Not long after the controversy over the apprenticeship ceremony, Lin Lan brought Lin Yang'er to pay a visit.
Today, he was still dressed in white, without a hair crown, with only a white jade hairpin in his hair, looking like a handsome and refined gentleman who had stepped out of a painting.
He held a fan in one hand and led Yang'er, who was dressed in red, by the hand in the other.
Yang'er would often let go of his hand to look at the cats and dogs on the roadside, but after a while she would quickly catch up and continue to hold her brother's hand and walk slowly.
When the two arrived, Wanwan was listening to a short story from Wan Yuechi's storybook at a low table in the main hall. When she saw the two of them coming, she quickly called out the elders.
Wan Suizhou raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, identified the person who had come, and instructed Zhang Xiu to bring out stools and tea.
"Young Master Lin, how have you been?"
Wan Suizhou stroked his beard with a smile and sat down at the table.
Lin Lan waited until he was seated before respectfully sitting down herself. Then she greeted Wanwan, who was sitting at the low table, "Wanwan, I need your opinion on what I'm going to say today. Would you like to listen too?"
Wanwan raised her little head, looking thoughtful, and then followed him with small, hesitant steps, sitting down next to him with Lin Lan's help.
The adults' stools were a bit high, and when Wanwan sat on them, her legs dangled in the air, so she couldn't help but playfully sway back and forth.
"Mr. Wan, Wanwan, I've come today to discuss the seafood restaurant matter," Lin Lan said.
Wanwan heard the keyword, looked up at him, her eyes became serious, and the arc of her leg swing gradually decreased before coming to a complete stop.
"Does Young Master Lin have any ideas?" Wan Suizhou stroked his beard.
"In my opinion, if we open a seafood restaurant here, the target audience will still be fishermen. Why don't we add some other services, such as books? That would definitely attract a wider audience than just a seafood restaurant."
Lin Lan said earnestly, her gaze shifting between Wanwan and Wan Suizhou's faces.
Wan Suizhou remained silent, seemingly pondering the pros and cons.
Lin Lan looked down at Wanwan and met her earnest gaze. The clear and innocent girl looked even more adorable with her focused expression. Lin Lan couldn't help but reach out and pat her head, her tone even gentler, "Wanwan, what do you think?"
Wanwan's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she was struggling to think, but they immediately relaxed again. "Grandpa, Wanwan thinks Brother Lin makes sense!"
Seeing her serious expression, Wan Suizhou became interested in teasing the child and pressed her for an answer: "Does Wanwan think it's good?"
Wanwan gave a heavy "hmm," and then analyzed like a mature and steady adult: "But Wanwan feels that if we expand to other places, we are not very familiar with them, because we don't know if the older brothers and sisters who come to eat will like our changes. Anyway, we have other stores, so why don't we change one first, and then see if the older brothers and sisters like it?"
Lin Lan was surprised. He only knew that this little girl was intelligent, but he did not expect that she would be so clever and quick-witted at the age of three. He couldn't help but pat her head again and praise her, "Our Wanwan is really smart as ice."
"Wanwan is the smartest." Lin Yang'er quickly added her praise, full of admiration.
Wan Suizhou laughed heartily, "Wanwan is so young yet she has such a sharp mind, not bad, we can do as Wanwan says."
Hearing everyone praise her, Wanwan couldn't help but feel a little proud. Her little feet started wiggling again, and the emerald green ribbon on her head swayed back and forth, as if the ends of her hair were covered in joy.
Just as the group was enjoying themselves, Xiao Qi happened to come and ask Wan Suizhou a question, and he took in all the details of their interaction.
However, what he noticed was Lin Lan's hand naturally resting on Wanwan's head, and Wanwan's obvious enjoyment of his praise.
The intimate way the two of them were like a tiny needle, gently pricking Xiao Qi's heart.
A strange feeling welled up inside me, and a slight sourness seemed to rise in my throat...
The servant, oblivious to the situation, asked his young master, "Young master, why have we stopped? We're already at the teacher's doorstep. Is there something you forgot to take?"
Xiao Qi stood with his back to him, not uttering a word, yet his small frame gave the servant a sense of oppression.
Who is that man in white?
Xiao Qi asked, word by word, his tone not as flat as usual, but revealing a hint of resentment.
The servant was suddenly struck by the terrifying thought that his young master was jealous of the Wan family's granddaughter. He hurriedly shook his head, trying to shake this absurd idea out of his mind.
"Well... I'm not quite sure about that either, but it seems they're on good terms with the Wan family..."
The attendant answered cautiously, for some reason, he always had the illusion that the young master was not a child.
"If you don't know, go and check."
Xiao Qi was getting impatient, and his tone grew increasingly cold. "Find out this person's background and his relationship with the Wan family. The clearer the better."
"Yes, I understand."
The attendant quickly agreed.
After the master and servant talked for a while at the door, Wan Suizhou finally discovered them. Seeing his apprentice come to visit, Wan Suizhou was overjoyed and quickly invited the two of them in to sit down.
When Lin Lan saw Wan Suizhou inviting people, she looked in the direction of the guests and unexpectedly met Xiao Qi's gaze as he entered the room.
Today, he was dressed in black. Despite his young age, his gaze was resolute and indifferent, and his steps were steady and agile. His brows seemed to hold a hint of frost, and as he entered the room, he seemed to be enveloped in a frost-like aura. When he met Lin Lan's gaze, the light in his eyes, which was comparable to a sharp blade, seemed to become even more piercing.
In that instant, Lin Lan felt a sense of awe.
How could I possibly have such feelings for a child?
Lin Lan was puzzled. Although the other party gave her a warning look, she still couldn't help but stare at the other party until the other party deliberately sat down next to Wanwan.
"Young Master Lin, this is my prized student, Young Master Xiao Qi, whom I recently gained. Although he is still young, his vision and insights are truly admirable."
Wan Suizhou stroked his beard with a smile, looking extremely happy, and then turned to Xiao Qi to give a brief introduction of Lin Lan.
"Young Master Lin." Xiao Qi poured tea with practiced ease, but did not even glance at Lin Lan. "I have long admired your name, and seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved. I am delighted to meet you again. Please allow me to offer you tea instead of wine."
His voice remained cold, and when he handed the cup to Lin Lan, his eyes were still icy, showing no sign of "joy" whatsoever; it was more like a silent warning.
Lin Lan's heart stirred, and he was forced to retreat slightly by the cold light.
Normally, if a child dislikes someone, they would shout "I hate you!" from head to toe. But this child spoke politely and flawlessly, with only the hostile and distant aura about him revealing his displeasure.
But why was he unhappy?
As Lin Lan reached out to take the tea, she couldn't help but start thinking about the child's thoughts.
Xiao Qi is mature beyond his years; he must possess some extraordinary qualities.
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