Chapter 368: Chapter 346, Scout_1
Xiao Yeyang spent two days at the Yan Family. Other than exchanging a few words with Daohua when he went to greet Madam Yan with Yan Wenkai and Wentao, he was hardly seen at all.
On the morning of the third day, Xiao Yeyang, feeling rather gloomy, mounted the horses along with Yan Wenkai and a few others, and headed off to Ningmen Pass.
Along the way, the group galloped furiously on their horses.
Xiao Yeyang, an expert horseman, led the way by a considerable distance on his Ferghana horse.
Yan Wenkai gave chase for a while, but when he couldn’t catch up, he stopped trying and rode side by side with Dong Yuanxuan and others, “Have you noticed that the Little Prince has seemed somewhat listless these past few days?”
Dong Yuanxuan’s eyes flashed.
The Little Prince was clearly upset because he hadn’t seen Sister Yan.
Really, they were so used to seeing Sister Yan’s bright smile whenever they visited the Yan Family that it felt quite unusual not to this time.
Su Hongxin remarked, “Listless? Not really, but I do think the Little Prince has been in a bad mood these past two days. You can feel the chill just walking beside him.”
“The presence the Little Prince commands is growing stronger by the day. You know, we grew up with him, so how come we don’t have that same authoritative aura about us that he does without even getting angry?”
“Nowadays, whenever the Little Prince frowns, I feel a bit intimidated.”
Yan Wenkai actually furrowed his brows in thought, then cracked a smile, “Well, it’s because I’m naturally easygoing and cheerful. I can’t pull off his stern look.”
“You’re easygoing?” Su Hongxin mocked, “So easygoing that you could break Dong Xiangrong’s arm with a smile? I think ‘friendly tiger’ might be a better description for you.”
Yan Wenkai retorted, “That was his own fault. He provoked me over and over again. Does he think I have no temper?”
Laughing again, Su Hongxin said, “If we’re talking about being easygoing, Wentao is the real deal, I’ve never seen him get into a heated argument with anyone.”
At that, Yan Wenkai and Dong Yuanxuan looked at Su Hongxin as if he was an idiot.
Wentao never got into heated arguments because anyone who provoked him would end up being knocked out cold by him, not even getting the chance to get angry.
Looking at his usually quiet third brother, Yan Wenkai wondered, “Third brother, how come you’re so much stronger than me when we sleep and eat together every day?”
Dong Yuanxuan and Su Hongxin were also curious about Wentao’s strength.
After all, this was the fellow who had single-handedly taken down the Governor’s trusted aides.
Wentao replied with a faint smile, “I have a good foundation.”
As a child in his hometown, he might not have eaten as well as his eldest and fourth brothers, but Daohua had always loved to make food for the family. He believed all his strength came from what Daohua fed him.
Hadn’t they seen that their grandmother, father, mother, and Xiaoliu were all much healthier than the other family members?
Yan Wenkai fell silent for a moment, then said, “I should have my eldest sister nourish me more in the future.”
Su Hongxin started up again, “You need more nourishment? If you get any more, you’ll turn into an ox! Yuanxuan and I are the ones who should eat more. Sister Yan is so biased, sending medicine food only to you three and the Little Prince.”
“Last time, if I hadn’t stumbled upon it, I wouldn’t have known she had made a special arrangement for you guys. That’s too biased. Anyway, Yuanxuan and I are like her half-brothers too, right?”
Yan Wenkai objected, “What half-brother? Don’t just claim relations willy-nilly.”
Unperturbed by that detail, Su Hongxin insisted, “It’s not about being brothers; it’s about the fact that we’re now all training in the military camp together. Sister Yan can’t keep playing favorites—we should have some of her medicine food in the future, too.”
Yan Wenkai’s eyes widened, “No way, I never get enough as it is.” If someone tried to take his food, he would fight them.
“Then why don’t you ask her to make more?”
“You tell her yourself.”
“Fine, next time I visit your place, I’ll talk to Sister Yan about it.”
Dong Yuanxuan just listened silently, without interjecting.
He wasn’t like Su Hongxin, always speaking his mind.
Even though they were close to the Yan brothers, asking their sister to make food for them was not something he felt comfortable voicing.
Remembering the medicine food he saw at the Little Prince’s at the start of each month, Dong Yuanxuan’s eyes grew deep.
Sister Yan really treated the Little Prince differently.
“All right, enough chatter, the Little Prince is out of sight. Let’s hurry and catch up,” one of them said.
…
Yan Residence.
“Mother, tomorrow I’d like to go to Taohua Mountain to keep Master and Granny Gu company.”
At the dinner table, Daohua said to Madam Li.
Madam Li wasn’t keen on her daughter going out. Now that her daughter was grown up, it wasn’t good for her to be too exposed in public. However, before she could speak, Granny Yan had already opened her mouth.
“Go ahead. You are the only disciple your Master has; it’s right to spend more time with them. I won’t join you this time. The weather is too sultry, and I feel unwell.”
Daohua immediately asked, “Granny, are you all right?”
Granny Yan smiled and shook her head, “I’m fine, just a bit heat-averse. It’s good to stay inside.”
Daohua nodded, “Later, I’ll instruct the kitchen to make more mung bean soup during this period. It’s good for relieving the heat.”
The next day, after Daohua had packed her things, she left with Wang Manman, Guyu, and Bi Shi.
Lixia stayed behind to watch the house.
The people in Daohua Pavilion were very envious and jealous to see Bi Shi going out with the young lady.
Bi Wei glanced at Bi Shi’s bed, paused for a moment, then went about her own business.
As long as she did her job well enough, she believed that one day, the young lady would recognize her good work.
…
Taohua Village.
Daohua left Guyu, Bi Shi, and the two old maids at the estate, then went up Taohua Mountain with only Wang Manman.
“Master, Granny, I’m here!”
As soon as she stepped into Taohua Temple, Daohua called out loudly into the house.
“Why are you yelling so loudly? Neither your Granny Gu nor I are deaf yet.”
Gu Jian walked out of the room with a stern face, his tone was sharp, but there was a glint of joy in his eyes.
Daohua walked over with a beaming smile, “Isn’t it because I was excited to see Master.”
Gu Jian ‘hmphed’ once, turned around, and went back inside.
“Eh, why so many things?”
As Daohua placed the preserved pears on the table, she noticed many food items laid out in the room, “Master, did you go to the county town?”
Gu Jian glanced at the deer antler and cinnamon nearby, curled his lip and said, “Can you buy these in the county town?”
“That was from Xiao’s lad a few days ago.”
Granny Gu came out of the room with a smile.
Daohua hurriedly walked over to assist her, surprised, “Xiao Yeyang? He came over?”
Granny Gu nodded with a smile, looking quite happy, “Yes, had you come a couple of days earlier, you might have seen him.”
Daohua smiled but said nothing.
After she returned from Xiao Yeyang’s birthday banquet, her mother had cautioned her to keep her distance from Xiao Yeyang.
When Xiao Yeyang last visited her home, and she saw him at her grandmother’s, her mother had also made up an excuse to send her out of the way.
It just so happened that she was feeling a bit uncomfortable at the time, so she went along with her mother’s wishes.
“Kah~”
Hearing the bird’s cry, Daohua stepped out of the house and looked up, seeing the hawk hovering above Taohua Temple, and burst into laughter.
Inside the house, Granny Gu and Gu Jian exchanged glances, both with a faint smile on their faces.
