Chapter 16

"Xue Ran, I approached you before to seek revenge, but for some reason I couldn't bear to hurt you. Yet I feel guilty towards the people who died in the Guan family, after all, they died because of me. What should I do?" Looking quietly at the sorrowful person before her, she said softly, "If that's truly the case, then the son should pay for the father's sins, okay? I will atone for my father's sins." Xi Yimin interrupted urgently, "No, let me find out the truth before I seek revenge!"

"If your enemy is truly my father, how would you treat me? How would we get along, how would we face each other? This chasm is probably insurmountable. From now on, let's be strangers! Only then can our hatred be purer, without mercy, without entanglement of love, so as not to trouble our hearts or disturb our dreams." Xi Yimin looked at the person who spoke so calmly and smiled bitterly, "How can we be strangers? My heart is filled with you, my heart and eyes are filled with you!" Leng Xueran said angrily, "Then what do you want me to do? Why did you tell me all this? If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't be so troubled." Xi Yimin was secretly pleased, then quietly looked at the woman beside him, "Why would you be troubled? Don't you dislike me? Could it be..." The conversation drifted further and further away, rarely paying attention to the person. Leng Xueran quietly looked into the distance, expressionless. Only she knew that her feelings were somewhat complicated at this moment. However, she couldn't help but be bothered by that person's entanglement. Perhaps that person already had a place in her heart, but she just wouldn't admit it. How could she touch such a love that violated morality? But...

Many new faces have recently arrived in Fengcheng, including Leng Xueran and Xi Yimin, since she used to always appear in public wearing a mask. Now that she's returned to her homeland, how could she not feel a sense of familiarity? The frontier was indeed much more open than the capital. Merchants and knights-errant, men and women, young and old, thronged the area, mostly outsiders, bartering, traveling the martial world, shopping. Shops lined the streets, bustling with activity. This was the mortal world, full of life. Seeing the woman's eyes darting around, Xi Yimin smiled, his folding fan swaying gently. What a refined gentleman! "I thought Xue Ran didn't like this kind of excitement. Usually, Xue Ran is quiet and reserved, rarely smiling. But seeing her enjoy these unusual and lively things like any other woman, it adds a touch of playfulness." Ignoring the man's teasing, he turned and entered a jade shop. Xi Yimin closed his fan and followed him in. Leng Xue Ran looked at the many rare jade pieces on the display shelves, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Shopkeeper, which jade piece is the most expensive in your shop?" The shopkeeper watched the jade-like couple enter. Upon entering, he immediately sensed the man's extraordinary bearing. Hearing the woman's question, he was overjoyed, his face crinkling with laughter. "This way, miss," he said, "our most valuable jade pieces are a pair of ancient mutton-fat jade pieces displayed here..." Before the shopkeeper could finish, Leng Xueran turned to leave. However, Xi Yimin had already reached her side, refusing to let her pass. She smiled at the shopkeeper and said, "Then I'll take the pair of jade pieces." Hearing this, Leng Xueran exclaimed, "Shopkeeper, I don't want to buy them!" The shopkeeper smiled at the young man who wanted to buy the jade and said, "If this young master wants to buy, then the young lady will accept this offer." With that, he had already prepared the pair of jade pieces and handed them to Xi Yimin. Xi Yimin smiled and asked, "How much silver?" The shopkeeper smiled and said, "One thousand taels." Hearing this, Leng Xueran exclaimed, "We don't want to buy them!" She turned and walked towards the door. She had intended to make Xi Yimin spend money, but she hadn't expected it to be so expensive, especially since it was a pair of jade pieces. After leaving the jade shop, Xi Yimin followed her out shortly. Seeing that the woman carried nothing, he felt a pang of disappointment, but then thought it best to let it go, considering the item was too extravagant. Xi Yimin smiled as he watched the woman's ever-changing expressions. "Is Xue Ran putting on a face-changing act?" Startled, she looked up at his handsome face and said disdainfully, "What does this have to do with Miss Xi? I can make any expression I want!" Xi Yimin smiled gently, took out a pair of jade pendants, and hung them directly on Leng Xue Ran's waist. Before she could speak, he said, "Mine will hang here too." He then lifted his white gauze robe, revealing a pair of jade pendants, just like Leng Xue Ran's, hanging at her waist. "Now we have a token of our love!" Leng Xue Ran pouted, not saying what was on her mind, but said, "It's too expensive to buy."

“It’s very expensive. You could buy a two-courtyard house in Fengcheng for that price. But I already have a four-courtyard house, so I don’t need this two-courtyard house. How about I take Xue Ran to see my four-courtyard house?” Before the woman could answer, he took her hand and walked towards South Street.

He knocked on the door of the Xi residence, waited for half an hour, knocked again, waited for another half hour, but still no one answered. Xi Yimin remembered that he had asked his servants to come, and the few survivors of the Guan family were still working at the Xi residence. How could no one answer the door? Looking at the woman behind him, he smiled and teased, "Miss Xi, could it be that you've mistaken the door?" Xi Yimin pretended to be troubled and said, "How could I be mistaken? It clearly says 'Xi residence' above. Never mind, I'll take Xue Ran and fly in through the backyard." He directly took Leng Xue Ran's hand and walked towards the backyard. Leng Xue Ran struggled to pull her hand away, but to no avail. "Don't make me a scoundrel and lead me into someone else's courtyard." The woman laughed and said, "That's even better. Let Xue Ran experience the thrill; it will definitely be worth the trip." "Rarely would I pay attention to someone spouting nonsense. When Xi Yimin led Leng Xueran into the Xi residence, they found no one there. Puzzled, they walked around the courtyard, still unable to find anyone. The courtyard was indeed very clean, and the main house was also spotless, indicating regular cleaning. He led Leng Xueran to sit in one of the main seats. 'Xueran, I'll go to the kitchen and make some tea; you must be thirsty.' Looking at this thoughtful and gentle person, he blurted out without thinking, 'I'll go with you.'"

"Okay," he said naturally, taking the woman's hand and walking towards the kitchen. Just as he stepped into the kitchen, he heard someone call out from behind, "Young Master!" Turning around, he saw the cook, Aunt Liu, carrying groceries, who must have just returned from buying them. "Aunt Liu, where is the rest of the household?"

“Young Master has been gone for several months. The servants in the manor have nothing to do except clean and trim the flowers and trees in the yard. So they thought they would go out and join in the fun and see the martial arts contest for a husband held by Master Gu in the east of the city.” Xi Yimin frowned and said, “Master Gu? Is it for Gu Xiyan’s marriage contest? How could such a strong-willed woman agree to a martial arts contest for a husband?”

“Young Master, you may not know, but the martial arts contest to choose a husband was proposed by Miss Gu herself. She said that only those who could defeat her in the end would be chosen!” Hearing this, Xi Yimin laughed, “Then that makes sense. What strange thing is Gu Xiyan thinking this time?” The two looked at Xi Yimin, who spoke of Miss Gu in such a way, with suspicion. “Young Master, do you suspect there’s more to it than meets the eye?” Xi Yimin smiled mysteriously, shaking his head and saying, “It cannot be spoken of, it cannot be told…” Seeing that the two were no longer paying attention to him, he coughed and said, “Aunt Liu, please brew a pot of tea and bring it to the main room. Xue Ran and I are a little thirsty.” Hearing this, Aunt Liu looked at the woman with the peach blossom-like face in front of her and smiled, “Yes, Young Master!” She turned around and then said, “Aunt Liu, when the servants return, tell them that the mistress of the house has arrived. Don’t be rude when you see her. I’m not strict with the household, but please don’t be lacking in manners.”

"Yes, young master and madam." Xi Yimin smiled, quite satisfied with Liu Da Niang's understanding. Leng Xue Ran looked up at her when she heard the man say this, wanting to stop him, but it was too late.

Xi Yimin led the woman into the main room. "Xue Ran, do you know who Miss Gu, Gu Xiyan, is?" Leng Xue Ran looked at the person sitting to her left with confusion. "I'm not very familiar with Fengcheng, so I don't know who Miss Gu is!" Xi Yimin smiled and said, "That's true. Then let me tell you about her. One of my bodyguards, Qi Ziyue, was on a mission once and somehow became enemies with this Miss Gu. Qi Ziyue is a cold person and ignored Miss Gu's unreasonable demands. Over time, Miss Gu started to cause trouble for Qi Ziyue. Eventually, Qi Ziyue began to fight back. This went on and on, and feelings gradually developed. But who is Qi Ziyue? He's a blockhead. He has no feelings for Miss Gu..." He ignored all hints and direct advances, always avoiding Miss Gu. This time, it seems Miss Gu has been hiding for too long, finally resorting to this martial arts contest to lure Qi Ziyue out. Hearing this, Leng Xueran asked doubtfully, "Since they are mutually in love, they should come to propose marriage. They shouldn't disappoint Miss Gu's deep affection." Xi Yimin shook his head, saying, "Xueran, you don't know, Qi Ziyue is like me." After a long silence, the woman blurted out, "Like father, like son." Xi Yimin teased, "Xueran, why do you say that? My 'upper beam' is straight; I dare to face my own heart, unlike Qi Ziyue who is as timid as a mouse." Leng Xueran asked curiously, "Does Miss Gu know that Qi Ziyue is a woman's affair?"

“Of course I don’t know. If I did, Miss Gu wouldn’t really want to marry her.” Leng Xue Ran said softly, “That’s not necessarily true.” Hearing this, Xi Yi Min happily grasped Leng Xue Ran’s hand and said urgently, “In that case, Xue Ran is now willing to marry me.”

"Dream on."