As Xiao Jin slowly walked out of the gate of Huguo Temple, she saw Yun Shu sitting on horseback, quietly watching her.
Xiao Jin smiled slightly, walked to Yun Shu's horse, and extended her hand to him.
The previously overcast and gloomy sky suddenly burst open with a dazzling ray of light.
Sunlight finally pierced through the thick clouds and reached the earth.
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This article was exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City; all other publications are pirated. The author works hard to update daily, please support the official version, thank you!
This is an anti-theft chapter. If any readers accidentally purchased it, don't worry, it will be replaced around 8 AM tomorrow. After the replacement, the word count will increase.
This article was exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City; all other publications are pirated. The author works hard to update daily, please support the official version, thank you!
Chapter 123
It has been seven days since Qingping left the Pingyuan Marquis's residence.
Under pressure from Lu Mingxiu, on the day Qingping left, she only told Nian Ge'er that she had distant relatives in Wanping County, which was not far from the capital, and that she wanted to go and visit them.
The reason Qingping didn't dare to say that it was Anran who couldn't tolerate her and forced her to leave the Marquis's mansion was because of Biluo.
Biluo was very clever. She took the initiative to ask Anran if she could go and see Nian Ge'er off, saying that she wanted to stay and take care of him. After all, Qingping was leaving tomorrow, and Qingping was confident that she knew Nian Ge'er very well, so she would ask her for advice to avoid any taboos she might be unaware of during the month she had been taking care of Nian Ge'er.
Therefore, after she brought Nian-ge'er back to Yilan Courtyard, she stayed by Nian-ge'er's side with Qing-ping. Qing-ping knew that Bi-luo intended to monitor him, but Bi-luo's reasons were so plausible that Qing-ping couldn't say anything.
Therefore, Qingping could only follow her earlier promise to Lu Mingxiu, instructing Niange'er to be obedient to his madam, not to displease her, to respect her, and to treat her as his mother from now on.
Biluo chimed in with a joke, taking advantage of her young age, and said with a smile, "Sister Qingping is overthinking it. Madam is the most easygoing person."
Qingping was speechless at her retort, but because her brother was the steward of the Marquis's mansion, she had no choice but to swallow her words. Qingping knew very well that if she said or did anything inappropriate, it would probably reach the ears of Marquis Lu before the next day.
A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.
Qingping suppressed her anger, and thankfully, she had good self-control and managed to swallow it back.
The next morning, Biluo "thoughtfully" helped Qingping pack her things and even saw her off to the carriage. Lanxin and Lanyue held Niange'er's hands and escorted him to the main courtyard.
After spending the last few days together, without Qingping constantly interfering, Anran and Niange'er's relationship has grown much closer.
Nian-ge'er had always liked An-ran, but after Qing-ping's words of advice a few times, there was still a hurdle he couldn't overcome in his heart, which made him seem a bit distant. However, without Qing-ping's constant nagging, Nian-ge'er sometimes couldn't help but let down his guard and become closer to An-ran.
That day, Anran had agreed to take Nian-ge'er to the Marquis of Nan'an's residence.
In the Marquis's residence, there are Anxi and Anmu, whom Nian-ge'er is familiar with, as well as Yu-ge'er, who is the same age as Nian-ge'er. Although the two are of different generations, they should be able to play together.
"Nian-ge'er, get up quickly." After An Ran finished washing up and changing her clothes, she came to call Nian-ge'er, who was still wrapped in a quilt and unwilling to get up in the gauze-covered wardrobe.
Now Nian-ge'er knows how to be affectionate with her, and children naturally sleep a lot. In the past, Qingping would practically drag Nian-ge'er out of bed and wipe his face with a handkerchief wrung out with cold water, just so he would look his best when he went to pay his respects to Lu Mingxiu.
Nian-ge'er was rolling around in bed wrapped in a blanket. Hearing An Ran's voice, he finally opened his eyes a crack, still half-asleep, and tried to pull the blanket back over himself and roll further into the bed. An Ran reached out and "scooped" him back.
Ever since she made up her mind to send Lu Mingxiu to court, An Ran has almost never stayed in bed. Sometimes Lu Mingxiu's movements were already very light, he was almost using his lightness skill, but every time he was about to put on his clothes and leave, he would feel a fair and delicate arm reach out and grab the hem of his clothes.
Those big, hazy, moist eyes looked at him dreamily, and Lu Mingxiu felt his heart melt.
He couldn't let his wife's kindness go to waste, and Lu Mingxiu felt a warm glow in his heart, thoroughly enjoying her service. Especially at times like this, he could take advantage of his wife's drowsy state to unexpectedly steal a tender kiss.
He actually managed to wait until this day came, with his young wife seeing him off and waiting for his return...
An Ran has almost completely given up the habit of sleeping in, except when Lu Mingxiu is on leave, he will drag her to lie in bed a little longer.
“Nian-ge’er, have you forgotten? We’re going to the Marquis of Nan’an’s residence today.” An Ran patted the blanket wrapped around Nian-ge’er, which was bulging and looked like he was trying to cover his ears.
Seeing him still curled up in the blanket and trying to shrink further inside, An Ran couldn't help but laugh and say, "Sister Xiao Xi and Brother Xiao Mu are waiting for you. There's also a little uncle whose wicked schemes are about the same age as yours."
Before she could finish speaking, she realized something was amiss. The seniority system needed to be rearranged.
Anxi and Anmu call her "sister," and Nian Ge'er is their illegitimate son... I'm afraid Nian Ge'er should change his address and call them "aunt" and "uncle."
Upon hearing that he was going to see An tide and An Mu, he finally obediently threw off the covers and got up.
Biluo brought Niange'er's clothes from the incense burner at the right time, and Anran personally helped him put them on one by one, and then carried him down.
"Let's go wash up, then have breakfast and head out." An Ran took care of Nian Ge'er personally. Lan Xin and Lan Yue prepared warm water and brought it over. An Ran rolled up her sleeves to wash his face and gently cleaned his teeth with tooth powder before letting him rinse his mouth.
Nian-ge'er obediently let her do as she pleased, he was extremely well-behaved.
Biluo watched him eat breakfast, and Anran asked Cuiping to bring over the gift list so she could review the gifts she was taking back. Since there weren't many people in the Nan'an Marquis's residence, Anran prepared a gift for everyone, including Sixth Sister, to avoid giving anyone fault with her etiquette.
Before leaving, Lu Mingxiu specifically instructed her to take guards with her when she went out, saying that he had already made arrangements.
An Ran naturally wouldn't refuse. She took Nian Ge'er, Jinping, and Biluo in one carriage, while Qingmei and Taoye sat in the carriage behind, looking at the gifts and other items.
Sure enough, there were eight guards waiting outside the Pingyuan Marquis's residence. Songyang came over to see them off and said, "Madam, these are the guards arranged by the Marquis. The leader is called Feng Yi. You can just give him any instructions."
Before he finished speaking, a tall, honest-looking guard stepped forward to greet An Ran.
An Ran smiled and told him not to be so polite, adding that he had worked hard, which made Feng Yi and the others feel a little embarrassed.
The carriage departed smoothly from the Pingyuan Marquis's residence. Although Nian-ge'er had traveled to the capital many times by carriage, he hadn't seen much of the journey. Today, there was no rush, and seeing Nian-ge'er's curiosity, An Ran allowed him to lift a corner of the curtain so that he could see the bustling scene outside as they passed Zhuque Street.
"Nian-ge'er, be careful." An Ran told Bi Luo to help Nian-ge'er up so he wouldn't fall. She had wanted to promise him that she would take him out for a stroll sometime. But thinking of the "grand occasion" when she and Lu Mingxiu went out that day, An Ran held back from saying it.
Don't promise what you can't do. Wait for the right opportunity and treat it as a surprise!
Rong'an Hall.