Chapter 702 Accepting the Embroiderer

The vermilion walls also accentuate the fair skin of the people.

When Ouyang Rong entered the backyard and saw Zhao Qingxiu, she was standing under the pear tree by the red wall, her back to him, tiptoeing, reaching out to touch the pink and white pear blossoms on the branches.

The red walls made Zhao Qingxiu and Lihua appear even whiter, dazzlingly so.

It was so stunning it made your eyes pop out.

"Longling—"

Noticing the movement behind her, Zhao Qingxiu turned around, and the icy white jade hairpin in her hair made a familiar crisp sound.

Before she could say anything, Ouyang Rong had already rushed over and picked Zhao Qingxiu up upright.

To her surprise and delight, Ouyang Rong picked her up and ran around in the courtyard, spinning her around a few times.

"Longling—Longling—"

The icy white jade hairpin in Zhao Qingxiu's hair bounced up and down, sometimes even higher than the red wall.

The turquoise ribbons danced in the evening breeze.

"Ah ah."

She was a little shy.

After Ouyang Rong calmed down and put Zhao Qingxiu down, she looked up at him with her small face and wrote stroke by stroke:

My love, I miss you.

Ouyang Rong wiped his face, suppressed his smile, and said seriously:

"I miss you as well."

The two hugged each other tighter.

Zhao Qingxiu continued writing:

Sister Xie said you were busy, and you've been gone for almost ten days. Has Tanlang finished his work yet?

Ouyang Rong nodded and said in a serious tone:

"It's all done. Now I can spend time with you without worry."

Zhao Qingxiu wrote softly: [Yes, and Sister Xie too, I should spend some time with her as well.]

"good."

Ouyang Rong looked around at the empty courtyard and asked again:

"Where's your junior sister? Didn't she come here?"

Sister Xie just left. We had lunch here. Tanlang arrived a step too late.

Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then nodded:

"Okay. By the way, while I was away, did you have that nightmare again?"

Zhao Qingxiu's face remained calm as she shook her head.

Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to lead her back into the house.

Upon entering, he noticed that the tables and cabinets in the main room were somewhat messy and asked:

"Why is it so messy? Did Junior Sister come in to rest?"

Zhao Qingxiu shook her head.

No, but Sister Xie said she wanted to see that fortune stick, so I found it for her.

Ouyang Rong was taken aback: "Sign? What sign?"

[It's that legendary fortune stick, the one I got at Chengtian Temple last time. My boyfriend read it to me later... I told Sister Xie about it, and she said she wanted to see it.]

Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered that it was the red slip he had "read the fortune slip without even looking at it" last time.

It seems the embroiderer has kept it all along.

His expression became slightly reserved.

However, seeing Zhao Qingxiu's happy and joyful smile, Ouyang Rong didn't say anything more.

After a short while of tenderness, Ouyang Rong glanced at the sky and prepared to slip away:

"That's enough for today, I'll come see you again tomorrow, okay..."

Just as he was about to leave, Zhao Qingxiu grabbed his sleeve, pointed towards the kitchen, and ran in. A moment later, she brought out a bowl of hot noodles for Ouyang Rong.

"This is……"

Zhao Qingxiu wrote with a sweet smile:

Sister Xie said she wanted me to make some noodles so she could take them to Aunt Zhen's residence in Huaiye Lane and let her try them, but she wouldn't tell her I made them first; she wanted to let Aunt Zhen taste them first.

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Soon after, with a somewhat expectant expression on Zhao Qingxiu's face, she also ate two large bowls of hot noodles.

Before leaving, Ouyang Rong asked casually:

"What did our junior sister say after she saw that red token?"

Zhao Qingxiu nodded immediately, and under Ouyang Rong's slightly nervous expression, she smiled gently and wrote in his palm:

After reading it, Sister Xie whispered, "A perfect match, a match made in heaven!"

Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment.

After having dinner in the quiet courtyard, Ouyang Rong immediately rushed back to his residence in Huaiye Lane, wanting to meet with Xie Lingjiang.

As soon as he entered the main hall of the house, he saw Zhen Shuyuan arranging flowers, and he couldn't help but ask:

"Auntie, where is Junior Sister?"

"Hey, Tanlang, you're back!"

Upon seeing Ouyang Rong, Zhen Shuyuan immediately dropped the bouquet in her hand, lifted her trailing skirt, and stepped forward to greet him.

Ouyang Rong asked again, "Isn't Junior Sister here?"

Zhen Shuyuan gently examined her beloved nephew's body, showing concern and concern. After confirming he was alright, she breathed a sigh of relief and said:

“Wanwan left a while ago. She just brought me a bowl of hot noodles this evening. I must say, it was quite delicious. She said that for my birthday celebration, I’ll be eating this kind of longevity noodles. Wanwan is so thoughtful…”

Zhen Shuyuan praised it highly.

Ouyang Rong didn't reply, and immediately turned and left.

"Hey, where did Tanlang go? Why did he go out again as soon as he got back? Is the floor so hot that it burns your feet...?"

Ouyang Rong did not respond and recklessly left home again.

He instructed:

"Go to the Prince of Xunyang's residence."

"Yes, young master."

About half an hour later.

Xunyang Prince's Mansion.

This time, Ouyang Rong didn't greet Li Xian and the others, and went straight inside.

He hurried to his junior sister's courtyard, only to find it empty again.

Xie Lingjiang is not here.

Just then, a maidservant passed by and said something:

"Miss Xie had just returned a short while ago when she went out again. Before leaving, she went to the princess's courtyard."

Ouyang Rong immediately realized that his junior sister must have learned of his return from Li Guo'er.

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle.

What a twist of fate that brought these two together today! It's been a series of unexpected events.

He turned and left immediately, boarding the waiting carriage near the stables at the back gate of the Prince's mansion.

“Back to Huaiye Lane.”

"Yes, young master..."

"etc."

"What's wrong, young master?"

"Put me down, and drive back yourself first."

"Isn't the young master going back?"

“Go back, I… I’ll walk back.”

Ali was puzzled, but didn't ask any further questions.

After a short while, Ouyang Rong sent away the hardworking Ali and headed towards the residence in Huaiye Lane.

Half an hour later.

On a street near the mansion in Huaiye Lane, Ouyang Rong finally saw the beautiful figure in red, just as he had hoped.

Ouyang Rong's prediction was correct; his junior sister came to find him again.

However, from a distance, he noticed that his junior sister's figure was rather strange. She was standing on the street, quite a distance from the Huaiye Lane mansion, gazing at it, but never taking a step to knock on the door.

However, even if the junior sister knocked on the door, it was no use; Ouyang Rong was not at home at all.

Just as Ouyang Rong was about to approach and call out, he suddenly saw the red-clad figure in front of him turn around and not knock on the door of the Huaiye Lane residence, seemingly returning to the Prince's Mansion by the same route.

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but rub his face and mutter:

"I almost missed it again."

He immediately went forward to greet her, and met Xie Lingjiang face to face at the street corner.

"Junior Sister".

Ouyang Rong laughed.

Xie Lingjiang's first reaction upon seeing him was to turn around and walk away, intending to go around him who was blocking her way.

Ouyang Rong relentlessly pursued him.

"Why don't you go in, junior sister?"

Xie Lingjiang did not answer and walked ahead.

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and suddenly said:

“You weren’t here when we had a meeting at the Prince’s Mansion this morning… I went to the embroiderer’s courtyard this evening, but I missed you there too. The embroiderer said you brought longevity noodles for Aunt Zhen. I just rushed home, but I still didn’t make it to you…”

He started muttering to himself, as if he were chatting about everyday things.

The fiery red figure in front of them suddenly stopped.

Ouyang Rong immediately stepped forward, took her hand, and looked at her.

Xie Lingjiang kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.

Ouyang Rong smiled happily.

Xie Lingjiang asked coldly:

"why are you laughing?"

He looked left and right:

"I think I've gained weight."

Xie Lingjiang glared at him immediately, and patted Ouyang Rong's shoulder in a somewhat annoyed manner:

"nonsense."

Ouyang Rong laughed even more heartily.

Realizing that he was deliberately provoking her to speak, Xie Lingjiang immediately turned her eyes away, somewhat sulking, and ignored him.

Ouyang Rong, however, continued to crane his neck, meeting her gaze and saying:

"Junior Sister, you've come to see me, haven't you?"

"No, I brought Miaosi back."

Ouyang Rong glanced down at her small head, which was faintly visible beneath her sleeve, and asked again:

"Since you're already here, why don't you go inside?"

Before Xie Lingjiang could speak, Miaosi, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, peeked her little head out from her sleeve and said to save the day:

"This fairy doesn't want to go back, but that's not allowed."

She changed the subject and said:

"Little Rongzi, I've noticed that you're getting bolder and bolder. You're even trying to boss Xie around. Humph, you just made a mistake, do you know that? How can you still talk so loudly? You're the most disrespectful person, without a doubt... Mmm."

Before Miao Si could finish speaking, Xie Lingjiang pressed her little head into her sleeve.

She strode forward without saying a word.

Ouyang Rong grabbed his junior sister's hand, ignoring her struggles, and said:

"The embroiderer told me that junior sister has worked hard."

Xie Lingjiang lowered her head: "My help to the embroiderer is none of your business."

Ouyang Rong glanced at her and noticed that her eyes were slightly red.

He pursed his lips.

Xie Lingjiang suddenly said:

Why do you write so many letters to my father and aunt?

Ouyang Rong asked cautiously, "Did they send you a letter?"

Xie Lingjiang's pretty face tightened, and she did not answer.

The two walked a little further, and she mentioned:

Do you remember when Zhenniang and your mother sold the embroiderer?

"Yes, I remember."

Xie Lingjiang whispered:

“Your aunt may still have a prejudice against the embroiderer, feeling that she wronged and hurt you in the past. Have you thought about how to deal with this?”

"Yes, I'll take care of it before the birthday ceremony."

"That's fine then," she said softly.

Ouyang Rong noticed that his junior sister's hand had stopped struggling and had calmed down.

He silently took her hand and strolled along with Xie Lingjiang.

We stopped by the riverbank and watched the sunset over the river accompanied by fishermen's songs for a while.

About half an hour later, the two arrived at the gate of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.

Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang turned their heads in tacit agreement and looked at each other.

A moment later, the two actions occurred almost simultaneously: Ouyang Rong opened his arms, and Xie Lingjiang lunged forward.

The two embraced in front of the door.

They hugged each other tighter and tighter.

Just then, Ouyang Rong heard a very irritating voice behind him:

"Can you please take this fairy back? You two can hug again, but this fairy is still here!"

The two couldn't help but separate and look down. The young woman in Confucian robes was standing with her arms crossed, head held high, humming and glancing at them sideways.

He spoke in a tone that suggested he was a little adult.

Xie Lingjiang blushed slightly and looked away.

Ouyang Rong calmly patted his sleeves and straightened his clothes.

"Eh."

Miao Si sighed in a precocious manner, shook her head, tilted her little head back, but raised both hands to cover her eyes, and said:

"I really can't do anything with you guys. Fine, you can hug me then... Hey, Xie girl, is it nighttime? Why can't this fairy see anything?"

Xie Lingjiang: ...

Ouyang Rong: ...

A moment later, Xie Lingjiang slapped the brilliant idea of ​​"good at nothing and number one at ruining the mood" onto Ouyang Rong's hand, then turned and slipped into the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

Only Ouyang Rong and Miao Si remained at the door.

The latter clapped her hands, as if her "third wheel magic" had been successfully completed, her little face showing some satisfaction. Standing on Ouyang Rong's hand, she skillfully slipped into Ouyang Rong's sleeve, while shouting:

"It has nothing to do with this fairy maiden; it was Xie girl who ran away on her own..."

Ouyang Rong walked forward silently and said:

"Alright, shut up. If you're not producing ink, then don't speak."

Miaosi's eyes widened immediately, and she poked her little head out from her sleeve to protest:

"You, you've used the millstone and then discarded it. I gave you three bamboos ten days ago, and you took them and are now pretending to be confused, aren't you?"

Ouyang Rong said slowly and deliberately:

"Oh, I remember now. But with so little ink, people who don't know better might think we can't afford spirit ink. Please bring another dozen so everyone can see the power of the female immortal."

Miao Si grumbled and cursed:

"Do you think it's like a hen laying eggs? Besides, three tubes of spirit ink aren't enough for you. Are you fighting against the celestial beings of Shenzhou?"

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle.

Xiao Mo Jing's expression softened somewhat, but seeing that he remained silent, she gave Ouyang Rong a wary look with her dark eyes and asked:

"You really used it all?"

"Um."

"How can I not believe you? Are you lying and have kept my spiritual ink for yourself?"

The more Miao Si looked at him, the more suspicious her little face became:

"And are you sure you really got into a fight at Xunyang Grottoes? How come you didn't get hurt and came back all this way? Something's not right. Why were they so weak? Shouldn't you have been the shortest and most conspicuous one who got beaten up?"

Ouyang Rong suppressed a laugh and asked seriously:

"Why can't I be invincible and wipe them all out like autumn leaves in the wind?"

"Really?"

Since he was bored on the way back, Ouyang Rong said with a serious expression:

"Well, I'll reluctantly tell you how I, this young master, fought those formidable rebels for three hundred rounds in the Xunyang Grottoes... Speaking of which, they were all among the most powerful ladies in the Lady's Palace, especially that golden-haired First Lady, who flew around so imposingly, truly arrogant... However, thanks to the three tubes of spirit ink generously provided by this young master and the Lady Immortal, they were utterly helpless against me. The spirit ink is truly terrifying..."

Miao Si muttered "Really?", but the initial skepticism on her face had completely transformed into joy and happiness, and she proudly puffed out her chest:

"Hmph, although you can be a bit annoying at times, you do have a good eye for quality and know how to find good stuff..."

Miao Si waved his hand and shouted:

"Next time, remember to tell these defeated opponents that I am a fairy maiden. Tell them that this powerful divine ink was casually bestowed upon you by a female ink fairy who did not wish to leave her name."

"Wrapped."

Ouyang Rong spoke with great relish, making up stories along the way, and Xiao Mojing completely fooled him.

Finally, back in the study of Yinbingzhai, the little guy was all smiles after being coaxed by him. The little ink spirit ran back to its little nest in the wardrobe with a satisfied look on its face and continued to produce spirit ink with great enthusiasm.

The days with my new follower are quite promising.

(End of this chapter)