not sleep were not limited to Ning Yunzhao. There was another in the Fang Family.
Fang Jinxiu paced around the courtyard.
She had come back when it was dark. Using the excuse that she was tired, she had avoided Eldest Sister's and Second Sister's questions. She just said she had not fought with Jun Zhenzhen, and had ridden by herself in the city.
She also did not want to find Grandmother.
This was Jun Zhenzhen's issue. Whether or not it was her issue too, she, Fang Jinxiu, was not inclined to tell on someone.
But Grandmother should know that she had also went out, but no one came to find her. It seemed that Jun Zhenzhen had already talked to Grandmother.
She was just a child. These things were for adults to worry about.
Although she said that, Fang Jinxiu still could not sleep, thinking about the events of the day. But she didn't know what to think. She became more and more agitated, until she got up and went for a walk.
Was it really like this?
When Fang Jinxiu was standing in the courtyard, several guards walked by.
"I think it's strange..."
"It's probably just a passerby."
"How could it be, I saw him make two laps already."
"Perhaps he's just taking a walk."
"Who would take a walk in the middle of the night."
Their voices stopped when they caught sight of Fang Jinxiu standing by the path.
"So what if you take a walk in the middle of the night?" she asked coldly.
Were people making fun of her?
She treated that girl as an idiot, and now she was the idiot.
That's right. When she thought about her reactions in the Jinyun Hall, and how Jun Zhenzhen had been much more fluid, she felt like an idiot.
The guards saw Third Miss was unhappy and hurried to pay their respects.
"Third Miss, there is someone outside who is taking a walk around our residence," one of the guards said carefully.
They said it wasn't her they were talking about. She frowned.
It seemed that since the end of the year the guards were much stricter than before.
At that time it could be said because of Little Brother's marriage preparations, although she thought they were making a fuss about nothing. Why would anyone make a fuss about Jun Zhenzhen marrying her younger cousin?
But right now, Registrar Lin's daughter had been so badly wronged by Jun Zhenzhen. It was good that the guards were stricter.
"Who is it?" she asked.
The guards shook their heads.
"Because he is not making any suspicious actions, just walking slowly," answered a guard, "we cannot go chase him out."
After all, the roads outside the Fang residence were public roads.
Fang Jinxiu felt unwell in her stomach.
"Isn't taking a stroll in the middle of the night strange?" she said ill-temperedly. "Perhaps it's a thief gathering information."
What thief would dare gather information about the Fang Family?
The guards were at a loss for words. Fang Jinxiu passed them, going outside.
"I will go ask him what he's doing," she said.
The guards jumped in fright. Although there were no men in the household, they were protecting the household. They couldn't let a girl go out.
"Third Miss, let us go." They hurried to stop her.
Fang Jinxiu couldn't sleep and had nothing to do. She ignored them and directly went up to the gate.
Lanterns illuminated the corner gate, contrasting with the rest of the darkness. For a moment, she couldn't see who was walking.
"Third Miss, over there," one of the guards said while pointing.
Fang Jinxiu followed his finger and saw a figure emerge from the darkness.
That figure seemed to suddenly appear. His cloak hood obscured his face, but not his figure.
It was a young man, and an elegant young man at that.
But Fang Jinxiu didn't care about whether he was handsome or ugly.
"Hey!" she shouted. "What are you doing in the middle of the night!"
The guards were frightened by the young miss' directness. Ning Yunzhao was also frightened by the sudden voice. He stopped and lifted his head up to see a group of people had appeared in front of him. His eyes flashed and his heart beat faster.
Because he saw these people, but also because he saw the Fang Family gates open.
Was this an opportunity?
He just decided to keep walking, and the Fang Family's gates opened at night.
Ning Yunzhao thought of a line, if human's exclude him, Heaven still cares for him.
Is this considered Heaven's care for him?
Fang Jinxiu didn't know whether the man in front of them had seen them, or if he cared more about the door behind her. Seeing this person stop because of her shout, she felt it even more eerie.
"Hey, who are you? What are you doing here?" she yelled, marching forward.
The guards hurried to stick out their sticks to prevent her from going forward and getting close to that man.
Ning Yunzhao lifted his head to look at the girl beneath the lanterns, his expression stoic.
Not only did the Fang Family gates open, but out came someone he knew. Compared to finding some servant boy or girl to send a message for him tomorrow, this girl was a much better option.
What was he waiting for? The time was right, the geographical and social conditions were favorable.
Ning Yunzhao was a straightforward man.
"Miss Fang." He dipped his head in greeting. "I have something I want to speak to you about."
When they heard this, the space in front of the corner gate immediately turned silent, the light illuminating the guardsmen’s fearful faces.
Midnight, a man, knows Young Miss, wants to talk to her alone.
Could it be this young man couldn't sleep this late in the night and was dithering here because of Third Miss?
Then they thought of how Third Miss wasn't able to sleep, similarly pacing in her courtyard.
Could this be the legendary midnight rendezvous?
The guards jumped in fright, while Fang Jinxiu was stunned.
What the devil was this.