Chapter 349: Chapter 348: Brother, Do You Think He Isn’t Good Enough for Me?
Outside the courtyard, however, it was a completely different scene.
Xie Xun could no longer maintain his usual kindness, gritting his teeth and asking word by word: "What’s going on? Why are they so intimate! Yet you never reported this to me!"
"Heir Xie is misunderstanding. Miss Shen and Marquis Cui were merely engaging in ordinary small talk."
Xiaoqi explained: "Marquis Cui came here this time solely for Lady Yan’s issue. He and Miss Shen rarely meet ordinarily."
Xie Xun was skeptical, expressionless: "But how did my robe end up with him?"
Could what he had personally heard be false?
As expected from someone who deals with poisons, Xiaoqi remained calm and not at all flustered.
"Miss Shen had a request for Marquis Cui."
Xiaoqi revealed: "Yifeng Hall is owned by Marquis Cui. Miss Shen had a batch of embroidery, not many, but she wanted to create some buzz, to make plans for her future return to Fengzhou City."
Xie Xun’s anger dissipated.
This explanation made sense.
Marquis Cui harbors inappropriate intentions towards Yangyang, but his family’s girl is not someone easy to fool! He could assure that even if Shen Hua received love letters from Cui Yun, her habit would be to let him handle it!
Thinking thus, his expression softened.
Looking at Xiaoqi, he couldn’t help but instruct carefully: "Pay more attention to Miss Shen’s side."
"In the future, such intimate talk should also be stopped by you, pulling and dragging are ultimately inappropriate. She is not yet promised to anyone, and if outsiders see, it will ruin her reputation and may mislead her for life."
Xiaoqi smiled: "Servant obeys."
Only then did Xie Xun enter the courtyard.
He was very decisive.
As soon as he entered, he gestured to the affectated girl: "Yangyang, come here."
Xie Xun: "Isn’t it indecent? Why were you pulling on Marquis Cui’s sleeve hem?"
Shen Hua unconsciously let go. Even under Cui Yun’s gaze, she took three large steps back, putting a significant distance between them.
Cui Yun narrowed his eyes.
Xie Xun felt relieved.
He approached courteously, about to exchange pleasantries with Cui Yun. Just then, he saw Cui Yun, dignified as jade, standing there. With a slight glance, he grasped the girl’s wrist and gently pulled her to his side.
Xie Xun felt uneasy.
He stepped forward, saying coldly: "Marquis Cui."
"If Yangyang does something wrong, just tell me. She’s young and doesn’t know much, you shouldn’t be so touchy-feely like that!"
Cui Yun merely asked Shen Hua: "What are you avoiding?"
Shen Hua thought about it, yeah, what was she avoiding!
Is Cui Yun someone not fit to be seen? Had it been someone else, they might have already shown him off!
She blinked, the girl didn’t want to hide or hoard towards Xie Xun either.
So, she began nudging Cui Yun with her elbow.
"Staring blankly for what? Be sensible!"
"Call him brother!"
Cui Yun, wearing a smile that in Xie Xun’s eyes was particularly irritating, as if filled with provocation. He nodded towards Xie Xun, saying thinly: "Brother."
Xie Xun: ...
His mind went blank, he even forgot to breathe. He resisted the urge to pinch and only remembered to heavily close his eyes.
Then, he slowly turned to look at Xiaoqi. His voice trembling: "You..."
Xiaoqi, unconcerned as a pig unfazed by boiling water, even enjoyed this scene. Before Xie Xun could ask, Xiaoqi chuckled and said.
"Heir Xie, isn’t it coincidental? In just the blink of an eye, Miss Shen and the Marquis hit it off."
Xie Xun eventually laughed out of frustration: "Ji Teng’s people, you’re actually helping Cui Yun behind my back?"
Xiaoqi looked up at the sky. Although she didn’t understand why Shen Hua called Xie Xun brother, she didn’t forget her mission.
"Heir Xie, you’ve seen it with your own eyes, the gentleman and the lady are fond of each other, it’s not good to intervene."
She said, "The servant has analyzed it for you; now you have an additional sister, and without any reason, a brother-in-law too, both are indeed great joys."
As she was speaking, the girl approached with light footsteps.
"Brother, didn’t you bring me any candied fruits this time?"
She stepped forward and searched through Xie Xun’s sleeves. Then, she frowned.
"I have already eaten what you gave me last time. How come you haven’t sent more?"
Xie Xun, uncharacteristically stern, said: "Why don’t you ask him to buy for you? Now you remember you have an older brother? Tell me, how long have you two been keeping this from me!"
Three questions allowed Shen Hua to grasp the main point.
"I understand."
"Do you think he is not worthy of me, brother?"
Xie Xun choked up.
Yangyang is naturally the best girl in the world, not just anyone is worthy of her, but if he were to say Cui Yun is not worthy, with reason and reality laid before him, he ultimately couldn’t say it.
At that moment, Shen Hua took out a small copper mirror and admired her radiant and stirring face.
She expressed self-pity yet very seriously: "I really envy him."
"Why does someone so young get to enjoy such a big advantage?"
Facing such Shen Hua, even Xie Xun’s great anger dissipated, and he could only try to calm himself.
"Yangyang, I need to talk alone with Marquis Cui."
Before Shen Hua could speak, Cui Yun said in a careless tone: "Brother, don’t be a stranger, just call me by my given name or childhood name."
The air grew tense, and Xie Xun’s expression worsened by a degree.
Shen Hua sensed the strange atmosphere, but she wasn’t a girl who could easily understand others. She even instigated: "Why chat about it? You’re not strangers. Why not have a fight and let me see?"
Xie Xun, with a fish bone stuck in his throat, said: "If you are free, go to Duke Fu’s Mansion to accompany Yining."
He was led by Cui Yun towards the Sui Courtyard study, but it was evident from his silhouette that he carried a bleakness.
Shen Hua, disappointed at missing out on a good show, said: "Yingwu, oh."
Yingwu had a bad premonition.
"Madam, the master forbade it, I must not bring you to eavesdrop."
This reminded Shen Hua.
Her eyes sparkled: "How could I put you in a difficult position."
Fifteen minutes later.
Shen Hua lay on the roof of the Governor’s wife’s room, looking relaxed, with a terrified Xie Yinong by her side, and the expressionless Yingwu standing beside them.
"Miss Shen, did my brother really tell you to bring me here?"
How could a brother let her do such a thing?
To bolster courage?
Shen Hua placed her hands over her lips and made a hushing gesture. She removed a tile, listening to the activity inside.
"Look at the mess you’ve made!"
Commander Yan was furious.
Shen Hua did not see how the Governor’s wife reacted; beside her, Xie Yinong trembled with fright.
"Master, how can you blame me? Those words outside are utterly groundless. As for Mi, she deliberately sought death just to trouble me, her mother! My mother-in-law protects her tightly, and I can’t even punish her. She even scolded me. Are you going to blame me now, too?"
Shen Hua listened with relish.
Xie Yinong stared wide-eyed at the well-prepared Shen Hua, who took out a small packet of peeled sunflower and walnut kernels and a small flask of wine from her embrace.
It looked like a spring outing.
Then the girl moved closer seriously and calculated with her fingers.
"According to the picture booklet, it’s about time for a slap."
No sooner had the words fallen than a crisp and loud slap echoed from below. The Governor’s wife saw stars and was even hurled into the air by the blow.