His voice was not too loud nor too soft, just clear enough to reach Zuo Xiangning's ears.
But Zuo Xiangning pretended not to hear.
"How long does the Young Master plan to stay here?" Zuo Xiangning asked.
"It's undecided," Lingxiao replied. "Do you want to go back?"
"I sneaked out," Zuo Xiangning said anxiously, "I don't even know if I'll make it back in time for my coming-of-age ceremony."
Her legitimate mother and elder sister had started preparing for her coming-of-age ceremony a year in advance.
"Even if we rush back day and night, we may not make it in time," Lingxiao thought for a moment, then said, "If you want to go back, I can find someone to escort you."
"Let me discuss it with my elder brother first," Zuo Xiangning said after a moment's thought. "I'm not even sure if my brother can return to the capital by the end of the year."
"It's unlikely this year," Lingxiao said. "The Tatar's frequent invasions this year are not a good sign."
