Chapter 95◇
My husband is more supportive than I am.
Shi Fusheng spoke casually, a smile playing on his lips, "That's hard to say. Maybe we were family eight hundred years ago?"
Whether Duan Jingchuan believed him or not was unclear. His dark eyes and stern expression made it difficult to tell. He said, "If Brother Shi is truly looking for his relatives, I will do my utmost to help. However, if Brother Shi has ulterior motives, I regret that I cannot oblige."
Shi Fusheng tilted his head, looking extremely innocent. "Aren't you overthinking things, kid? You're not satisfied with a great philanthropist like me being your brother-in-law?"
Feng Ran silently raised her small hand, "Um, old man, although you look familiar, I have never seen you before. Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"
Shi Fusheng stared at Feng Ran, then suddenly smiled. "You little lady, you're quite the character. Alright, let me tell you the truth. Yesterday, I did some calculations and predicted that I would meet someone destined for me today, and that's how I met you two. Little lady, you look so naive and easy to fool. I thought I'd do a good deed and adopt you as my god-sister, so that I can stand up for you if this young man bullies you in the future."
Feng Ran said weakly, "Then I think you can recognize my husband as your younger brother and support him."
Shi Fusheng almost choked because he couldn't catch his breath. He looked at Feng Ran as if she were a monster, then mechanically turned his face away, wanting to see what kind of expression his little husband, who needed his support, would have.
Duan Jingchuan remained calm, even a slight smile playing on his lips, as if Feng Ran had said something that pleased him.
Shi Fusheng was secretly amazed; they were truly an extraordinary young couple.
For some unknown reason, Duan Jingchuan tacitly agreed to Shi Fusheng's accompaniment, but subconsciously prevented Feng Ran from contacting Shi Fusheng.
Feng Ran didn't think anything of it. She was used to being inseparable from Duan Jingchuan, and she always acted arrogantly whenever Duan Jingchuan was around.
Just as they arrived in Ancheng, a major event occurred in the capital. Wu Fengqing, through some unknown means, managed to gain the exclusive favor of the Crown Prince.
The Crown Princess, six months pregnant, was furious and wanted to cause trouble for Wu Fengqing, but she accidentally tripped and fell. Now, not only did she miscarry, but the imperial physician also diagnosed that the Crown Princess would have difficulty conceiving again.
Wu Fengqing was even more pleased with herself. Apart from the Crown Princess, she had the highest status in the entire Eastern Palace, and she was doing her best to win the Crown Prince's favor, hoping to give birth to a son for the Crown Prince as soon as possible.
Of course, the women in the back courtyard have always been tools to check the power in the front courtyard. It is not surprising that Wu Fengqing is favored. It is only because His Highness the Crown Prince has somehow moved Prime Minister Wu. Now Prime Minister Wu is implicitly on the same side as His Highness the Crown Prince, fighting against the Second Prince together.
Of course, this was just a clandestine affair; on the surface, Prime Minister Wu remained a staunch royalist.
Upon seeing this message, Duan Jingchuan smirked. He wasn't worried about wasting the bait, but rather about the fish losing their appetite. He was determined to avenge his wife.
Feng Ran was fast asleep in Duan Jingchuan's arms when she suddenly sensed a hint of danger. She opened her eyes and saw the smile on Duan Jingchuan's lips, which made her heart flutter. Half asleep, she leaned in and kissed him, then slipped her hand inside his clothes before closing her eyes again and falling back asleep, completely satisfied.
Duan Jingchuan's brows furrowed in helplessness. What's it like to have a lecherous wife?
Even during her afternoon nap, she would still find time to rummage inside his clothes.
Since marrying his wife, his composure has been forced to fall from its pedestal. He went from being indifferent to easily provoked, and now he is passively increasing his resistance to his wife. The hardships he has endured along the way are beyond the comprehension of outsiders.
He took a deep breath, thinking that his resistance would probably need to be cultivated for several more decades before it could be fully developed. In desperation, he could only hold Feng Ran's unconsciously moving little hand in place through his clothes. After a while, his rapid breathing finally calmed down.
Shi Fusheng was determined to rely on Duan Jingchuan and his group, fully embodying the shamelessness of freeloading.
However, in the following days, he didn't bother Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran, but instead set his sights on Huang Que.
Upon seeing Huang Que for the first time, Shi Fusheng's eyes lit up. "Oh my, where did this bright and beautiful child come from? Let this old man hold him."
After saying that, without waiting for anyone's reaction, he tucked his folding fan behind his back, opened his arms, and pounced on the oriole. Note that he pounced.
Fang Yuan's eyelids twitched. For some reason, he thought of a hungry wolf hunting its prey. He quickly shielded Huang Que behind him, saying, "Young Master Shi, the young master is still young and a little shy around strangers."
Shi Fusheng slammed on the brakes, his nose nearly touching Fang Yuan's deeply lined face.
Somewhat unwilling, he used his height advantage to look down at Huang Que hiding behind Fang Yuan and said stubbornly, "It's fine if he doesn't want to be hugged, but let him get closer to me."
Fang Yuan didn't even blink, and said coldly, "Does Young Master Shi also believe that the young master is your long-lost relative?"
Shi Fusheng shook his head, looking at Huang Que whose face clearly showed his greed. "No, that's not it, but no matter how many relatives I have, I will definitely like this child."
Seeing Shi Fusheng's confident expression, Fang Yuan had no idea what he was up to. He just subconsciously became more vigilant and protected Huang Que tightly, not letting Shi Fusheng get involved in anything.
Shi Fusheng said with a hint of resentment, "The older one is already taken, and you won't even let me touch the younger one. You guys are really stingy."
Huang Que had also worked his way up from the bottom, so he could tell whether others had good intentions or bad intentions towards him, and he didn't feel any malice towards Shi Fusheng.
For some reason, seeing Shi Fusheng made him subconsciously think of Sister Feng Ran, so he took the initiative to step out from behind Fang Yuan and said gently, "Thank you for your kind words, Young Master Shi. I am indeed a little shy and not very good at communicating with strangers."
Seeing that Huang Que had taken the initiative to speak to him, Shi Fusheng's handsome face put on a silly grin. "It's alright, I don't need you to talk to me. If you can stay within a foot of me, I'll be satisfied."
What kind of request is this? Huang Que frowned, not quite understanding, but figured getting a little closer wouldn't be dangerous. If this young master really had some bad intentions, with his skills, few here could stop him. She then took a step closer to Shi Fusheng.
As expected, Shi Fusheng had no intention of communicating with Huang Que. As soon as Huang Que approached, he took a deep breath as if he were intoxicated.
"Ah! The air is so much fresher. That little girl really knows how to enjoy herself. This ethereal atmosphere is truly unforgettable."
Huang Que narrowed his eyes. This expression was even more like his sister Ran's. His sister often sucked on her brother-in-law like this. He suddenly felt disgusted. Could it be that this young master Shi had some strange fetish?
He took a half step back without making a sound, but Shi Fusheng seemed to have measured it in advance and moved forward an inch, always maintaining a distance of one foot.
The group traveled at a leisurely pace, finally arriving in Ancheng before nightfall the next day.
Ancheng County is a true frontier region. The weathered city walls tell a story of ancient solemnity and majesty, not at all like the imposing presence one would expect from a small county town.
Wu Da and Song Si Mei came to pick them up. The two were already married and had come to Ancheng together. Hearing that Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran were coming, they made all the necessary arrangements in advance, afraid that their two masters would suffer any grievances.
However, Ancheng was severely lacking in resources and had no decent houses. They could only do their best to renovate a place that was still presentable.
Feng Ran has always been outgoing and friendly. Upon seeing them, she immediately greeted them with a smile, "Big Brother and Fourth Brother, it's been a long time!"
Wu Da and Song Si Mei were flattered and quickly paid their respects to the Crown Princess.
Feng Ran waved her hand, "Calling him Princess Consort is too formal. This place is not like the capital. You can just call him brother and me sister-in-law."
With a wave of her hand, Feng Ran helped Duan Jingchuan secretly adopt a whole bunch of younger brothers and sisters.
The children from the orphanage wouldn't dare, but how could Duan Jingchuan refuse Feng Ran's wishes, even if it was just a casual remark?
Song Simei has always been a cheerful person. Seeing that the young master did not object, she took the initiative to speak warmly and said, "Sister-in-law, you must be tired from your long journey. The house has been prepared. I will take you and your brother to rest now."
Feng Ran nodded in satisfaction, enjoying the feeling of being a well-behaved younger sister. Then she poked Duan Jingchuan's waist and said, "Look, she's much more well-behaved than your younger siblings."
Duan Jingchuan tensed up, giving Feng Ran a warning look. Feng Ran smiled sheepishly and withdrew her mischievous little hand.
Seeing Song Si Mei fawning over Feng Ran, calling her "sister-in-law" this and "sister-in-law" that, Xiu'er felt that her position as the head maid was insecure. She immediately stepped forward and said, "Fourth Sister, right? I am Xiu'er, the personal maid of the Crown Prince's Consort. Please show me around the mansion in a while so that I can take good care of the Crown Prince's Consort in the future."
Xiuer bit down hard on the word "intimate".
Song Simei smiled with narrowed eyes, feigning innocence, "Sister Xiuer must have had a long journey. I'll take care of all your needs from now on. How about I find a few people to take you out for some fun?"
The two little girls were vying for attention, which pleased Feng Ran. Being far away from the capital, it would be nice to let Duan Jingchuan experience the love of a close person. These children were all indebted to Duan Jingchuan and would surely be filial to their brother, each with their own special skills.
"Young Master Shi, what are you doing here?" Wu Da suddenly exclaimed from behind.
Feng Ran paused in her steps. "Hmm, you two know each other?"
Feng Ran never gave this man, who had been stealing her food and drinks along the way, a pleasant look. He was actually quite good-looking, but he was completely lazy, forcing Xiu'er to spend half her time each day baking and cooking for him.
Duan Jingchuan never expected that this young master Shi would have any connection with the children at the orphanage. After asking around, he learned that Shi Fusheng was a great philanthropist in Ancheng.
Before the Lunar New Year, heavy snow blocked the mountains in Ancheng, causing an avalanche that prevented the transport of many supplies. If Shi Fusheng hadn't sent people to open mountain roads overnight, the disaster in Ancheng might have been even worse.
Ancheng is strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but this also means that it is extremely difficult for people to travel to and from the outside world. Generally speaking, people in the mountains rely on the mountains for their livelihood, but there is not much wild game in the mountains near Ancheng. However, there is a river in Ancheng, and every winter, the people of Ancheng will break the ice to fish.
However, the snowfall this year was too heavy, and the fishing was not very successful. Even if fish were caught, it was difficult to transport them outside the city to exchange for supplies, which is why they went hungry.
Therefore, Shi Fusheng, who opened the mountain road, was revered as a great philanthropist by Ancheng.
Feng Ran harbored deep resentment, "You're such a philanthropist, yet you still freeload. I don't think you're kind at all."
Recently, Duan Jingchuan had been restricting her diet. In the past, she didn't feel anything because everyone ate the same amount. But after Shi Fusheng came, his appetite was equivalent to that of three people. Seeing all the delicious food going into Shi Fusheng's stomach, Feng Ran felt very distressed, so she couldn't stand Shi Fusheng no matter what.
Shi Fusheng, in a showy manner, snapped open his folding fan and fanned himself vigorously twice, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was feeling hot in this chilly spring weather.
He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Young lady, you are mistaken. I, Shi, have suffered greatly! I have exhausted my family fortune to do good deeds, so I sleep in a tree with the sky as my blanket and the earth as my bed. If it weren't for a kind person passing by, I would probably be frozen to death in the canyon by now."
Feng Ran suddenly realized, "No wonder you're carrying a fan in the dead of winter. It turns out you're so poor you can't even afford to drink the northwest wind, so you have to create your own wind to drink."
A note from the author:
Happy Lantern Festival! I've made progress this year, eating two glutinous rice balls (chrysanthemum filling). It's another year of being amazed by the bizarre and wonderful fillings of glutinous rice balls.
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