Chapter 11

There was still one day left before they set off for Lashio. During breakfast in the morning, Lan Yingde told Yueming that she would be staying in the Tusi Mansion for a while.

Yueming had recovered from her illness and was happily drinking the powdered milk Changsheng had prepared for her. Upon hearing the news, she dropped the bowl of milk and it shattered on the ground, splashing milk all over her feet. Her feet felt wet and uncomfortable, but Yueming didn't care about anything else right now.

She was trembling with anger, her eyes darting back and forth between Lan Yingde and Changsheng. Changsheng had his head buried in his rice noodles, not daring to meet his gaze. Lan Yingde's face was filled with resignation. She bit her lip and stood up, running out of the dining room, nearly bumping into Aunt Yuxiang, who was about to sweep the floor with a broom. She looked at Yueming's running back, at a loss for what to do.

Yueming ran straight back to her room, crying as she stuffed her belongings into a small suitcase.

Lan Yingde, who had been chasing after them, was surprised to see this and asked, "What are you doing?"

Changsheng went forward to grab the small suitcase from her, but Yueming pushed him away. She cried and shouted, "I don't want you to care about me. You can go wherever you want. I want to go back to Kunming. Anyway, no matter where I am, I am alone."

The last sentence stung Lan Yingde, and he felt his hands and feet go cold. Over the years, he had eaten and worn many of her clothes, never touching a single bed. He even rented a car for her to go to school. Materially, Yueming was no less than any other rich girl. But he had forgotten that what a child needs most is the companionship of family.

He brought her to Yunxiang, saying it was for a family reunion, but then he threw her into a place full of strangers, leaving her feeling terrified and helpless. No wonder she reacted so strongly.

Seeing his daughter lying on the bed and sobbing over her little box, Lan Yingde motioned for Changsheng to leave and sat beside her bed, patting her shoulder: "You're already a grown-up girl, why are you still crying all the time? Count how many times you've cried from Kunming to Yunxiang."

Yueming cried to herself, burying her face in her arms and muffled her voice: "You knew I came here to cry, but you still left me in this shabby place."

"It's just to get away from this crappy place that Dad wants to keep you here and make money!"

After hearing this, Yueming cried a little softer, but still did not raise her head.

"You like painting so much, Dad wants to send you abroad to study hard. You can go to France, Italy, or wherever you want. But Dad has to earn enough money for us to go abroad! We can't have nowhere to live or eat when we get there, right?"

Lan Yingde had studied abroad in England when he was young. Yueming had heard him talk about his experiences since she was little, and she longed for him. She slowly raised her head, tears streaking her face. "But I don't want to be alone, and I don't want to go to the Tusi Mansion. I don't understand a word they say, and that second young master is teasing me."

Lan Yingde took out a handkerchief and wiped her face. "I've asked them to find you a girl who can speak Chinese to accompany you. Why are you alone? The second young master is teasing you, just ignore him. If you still feel uncomfortable, I will let Changsheng stay to accompany you."

Yueming wanted Changsheng to stay, but she had food and drink in the Tusi Mansion, while Lan Yingde had to travel a long way with the caravan, sleeping in the open air and eating and drinking. How could he do that without someone to take care of him?

She choked up and said, "I'm fine now. You should take Brother with you. You can take care of him on the way."

Children who know how to compromise are always particularly pitiful. Seeing Yueming crying her heart out but pretending to be strong and saying that she was okay, Lan Yingde felt very uncomfortable.

He hugged Yueming into his arms: "Dad promised you that he would come back as soon as possible to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with you."

That meant he would be gone for more than three months. Yueming felt that it was as long as the next life. The tears she had just held back were about to burst out again. She buried her head in Lan Yingde's arms and cried, "Dad, you have to come back soon."

Changsheng and Lan Yingde didn't let Aunt Yuxiang do anything, and personally packed Yueming's luggage. Changsheng frantically stuffed medicine into Yueming's luggage, muttering as he did so: "This is the best Baiyao, if you get hurt or bleed, use it, don't waste it; this is Niuhuang Jiedu Pills, if you feel dry and hot, take it; this is rhino horn powder, if you have a fever again, take some."

After saying that, he remembered his junior sister's rations, patted his head and said, "I bought you two more cans of milk powder and put them in my room. I'll go get them for you."

After seeing his apprentice leave, Lan Yingde walked over to Yueming, who was folding clothes, and handed her a bag. "Here are two hundred silver dollars. Take them for pocket money. If you don't like the food in the mansion, ask the servants to go out and buy more. The servants in the mansion are all very cunning. It's common for them to be cunning and try to trick people. You should reward them when they deserve it, don't be stingy and save yourself from being wronged."

Yueming didn't answer and said to Lan Yingde, "I have money on me. You and your brother should take more money with you on the road since you are poor and rich on the road!"

Lan Yingde put the money into the suitcase and covered it with clothes, saying to her, "Then you can save these few dollars. You are alone in Yunxiang, so it is always a good idea to keep some money with you."

This lonely figure touched Yueming's heart again, and she lowered her head to fold clothes in a depressed mood.

Seeing this, Lan Yingde took the clothes from her hand and threw them aside. He then took Yueming's hand and said earnestly, "Dad knows you don't want to go to the Tusi Mansion, but Dad can't help it. Our family is small, and the only family member we can consider family is your senior brother Changsheng. Dad is really worried about leaving you alone in this house. After thinking about it, the Tusi Mansion is the only place that can protect you well."

Yueming felt that it was too late to let his father go on the journey with such a heavy heart, so he nodded obediently: "I understand. Don't worry, I will wait for you to pick me up at the Tusi Mansion."

Lan Yingde felt uncomfortable because his daughter was so well-behaved. He felt headache when his daughter cried and threw tantrums. Now that she was so aggrieved and obedient, he felt that his daughter might as well cry and throw tantrums.

Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. This is the only way now.

After dinner, Changsheng and Lan Yingde escorted Yueming to the Tusi Mansion. Fenger met them at the gate and saw Lan Yingde's attentiveness. He called for the servants to take the three people's luggage inside and put it away. Lan Yingde asked Changsheng to help pack it up, and the father and daughter followed Fenger to meet the Tusi and Yintai.

After entering the flower hall, Lan Yingde led Yueming to the chieftain and Yintai to take their luggage. Seeing Han Huanyan was also there, he greeted her, "Miss San."

Han Huanyan was startled when she saw Lan Yingde. Was this the "white-collar widower with a family" that her mother had mentioned? He was about the same age as her mother, so why did he look so young? Not only that, he was also handsome, with the refined demeanor of a scholar, not at all like a tobacco dealer leading a caravan. She had forgotten that he was originally a doctor.

The chieftain saw his daughter staring at Lan Yingde and laughed. Since ancient times, girls have loved to be pretty. Even if she looked down on Lan Yingde's status, she would still be attracted by his good looks.

Yin Tai couldn't stand his wishful thinking, so she turned to ask Tao Da who was standing beside her, "Why isn't the Second Young Master here? He didn't even come out to apologize when he frightened Miss Lan last time."

Tao Da looked embarrassed: "The second young master went out after dinner."

When Han Tusi heard this, he slammed the tea bowl in his hand onto the table and said unhappily, "He's out drinking again? Is there no wine in this house, or is the wine here poisonous? He keeps going out all day."

Han Liyang was afraid that the chieftain would immediately have Han Yunkai dragged back and given a beating, so he quickly said, "He's at an age where he can't stay at home any longer. Why are you taking care of him? The day after tomorrow, my wife is going to Dongjing Buddhist Temple to worship the relics. I've asked Yunan to come and sing the praises. Let's just have our fun and leave him alone outside with some cold wine."

Hearing that this Han Tusi had forgotten about educating his son, he asked, "Didn't your uncle, Ganya Tusi, invite Yunan to sing at his birthday party? Why are you back so soon?"

Li Yang said, "She came back before the festival. They said that the Tao family was going to celebrate a funeral in a few days, so they sent someone to pick her up. I discussed it with the Tao family and decided to let her sing in our house for two days first, and then let him take her back the day after tomorrow."

Han Tusi nodded with satisfaction: "You are really filial. You always think of your wife in everything."

Yin Tai also looked at his son with a smile and said to him, "In that case, you should also invite a few ladies to come and listen, and introduce Miss Lan to them. They will be together for several months, so they should meet each other first, otherwise they will not know how to greet each other when they meet."

Han Liyang sent his personal servant to each room to invite people. Soon, Yunan, who had been singing the Zanha, arrived and bowed to the group. Lan Yingde, upon hearing that it was the chieftain Tao himself who had brought him, said to the chieftain, "According to etiquette, we should go and pay our respects to Old Master Tao. Please excuse me, Lan, while I take my leave for now."

Everyone present except Yueming knew about the relationship between their family and the Taotou people. Chief Han waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. This old man is very stubborn. I don't think you will get anything good out of it."

Yin Tai glared at him, what a foolish thing to say. Then, with a pleasant expression, she said to Lan Yingde, "These courtesies are due for Mannu's sake. Don't worry, I'll take care of your daughter."

Seeing Lan Yingde stand up, Yueming was a little flustered. He didn't care that he was a guest at the Tusi Mansion and asked, "Dad, where are you going?"

Lan Yingde said to her gently, "Dad is going to say hello to an elder."

"Then should I go too?"

Lan Yingde remembered Tao Tou Ren's previous attitude and said to her, "No need. Dad will be back soon. Just listen to Yin Tai's words."

After going out, Lan Yingde lost the calmness he had inside and walked quickly towards the gate, his robe fluttering, but he no longer cared about etiquette.