Chapter 69◇
◎She really won't abuse me◎
Feng Ran didn't move her head, and said sourly, "In the past, my husband smelled only of me, but now he's tainted."
Cough, cough, cough, Duan Jingchuan coughed several times before stopping. He awkwardly tried to pull his sleeve away from Duan Jingyin's hand, but the girl was holding on too tightly. He was too embarrassed to make any big movements, so he could only blush and move his body away from Duan Jingyin as much as possible.
Duan Jingyin looked aggrieved. "Second sister-in-law, I just bathed and changed this morning. Why do you keep saying I smell bad? Smell me, I smell pretty good." She then leaned her arm over, still unwilling to admit defeat, while her other hand tightly gripped Duan Jingchuan's sleeve.
Seeing that Duan Jingchuan was trying to avoid her touch, she spoke again in a wronged tone, "Second Brother, do you still hate me?" Her expression was exactly the same as when Feng Ran had pretended to be coquettish earlier.
Duan Jingchuan could only sigh and say, "The acting was good, but it was quite fake. Don't do it again next time."
Feng Ran then shifted her gaze, avoiding Duan Jingyin's small hand. Her face was filled with a deep and regretful expression that was hard to ignore. "Alas, you don't understand. Your second brother smells good even without bathing or changing clothes, but you, tsk tsk tsk..." She shook her head regretfully, the unspoken words conveying a thousand unspoken thoughts.
Duan Jingyin's feigned aggrieved expression crumbled inch by inch, then, as if she had discovered something amusing, a teasing glint appeared in her eyes, and her watery eyes blinked as if they were twitching, "Second sister-in-law, no wonder you can have my second brother completely under your thumb, it's true that love is blind!"
Feng Ran, without the slightest shame, pointed seriously at Duan Jingchuan's half-sleeve, "You know it smells good, so why don't you let go? You were unhappy earlier, so I let you hug me a couple of times, but now you're still not done hugging me?"
Duan Jingchuan's eyes trembled slightly. This time, he remained remarkably composed, his face expressionless, though his back was somewhat stiff.
Duan Jingyin's gaze kept shifting between Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan's faces, the curve of her lips growing wider and wider, as if she had tasted some sweet fruit, even her eyebrows were filled with a sweet taste. Suddenly she jumped up from her chair, took the initiative to let go of Duan Jingchuan's sleeve, and ran to Feng Ran's side, giving her a bear hug and burying her head in Feng Ran's arms.
"Then let me hug you, Second Sister-in-law. You've hugged Second Brother, so if I hug you, it's the same as me hugging Second Brother." Her little head rubbed against him like a kitten, extremely restless.
Startled by the little girl, Feng Ran leaned back, her expression blank as she turned her head toward Duan Jingchuan. She opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.
Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly. He straightened his wrinkled sleeves and watched with a leisurely air how Feng Ran would respond.
The sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, perfect for sunbathing. Feng Ran was the first to give up.
She couldn't get used to the little girl who used to look so sarcastic turning into a clingy follower, so she suggested that instead of staying in the study, the three of them go for a walk.
Originally, they planned to visit other places, but Duan Jingyin refused, insisting that this was her first time at Jinghua Courtyard and she had to have a great time.
Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran naturally had no inhibitions and could go wherever they wanted. Feng Ran was dragged along by Duan Jingyin, while Duan Jingchuan followed beside her, his gentle features occasionally lowering his head and smiling.
"Second brother, second sister-in-law, you don't know, although the Dingbei Marquis's mansion is quite large, it is empty and there are no flowers, plants and trees. To put it nicely, it is quiet; to put it bluntly, it is lifeless. Heaven knows how much I want to plant some flowers, plants and trees in the mansion, so that I can be happy when I am relaxing."
Feng Ran also noticed this, but she didn't understand the reasons, so she couldn't help but ask, "Then why not plant them? Is it because the manor is short of money?" After spending more time with him, she realized that her husband was probably the most hidden god of wealth. Although he didn't like to go out, he was very clever. He could run such a big business remotely with just letters. If this were in modern times, he would definitely be the king behind the electronic screen.
However, the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion is different. It is said that the current family wealth was acquired by the Marquis of Dingbei in his early years of fighting on the battlefield, and was later distributed to the families of some wounded and killed soldiers. Therefore, the wealth of the Marquis's mansion is also limited, which is why Feng Ran made this guess.
Duan Jingyin giggled and laughed. "How could that be? Second sister-in-law, you don't know, Father is fond of swords and spears. The friends who come to the mansion to spar are not much different from Father. Once they start sparring, they don't care about anything. We did have some precious flowers, plants and trees before, but how could those delicate things withstand the ravages of swords, spears and sticks? Over time, the mansion became bare, and no one mentioned planting flowers and trees anymore."
Feng Ran patted her chest. "So that's how it is. It's a good thing Father doesn't come here to practice his swordsmanship. Otherwise, if he hurt the flowers, plants, or stones, it would hurt so much."
Duan Jingyin nodded, somewhat expectantly, and said, "Indeed, although this courtyard is small, it has a unique charm. Can I come here often in the future?"
Feng Ran didn't answer, but instead gave Duan Jingchuan a meaningful look.
Duan Jingchuan readily agreed, "Sister, you can come anytime you want. It's just that there aren't many vacant rooms in this courtyard. Otherwise, you could stay here if you wish."
Duan Jingyin scoffed, "I'm not moving here. I'm still too young to watch you two being all lovey-dovey all the time."
Duan Jingchuan, as always, was thin-skinned. A blush crept onto his ears, and his thick, curled eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, like butterflies about to take flight. He dared not look in Feng Ran's direction and only said seriously to Duan Qingyin, "Don't talk nonsense."
Duan Jingyin grinned widely, showing no fear of Duan Jingchuan's cold face. "Second brother, your cold face doesn't work on me anymore. Look how happy your sister-in-law is. I clearly hit the nail on the head. Don't deny it."
Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but glance at Feng Ran. In the sunlight, Feng Ran's smile was as bright as a peony, and she nodded in agreement from time to time, as if Duan Jingyin had said something of supreme truth. When her eyes met Duan Jingchuan's, she didn't forget to wink.
As the heat continued to rise, Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but curl his fingers and cough lightly.
Originally, the matter would have been over and done with, but Feng Ran teased her again, "Little sister, look at your brother's face, so red and white, isn't it extremely handsome?"
Before Duan Jingyin could react, Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but take two steps back, his lips slightly pursed, his eyes darting around as if he wanted to escape.
Duan Jingyin moved her lips, but before she could make a sound, she suddenly heard a loud bang in the distance. Startled, she jumped up, clutched her chest, and exclaimed in shock, "Where did that sound come from? Did a brick or tile fall down?"
Feng Ran laughed and said, "Why don't we go and see for ourselves?"
Seeing that the two people stopped teasing him, Duan Jingchuan hesitated for a moment, then thought about it and followed them.
Wow! Ha!
From afar, you could see the yellow sparrow's round, greedy hands, its little fists pounding against the stone slab opposite it like raindrops, making your hands ache just watching it.
Duan Jingyin had only met the child once and hadn't inquired about his background. Seeing this scene, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What's going on here?"
Seeing this scene, Feng Ran smiled and said, "Oh, this is what I taught him, so that he won't be unable to escape if he gets caught by human traffickers again. He's too useless."
What?
This time, not only Duan Jingyin, but even Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but glance at her.
What does hitting the stone have to do with this? The little sparrow kept punching the stone slab in front of him, which was about the same height as him, and it looked painful.
When Huang Que saw someone coming, he casually wiped the sweat from his face, forgetting that his hands were wrapped in thick strips of cloth, turning his face into a little cat's mess. But he didn't care and exclaimed, "Sister, I feel much stronger today. Your method really works. It doesn't hurt at all after you wrapped them up."
Duan Qingyin couldn't help but ask, "Why did you hit this stone slab?"
After Huang Que finished explaining the reason, Duan Jingyin and Duan Jingchuan couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths.
It's ridiculous to deceive children into thinking that a normal person can kick down a wall with one kick, and if they can't, it's because they're not strong enough. It's like telling children to hit a stone slab. Is that something a human being would do?
Duan Jingyin's eyes were subtle as she sincerely said to Duan Jingchuan, "Second Brother, if you have children in the future, I can help you take care of them." The implication was that she absolutely did not want Feng Ran to take care of the children, fearing that she might lead them astray.
Taking advantage of this time, Feng Ran untied the cloth strips binding Huang Que's hands, checked them to make sure her little hands were not injured, and then patted her head. "Not bad, with a little more practice, you'll definitely be able to split this stone slab with one punch. If anyone dares to kidnap you again, just hit them right here." As she spoke, she tapped Huang Que's temple.
That's deadly! Duan Jingyin screamed inwardly.
Although she didn't know where the child came from, the woman's maternal instincts made her unable to help but stand up for the child. "Second sister-in-law, you can't bully a child just because you're older. This stone slab isn't something an ordinary person can just split open."
Seeing that Duan Jingyin did not believe her, Feng Ran did not explain, but instead proved it with her actions.
Instead of choosing the large stone slab on the ground where the sparrow practiced, she randomly picked a rock about the size of two palms, placed it on the stone table, estimated the force, and punched it. With a bang, shards of stone scattered everywhere.
"Second Sister-in-law!" Duan Jingyin was so frightened that her voice cracked. She quickly grabbed Feng Ran's hand and examined it from head to toe. After carefully wiping away the dust with a handkerchief, she found that her fair and delicate hand was free of any scratches. She couldn't help but pinch it with her fingertips and saw that Feng Ran's expression did not change.
She looked suspiciously at the broken stone on the stone table, and tried to squeeze it with her hand, but couldn't move it; it was genuine.
Huang Que then added, "As expected, I am still too weak. I can't even open such a big stone slab, let alone this small one. Don't worry, sister, I will definitely practice more in the future."
Duan Jingyin was speechless and looked at Duan Jingchuan with a puzzled expression, hoping that her second brother could help her understand.
Duan Jingchuan coughed lightly, "Madam's strength has increased a bit."
Is she a bit too big? Ten strong men combined might not be as strong as her!
Duan Jingyin's brows furrowed with lingering fear as she whispered to Feng Ran, "Second Sister-in-law, I was young and ignorant before, you don't mind, do you?"
Feng Ran raised an eyebrow. "Didn't we already say we didn't mind?"
Duan Jingyin breathed a sigh of relief, wiped Feng Ran's hands in a flattering manner, and then smiled at Huang Que for the first time ever, "Keep practicing, keep practicing, good luck."
The yellow sparrow, not understanding why, wrapped the cloth strips around itself again, struck a pose, and smashed it hard against the stone slab.
Duan Jingchuan hesitated for a moment, but seeing Feng Ran's satisfied expression, he ultimately said nothing more.
While Feng Ran wasn't paying attention to them, Duan Jingyin carefully tugged at Duan Jingchuan's sleeve, "Second brother, never quarrel with your sister-in-law. You're a man, so you should be more tolerant. If you accidentally offend your sister-in-law, remember to apologize in time."
Duan Jingchuan understood Duan Jingyin's underlying meaning, and, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, said softly, "She is not an unreasonable person and will not easily resort to violence."
Looking at Duan Jingchuan's gentle expression, so unlike his sickly appearance of previous years, Duan Jingyin murmured, "You've really changed a lot. Second sister-in-law is a good person, better than all of us."
Duan Jingchuan said gently, "You're still young, don't think too much."
The sunlight shone on Feng Ran, giving her a pale yellow halo. Her eyes were serious as she taught Huang Que how to exert her strength.
However, Huang Que had unwavering faith in Feng Ran, truly believing that as long as he worked hard, he could be like Feng Ran, shattering the stone slab with a single punch.
That's fine too. Even if he can't develop the same strength as his wife in the future, at least he'll have some ways to protect himself.
Duan Jingchuan smiled calmly and decided not to stop Huang Que from going down the wrong path.
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