Chapter 19 Chapter 19 I am wronged. Mr. Chen has been watching me for sixteen more years...

The wind blew, the willow branches danced wildly, and the sunlight was scattered all over the ground.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Xiaoman turned around in embarrassment and wanted to run, but she couldn't help but want to see Chen Ling'an's reaction.

I want to watch it, but I don’t have the courage. If I don’t watch it, my heart will itch like a cat scratching it.

She lowered her head slightly, looked around secretly, her heart was beating fast and nervously. For the first time in her life, she couldn't face Chen Ling'an calmly!

Xiaoman didn't know what was wrong with her.

His long silence was accompanied by the sound of his delicate and trembling breathing.

The sun hid in the clouds, the dazzling light faded, and his face gradually became clear.

"Congratulations." Chen Ling'an glanced at the whip on Xiaoman's waist. His tone was not good, but not bad either.

"I think the Zhang and Liu families are getting married soon. Remember to send me an invitation. But forget it. I don't think you two will let me in."

He smiled again and said, "It's better for us to see each other less often in the future. If I cause your fiancé to misunderstand, it will be my fault."

Xiaoman didn't get annoyed, and said unhappily: "Ah, yes, that's what I mean. From now on, we will go our separate ways!"

"In that case, I will take my leave." Chen Ling'an nodded slightly, then turned and left without any reluctance.

One step, two steps, three steps...

"Stop!" Xiaoman shouted.

A smile crossed Chen Ling'an's lips, which he didn't even notice. He stopped and turned around.

Xiaoman puffed up her cheeks and glared at him, "I still owe you a hundred taels of silver. You can refuse it, but I can't default on it. However, I don't have money now. I'll pay you back when I have money."

Chen Ling'an suppressed a smile and said, "I'm not a soft-hearted person. I will pursue debts without mercy. However, since we're old acquaintances, I'll make an exception and allow you to repay in installments of five cents a month until you've paid it off."

"I have to pay back two hundred months, which is sixteen years and eight months." Xiaoman's words were still tingeing with anger, "I'm so sorry that Master Chen has to keep watching me for an extra sixteen years and eight months."

Chen Lingan coughed lightly and held up his palm. "For the sake of money, there's no way I can sacrifice my eyes."

Xiaoman slapped his palm and said, "Just bear with it!"

There was a loud bang, startling the birds on the branches and making them fly away in panic, and everyone nearby fell silent.

Chen Ling'an put his hands behind his back as if nothing had happened and slowly clenched his fists.

Tsk, that hurts!

"Pay the first installment on the 16th of this month. I'll be waiting for you at Sanshan Gate."

Xiaoman snorted to indicate that she understood.

Seeing him about to leave, she hurriedly called him back, "Hey, last time I hit you on the head, it was such an accident. If you have time, please help me clarify it so that others won't make fun of me for it, as if I were a fierce shrew."

Chen Ling'an's expression changed slightly, he glanced at the whip at her waist, and nodded, "Okay."

A group of playboys left in a hurry.

Only then did Zhang Anyi dare to step forward, not without concern, saying, "Grandmother told Mother to make up the 100 taels of silver for you... or I can return the lapis lazuli to him. It's best if you don't meet him again. If Father finds out, he'll definitely punish you again."

Xiaoman didn't care. "Let him punish me, at most he'll kick me out - he's already regretted recognizing me anyway."

Zhang Anyi was shocked. "How are you going to live then?"

"Life isn't necessarily that good in the Zhang family." Xiaoman sneered, "Do you think life is interesting now?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? You've led the good little Five astray!"

A delicate voice was heard, and Zhang Xiaoman turned his head to look. There were three girls standing in the shade of the trees not far away, and it was unknown how long they had been standing there.

The one with a face full of anger was Zhang Junyi. The woman in the middle, who was wearing a bright red dress with large sleeves and looked quite elegant and graceful, looked curious. The woman on the other side, who was also well-dressed, had a cold face and looked at her with a very unfriendly look.

Zhang Xiaoman frowned slightly.

Zhang Anyi approached angrily, "You didn't even show respect when you saw Princess Jingxuan? How could my Zhang family produce a wild girl like you who doesn't know etiquette?"

There was no trace of lethargy on his face anymore, and his eyes were full of provocation and pride, as if to say: Even if I don't have a wife, I can still join the circle of the top noble ladies in the capital!

Zhang Xiaoman raised his eyebrows and suddenly wanted to laugh.

But proper etiquette still had to be observed. "I didn't know that Her Royal Highness the Princess was coming, and I failed to welcome her in person. Please forgive me." As he said this, he knelt down and bowed to the woman in the bright red wide-sleeved shirt.

Princess Jingxuan smiled and raised her hand. "Ignorance is not a crime. I've heard of you for a long time, but today is the first time I've seen you. Sure enough... you're just as the rumors say."

You don't have to guess to know that this "rumor" came from Zhang Junyi, and it's definitely not good.

Xiaoman, not wanting to be embarrassed, said with a smile, "As a country girl, I'm lucky to be able to return to my roots alive. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Princess, because I haven't read much. But today, thanks to you, Princess, I learned an idiom."

Princess Jingxuan thought she would say some flattering words, so she smiled perfunctorily and had no intention of asking any further questions.

Zhang Junyi sneered, "Who here isn't well-read? Even Xiaowu is better than you. Stop showing off your skills."

Xiaoman smiled and said, "Reading a lot doesn't mean you understand everything. There are many simple truths that some people may never understand even after studying their entire lives."

This sentence piqued Princess Jingxuan's curiosity, "What did you learn?"

Xiaoman pursed her lips and smiled, and said word by word: "Fox, fake, tiger, powerful."

Princess Jingxuan's expression froze for a moment, and she couldn't help laughing out loud. Although she quickly stopped herself, this faint laugh still made Zhang Junyi blush.

She couldn't refute it. After all, the princess knew that she was relying on her power, but she just didn't expose it.

But she really wanted to see Zhang Xiaoman fall!

Her luck wasn't too bad today, as she met Princess Jingxuan and her study partner Lu Jiayi on the way. Princess Jingxuan had always been kind to her and was one of her few close friends.

But the princess was concerned about her status and would not deliberately make things difficult for Zhang Xiaoman.

But this is not necessarily the case for Lu Jiayi.

Just now, when they walked to the shade of willows, they saw Zhang Xiaoman and Liu Jinshu whispering to each other. The scene of them looking at each other and smiling must have hurt more than just her eyes.

"Not only did you hook up with Young Master Liu, you also have a childhood friend from the Imperial Guard backing you up. It's possible that you were so angry that you didn't even take your own sisters seriously."

Zhang Junyi sighed, "I can't compare to you, so I'll just give way to you from now on."

The cold-faced woman spoke up, "Why should you avoid her? You're just a lackey's mistress, and you dare to act so arrogantly in front of me!"

Zhang Xiaoman was furious and was about to retort, but Zhang Junyi smiled and said, "Third sister, this is Eunuch Lu's niece. Does Eunuch Lu know who she is? The eunuch in charge of the Supervisory Factory Guard is none other than your childhood sweetheart's immediate superior."

This name sounds familiar, I seem to have heard it somewhere...

Zhang Xiaoman was stunned. The wife of Marquis Pingyang had mentioned that this was the person who helped suppress Chen Lingan's memorial!

"Third sister," Zhang Anyi mustered up the courage to tug at her sleeve, "They are all powerful figures that we cannot afford to offend. A wise man never suffers a loss in front of him. So, give in quickly."

Xiaoman understands the truth.

But she refused!