Chapter 34: Discontent


In the adjacent room the fire was burning brightly and Bai Siruo lightly flicked the silver carbon with iron chopsticks, making a slight sound.

"What's wrong? You seem as angry as a fighting rooster. Did your cousin provoke you again?"

"You still have the nerve to say that. You haven't come to see me for more than half a month. Have you forgotten about me, your cousin?"

Feng Jinyao couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Since I returned home, I haven't had a break. You know my mother is bedridden and my sister-in-law is also unwell. So the responsibilities of managing the household fell to me. It's the New Year, with a heap of troubles to deal with. Just when I finally sorted things out, I rushed over to bring New Year gifts to our maternal grandmother and aunt."

As she spoke, she took out a small booklet from her bosom and handed it over mysteriously.

"You've always wanted to practice pitching. I wrote down some insights, not sure if it'll be helpful. Take a look."

"Really?" Bai Siruo's eyes lit up and her previous anger dissipated.

Treating the booklet like a treasure, she flipped through it carefully, becoming increasingly excited. "This is almost perfect."

"Alright, alright, don't be angry anymore. Tell me, what's wrong with our aunt-in-law?"

"Hmph!" Bai Siruo vented her frustration, recounting all the dirty words Shen Shi said when she made a scene at the Duke's mansion, causing Feng Jinyao's face to show a cold expression.

"Does she think her daughter is a fairy descended from heaven? She even looks down on our cousin from Uncle's family. Hmph, does she think our Bai family is her stepping stone? She's just trying to climb up by stepping on us!"

Shen Shi's thoughts were indeed not suitable for polite society. If it weren't for missing the talent selection every three years, she might have already been thinking about a position as a concubine in the palace.

Since that was the case, Feng Jinyao decided to help her fulfill her 'desire.'

Quickly, a plan sprang to mind, and she spoke up.

"Do you know when Miss Xu's wedding date is set?"

"It's set for May, when the weather is still cool and it's the transition from spring to summer, so they chose a good day in May."

May, so she still had time to manipulate things.

"It was originally planned for September, but Mr. Xu's health is weak and they were worried about any setbacks in his condition, so they moved it up."

Bai Siruo's face showed a hint of sorrow, completely devoid of the joy of seeing her close friend getting married.

"Whenever I think about her becoming sisters-in-law with Liang Luo in the future, I feel really depressed. I hope that the heavens will bless Liang Luo to marry someone else soon, so that she won't have to stay in the Xu family and suffer."

Feng Jinyao chuckled and teased Bai Siruo.

"Sister, are you joking? Can Miss Liang really harm her? Are you sure?"

After hearing this, Bai Siruo suddenly realized, "Yeah, with her mentality, she can't even outsmart me, how could she harm Mingyue! Haha, I feel so much better now."

She happily patted Feng Jinyao's shoulder, "If only you were my real sister, then I wouldn't have to deal with that troublemaker Bai Sihan every day."

"Don't be angry, hasn't the Wei family sent invitations? Why don't we help her climb a higher branch?"

"Are you saying..."

"The guests from the Wei family are all distinguished people. Since she looks down on ordinary families, why don't we find her a family that's not ordinary at all, fulfilling her wish, right?"

Bai Siruo's eyes lit up. Although she spoke quickly and had a simple mind, it didn't mean she lacked intelligence.

When Feng Jinyao mentioned this, if she still couldn't figure it out, then she would truly be foolish.

"Good sister, you're always so understanding!"

Watching Bai Siruo's confident appearance, Feng Jinyao felt a sense of regret in her heart.

In her previous life, Bai Siruo was about to be betrothed to the eldest grandson of the Prince Kang's mansion after the New Year. If they were deeply in love, it would have been fine, but unfortunately, their affair became widely known in the Eastern Capital.

Thinking of the tragic days after her second brother married Princess Changlin, Feng Jinyao was determined not to let her cousin suffer the same fate.

She needed to seize the opportunity to meet this eldest grandson of the Prince Kang's mansion!

The two chatted amiably, and time passed swiftly.

By the time Feng Jinyao left, it was already the afternoon.

At this moment, the streets of the Eastern Capital were bustling with activity, as it was the busiest time for the afternoon market.

The Feng family was not far from the Bai family, but the neighborhood they passed through was the most prosperous area of ​​the Eastern Capital.

The city was divided into four large blocks by two rivers running north and south, with east-west streets dividing the city.

At intervals, stone bridges were built, with clouds and water beasts carved on them, symbolizing a peaceful waterway.

The carriage moved slowly along the road, surrounded by the cries of vendors, creating a lively atmosphere.

The shops on both sides were arranged in a front-back layout, with residential houses in the backyards and various shops in the front.

Charcoal shops, taverns, incense shops, baozi shops, meat pie shops, tea shops, mutton shops, and pharmacies...

The items in the shops were dazzling, attracting the attention of passersby.

Sitting in the carriage, Xiuqiu widened her eyes.

Indeed, this was the capital of Great Jin, even the bustling scene was much livelier than usual. Since she entered the Feng Mansion, she rarely had the opportunity to go out. Occasionally, she would go to the Fahua Temple with her lady to pray, but she rarely walked along this imperial street.

Therefore, she had never even heard of some of the shops, let alone the things inside them. Curiously, she peered out through the half-open curtain.

As it was nearing mealtime, the vendors on both sides began to prepare the food they would sell in the evening.

The smell of freshly roasted fox meat and pork skin meat wafted through the air, while the hot eel soup was bubbling in the big pot, crystal cakes, plum ginger, sugar snowballs, wild duck meat...

Every street snack tempted the appetite of passersby.

Feng Jinyao was not fond of food, but the aroma wafting through the curtain made its way into the carriage.

She closed her eyes and listened carefully, as if sensing Xiuqiu's eagerness. "Do you want to eat?"

Feeling a bit shy at being asked, Xiuqiu touched her nose.

"Miss, could I go down and buy some snacks to taste? There are some snacks that I've never seen before."

Feng Jinyao smiled faintly, it wouldn't hurt to let them have some food while they were out. They didn't have many opportunities to go out after entering the mansion anyway, so it was fine to take advantage of this opportunity to taste some food. She nodded and instructed, "Tell the coachman to stop by the side. You can go down and take a look. Buy some snacks you like and also share some with the maids in the courtyard."

After saying that, she gestured for Yunxu to pass some silver coins to Xiuqiu, who was pleasantly surprised.

After expressing her gratitude, Xiuqiu quickly got off the carriage and ran towards the bustling area.

Seeing her like this, Yunxu couldn't help but smile lightly.

"Miss is very indulgent towards them."

Feng Jinyao didn't respond, her mind was focused on how to sabotage Xu Mingyue's marriage.

With a loud bang, the sound of popping popcorn on the side of the road startled the horses pulling the Feng family's carriage.

The horse neighed and seemed to want to gallop away!

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 711: Zhang Ping'an's Gaze

Shuyu heard the movement at the door and walked out a bit. At that moment, Zhang Ping'an also looked up and glanced in her direction.

Shu Yu nodded at him, and he quickly averted his gaze.

Zhang Ping'an spoke to the grandmother, "Da Hu is amazing. He knows a lot of characters and is very patient. Originally, my family wanted to keep them for a meal, but Da Hu and San Ya insisted on coming back, so I brought them home."

As he spoke, Zhang Ping'an handed over the vegetable basket he was carrying. "My mother said that your vegetable seeds have just been planted and haven't ripened yet, so she asked me to bring some vegetables over."

The old lady didn't bother with pleasantries and reached out to take it. "Okay, thank you. We've already prepared the meal. Stay and have some."

"No, no, no," Zhang Ping'an hurriedly waved his hand. "We have food at home too. I should be going. Goodbye."

Zhang Ping'an turned around and left, but before leaving, he glanced at Shu Yu

However, Shu Yu had her head down and was quietly talking to San Ya, so she didn't notice.

The old lady raised an eyebrow, and when Shu Yu looked up, she saw the strange expression on her face.

"What's wrong? Is there something on me?"

"It's nothing. Let's wash our hands and have the meal."

Da Hu walked towards the kitchen and explained, "Grandma, San Ya and I were actually on our way back, but Aunt Zhang insisted on keeping us there. She said she had prepared our meals too. It took us a while to convince her to let us come back, which is why it took us so long."

San Ya nodded quickly by his side. "Yes, yes, we worked hard. We ran here and there, having a mental battle with them for a long time. It wasn't easy at all."

Shu Yu laughed, "Why does it sound like you were fighting a war?"

"We didn't fight a war, but I wasn't hungry before, and now I'm starving." San Ya rubbed her belly and let out a long sigh like a grown-up.

It was so difficult to get through to adults. She was speaking very clearly now, so why couldn't they understand?

Shu Yu found the expressions of the two children amusing. It seemed that Aunt Zhang's enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for the little ones.

The family of four had their meal, and when they heard that Shu Yu was going to pick more snails, the two children excitedly insisted on joining.

The old lady waved her hand and led them all to the river.

Shuyu picked another half bucket of snails before returning home. After soaking them in water, she went to the village.

Wang Changdong found it strange. "Why are you here so early?"

Shu Yu was taken aback by his comment. If only she had such a good boss in modern times, there wouldn't be so many workaholics.

He actually complained about her arriving early for work?

Shu Yu smiled, "I came to organize the roster. Although the original one is fine, I'm more familiar with my own way of recording. I thought if I finish it now, I can work faster in the future."

Wang Changdong had an expression that said, "You don't need to explain; I understand." He knew very well how messy the original roster was, and only the person who recorded it could understand it.

Shuyu took the small basket to the kitchen and returned it to Aunt Fang. Then she moved the table to the shade under the eaves.

The lighting there was sufficient, and it could still catch some sunlight without being too harsh on the eyes.

Once she started working, Shu Yu became more focused.

Wang Changdong passed by her a few times and only saw her flipping through the book at a rapid pace.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he came over and asked, "How's the organization going?"

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 710: Picking Snails

As they walked, the grandmother noticed that the small basket Shuyu was carrying was filled with snails.

"You picked these?"

While talking, she quickly took the wooden tub from Shu Yu hands.

Shu Yu nodded and rubbed her wrist. The wooden tub was too heavy to carry, so it would be more convenient to use the basket. She followed her grandmother back home. "When I was washing clothes, I saw that the river was full of snails. The water is clean, and the snails are big. I thought it would be nice to pick some and stir-fry them as a snack."

She had originally planned to bring the clothes back first, but she ran into Aunt Fang on the way. Aunt Fang was heading to the village to cook lunch and was carrying a basket to collect pine nuts in the mountains during her free time.

When Aunt Fang saw that Shuyu needed it, she gave her the basket.

Shuyu had wanted to refuse. After all, the basket was used to collect pine nuts, and it would get dirty if used for snails.

But Aunt Fang quickly left without waiting for her to decline.

Shuyu could only put some large leaves at the bottom of the basket and start picking snails.

She didn't go into the water. If she dared to go into the water on a day like this, her grandmother would surely scold her.

Fortunately, there were plenty of snails along the riverbank, and Shuyu easily filled the basket.

As the old lady listened, she frowned. "What's so good about these snails? There's hardly any meat, and they have a muddy and fishy smell."

As villagers, they preferred to eat substantial meat dishes. While it seemed like there were many snails, there was only a small amount of meat, and it took time to eat them.

Shu Yu pushed open the courtyard door and couldn't help but laugh. "That's why I said we could have them as a snack. As for the fishy smell, we can use perilla leaves. Do we have perilla leaves here?"

"Perilla leaves?" The grandmother thought for a moment. "I haven't seen any. I'll ask around."

Shu Yu had seen them outside the mountains, so if there were none nearby, she would ask Fang Xiyue to help pick some when she went down the mountain.

"No need to ask. I'll have someone pick them for me."

Shu Yu poured the snails from the basket into a basin and said to the grandmother, who was drying clothes, "I'll take our water bucket and pick some more later."

"More?"

Shuyu nodded. "Yes, there are plenty in the river. After they expel the sand for a couple of days, we can stir-fry them. I'll bring some to the village to let others taste them. They have been very kind to me."

The old lady remained silent. Although it wasn't the season for eating snails, she didn't know if the people here didn't know how to cook them, didn't have time, or simply didn't like them because of the lack of meat and the fishy smell. As a result, there were snails everywhere.

"Alright, let's have lunch first. After we finish eating, we can go together. I need to keep an eye on you so that you don't go into the water."

Shu Yu had no objections. "Okay."

She soaked the snails in water and wiped her hands. "Why haven't Da Hu and Sanya come back yet?"

"You're right. The Zhang family has already started lunch, so they should be back by now." Both children were well behaved and wouldn't stay at someone else's house during mealtime.

The old lady planned to find them after finishing drying the clothes. Just as she was about to do so, she heard Da Hu's voice outside the door.

"They're back."

She went to open the door and saw Zhang Ping'an leading the two children at the entrance.

The old lady immediately smiled and invited them in. "Both children have been well-behaved, right? They didn't cause you any trouble?"

Zhang Ping'an smiled sincerely. "No, they were fine. Da Hu even taught me a lot of characters."

***Mostly likely it is a aple snail or rabbit snail

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 45: Hoodwinked

"You guys... I... That... Just now..."

Xu Tian was somewhat incoherent, his mind still not fully awake. The scene just now was too shocking.

When he finally came to his senses, he realized there was no scene of a rabbit crashing into a tree at all, furrowing his brows in confusion.

Could it be that he had just experienced an illusion?

It was highly possible, he nodded to himself. After all, it seemed like the Chen family's servants hadn't seen the rabbit just now.

It was probably just his own hallucination. The Chen family's servants couldn't have seen the rabbit, so their lack of reaction was normal.

Thinking this, he felt this explanation was the most reasonable, the one that could best explain the servants' strange reactions.

Xu Tian breathed a sigh of relief and then walked towards Chen Xue and the others. As he approached her, he suddenly caught sight of something at her feet, his pupils shrinking.

"This... this..."

Xu Tian widened his eyes, pointing at the rabbit on the ground, unable to find the words to express himself.

Wasn't this an illusion?

Why was there really a rabbit here?

Could it be that what he had seen before wasn't an illusion?

Xu Tian became more and more confused, feeling like his head was about to explode, yet unable to understand.

"You're talking about this?" Chen Xue smiled and explained, "Just got lucky catching it."

Lucky?

Xu Tian's mouth twitched. Why didn't I have such good luck? Well, okay, it's true I couldn't have had good luck.

"By the way, Brother Xu, what about you? Did you catch anything?"

Xu Tian: "..."

Let's not mention that. We're still good friends!

"Nothing!"

His mouth twitched. Suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed to stay here any longer, he had wasted so much time and didn't even manage to get a single bird's egg, while Chen Xue had already caught many rabbits. Comparing himself to her, he felt like a total failure.

"There's still time before the competition ends, Brother Xu, don't lose heart. If even you give up, we might lose all hope..."

Chen Xue couldn't help but show a sad expression, making people feel sorry for her.

Seeing this, Xu Tian thought about the consequences of losing and felt a lump in his heart.

Then, he seemed to think of something, a surge of determination rising within him. He patted his chest, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

He was their hope; how could he give up?

After saying that, he turned and left. Before the competition ended, he had to catch enough prey.

However, halfway there, he suddenly scratched his head, a puzzled expression on his face.

It seemed like he had forgotten something?

Right, he seemed to have forgotten to ask what happened with the rabbit crashing into the tree just now?

But considering the urgency of time, there was no time to delay. He had to catch prey as soon as possible, especially since he had nothing to show for his efforts so far.

Chen Xue's future was in his hands. They trusted him so much; he couldn't disappoint them.

"We've hoodwinked him!"

Chen Xue breathed a sigh of relief, not expecting Xu Tian to be so easily fooled, hoodwinked so effortlessly.

Actually, she could also use hypnosis, but it was too exhausting and would weaken with repeated use on the same person. Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn't use it.

Fortunately, Xu Tian was easy to hoodwink.

After she left, Chen Xue quickly took out carrot bait. She had caught more than a dozen rabbits just now, but it wasn't enough. She wanted to catch a few more while she had the chance, as there might not be another opportunity later.

After all, not every place had rabbits, and with winter approaching, even with bait, the effectiveness might not be good.

She threw the rabbits that weren't dead into the space, and those unconscious rabbits woke up shortly afterward.

Seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, they were a bit afraid, curling up in a ball. But after a while, realizing there was no danger, they happily bounced around.

Watching the lively rabbits in the space, Chen Xue breathed a sigh of relief. These were all walking skewers!

"Let's go back."

Although there was still some time before the end of the competition, Kuang Wei and the others decided to go back. After all, it was already dark, and if they didn't leave soon, they wouldn't be able to see clearly.

After dark, the forest became pitch black, with visibility so poor that you couldn't even see your own hand in front of your face, let alone hunt. However, that wasn't the main point.

The main point was that after dark, they felt that the surrounding environment became eerie and terrifying.

Occasionally, there were insect chirps, wild animal roars, and rustling sounds from the bushes.

These sounds were already terrifying enough, coupled with the strange rabbits they had seen earlier, making them feel like there were countless ghosts hiding around them.

"Brother Wei, it seems like we haven't caught any prey yet... If we go back now, it's like admitting defeat..." someone couldn't help but protest.

They had only caught one rabbit at the beginning, but it managed to escape. It didn't matter; they could catch it again later. But seeing those strange rabbits, they couldn't calm down and focus on hunting. Moreover, they felt a bit scared every time they saw a rabbit and couldn't even bring themselves to catch it.

After all, who knew if these rabbits were normal?

As a result, since they dared not catch the rabbits, and most of the animals in the autumn and winter forest had gone into hiding, it was difficult to find prey. This led to their current lack of gains.

"Don't worry." Kuang Wei waved his hand. "Unless something unexpected happens, that idiot Xu Tian has probably been killed by those strange rabbits."

As the saying goes, even rabbits bite when they're desperate, let alone ones that have become abnormal and seem possessed.

If it was just one or two, it would be fine. But encountering a group of them, even if they weren't attacked, they would be scared to death.

Once they died, what would be the point of this competition? Even if they hadn't caught any prey, they wouldn't lose.

Hearing the words "strange rabbits," the others shuddered, not wanting to stay in the forest for another second.

They rushed out of the forest and breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the exiled team outside. It was too oppressive and terrifying inside.

Fortunately, those strange rabbits couldn't possibly chase them out.

Just as they were thinking this, they heard rustling noises behind them, their hearts skipping a beat as they anxiously turned to look.

But they found it wasn't those strange rabbits and breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the next moment, their expressions changed as they looked at Xu Tian and Chen Xue. "You guys aren't dead?"

Xu Tian: "???"

I was just hunting; how did it escalate to the point of dying?

Seeing Xu Tian and the others not responding but wearing strange expressions instead, several people couldn't help but feel a

 chill in their hearts and questioned them again.

"Are you guys human or ghosts?"

Xu Tian: "!!!"

Chen Xue also looked baffled, exchanging glances with Xu Tian, feeling somewhat bewildered. Could it be that these people got their heads messed up by the rabbits while hunting?

PS: Yesterday, I went to a job fair to look for work and ended up being interviewed by CCTV. I don't know if it will be on TV, but I found out that besides me, everyone else being interviewed was scripted, all planned in advance, including the interviewer, the words spoken, and the clothes worn.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 141: Boss Changed

After dinner, Li Yihan sat on the sofa, occasionally glancing towards the direction of the door.

Li Yusha brought a plate, her smile sweet.

"Brother, these are the apples I peeled for you. I shaped them like crabs, cute right?"

She smiled innocently, "I also made pears into bird shapes, and strawberries into Santa Claus, see?"

She intentionally pointed to the fruits on the plate with her injured finger.

Li Yihan noticed it immediately, "Are you hurt?"

He took the plate from her hands and immediately instructed the nearby servant, "Bring the medicine box."

The servant hurried to get it.

Li Yusha pretended to look at her finger, "Maybe I accidentally hurt it while peeling the fruit just now, it's nothing, doesn't hurt at all, I didn't even notice until you mentioned it."

"Hurting your finger while peeling fruit, how could it not hurt?" Li Yihan knew she was lying.

Since childhood, she had always been a sensible girl. Once, she fell in the garden and scraped her knee. It was clearly painful, but she endured it just to keep everyone happy and avoid worrying them.

Li Yusha hid her finger behind her back, smiling innocently, "Brother, you rarely come home. I wanted to make you a creative fruit plate, but it turned out simple compared to others'. I was clumsy when I tried to make it. After a long time, I made these few. Brother, do you mind?"

"How could I?" Li Yihan's voice was unusually gentle.

"Although they look ugly, with more practice, they'll get better!" Li Yusha smiled innocently, "But Brother, you have to come home more often in the future. Can't be like this year, only came back twice! My neck hurts from waiting!"

Li Yihan's voice carried a hint of indulgence, "You don't have to do these little things."

"But I want to cook for you, Brother! As long as you come home more, I'm willing to do anything..." Li Yusha acted coquettishly, "Brother wouldn't find the fruit I made ugly and lose appetite, right?"

Li Yihan skewered a strawberry Santa Claus with a fruit stick and handed it to her.

Li Yusha happily took it, her face beaming, "Thank you, Brother. Brother, try it too! Although it looks ugly, it tastes sweet."

At this moment, Zhang Mama brought a medicine box over and crouched beside Li Yusha, "Young Master, you don't know, Miss Yusha looks forward to your return every day! My ears have been hearing her longing!"

Li Yihan's expression softened as he looked at his sister.

Zhang Mama smiled, disinfecting the wound while adding, "Oh yes, Miss Yusha won first place in the piano competition some time ago!"

Not a word about Ou Yan being a master Tingyin...

"What reward do you want?" Li Yihan asked softly.

Li Yusha smiled sincerely, "For me, the best reward is for Brother to come home often and see me."

Li Yihan's gaze softened, "When work isn't busy, I'll come back."

"So, Brother promises me?" Li Yusha exclaimed happily, like a child who got candy.

Li Yihan chatted with her for a while until it was time, then went upstairs.

Li Yusha and Zhang Mama exchanged glances, both happy. It seemed that Li Yihan still cared about her.

Not only that, her status was not insignificant.

After all, she had lived in this family for eighteen years. Before Ou Yan appeared, everyone treated her like a little princess!

This deep affection wouldn't change even if Ou Yan stayed for a few days!

After Li Yusha and Zhang Mama left, several maids couldn't help but whisper.

"Young Master's routine is too regular, isn't it? What time to take a bath, what time to sleep, it's been the same for over ten years, never changed!"

"Why else would the old master hand over the conglomerate to him? Among the five young masters, he's the most disciplined, the calmest, and the most meticulous."

"Don't you think this rigid routine is suffocating?"

"How could it be? That's called discipline! Such a determined person is simply charming!"

"I think Young Master is exceptionally clear-minded!"

"I agree!"

Li Yihan finished his shower, went to the study for a while, and returned to his bedroom only at bedtime.

There was a delicate little box on the bedside table.

Li Yihan glanced at it, knowing his sister hadn't returned yet, then turned off the light and went to sleep.

It was already eleven o'clock when Ou Yan got home. After freshening up and dealing with some matters on her phone, she hurried back to the laboratory the next morning.

The drug synthesis from last night was unsuccessful, encountering many problems in the development process. Several experts worked through the night, and Ou Yan, to prevent her parents from worrying, came home very late last night and rushed back to the lab before dawn.

Li Yihan was surprised to hear that his sister had left early in the morning.

Generally, girls her age on summer vacation would sleep in, but in his sister's eyes, it seemed like there was only work.

It seemed he'd have to give the welcome gift tonight.

During breakfast, Li Yusha continued to be attentive, pouring milk for him, fetching sandwiches, and handing him tissues.

"Brother, will you come home for dinner tonight?"

Seeing Li Yusha's clingy behavior, Li Yihan replied lightly, "Yes."

"Great! Then I won't go out with Mu Qing tonight." Li Yusha smiled innocently, "We planned to have afternoon tea, do some spa, then have dinner. But with Brother here, I'd rather not accompany them!"

Song Qiaoying chuckled, "With Brother in her heart, if you're not busy, come home more often."

"Okay." Li Yihan glanced gently at Li Yusha, finished breakfast, and promised to drop her off at the company.

While Li Yihan was reviewing documents, he suddenly remembered something Assistant Xu had said before.

"You mentioned a design competition inviting me as a judge?"

Assistant Xu hesitated, then hurriedly said, "Yes, but you're busy every day, so I declined..."

"I have time." Li Yihan's tone was indifferent as he continued to browse the documents in his hand, "I'll participate when the time comes."

Assistant Xu was stunned!

Boss's decisions had never changed before!

Today was truly unusual!

Did the competition pull some strings or use some tricks? Inviting or forcing Boss to go?

But Boss didn't seem like someone who would easily yield...

Li Yihan glanced down at the documents, suddenly remembering something, "Oh, by the way, keep an eye on the situation at the clothing company today."

Today was the delivery day, and he wasn't sure if his sister could deliver satisfactory results.

If not, he would intervene personally.

"Understood!" Assistant Xu noticed that Boss today seemed like a different person, not only regretting his previous decisions but also paying attention to the small company at home...

Really strange.

  Chapter 140: Success

The table was filled with various delicious dishes.

"Ah Han, you haven't been home for a long time. Accompany Dad for a drink tonight." Li Yuanfu poured a glass of red wine for his eldest son and said to the girl next to him, "Shasha, you're young, just drink some juice."

Li Yusha took the opportunity to act coquettishly, "I also want to drink with big brother!"

"Be good, wait until you grow up." Li Yuanfu poured himself another glass, cheerfully asking his eldest son beside him, "I heard things have stabilized over there abroad?"

"Yeah, it's getting better." Li Yihan had been busy over there for several months, clearing away many obstacles, and finally the situation had stabilized.

He glanced around. Why were there only four sets of tableware?

Apart from his parents', there were only his and Li Yusha's.

What about his younger sister?

Song Qiaoying said as she arranged, "Yan Yan just called me a moment ago, saying she has some work left to handle..."

"Work?" Li Yihan was somewhat surprised.

Wasn't his younger sister only eighteen?

Born on the same day as Yusha, she's already working?

"You don't know yet? The clothing company under our umbrella is currently being managed by your sister. The news should have reached you by now, right?" Li Yuanfu raised his glass to him, after taking a sip, he sighed, "I didn't expect your sister to be so young and have such a high business acumen. She's only been there for a few days and has already uncovered so many problems! She even caught the biggest mastermind behind the scenes!"

Thinking of Hu Linquan, Li Yuanfu's heart ached inexplicably...

Li Yihan recalled the recent activities of the company and instinctively asked for that name: "Ou Yan?"

So her surname wasn't Ou?

"Yeah, Li Ouyan, your own younger sister!"

Upon hearing the three words "own younger sister," Li Yusha bit her lip and picked up a pair of chopsticks to pick up food for her brother, "Brother, this is your favorite meat, eat more."

"Thank you." Li Yihan was usually indifferent, but when he looked at his family, there was a hint of softness.

Li Yusha felt much better in her heart. That idiot, her brother came back and didn't rush to get close, but went to work!

No brain!

She diligently poured wine for her brother and her parents, as considerate as a warm cotton coat.

Thinking of the person who recently caused a stir in the clothing company, turned out to be his own younger sister, Li Yihan's eyes deepened slightly, quite interesting.

Tomorrow is the release date, she didn't come home for dinner, probably busy with tomorrow's affairs?

Although he hadn't met her yet, and didn't know much about her character, but at such a young age, having such ability, courage, and business sense, still made him quite impressed.

"If it weren't for your sister's young age, I really want to entrust her with other companies." Li Yuanfu trusted his beloved daughter's business acumen very much, but she was still young, having just returned to this family, he didn't want her to overwork.

Song Qiaoying suddenly remembered something while eating, "Oh yeah, she also said on the phone that she's going to participate in some design competition in a couple of days. Time is tight, so she might not come back early these nights."

Ever since she came home, this girl's heart has been set on work, which made people feel distressed...

At first, when he handed the company to her, it was just to let her have some fun, just for the sake of enjoyment... he didn't expect her to achieve such astonishing success.

But she was very responsible, which was unexpected by everyone.

Not only did she manage the company well, but she also maintained her interests and hobbies, making time to participate in competitions.

"Yan Yan is going to participate in a design competition?" Li Yuanfu was very surprised.

"I only heard her say something like that... I didn't expect her to not only manage the company but also understand design." Song Qiaoying felt proud and happy for her daughter, but at the same time felt that she was working too hard every day. At such a young age, the burden on her shoulders was not light.

She'll have to give her more support in the future...

She'll have to find time to ask her if she likes this job. If she doesn't, she should quit soon and enjoy life.

Design competition?

Li Yihan suddenly remembered the promise he made, someone invited him to be a judge at a design competition...

But he didn't have time and declined.

"Oh, by the way, have second, third, fourth, and fifth brothers contacted you recently?" Song Qiaoying took a sip of wine and asked again, "Did they say when they'll come back? It's been so many days, and no one has called me!"

"No." Li Yihan rarely contacted them. It was mostly them occasionally chattering, especially the fifth one, who was a chatterbox. However, he replied less, spending most of his time working.

In order to expand the group's scale and seize more foreign markets, he had been busy abroad for the past two years. Some local departments targeted Chinese people everywhere, making things difficult, and some local forces were very stubborn, making it difficult to clean up.

Fortunately, with his efforts, the group had expanded by more than twice the size when Li Yuanfu first handed it to him.

Apart from work, he rested.

His family knew his schedule was precise to the point of being scary, so they were already used to him not replying to such matters...

"I heard that our group's research and development sector has recently achieved new results, and this new achievement has attracted the attention of many black and white forces abroad. You have to be careful from now on."

Although Li Yuanfu trusted his eldest son's abilities, there were some forces that were not from small places. It could be said that it was a competition between countries, but there was no overt contention.

"I don't know how much trouble they'll cause you, how many bottomless things they'll do..." Li Yuanfu was somewhat worried.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

With a word from his eldest son, Li Yuanfu breathed a sigh of relief, "Dad knows you're capable... From childhood to adulthood, you're the one who worries me the least, but sometimes don't tire yourself out too much, remember to rest..."

"My son rarely comes back, let's not talk about work." Song Qiaoying picked up the chopsticks and picked up food for Li Yihan, "Here, eat more, this is your favorite."

Nanshan Villa

Ou Yan stored the extracted Succinyl in liquid form in a low-temperature environment of minus eighteen degrees Celsius.

The surrounding doctors and experts couldn't believe it, praising her.

"We did it, we finally did it!"

"Miss Ou, you're amazing! In such a short time, you managed to extract Succinyl with such high purity. I really admire you, Miss Ou."

"We've been trying for more than ten days, and it's been a failure all along. I didn't expect Miss Ou to solve this problem as soon as she came. Haha, now we can get a good night's sleep."

"However, there are still other medicinal materials such as Shishan and Ciwujia that must be synthesized together to maximize the acetylcholine levels in the brain..."

This is much more difficult than extracting Succinyl

"I'll give it a try."

It was already after eight o'clock in the evening, Ou Yan calculated and simulated the internal structures of more than a dozen medicinal materials, and then put them into practice to see what kind of reaction they would produce.

  Chapter 139: Difficulties with a Younger Sister

Even though it was a personal participation as a designer, when filling out the information, she had to mention her current employment.

If she could secure a position, it would be good, but if she couldn't or if her ranking was low, it would be a disgrace to the company!

It might even jeopardize her job...

Yin Panpan watched as time passed second by second. Although she was reluctant, she eventually sighed and prepared to close the page.

Just as her mouse hovered over the "X" on the webpage, she heard Ou Yan say, "I'll accompany you."

At these words, not only the other members of the design department but even Yin Panpan widened their eyes, "President Ou, you?"

The esteemed company president, serving as her assistant?

Was she dreaming?

"President Ou, are you going to be Panpan's assistant? Isn't it inappropriate for your status..."

"If word gets out, it'll become a joke!"

"As the top executive of the company, why would Panpan need your assistance..."

Ou Yan was unperturbed, "Just sign up."

"President Ou..."

Yin Panpan wanted to say something, but then she heard Ou Yan ask, "Why, do you think my skills are lacking? My abilities are insufficient? Or are you afraid I'll affect your ranking?"

"N-No..." Yin Panpan certainly didn't have such thoughts. It's just that President Ou deigning to be her assistant made her feel uneasy.

"Getting me a first place would be the best reward for me."

The reason Ou Yan was helping her was because she had unique insights into design, truly loved the industry, and despite experiencing its dark side, hadn't given up on her dreams, striving forward with full force.

Though lacking in confidence and not bold enough in design, Ou Yan believed she had the qualifications and talent, a moldable talent, and he intended to nurture her well.

"President Ou..." Yin Panpan's eyes teared up with gratitude. After a moment's hesitation, she immediately filled out her information.

In the last minute before registration closed, Yin Panpan successfully submitted the application form, with the entire department cheering her on.

"You will definitely get the first place!"

"To be honest, I always thought you had a talent for design. With President Ou accompanying you this time, you can boldly try!"

"Even if something goes wrong, President Ou will help you out! There's nothing President Ou can't handle in this world!"

"You're so lucky to have President Ou as your assistant."

"Panpan, keep it up! You can do it!"

"You will definitely make a name for yourself!!"

...

Yin Panpan had never felt such strong anticipation and blessings from everyone. She gratefully said, "Thank you all! I will definitely work hard!"

Then, she looked at Ou Yan gratefully. Without her, she might have missed an opportunity.

"No need for sentimental words. After work these days, I'll help you catch up on knowledge," Ou Yan said lightly, "But not today, I have something to do tonight."

"It's okay, President Ou, anytime is fine." Yin Panpan never expected to encounter a benefactor on her path in design, let alone one who would personally help her catch up on knowledge...

She was truly fortunate!

After work.

Ou Yan sent a message to Si Yechen, saying she didn't need a ride for the next few days; she had things to take care of.

Then she called Song Qiaoying, "Mom, I have something to do tonight, I won't be back for dinner. I might be late for the next few days."

"Okay, no problem. You and Ah Chen have a good date, don't worry about coming home," Song Qiaoying thought they were going out together.

"It's about work."

Song Qiaoying thought about it, "Work? Haven't finished yet? You're so dedicated to work, remember to eat. If you're too busy, ask for help."

"Okay." Ou Yan said gently, "I'll be busy for the next few days, there's a competition to attend..."

After hearing her out, Song Qiaoying chatted for a while before hanging up.

Shortly after, her phone rang again. It was her eldest son. She quickly answered, "You little rascal, how long has it been since you called me? When are you coming back to the country? It's been days since I asked you five to come home and see your sister. If I don't get angry..."

She was about to lecture him when she heard the person on the other end of the phone say, "Tonight."

Song Qiaoying was somewhat surprised, "To-to...night?"

This was too sudden?!

"Yes, I'm coming back." Li Yihan had already prepared a gift and told the driver, Xuexue, to speed up on the way back. "Faster."

Song Qiaoying hurriedly said, "No need to rush, safety first."

Great, her eldest son was coming back!

After hanging up, she asked for more dishes.

When Li Yusha heard that her big brother was coming back, her heart was filled with excitement. She stood at the door waiting eagerly, finally seeing Xuenue's car...

Xuenue parked the car at the entrance of the villa and respectfully opened the door for Li Yihan.

Seeing the tall and cold figure coming down, Li Yusha hurriedly called out, "Big Brother!"

The man with a pale expression heard her voice and softened slightly. After all, they had grown up together. Before Ou Yan appeared, the whole family treated her like a little princess.

Eighteen years of true feelings.

"You're finally back, I missed you so much!" Li Yusha's expression was full of joy. "You're abroad all year round, and you rarely come home. This time, stay a few more days, okay?"

A softness appeared on Li Yihan's face, "Okay."

"That's great!" Although Li Yusha felt awe for her big brother, she boldly reached out to hold Li Yihan's hand, "We have a new sister at home recently. It's much livelier. With you back, it'll be even more lively!"

Li Yihan looked at her hand and calmly moved it away, "You're already a grown-up girl, be more steady."

He, who didn't like being touched, was indulgent towards Li Yusha's approach, not getting angry, and his expression remained gentle.

Li Yusha knew that, with her big brother's temperament, if anyone dared to hold his hand, the consequences would be dire!

Her big brother was already different from others!

"How is the new sister as a person?" Li Yihan asked softly.

Li Yusha's expression stiffened when she heard this, and she hurriedly said, "She's, she's fine... like big brother, she's a rather unique person..."

She deliberately avoided his gaze and pretended to suppress her inner fear...

This scene naturally didn't escape Li Yihan's eyes. It seemed that his younger sister, his own younger sister, wasn't easy to get along with??

"It's okay, tell me about it." Li Yihan walked with her towards the main hall.

Along the way, Li Yusha hesitated, "It's just..."

She deliberately suppressed the fear and unease in her eyes, hesitated for a while before saying, "In short, Big Brother will know soon."

Li Yihan's gaze dimmed slightly. It seemed that his younger sister had been bullied by her?

 Chapter 204: Shutting It Down with One Sentence

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 203: Cao Juan's Thoughts

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 33: Invitations

"The Wei family is marrying off their daughter. It's probably going to be finalized in these few days."

"Oh? I haven't heard about this."

"I just returned to the Wang Mansion a few days ago and heard my mother mention it privately. It's said that the Ninth Prince made great contributions in quelling the rebellion and received rewards from the Emperor, including the title of Prince and a mansion. The Wei Noble Consort also received many favors in the palace and even managed the power of the six palaces granted by the Emperor. With such power and influence, it's only natural to add some joy to the family. After all, the Crown Prince's consort is pregnant again, and it might be the Emperor's legitimate grandson. On the other hand, the Ninth Prince doesn't even have an official consort. How can the Wei Noble Consort not be anxious?"

Bai Lin, the eldest maternal aunt, spoke with an understanding tone, clearly aware of the Wei family's calculations.

Marriage between the granddaughter and the grandson of relatives would solidify the Wei family's power, especially if the Ninth Prince rose to power.

During the conversation, Lin Mama came in with a gold-plated invitation in her hand.

"Madam, the Wei family has sent an invitation. They invite Madam and the young ladies to their mansion in three days to enjoy the snow and have a feast."

The invitation had arrived!

Bai Lin and Princess Wen Yi exchanged glances. It seemed that the snow-viewing feast was arranged at just the right time, probably to announce the good news directly at the banquet.

"Understood. Send someone to inform the Third Madam and the Second Miss in the neighboring courtyard, and let them prepare as well. Since they want to climb higher branches, let's see if the Wei family's guests include members of the royal family. At that time, we'll see if she can manage to elevate herself to the level of a prince's consort!"

Bai Lin's expression was somewhat uneasy, but she didn't say much. After leaving the invitation, Lin Mama respectfully left.

It was Bai Lin who held the invitation in her hand. After making some harsh remarks, her face showed no satisfaction, but instead a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

Feng Jinyao was puzzled and asked, "What's wrong with Aunt-in-law?"

Princess Wen Yi, aware of the situation, understood Bai Lin's inner frustration and tried to comfort her.

"After the New Year, they will naturally return to Qiongzhou. Aunt-in-law will have to endure these few days."

"How can I endure it? Those mother and daughter keep boasting about the Bai family everywhere they go, and even shamelessly make such remarks. If I were the senior Madam, I would have punished them with a good beating long ago, instead of treating them so kindly."

Speaking was Bai Siruo, who had just entered, her face full of anger. Whenever she mentioned her third aunt and cousin, she felt extremely annoyed!

"Don't talk nonsense! How can you, a junior, speak ill of your elders in private!"

Princess Wen Yi reprimanded her, but she saw Bai Siruo biting her lower lip, her face twisted into a frown, looking less cute.

Feng Jinyao hurriedly stepped forward to comfort them both.

"Let's discuss this later. Don't make our aunts unhappy."

After hearing her words, Bai Siruo's anger subsided, and she sincerely apologized to her elder aunt.

"Get up, get up quickly. Sister-in-law, what are you scolding Siruo for? What did she do wrong? If you don't care for her, just give her to me as my daughter, I will love her dearly."

With that, she waved at Bai Siruo and motioned for her to come closer.

Pushing the food box on the table, she said, "I know you like the cherry pancakes from the Chen family and the Sichuan milk candy. I had Lin Mama buy them specially for you. They're still warm, so you and Ah Yao go eat them on the side, I'll talk to your mother about something else."

Like coaxing a child, her eyes were full of affection.

Bai Siruo nodded. Since she also had a lot to say to Feng Jinyao, she pulled her to the neighboring room.

After the two left, Bai Lin, the eldest maternal aunt, spoke privately with Princess Wen Yi.

"I've been observing these days, and our third sister-in-law and second niece have high ambitions. Our Lin family doesn't look favorably upon them. You, in the Prince Kang's mansion, have been thinking about it, but be careful with your maternal family nephews. If they get entangled with them, it will be troublesome."

Bai Lin spoke with a grim expression, but upon closer inspection, tears welled up in her eyes.

Princess Wen Yi also sighed and lamented.

A few days ago, that Shen family used the Bai family's name to attend a banquet at the Duke Zhengguo's residence.

After three rounds of wine, intentionally or not, perhaps under the influence of alcohol, she commented on the young lords from the Eastern Capital.

In order to please the Prince Kang's consort, she even tried to sow discord between Bai Lin and Princess Wen Yi.

She said that after marrying into the Bai Mansion, she only cared about wielding power and neglected her duties as a wife. She even envied Madam Bai's position as the legitimate wife, and didn't allow any concubines in her husband's quarters.

As a result, Bai Lin remained childless at her age.

Even in the backyard, she often clashed with Princess Wen Yi, resulting in Princess Wen Yi having only one daughter for many years. Not only did she criticize Bai Lin, but she also indirectly brought up her painful past.

Bai Lin's nephew couldn't bear to hear this and stepped forward to defend his own family.

However, he was not a match for the Shen family, and after several arguments, not only did he fail to protect his aunt's reputation, but he also implicated himself.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Shen family insinuated to others that Bai Lin's nephew had ulterior motives towards his own niece, implying that he was like a toad wanting to eat swan meat.

This made Bai Lin unable to get out of bed for several days due to anger.

The Prince Kang's consort sent a message, leaving Princess Wen Yi dumbfounded.

This third sister-in-law really didn't know when to stop. After inquiring around the Eastern Capital, she spread rumors about her good relationship with her sister-in-law. However, Bai Lin and Madam Wen Yi had been sisters-in-law for many years and had a good relationship. Where did the conflicts come from?

"Don't worry, Sister-in-law, my mother has already chosen marriages for those few children. Only Mu Qian remains unmarried. Now the family intends to keep him in the Jingji Office as an official. He came today to bother you, asking for help from your maternal family brother. "

"Just tell him the matter in a few words."

As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Lin suddenly exclaimed, put away her previous sorrow, and asked with a hint of teasing.

"Tell me honestly, do you have other thoughts about your nephew?"

Although she only said half of the sentence,

 her teasing thoughts couldn't be hidden in her eyes.

As they were family, Princess Wen Yi didn't hide much.

"Well, I think this nephew is quite good. With his older brother in charge, the burden of the Prince Kang's mansion won't fall on him. If Siruo marries over there, she will just be a leisurely second wife. My eldest brother and sister-in-law are also kind people. Plus, my mother has always loved Siruo, so I'm not worried that she will be mistreated in her husband's family."

A mother's loving heart is visible to the gods.

Bai Lin also felt good after hearing this.

She had no sons or daughters, and for so many years, there was only Bai Siruo, a niece, in the mansion. Naturally, she cherished her.

Although she wasn't spoiled, she hadn't seen many dirty tricks in the backyard.

If she really married into a complicated family, life would probably be difficult.

Therefore, marrying back to the Prince Kang's mansion was a good choice, not only to strengthen family ties but also to ensure her lifelong stability.

Thinking of this, Bai Lin said solemnly.

"Sister-in-law, rest assured, nephew's character is also heard to be good. He's a good child. I'll talk to my elder brother about it. The Jingji Office is different from other places. It's based on real abilities. If he's really capable, he won't be overlooked."

Princess Wen Yi nodded. Her elder sister-in-law's words touched her heart.

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 659: Qin Ruan, Master Really Likes You

Qin Ruan shrugged her arm off, moving a distance away from Shang Yang. Their eyes locked in a tense confrontation.

Ruan Ruan silently mouthed two words to Chang Yuan, "Let's talk?"

Although there was some distance between them and Chang Yuan, she didn't speak out loud, being cautious.

Chang Yuan squinted his blood-red eyes and fell into silence for a moment before nodding reluctantly.

The two, a human and a snake, walked into a sparse forest.

After walking for a while, Qin Ruan stopped in her tracks. She looked up and met Shang Yang's tranquil gaze.

"You keep going like this, you'll only harm Xiao Yunchen. He's a human and can't handle such dense demonic and malevolent energy," Ruan Ruan warned.

"I know!" Chang Yuan sneered contemptuously, his eyes revealing a hint of hostility. "I'm just trying something recently, seeing if Xiao Yunchen can accept the existence of snakes in his dreams one day."

Qin Ruan raised her eyebrows slightly. "Do you think it's feasible after seeing Xiao Yunchen's aversion just now?"

Chang Yuan tightened his lips into a straight line, his expression cold and fierce. "I don't have any other ideas at the moment."

He had thought of and tried all possible methods, but his master's aversion only grew stronger.

His frustration was heavy, like a desperate and furious lion, wild and pitiful.

Qin Ruan sighed sympathetically. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Xiao Yunchen's fear of snakes needs to be resolved from its root cause. Exposing him to anything related to snakes, including their actual form, will only make his aversion worse."

Chang Yuan stared at Ruan Ruan, his gaze softening slightly. He couldn't refute her.

Regarding Xiao Yunchen's fear of snakes, he couldn't understand it even after spending so much time with him. He had played pranks on his head before, and Xiao Yunchen had been furious but never afraid. He would threaten to cook him and eat him as a snack.

He had no idea why his master was afraid of snakes. He had followed him for so long and had never seen him afraid of anything before.

Qin Ruan suddenly asked, "What is your master's identity?"

Chang Yuan's handsome face stiffened for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know."

He lied.

Qin Ruan noticed, but she didn't press further. If he didn't want to say, she couldn't force him.

Xiao Yunchen was a virtuous and kind person, and his identity must be extraordinary.

Qin Ruan adjusted her mindset and said to Chang Yuan with a polite smile, "I've said what I needed to say, and we have no relationship beyond this. Just a casual encounter."

Chang Yuan was a bit uncomfortable with her distant attitude, hearing her words.

He had some persistence when it came to Xiao Yunchen

Now, Qin Ruan spoke with a sense of detachment, which made him feel uneasy.

Chang Yuan gazed at Ruan Ruan and spoke gently, "You don't have to be like this. My master really likes you."

Qin Ruan looked at him with a playful glint in her eyes and carefully observed him.

This snake seemed to apply the rules of survival of the snake clan directly to humans.

According to what she knew, snakes had no bottom line. If a male and female snake were attracted to each other, they could mate without hesitation.

Her eyes appeared strange, making Chang Yuan feel uncomfortable. He shifted his gaze to another direction.

His blood-red eyes suddenly darkened, locking onto a figure approaching them.

"Madam."

Hou Qiang slowly approached, feeling that the area was colder than when he arrived.

He lowered his head in respect and said, "Second Young Master was delayed at the banquet and heard that you were leaving. He asked us to escort you back."

"Understood," Qin Ruan replied, turning around and calling out to Rong Jing.

Chapter 658: The Peerless and Enchanting Third Young Master Hou

Xiao Yunchen, with a handsome and exquisite face, contorted due to extreme aversion.

His unnatural expression quickly faded, returning to normal.

Lost in thought during the day, lost in dreams at night—fate?

If possible, Xiao Yunchen would make Qin Ruan experience a scene of weeping, so she'd know the pain of living.

His face twisted with disgust, he wished to sever all ties with the word "snake" forever.

Xiao Yunchen let out a sigh and hoarsely said to Qin Ruan, "Fate? Miss Qin, please don't joke with me. Snakes are what I fear most in my life. If I could, I would never want to know the word 'snake' in my lifetime."

His irritation was palpable when talking about snakes.

If he could, he'd rid the world of such creatures.

A subtle sense of killing intent surrounded Chang Yuan, causing his eyebrows to twitch uneasily.

Qin Ruan rummaged through her bag but came up empty-handed.

With a slight frown, she shrugged at Xiao Yunchen's expectant face, "I'm sorry, I rushed out today and forgot to bring talismans."

In truth, she didn't have any talismans; she was just frustrated with Chang Yuan's audacity.

He had caused his master to have nightmares, causing Xiao Yunchen to dream of snakes every night.

The traces of those nightmares were too apparent on Xiao Yunchen, hard to miss.

Qin Ruan glanced at Chang Yuan; his previously nervous demeanor turned arrogantly haughty upon hearing she had no talismans.

She couldn't help but wish to smack that arrogant look off his face.

She couldn't let this serpent think it was untouchable.

Xiao Yunchen, upon learning there were no talismans, widened his eyes, "Then what should we do?"

This meant he'd continue to dream of being engulfed by a sea of snakes at night.

The thought of those horrifying dream scenes made his handsome face turn dark.

"No talismans, but there are other methods."

Qin Ruan approached Xiao Yunchen, standing on her tiptoes and extending her hand toward his forehead, her pregnancy making her precarious.

She extended a delicate finger and beckoned Xiao Yunchen to lower his head, "Bow your head."

Chang Yuan rushed forward to intervene, "Qin Ruan, I urge you to stop this!"

He attempted to touch her hand but was repelled by a golden light emanating from her.

The ancient malevolent beast, Hook Snake, wasn't a mere ordinary entity. Despite being pushed back, Chang Yuan managed to stand firmly.

Xiao Yunchen obediently bowed his head, as if performing a ritual, approaching Qin Ruan with trust.

Such a handsome face, offered so willingly, would have driven any of Xiao Yunchen's fans to scream or even faint.

But Qin Ruan had Third Young Master Hou, an enchanting and captivating man, by her side.

Xiao Yunchen's appearance didn't cause a ripple in her heart.

Qin Ruan extended her jade-like fingertip, touching his forehead.

Subtle divine power of the underworld flowed into him like threads of gold.

The power gradually seeped into his tense body, bringing relief to every inch of him.

The residual malevolence from his nightmares was swiftly cleansed by the divine power.

Qin Ruan withdrew her hand, her beautiful eyes squinting as she looked at the chilly and grim Chang Yuan beside her.

Her cold voice warned him softly, "Some matters should know their limits; human lives can't withstand constant turmoil."

Her words felt like icy daggers stabbing into Chang Yuan's heart.

His anger-filled body was suddenly doused with icy water, replaced by unease and worry.

Chang Yuan frowned deeply, his determined crimson gaze locked onto Qin Ruan, and he retorted, "I just wanted my master to get used to me."

As he finished speaking, Xiao Yunchen followed up, "If I could, I wouldn't want to dream of snakes either. It's been tormenting me for months; I'm nearly depressed."

Xiao Yunchen thought Qin Ruan was talking to him, rubbing his forehead and looking sorrowful.

Qin Ruan's tranquil gaze focused on Xiao Yunchen, and she smiled gently.

She said, "If you dream of snakes again, you can call me."

Xiao Yunchen blinked at the unexpected suggestion, then nodded vigorously, "Alright!"

Chang Yuan's cheeks flushed with anger, the fiery breath he exhaled turning the surrounding air frigid.

With a touch to his suit sleeve, Rong Jing complained, "Why did it suddenly get cold?"

Only now did Xiao Yunchen notice Rong Jing's presence.

"Who is this?"

Before Qin Ruan could introduce him, Rong Jing reached out his hand towards Xiao Yunchen.

His attitude was friendly and sincere as he said, "Hello, Idol Xiao. My ex-girlfriend was your fan. She liked you a lot. I've watched several of your movies, they're really good, your acting is excellent!"

Xiao Yunchen shook Rong Jing's hand, "Hello."

His demeanor was reserved, yet polite.

As he was about to retract his hand, Rong Jing held onto him, saying with a grin, "Since we have the chance, Idol Xiao, let's take a photo together? Qin Ruan won't run away."

He tugged Xiao Yunchen away from Qin Ruan with an assertive force.

The two of them stood beneath the casual pose for a picture.

As they posed, a gentle breeze wafted by.

The wind caught Qin Ruan's coat, revealing the gray dress beneath and her six-month pregnancy.

Xiao Yunchen's calm gaze caught the sight of her swollen belly.

"Qin Ruan, you're this big?!"

His face was filled with incredulity, his words unable to convey his shock.

Qin Ruan adjusted her coat, revealing a soft smile on her gentle face.

"Yes, six months. The baby will be here in two or three more months."

Xiao Yunchen's eyebrows remained furrowed, "How old are you?"

He had confirmed Qin Ruan's pregnancy with Lu Wenbin of the Jade Star Sect. But not having seen her for a few months, her belly growing this large was visually shocking. It felt somewhat surreal.

Qin Ruan tilted her head playfully, "I'm an adult now."

Xiao Yunchen's tightly knitted brows relaxed slightly, hesitating, "You, you..."

He wanted to ask who the father of the child was. At her age, it seemed unlikely she was married.

Seeming to predict his question, Qin Ruan blurted, "I'm married."

Xiao Yunchen's brows gradually relaxed upon hearing her words.

An enigmatic emotion swirled in his deep gaze, gazing at Qin Ruan with a complex expression, a palpable restlessness simmering beneath.

Rong Jing had long known about Qin Ruan's pregnancy and her current identity.

Seeing Xiao Yunchen gazing so deeply at Qin Ruan, his heart trembled.

This Idol Xiao certainly had some allure, but if he was competing against Third Young Master Hou, he was undoubtedly out of the running.

If Lord Hou found out, Xiao Yunchen might even be banned from the entire internet.

Considering that most of Rong Jing's past girlfriends were also Xiao Yunchen's fans, he moved forward to embrace Xiao Yunchen by the neck.

Seeing Xiao Yunchen's displeased furrowed brows, he grinned and said, " Idol Xiao, let's take a photo first. Qin Ruan won't escape; we can talk later!"

With a firm grip, he led Xiao Yunchen away from Qin Ruan.

The two of them stood beneath the leisure area's lights for a photo.

 Chapter 709: Da Hu Becomes a Tutor

The old lady put down the chicken feed and reached into the coop, feeling disappointed as there were still no eggs. Hearing Shuyu's question, she washed her hands and smiled, "They went to the Zhang family."

"To the Zhang family?"

"Yes, Da Hu has become a tutor for someone."

Shu Yu was filled with questions. "Are you sure?"

The grandmother wiped her hands and happily replied, "That boy from the Zhang family came over. Knowing that Da Hu can read and write, he thought it would be good to teach them when he's free."

Shu Yu looked up at the sky, finding it quite fantastical that a child who had only been attending school for less than two months was becoming a tutor.

The grandmother explained, "There are people in Zhengdao Village who can read and write. Let's not talk about others; just look at the Shu family. They come from wealthy households. But they still have to work, and to teach, you need time and freedom. Although the Zhang family doesn't need to work in the wasteland anymore, they still don't have the conditions for attending school."

"The people from the Zhang family are not eligible to participate in the imperial examinations, but if they learn some characters, it will be beneficial for finding a job in the future. Although Da Hu has only attended school for a few days, he is hardworking and diligent. With your guidance and young Master Meng's occasional teaching, he has learned many characters, even more than some students who have studied for a year or two."

"I heard Da Hu say that when young Master Meng came last time, he taught him a special learning method. Da Hu has been following that method, and his progress has been remarkable. He's so proud of himself. That's why he dared to become a tutor."

Shu Yu was delighted. "That's great! Da Hu used to lack confidence in himself."

The grandmother nodded. "Yes, we owe it all to young Master Meng, don't we?"

Shu Yu felt that her grandmother's words were a bit strange, as if she was implying something.

She cleared her throat and said, "Since they're not here, I'll go to the riverside to do the laundry."

Shu Yu looked around and realized that there was enough water in the water jar and plenty of firewood piled up in the corner. The chickens had been fed, and the newly planted vegetables had been watered.

After looking around, she noticed that the only thing left to do was the pot of clothes under the eaves.

Perhaps her grandmother saw that she was still at home sleeping and didn't want to leave her alone, so she left it for her to do.

Without waiting for her grandmother to refuse, Shu Yu grabbed the wooden tub filled with clothes and ran off.

"Hey, you child! At least eat something after waking up. You don't need to wash the clothes."

Her grandmother chased after her, but she couldn't move as quickly as Shu Yu. Soon, Shu Yu disappeared from her sight.

The old lady sighed but knew that there wasn't much laundry to wash, so Shu Yu would be back soon.

She returned to the kitchen and started preparing lunch.

However, by the time she finished cooking, Shu Yu still hadn't returned.

The old lady began to worry. How could washing a few clothes take so long? Did something happen?

She hesitated whether she should go out to look for her when she saw a familiar figure walking towards her not far away.

Shu Yu used her waist to prop up the wooden tub filled with clothes on her left side and carried a small basket in her right hand.

There seemed to be something heavy inside the basket.

The old lady let out a long sigh of relief and quickly walked a few steps to greet her. "Why did it take you so long to wash the clothes? Where did that basket come from, and what's inside?"

Next Chapter▶▶