binnovel Chapter 153 Sachet
Chapter 153 Sachet
Having said that, He Mingning turned and walked to the basin, gently rolled up her sleeves, picked up a clean white handkerchief, soaked it, wrung it out, and then gently wiped her cheeks and neck. In an instant, a beautiful young woman, like a lotus emerging from the water, appeared in the bright bronze mirror. Her skin was as white as snow, almost transparent; her eyes were like deep lakes, clear and serene; her nose was straight and beautiful, and her lips were as luscious as cherries. Her long, black, and shiny hair fell over her shoulders, gently brushing against her fair skin, adding to her softness and charm.
He Mingning gazed quietly at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes as calm as a still lake. However, only she knew the turbulent waves of thought churning within her. Just then, Lan'er noticed He Mingning's distraction and grew worried. She hurried forward, asking softly like an anxious mother, "Princess, what do you think of your makeup today? Is there anything that needs to be changed?"
He Mingyan was pulled back to reality by Lan'er's words, as if waking from a dream. She carefully examined herself in the mirror, and after a moment, smiled and replied, "No need to change it, today's makeup is excellent. Lan'er, your skills are becoming more and more exquisite!" Receiving the princess's praise, Lan'er's face lit up with a joyful smile, and she quickly thanked her.
Just then, Cui'er entered the room with light steps and said respectfully to He Mingning, "Princess, breakfast is ready. Please proceed to the dining hall for your meal." He Mingning nodded slightly to indicate that she understood, then slowly rose and walked towards the door. All the way, she was absent-minded, her mind constantly replaying the things that troubled her. Arriving at the dining hall, looking at the abundant food on the table, He Mingning felt no appetite whatsoever. She merely picked up a few bites of food, chewed them hastily, and swallowed them. A short while later, she put down her chopsticks and bowl, told the maids serving her, "Clear it away," then rose and left the dining hall, heading straight for her room.
He Mingning slowly sat down in the chair, but before she was fully settled, the nightmare that had haunted her since last night surged back into her mind like a tidal wave. She involuntarily frowned, gripping the armrests tightly with both hands, as if that could resist the relentless onslaught of thoughts.
He Mingning took a deep breath and shook her head vigorously, trying to banish the tangled images from her mind. She murmured to herself, "No, I absolutely can't let this continue. How can I let my mind wander like this? I need to find something to do to distract myself." But what should she do? For a moment, she felt lost and helpless.
Her gaze wandered aimlessly, and suddenly, He Mingning caught sight of the travelogue lying on the soft couch. She paused slightly, then shook her head, thinking to herself, "Forget it, I'm in such a chaotic state right now, I definitely can't concentrate on reading. I'd better find another way!" Just then, as she turned her head, the corner of her eye caught sight of the bamboo basket she had taken out earlier to use for embroidery.
A thought struck her, and He Mingning, as if grasping at a lifeline, quickly walked to the bamboo basket. Gazing at the basket filled with various silk threads and satins, she fell into deep thought. After a moment, she finally made up her mind and muttered to herself, "Perhaps… I should choose embroidery. Maybe focusing on the interlacing of the needle and thread will successfully divert my attention from those worries!" With that thought, He Mingning no longer hesitated and immediately put it into action. She reached out and lifted the bamboo basket, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, then gently placing it beside her. Next, she reached her right hand into the basket and began to carefully search through it. A moment later, a piece of sky-blue silk came into view.
He Mingning's gaze was immediately drawn to the piece of silk. She gently picked it up, stroking its soft, smooth texture, and her memories gradually became clearer. It turned out that this sky-blue silk was one of several pieces she had carefully selected when her fourth brother had asked her for a sachet some time ago. Moreover, she had meticulously embroidered one a couple of days ago and given it to her fourth brother as a gift. The one she held in her hand now was the last piece she had left.
He Ming stared quietly at the piece of cloth in front of him, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness, like a lonely little boat adrift on a vast ocean, completely unable to find its way forward, and unsure of what patterns and designs to embroider on this sky-blue cloth.
Just as she was lost in deep thought, suddenly, Fan Junyu's handsome figure flashed through her mind like a phantom. Before her eyes, she seemed to clearly see that tall and straight young man with a gentle and refined face, his lips slightly upturned, revealing a warm and charming smile, gazing at her with affection.
For some reason, He Mingning seemed drawn by a mysterious force, and involuntarily picked up the needle and thread beside her. Her fingers moved nimbly, each stitch precise and flawless, as if under a magical spell, dazzling the eye. The silk threads danced in her hands, weaving through the fabric, and in the blink of an eye, they outlined exquisite patterns.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and when He Mingning finally stopped what she was doing, she was surprised to find that the originally plain fabric had been transformed into a small, exquisitely crafted sachet! The sachet emitted a faint fragrance, and the embroidered patterns on it were lifelike and beautiful.
However, He Mingning wasn't overjoyed at having successfully completed the piece. Instead, she stared blankly at the sachet in her hand, her thoughts drifting away, involuntarily recalling her conversation with her second younger sister the day before…
Yesterday morning, sunlight filtered through dappled leaves, casting delicate shadows, and a gentle breeze rustled the flowers in the courtyard. In this tranquil and beautiful moment, He Mingning sat gracefully in the house, like a pure and elegant lotus flower. However, at that moment, she blushed deeply, her face as red as a ripe apple, after being bombarded with passionate kisses and embraces by her younger sister, He Mingyan.
He Mingning playfully scolded, "Alright, alright, stop talking!" Her slightly shy tone was like a gentle spring breeze, soothing one's heart. He Mingyan, however, didn't seem to mind, giggling as her pretty face blossomed into a radiant smile like a spring flower. "Sister, don't be shy! Feelings between men and women are perfectly normal!"
Hearing her sister's blunt words, He Mingning coughed lightly, the sound like a gentle breeze rippling across a calm lake. She turned her head slightly, seemingly trying to hide her inner turmoil and shyness. After calming herself down, she decided to change the subject, and said softly, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I should think about the arrangements for Yanyu Tower three days from now."
Just as He Mingning was deep in thought, the clever and mischievous He Mingyan suddenly had a brilliant idea, her eyes darting around like a nimble little bird. Excitedly, she leaned close to her sister and suggested, "Sister, why don't you make a sachet yourself for Fan Junyu? That would show your sincerity and be unique and special!"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning's heart skipped a beat, but she hesitated. She gently bit her lip and slowly said, "But... we've only met two or three times. If I rashly give him such an intimate gift, and others find out, they might say we're secretly exchanging affections." Their conversation was filled with deep concern and worry. He Mingyan retorted without hesitation, "Sister, are you confused? You two are engaged! How can you say it's a secret exchange? These actions are perfectly normal for lovers. If word gets out, others will only be envious; no one will criticize us!"
Upon hearing her sister's words, He Mingning nodded slightly, as if a gentle spring breeze had stirred the tranquil lake in her heart, creating subtle ripples. She pondered to herself, finding the idea quite good, but outwardly remained as calm as a still lake, showing no sign of emotion. Then, she furrowed her brow slightly, deliberately feigning a troubled expression, and said, "However, this matter may not be so easy to handle! After all, I've only known him for a short time, and we've met very few times. Sending him a sachet so hastily seems inappropriate. Let's wait until the time is more opportune!"
Thinking of this, He Mingning slowly raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on the sachet she had just finished sewing in her hands. The sachet was exquisite and small, embroidered with beautiful patterns; every stitch reflected her painstaking effort and ingenuity. However, at this moment, she had no heart to appreciate this achievement, and could only involuntarily let out a soft sigh.
The sigh seemed to weigh a ton, pressing heavily on the air. It wasn't just a helpless lament about the current situation, but more like a burden of countless worries and anxieties. He Mingning frowned slightly, his eyes somewhat lost, and murmured softly, "Alas, Second Sister's suggestion is indeed good, it sounds like a feasible plan. But... what if Lord Fan really thinks as I did in my dream? If that's the case, once this sachet is given away, it will probably not only bring him endless trouble, but also put me in a difficult situation."
After saying this, He Mingning gently shook her head, a bitter smile appearing on her face. After hesitating for a long time, she finally decided to put the idea aside for the time being. So, she carefully placed the newly embroidered sachet, as if it were a rare treasure, in the deepest corner of the cabinet.
After everything was tidied up, He Mingning slowly stood up, then sat back down in her chair as steadily as a statue. Her gaze fell once more on the open travelogue on the table, but her mind had already wandered far away. Although she tried hard to concentrate on reading the words, her heart was like a vast, turbulent sea, surging and unable to find peace no matter what she did.
The more He Mingning thought about it, the more she felt as if a tangled mess was tightly binding her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. That feeling of unease was like a surging tide, wave after wave crashing over her, growing stronger with each passing moment.
Unable to bear this self-torture any longer, she couldn't help but mentally berate herself: "Oh dear, He Mingning, how could you become so indecisive and hesitant! It's just a small sachet, and you can't even be so hesitant! You're so useless!"
The more He Mingning thought about it, the more powerless he felt. He felt like an insignificant blade of grass by the roadside, easily swayed by the slightest breeze. Having only met Fan Junyu twice, his heart, like a candle flame flickering in a storm, had already fallen for him. It all happened so suddenly that even He Mingning himself hadn't expected it.
Recalling the boy who always greeted her with a warm, spring-like smile, she realized that he had unknowingly taken root deep within the softest corner of her heart, like a tenacious seed. Although she knew perfectly well that the unpleasant scenes of last night were merely a dream, like flowers in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water—beautiful in appearance but ultimately ethereal and unattainable—her tormented heart still felt as if it were being mercilessly sliced by a thousand sharp blades, the pain unbearable. At this moment, He Mingning was lost and helpless, completely unsure how she should face him when she saw him again tomorrow…
He Mingning slowly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The air seemed to possess a magical power, wanting to absorb all the troubles and worries in her heart. She pursed her lips tightly, as if she was using all her strength to restrain the surging emotions within her.
After a long while, she opened her eyes, gazing into the distance with a somewhat unfocused look, and murmured softly, "Forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore... I'll put those worries behind me for now. In any case, the most important thing right now is to properly arrange tomorrow's affairs. As for the rest, I can think about them later! As long as I can hold onto my original pure heart and not let it sink deeper into depravity, maybe one day I can return to that beautiful starting point!"