A few days later, Young Master Ma paid a visit to the Yun family house to talk business opportunity with the head of the Yun family on behalf of the Ma family. With the marriage alliance, the Yun family and the Ma family have gotten stronger and they have frequent meetings regarding their wares and shops.
When the news reached Yun Le's courtyard, Xuan Yi was preparing her young miss to take a stroll in the garden. Yun Le could not sit still as Xuan Yi did her best to put on her mistress's makeup and hair ornaments.
"Young miss, please allow this servant to put on your rouge properly." Xuan Yi sighed at the obvious excitement.
"Do you think if I put this on, it would look too improper? Which household young miss puts on rouge when she is not going out of the house?" Yun Le's mind was whirling. She is excited and nervous at the same time. The dress she is wearing is new and she hopes it looks good on her. She wouldn't want to make Young Master Ma thinks that she is a vain person.
"Would it be better to tone it done a bit more?" Yun Le bit her lips as she fidgeted in her seat.
Xuan Yi sighed before she quickly finished preparing her young miss. Putting down her makeup brush, she put her hands onto Yun Le's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
"You are beautiful so have some confidence. Also, there is no reason why a woman would not dress up for the man that she likes. Putting on makeup for Young Master Ma would make him fall in love with you all over again," Xuan Yi reassured her young miss.
Yun Le nodded and took deep breaths before she stood up and walked out of her room. Trotting behind her young miss, Xuan Yi felt a small sense of excitement of seeing the famous Young Master Ma she has been hearing all about for the first time. He must be very handsome if her Young Miss fell in love with him at first sight. After serving Yun Le for a few weeks, she has found out that it's difficult to make her Young Miss interested in anything. So for her to take interest in Young Master Ma, there has to be something special about him and Xuan Yi is extremely curious as to what it is.
Officially, Young Master Ma had come to the Yun family to discuss business but everyone knows that he is also here to visit his fiancee. He had finished settling business with his future father-in-law and was just having tea in the main hall when Yun Le and Xuan Yi arrived.
Yun Le cast a shy glance at Young Master Ma before saluting to her father. "Yun Le greets father, greets Young Master Ma." Xuan Yi bowed together with her mistress.
Father Yun smiled happily at his beloved daughter and quickly gestured towards her. "Come, Le er. Take a look at this."
Yun Le went to her father's side and looked at the box he was holding. Father Yun opened the box and a fragrant smell seep out of the box. Yun Le widened her eyes at the delightful smell.
"This is a very high-quality tea from the capital and only nobles and the Imperial Family can afford to drink this," Father Yun told her with an extremely happy face. For his son-in-law to get such a rare tea for him, it just shows how much he values his daughter and this marriage. Father Yun was delighted and reassured that his beloved daughter would live a good life after marriage.
Yun Le smiled and returned the box to her father before turning to Young Master Ma.
"Young Master Ma must have gone through a lot of trouble to get such a rare gift, Yun Le thank Young Master Ma." Yun Le saluted to Young Master Ma.
Young Master Ma waved his hands at her statement and told her, "it was no trouble."
Fishing from his sleeve, he took out a jade hairpin and handed it to Yun Le. "This was something that I bought for you, I hope that it is to your liking."
Yun Le took the hairpin in her trembling hands and she beamed in happiness. The thought that her fiance had thought of buying a gift for her when he was doing business in the capital made her feel warm all over.
"Xuan Yi, help me put it on." Yun Le turned towards her maidservant only to find her staring at Young Master Ma in a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"Xuan Yi?" Yun Le tapped her shoulder and she snapped her head towards her mistress.
"My apologies," Xuan Yi shook her head inwardly at her loss of composure as she took the hairpin from her mistress and clipped it in place. Young Master Ma nodded in satisfaction at the lovely sight of his fiancee.
Father Yun nodded at his daughter, reassuring her that she is indeed beautiful. Young Master Ma does have good taste. The pale green jade seems to contrast against the pale skin of the young miss while adding a light mature glow to her appearance.
Yun Le tried to contain her happiness and she gave Young Master Ma a shy smile. "Yun Le thank Young Master Ma for the gift." Young Master Ma replied to her with a smile of his own.
It was a happy atmosphere and Yun Le was on cloud nine until she saw her older brother walking into the main hall.
"Qi er, why are you so late?" Father Yun frowned a little at the tardiness of his son.
"Qi er apologizes for his lateness but Qi er heard that Young Master Ma is visiting and remembered our previous conversation about some books he wished to borrow. Qi er went to the library to retrieve those books before coming here," the heir and sole son of the Yun family, Yun Qi saluted to his father and his guest before gesturing to the servant behind him.
The servant stepped forward with a few books in hand and gave them to Young Master Ma. Young Master Ma accepted the books and gave Young Master Yun a smile that is different from the smile he gave his fiancee.
Xuan Yi could see her young miss's smile seemed forced and remembered what the dead maidservant told her. Xuan Yi observed the two men standing in front of her closely.
"I cannot believe you remembered," Young Master Ma was beaming when he received the books.
"Of course. You said it so many times that even if I want to forget, I can't" Young master Yun shrugged his shoulders with an aggrieved look on his face as though he has been bullied.
If Xuan Yi had not known that Young Master Ma has a lover and that lover is Young Master Yun, she would have thought that they were just close friends. They are both men and they are close in age, one would not overthink their relationship. But Xuan Yi knows and she notices the finer details that would be missed by others such as Young Master Ma's loving gaze and Young Master Yun's occasional blush when their eyes unexpectedly meet.
Xuan Yi could see all of these signs and her young miss could see it as well. Only father Yun was oblivious to his daughter's tension and the redness of his son's cheeks. To him, it was as if his son had a very good friendship with Young Master Ma and Father Yun feels that it is a good thing. Xuan Yi sighed before she whispered to her young miss's ears.
"Young miss, shall this servant help you?" Yun Le looked at her maidservant with a questioning gaze.
"Trust me and remember to play along," Xuan Yi gave her a confident gaze. When Yun Le nodded, Xuan Yi grinned internally.
"Young Master Ma, pardon this servant's imprudence but I would like to request something on behalf of my young miss." Xuan Yi stepped up and kneeled as she faced him.