"Speaking of which, Xiao Jinyan is quite a pitiful child." Su Baishi walked towards the end of the village and sighed again. "The Xiao family are refugees from the north. In the first few years after they arrived, although they kept a low profile, they didn't stay closed up like they do now."
Until one night ten years ago, Xiao Jinyan suddenly developed a high fever for some unknown reason.
Old Mrs. Xiao invited more than a dozen doctors from Cangwu Town and Qingshui County to diagnose and prescribe medicine. In the end, she even invited Old Mrs. Ma, but all these people were completely helpless against Xiao Jinyan's fever.
It wasn't until three whole days and nights later that the fever gradually subsided on its own.
However, although the fever subsided, six-year-old Xiao Jinyan was burned into a mentally impaired state.
"So that's how it is." Su Hua suddenly realized, no wonder Xiao Jinyan acted like a child who hadn't grown up.
She thought for a moment, then said softly, "In our town, Dr. Zhou from the Zhou Family Pharmacy is quite skilled. Logically speaking, if he were to take action, even if he couldn't completely reduce Xiao Jinyan's fever, he could at least lower it somewhat."
Upon hearing this, Su Bai shook her head directly. "Back then, Doctor Zhou didn't have the rule of not making house calls. During the few days when Xiao Jinyan had a fever, Doctor Zhou happened to go to a family in Tangshan Prefecture to make a diagnosis. By the time he returned, Xiao Jinyan's brain was beyond saving."
Therefore, many people in the village privately say that perhaps the son is being punished for the bad things that Old Man Xiao and Old Woman Xiao did.
Although Old Lady Xiao was a bit annoying, she had nothing to say about her foolish son, Xiao Jinyan, unlike Old Man Xiao, who not only always acted as if others owed him money, but also had no favorite sons, whether it was his eldest or second son.
Especially towards Jin Han, they wished they could push him into the fire again and again, afraid that he would have a good life...
Su Hua sighed inwardly. Every family has its own troubles, and the Xiao family's situation seemed even more complicated.
Xiao Chenshi was alright. Although her personality and way of doing things were not pleasing, she wore her heart on her sleeve, and you could tell what she was thinking from her face. But Xiao Zhong was not simple. No matter how harsh the words were, they had no effect on him. Instead, he could easily fool her with a few words. He was extremely deep in thought.
Moreover, he walked with a light step, clearly indicating that he was skilled in martial arts.
He doesn't seem like an ordinary farmer at all.
Although Xiao Jinyan was mentally like a child, at least he had his mother to love and pamper him as he grew up. But Xiao Jinhan... she couldn't quite imagine how Xiao Jinhan, who was just a baby back then, had grown up to be what he is today.
"Hey, what's the point of talking to you about this? The Xiao family's affairs have nothing to do with us! Anyway, Jinhan has long since severed ties with the Xiao family!" Seeing her daughter's listless expression, Madam Su quickly changed the subject.
"Didn't you say you were going to check out the restaurant this morning? I'll have Da Hu and the others drive you there later. Bring plenty of your favorite snacks so you don't go hungry..."
Wooden house at the end of the village.
Achoo!
Xiao Jinhan sat at his desk, a brush in hand. On the desk was an unfinished painting of a cliffside beauty. He was sketching the beauty's face when he sneezed, and the ink from the tip of his brush dripped straight down.
Thud!
The ink fell onto the center of the portrait. Chen Xuan's ink was thin and light, and in just a moment, it spread on the portrait to form an ink blot the size of a fingernail.
The man looked at the almond-shaped eyes obscured by ink, and a hint of displeasure flashed across his deep-set eyes.
Who is insulting him now?
That was a really bad time to criticize!
Yu Feng, holding a dark blue carrier pigeon, walked to the study door. Just as he was about to knock, he suddenly saw the man radiating coldness. His hand fell to his side with practiced ease, and he silently took three steps back.
"Ouch—" Yu Yu behind him didn't have time to react.
She bumped into the man's back.
The hard, iron-like back slammed into her nose, turning it bright red. Yu Yu's baby face scrunched up, and she glared at the man resentfully. "What are you doing standing here? Isn't the master inside? If you don't finish this quickly, those brats will roast all that viper meat, and we'll be starving..."
Of course, his complaints were very quiet.
Especially the last few sentences.
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than Xiao Jinhan's voice rang out from the study.
"What's up?"
The distinctly cold and deep voice made him inexplicably pause.
The master seems to be in a bad mood.
He glanced at Yu Feng beside him, but his eyes ached from looking so closely. The man's feet seemed to be rooted to the ground, and he didn't move an inch. Instead, he simply shoved the carrier pigeon at him.
Yu Yu's lips twitched violently, and she had no choice but to resign herself to her fate, pick up the carrier pigeon, and grit her teeth to walk inside.
Upon reaching the center of the study, he quickly lowered his head and handed the carrier pigeon forward. "Master, we just spotted a carrier pigeon near Old Xiao's house. It flew from the direction of the capital."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinhan carefully folded the soiled portrait and placed it in another brocade box in the drawer, without even lifting his eyelids.
"What did the letter say?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Yu lowered her head even further, her usually sharp tongue seemingly tied in knots, "It's...it's a letter from Princess Zhan. In the letter, she said that Xiao Zhong must resolve the master's marriage within a month."
Before he could finish speaking, the temperature in the study seemed to drop from spring to winter in an instant.
The blasting cold air could freeze you to death.
After a long while, a cold, indifferent laugh was heard.
"Ha! You'll settle my marriage within a month?" Xiao Jinhan's lips curled up, a hint of darkness surging in his deep, pool-like eyes. "She really hasn't changed in over a decade. She doesn't care about her own son's marriage, but instead loves to worry about other people's sons."
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