Old Feng had already rented an ordinary carriage and was waiting downstairs. After Jiang Youchen got into the carriage, he instructed, "Uncle Feng, it's cold at night. Bring a cloak and a change of clothes for my sister. Go and ask Zhao Mama."
Old Feng understood immediately, "Yes."
Xiao Youran gave her brother another thumbs up. With that said, the bundle of jewelry and silver notes could be concealed from others.
A short while later, Zhao Mama came out with a bundle and followed Old Feng. Zhao Mama got into the carriage and said, "Young master, young lady, Madam was just saying that it's getting cold as it gets dark, and she asked me to bring you a cloak as well. Madam said to let me serve you."
This provides yet another explanation for the excessive burden.
Xiao You Ran also gave a thumbs up to Zhao's mother for her wit.
The brother and sister sat in the carriage in silence the whole way, mainly because Xiao Youran put on quite a show, occasionally lifting the curtain to marvel at the myriad lights of the city.
The frequency of her exclamations made Jiang Youchen take a sideways look, and she couldn't help but wonder how her younger sister, who had been raised in luxury since childhood, had suddenly become a country bumpkin.
However, Zhao's mother often responded to the young lady's questions, answering them from time to time.
As the carriage rounded the corner, Xiao Youran pointed to the brightly lit area in the distance and exclaimed, "Brother, look! Why are the ladies upstairs so hot? They're all stripped down to nothing..."
Jiang Youchen, unable to bear it any longer, reached out and covered her mouth. "Can you just shut up for a bit?"
Xiao You Ran: ……
Okay, maybe you've overdone it with your dramatic flair?
She blinked her big eyes, pulled her brother's hand away, and asked in a clear voice, "Brother, do you know what place that is?"
Jiang Youchen's ears slowly turned red, and then she turned her head away with an unnatural expression.
Xiao Youran was overjoyed. "Serves you right for thinking I'm being dramatic?"
I, an ancient demon, can make you, a mere teenager, blush and speechless in no time.
Oh no, it's a thousand-year-old ghost.
Zhao's mother couldn't explain what kind of place it was for a moment.
She just kept staring at him, staring at him.
He finally sighed, "Fine, you can keep watching and keep talking."
Rather than being stared at by her, I'd rather let her see for herself.
Little Youran giggled and deliberately asked, "Brother, the lights upstairs are so bright! Can we go upstairs to play for a while when we come back?"
Jiang Youchen's face darkened. "No way!"
Why?
"I said no, and that means no!"
Xiao Youran stubbornly asked, "Why not? Does brother know what kind of place that is?"
“Yes…” The boy choked up again.
Xiao Youran sighed inwardly, "People in ancient times are so precocious... A seven-year-old boy already knows... the functions of brothels?"
Zhao's mother quickly smoothed things over, "Miss, that place is not a place that respectable families would go. You'll understand when you grow up."
She chuckled, "Alright then... Hey! Where's that?! It smells so good..."
She immediately felt saliva secreted under her tongue.
The carriage was turning a corner and passing through a night market.
Jiang Youchen glanced at it coldly, "You're not allowed to go to this chaotic place."
Little You Ran hummed, rubbing her tummy with her little hand, "I'm so hungry..."
Jiang Youchen: ...
Are you kidding me? We just had dinner, didn't we?
But... looking at the little girl swallowing her saliva, why do I feel a little sorry for her?
He looked at Zhao's mother and asked, "Did you bring any money?"
Mrs. Zhao laughed and said, "How can you go out without money?"
Besides, doesn't the young master still have a huge amount of silver notes on him?
Jiang Youchen nodded, "When we come back, let's find a nice restaurant to eat at."
He certainly hadn't forgotten the huge sum of money he carried, but outside, he still relied on Zhao Mama to handle the money so as not to reveal his true financial situation.
Xiao Youran opened her eyes wide and clapped her hands, "Yay!"
As they were talking, the carriage jolted and came to a stop.
Old Feng said respectfully, "Young Master, Miss, we've arrived."
Jiang Youchen lifted the carriage curtain and got off the carriage.
When Xiao Youran saw that her brother wasn't waiting for her, she pouted and hummed, "Brother, hug me."
Jiang Youchen thought that since Zhao's mother was there, his small frame wouldn't be able to catch her anyway, so he took a few steps ahead and waited.
Upon hearing Xiao Youran's words, he stopped and slowly turned around.
Xiao Youran raised her arms high and stretched them out, "Baby wants a hug."
After saying that, he felt a tremor in his heart and got goosebumps all over his body.
When Zhao's mother got out of the car to come and pick her up, Xiao Youran refused, dodging Zhao's mother and continuing towards her brother, saying, "I want my brother to hold me!"
Jiang Youchen hesitated for a moment, then walked over, grabbed her by the armpits, and picked her up, placing her on the ground with a helpless expression.
Little Youran secretly covered her mouth and chuckled, then walked ahead with her hands behind her back, humming, "I heard some older brothers are fiercely protective of their younger sisters. My brother won't even hug me, hmph!"
Jiang Youchen: ...
What's with this "sister-protecting maniac" thing?
And an older brother?
Comparing him to other brothers? Do you even have the nerve to compare him to other people's sisters?
I've never seen such a willful and capricious sister who knows how to shift blame and wrongly accuse her brother!
snort!
With a smile, Zhao's mother took the bundle out of the car, held it to her chest, and went forward to knock on the door lock.
A moment later, Granny Wang opened the door and beamed with joy upon seeing the Jiang siblings. "Young Master, Miss, come in quickly! This old servant was just wondering whether to go to the Xilai Inn to look for you."
The two were ushered into the flower hall, where Old Madam Yun and Madam Zhou were drinking tea, clearly waiting.
Seeing the brother and sister enter and greet her, Old Madam Yun breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Mrs. Zhou smiled and got up, first picking up little Youran and sitting her down in a chair. "Youran must be tired, right?"
Xiao Youran shook her head, "Youran isn't tired, it's brother who's tired."
She pointed her chubby little hand at Jiang Youchen.
Jiang Youchen was taken aback. When did his younger sister learn to speak up for him?
Madam Zhou smiled again, "I've heard about it all. Young Chen is very resourceful at such a young age and already knows the importance of keeping a low profile and not flaunting his wealth."
Jiang Youchen cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me, Auntie. It will just take a little more effort."
He gestured behind him, and Zhao Mama quickly brought over the bundle and placed it on the table between Old Madam Yun and Madam Zhou. "Old Madam, Madam, everything is here."
Madam Yun glanced at them and knew that the brother and sister had brought all the gifts they had received during the day. She lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, "What are you going to do with all of this? You can keep the gifts that were given to you."
But the purple jade dragon and phoenix pendants were not mentioned at all.
Madam Zhou also laughed and said, "Your great-aunt is right. How can we take back the gifts that our branches gave you? It's just a pity that the excellent gifts that your eldest cousin's wife prepared for you have already been registered by the Ministry of Justice when you came back."
She said with a hint of regret.
She had already planned to give the brother and sister the jade bracelet with its clear green color and an imperial green thumb ring as part of their dowry. She also wanted to slip some silver notes into their sleeves.
Back then, the only thing that could be easily smuggled away without anyone noticing was banknotes.
To everyone's surprise, the Ministry of Justice officials quickly located her backyard and sealed it off.
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