Chapter Seventeen: Deep Affection
Xiaoyao Lang and Ma Pingchuan walked out of the Ma family manor and mounted their horses.
Ma Pingchuan said with a smile, "Xiaoyao! How about the usual place and the usual rules?"
Xiaoyao Lang declared confidently, "No problem!" With that, the two spurred their horses and galloped off in a race.
As they ran, they talked. Ma Pingchuan asked, "Xiaoyao, I heard from Father that you wanted to see me?"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Yes! I met a girl the other day, and I really like her!"
Ma Pingchuan laughed loudly, "Really! So you're planning to settle down and start a family? Tell me, how much dowry do you want?"
The carefree man said leisurely, "No, I'm feeling very upset. Let's talk about it when we get to the restaurant!"
The two rode at full speed, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at Willow Grove Street, where people came and went, and the place was bustling and noisy.
The two dismounted and walked. Ma Pingchuan said, "Xiaoyao! If you weren't riding that little white horse, I would definitely be ahead of you!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "That's right, no matter how you compare horseback riding skills, I'm no match for you!"
Ma Pingchuan was taken aback: "Xiaoyao, it's been two months, and you seem like a completely different person. You weren't this sincere before!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Really? Maybe I should change too. I used to like wandering around and doing chivalrous things, but now I suddenly feel that I should have my own wishes too!"
Ma Pingchuan smiled and said, "Xiaoyao, no matter what kind of life you choose, you will always be my good brother, Ma Pingchuan. Whatever your wishes, I will support you!"
Xiaoyao said, "Alright, then teach me horsemanship. I also want to know if I have a talent for business!" He then burst into laughter.
Ma Pingchuan: "I don't see you have any! Hahaha..."
The two walked to a small restaurant and stopped. The signboard read: "Nothing to Taste!" On either side of the door was a pair of traditional Chinese jackets.
The right side reads: "A dish of food tastes all the joys and sorrows of life." The left side reads: "Two cups of wine release all the love, hate, and passion of this life."
The two men led their horses to the stables in the backyard and entered through the back door. When the shopkeeper saw them, he hurriedly put down his ledger and came over to greet them with a smile, saying, "Oh! Gentlemen, it's been two months since you last visited my shop. I was wondering if some new restaurant had opened and moved you away!"
Ma Pingchuan laughed and said, "Manager Tong, you are our God of Cookery. We're not going to join the others!"
Shopkeeper Tong smiled and said, "That's good! I remember your hobbies very well. Is everything as usual?"
Xiaoyao Lang declared boldly, "Today, add another jar of wine!"
Upon hearing this, Manager Tong was quite surprised and gestured with his hand, saying, "One jar!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Yes! One jar!" He then went upstairs.
Ma Pingchuan: "Xiaoyao, you've learned to drink too? And you can drink so much!"
Xiaoyao Lang turned around and said with great pride, "Today, having met you, even a jar of wine cannot express the sorrow in my heart!"
Ma Pingchuan: "No way! Tell me, what exactly happened!" The two arrived at the bed and sat facing each other, and a jar of wine was brought out one after the other.
Xiaoyao Lang poured himself a cup, drank it, and said, "In Longyang City, I met a girl named Murong Hanchan. She was extremely beautiful and had very high martial arts skills. I liked her very much, and then... I heard what she said, and I left heartbroken!" Xiaoyao Lang recounted the whole story to Ma Pingchuan.
Ma Pingchuan held his wine cup, pondered for a long time, and said, "I see. Why didn't you ask her directly why she was so heartless, or what her unavoidable difficulties were?"
Xiaoyao Lang sneered, "In that situation, what difficulties could she possibly have? I was just lucky to stumble upon it." He then drank another cup.
At this moment, the waiter placed down half a chicken and half a duck, saying, "Gentlemen, your dishes are now complete. Please call me if you need anything else!" He then went downstairs.
Besides chicken and duck, the table also contained a plate of deep-fried peanuts, two servings of braised pork hock, two servings of charcoal-grilled pork rump, a plate of stir-fried pork kidneys, and two servings of steamed pig brains. Although there were many dishes, the portions were small, and the two of them were not the type to waste food.
Ma Pingchuan said shamelessly, "Fine! I'll drink with you to my heart's content today!" After saying that, he drank a cup himself.
In the boudoir of the Yi family, Yi Qingxue choked back tears, saying, "Sister Murong, I don't know why you, why you treated Brother Xiaoyao like this. Brother Xiaoyao rarely rides the little white horse; he must have gone to a very far place." Tears slowly streamed down her face as she spoke.
Upon seeing this, Murong Hanchan felt uneasy and said slowly, "Qingxue, why are you crying! I don't get the feeling that the relationship between you two is like that of siblings!"
With tears streaming down her face, Yi Qingxue whispered, "You don't understand. Brother Xiaoyao is kind-hearted, bold, and decisive. He dotes on me. Deep down, we understand each other perfectly; neither of us can hide our feelings from the other. He knew that the one I loved wasn't him, so he refused to become my father's apprentice. My father hired someone to teach me music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Knowing I was feeling down, he would often stay with me all day, without eating or drinking." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, her beautiful face like a pear blossom in the rain.
Yi Qingxue continued tearfully, “Back then, when Father was fighting in Longyang City, our family was scattered. I was only six years old then, and Brother Xiaoyao was eight. I was captured by bad guys, and Brother Xiaoyao threw a hornet's nest at me and took the opportunity to rescue me. They chased after us very closely, and Brother Xiaoyao carried me up the mountain. We hid in a cave for three days and three nights. It rained heavily for those two days, and there was no fire. I was very cold at night, so Brother Xiaoyao put his clothes on me and held me through the night. When I was hungry, Brother Xiaoyao climbed a tree to pick wild fruit for me. Then Father came looking for me with his men. He thought they were there to capture me, and in his panic, he fell from the tree. Father asked him where I was and why he was being beaten, but he wouldn't say. He only stopped when I went outside. I saw that he was still holding two wild fruits in his hand and blood was flowing from his mouth. I started crying and screaming, hitting and cursing my father.”
At this moment, Murong Hanchan also felt very bad, and tears were welling up in her eyes. She thought to herself, "That idiot is really stupid."
Yi Qingxue wiped away her tears and said, "From that time on, Brother Xiaoyao has been my hero. My childhood joys were always inseparable from his presence. But he always loved to joke, always seemed indifferent, and always liked to run around. If it weren't for these things, Brother Xiaoyao would have been a very good husband to me."
Upon hearing this, Murong Hanchan took her hand and said, "Qingxue, don't worry, I will definitely treat him well! Xiaoyao Lang and I are both people who value loyalty and righteousness, so believe that I will find him!"
Yi Qingxue said softly, "That's good. Brother Xiaoyao has had a hard life since childhood, with no relatives or friends, wandering from place to place. If he can enter the Murong family, it will be a blessing in his life. I want to go to the garden to have some peace and quiet. Sister Murong, I won't accompany you." After saying that, she turned and left.
Murong Hanchan knew that Yi Qingxue was still angry with her. It would be good for her to be alone and calm down. However, she still needed to find someone to comfort her. Then, a strange smile appeared on her lips.
Murong Hanchan found Yin Xiaosheng and said bluntly, "Second Senior Brother, how heartless you are!"
Upon hearing this, Yin Xiaosheng looked bewildered: "...Junior Sister! How have I been heartless?" Yin Xiaosheng put down the book in his hand.
Murong Hanchan teased, "Second Senior Brother! I've come to tell you that your sweetheart isn't in a very good mood right now!"
Yin Xiaosheng laughed and said, "Junior Sister, aren't you in a good mood right now?"
Upon hearing this, Murong Hanchan glared at him and said, "The beauty of the Yi family weeps in the garden, don't take it as heartlessness and hurt!" After saying that, she patted Yin Xiaosheng's shoulder, shook her sharp eyebrows twice, and left gracefully.
Yin Xiaosheng muttered to himself, "The beauty of the Yi family weeps in the garden, do you think she is heartless and hurtful? The beauty of the Yi family? The garden!" Yin Xiaosheng suddenly realized what was happening, his heart surged, and he ran towards the garden like a gust of wind.
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