The next day, Xu Lanyin got up at 3:00 am and went to the small kitchen to make some biscuits that would last for a long time.
She went to the guest room in the outer courtyard. Zhao Wu was already prepared. He wore a navy blue, arrow-sleeved, fine cloth robe and a matching scarf on his head. He carried a bundle and a bamboo hat on his back, a saddlebag on his horse in one hand, and a constable's iron ruler and whip in the other.
Xu Lanyin stuffed the biscuits into her saddlebag, stuffed a few pairs of socks she had hurriedly made into the package, and muttered a lot of instructions.
Zhao Wu agreed and talked about her a lot. He was not by Xu Lanyin's side and was always worried about her safety.
Xu Lanyin sent Zhao Wu to the corner gate. Seeing the tall, thin figure riding his horse farther and farther away, he turned around and waved to Xu Lanyin, gave her an extremely bright smile, and then drove his horse forward and disappeared into the morning light.
Xu Lanyin returned to the inner courtyard feeling lost. She felt a deep, agonizing pain, a feeling she had never experienced before. It wasn't sadness, it wasn't pain, and it wasn't entirely reluctance or worry. Her heart felt like it had been ripped apart by a cat's claws...
She sat by the window with a frown in her eyes, in a daze. She didn't dare to make any noise and even walked on tiptoe.
The yard became noisy only after a few children got up.
Xu Lanting pouted and complained, "Brother Zhao went on a long journey, and I didn't even take him with me to see him off." Then she worried, "If he's not here, what will we do if we run into bad guys on the road again?"
Xu Lanyin said, "It's okay, Lord Min will send someone to escort us."
Although Zhao Xingchen didn't spend much time with Zhao Wu, he felt reluctant to let him go when he heard that he was leaving, but he didn't dare to express his feelings.
Xu Lanyin finally saw through it and patted his head with a smile. This child had always lived cautiously, and it would take a long time for him to heal the pain he had suffered.
Zhao Wu's departure had no effect on Min Jia, who continued to lean on Xu Lanyin's arms and act like a spoiled child. Xu Lanting had someone set up the checkers table and then came over to pull Min Jia to play.
Xu Lanyin, feeling too lonely to stay awake, settled down at a nearby round table, writing and drawing. She was sketching designs for the teahouse's interior, trying to forget about Zhao Wuzou. After a while, she'd lean over, pinch Zhao Xingchen's face, and smile at him. Zhao Xingchen, in turn, narrowed his eyes and called her "Auntie." This expression wasn't just a genuine expression of his feelings, it was also a way of trying to curry favor.
The little kid was very perceptive. Whenever Min Jia and Xu Lanting were around Xu Lanyin, he would just stand aside and watch without fighting. When they were both away, he would cling to Xu Lanyin. Even when Xu Lanyin went to the bathroom, he would follow her and act as a door god.
After a while, Zhao Xingchen couldn't help but ask, "Aunt, why are you sighing so much? I sighed..." He looked at his ten fingers clenched into a fist and said, "I sighed... I can't even compare with my fingers."
Xu Lanyin smiled bitterly. She picked up Zhao Xingchen and placed him on her lap, then used his little fingers to teach him how to count.
In the afternoon, Butler Hao ran to see Xu Lanyin, his face flushed.
Xu Lanyin thought something had happened and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Housekeeper Hao wiped his face with a handkerchief and said with a smile, "Miss Xu, the poppy screen has been installed and pulled back. It's absolutely, absolutely, so beautiful. My master will definitely like it. Thank you in advance on his behalf."
As he spoke, he bowed slightly.
Xu Lan said a few polite words.
Butler Hao also said that the shop on Qingqu Street had been cleared out and could be handed over to Xu Lanyin. He also said that if the shop needed renovations, he could help find someone to do it.
Xu Lanyin thanked him.
In the evening, Qingfeng came over and said that the master had returned and invited Miss Xu and the children to have dinner in the outer study.
Xu Lanyin held Min Jia's hand with her left hand, and Xu Lanting's hand with her right hand. Zhao Xingchen was held by Zhang Qi, and the group went to the outer study. Min Mansion was not very big, so they arrived in half an hour.
The "Poppy" painting was placed in the living room of the outer study, and Min Hu was looking at it with great interest.
On the light blue silk, the upper half depicts a distant blue sky, dotted with a few white clouds. The lower half is covered with lush grass, interspersed with poppies of various colors. The flowers are small, colorful, light and gorgeous, and a few butterflies flutter among them.
Different from the rich peony, different from the red plum blossoms standing on the branches, and different from the lotus in the blue water... This embroidery is different from any other embroidery or painting. It is fresh, free, dazzling, unrestrained, and full of vitality...
Minhu felt that this scenery was the place he longed for, and this style was also the state he had always longed for...
The one who understands me is Lan Yin!
Oh, Minhu felt that he had grasped a key point. The charm of this embroidery was so consistent with Xu Lanyin's unique charm. It was fresh, free, dazzling, casual, and full of vitality...
As soon as Xu Lanting came in, he proudly introduced it to Min Jia and Zhao Xingchen, "This screen was painted by my sister and embroidered by my mother. Isn't it beautiful?"
Min Jia nodded heavily.
Zhao Xingchen also praised sincerely, "Huahua is beautiful, and Auntie is capable."
Minhu's thoughts were interrupted. He turned to Xu Lanyin, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Miss Xu. I like this embroidery very much. No matter what troubles I encounter in the future, as long as I look at it, I will feel relieved."
This smile was as bright as the brilliant sunset outside the window, dazzling Xu Lanyin so much that she blinked, and also startled the butler Hao and Qingfeng who were serving beside her. His master was elegant, gentle, peaceful and calm, and this was the first time they had seen such a smile.
Butler Hao became even more thoughtful. This smile, Master had never given to anyone else, but only to Miss Xu. Could it be that Master didn't refuse Miss Xu from being his woman, but only refused to let her be his concubine?
It seems that I need to serve Miss Xu better.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "As long as Lord Min likes it, my efforts are not in vain. I will hypnotize Lord Min again today, using this background as a support..."
Minhu nodded and smiled, "Miss Xu and I have the same idea."
During dinner, Minhu sat at his own table, while Xu Lanyin sat at another table with her children.
After dinner, several children went to play in the yard. Xu Lanyin said that she wanted to keep Ding Gu in the provincial capital to look after the decoration of the teahouse. The family was short of a male servant, so she wanted to ask Butler Hao to help her go to the pawnshop to give her some advice.
Min Hu said, "The servants bought from the pawnshop may not be able to start work right away. How about this, I will send two servants from my mansion to you, and let them come back after Ding Gu finishes his work."
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "That couldn't be better."
She knew these two men were skilled in martial arts. With them, she finally felt at ease. Although Yi Ju Restaurant was currently unaware that they were "hostile elements," it was always necessary to be prepared when in a dangerous situation.
At the beginning of the Xu hour, several children returned to the inner courtyard first, and Xu Lanyin hypnotized Minhu in the hall of the outer study.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
