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墨書 Inktalez
Hehe...
Here, Shen Muhan directly took Xia Muxin out of the city and soon arrived at a hidden villa. The villa appeared grand and vast, with a well-organized layout featuring rockeries and pavilions, everything one could imagine.
Shen Muhan's arrival unintentionally caused a stir throughout the villa; everyone's eyes widened in shock, resembling copper bells. What puzzled them even more was that he was accompanied by a young girl of about ten years old. The girl's eyes were bright and clear, curiously scanning her surroundings, occasionally exclaiming in wonder, while Shen Muhan looked at her with an expression so gentle it could melt water.
"Boss, you're back."
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. The others, who had been frozen in place, immediately reacted by bowing respectfully, addressing Shen Muhan as "Boss."
Xia Muxin turned towards the source of the familiar voice and saw a figure whose face was completely wrapped in thick gauze except for a pair of eyes. He leaned on a cane, appearing to have sustained serious injuries, but that voice...
"Ming Yi..."
After a long pause, she exclaimed in surprise.
Ming Yi's gaze flickered slightly. Embarrassed, Xia Muxin chuckled awkwardly before lowering her head in silence.
Having his disheveled appearance seen by this little ancestor would surely lead to endless teasing in the future. He wanted to cast a resentful glance at Shen Muhan but dared not do so.
"Let someone take you around the villa first," Shen Muhan said, signaling to a young man nearby. He then looked at Xia Muxin and spoke in an inquiring tone.
"Alright..."
This was indeed his villa, and it was also his office, so it was no surprise that he readily agreed, knowing he was busy. Soon, a young man stepped forward, bowing respectfully to her and gesturing for her to proceed.
Shen Muhan led Ming Yi to another area.
The villa was called Jun Yuan Villa, a name that sounded like a person's name. It covered at least eighty acres, if not a hundred, and standing at the entrance, one could not see the end of it.
Though the architecture was grand, there were not many buildings; they were scattered sparsely. The most abundant feature of the villa was bamboo, with clusters of bamboo groves every ten steps and bamboo gardens every hundred steps. Everywhere one looked, there were towering bamboo shoots that made Xia Muxin's eyes sparkle with delight.
The only scenic spot was a large lotus pond to the east. The setting sun cast its slanted rays down, quietly reflecting in the clear lotuses. A thin veil of mist enveloped the pond, giving it an ethereal quality.
Xia Muxin stood by the lotus pond, with a gentle breeze lifting her cascading black hair. A faint smile graced her lips, and her eyes sparkled like the bright moon, mirroring the full pond of clear lotuses, making it hard for anyone to look away.
From a distance, Shen Muhan caught sight of this picturesque scene, resembling a perfect oil painting that he hesitated to disturb.
It was his subordinate who first noticed him. He intended to salute but was stopped by Shen Muhan's raised hand and a silent gesture to leave. Xia Muxin remained unaware of this change.
After admiring the view for a while, Xia Muxin rested her chin on her hand, her eyes glowing with excitement as she smacked her lips and said aloud:
"Ha! I'll keep you here until July. After so many years, it's about time I dig you up and let you breathe some fresh air, right?"
Shen Muhan frowned slightly as he recalled the lotus pond at Daimiao Mountain and immediately understood her intention. He pursed his lips and replied:
"This lotus pond cannot be disturbed."
Xia Muxin never expected someone to speak up, especially as she stood at the edge of the lotus pond. When Shen Muhan's voice rang out, she was startled and leaned dangerously toward the water, instinctively closing her eyes.
Just as she thought she would take a plunge into the pool of Clear Lotus, a strong arm reached out and pulled her back into an embrace.
Sensing that familiar scent, Xia Muxin knew she was safe and immediately opened her eyes, complaining, "Uncle, scaring someone can really be deadly, you know?"
Shen Muhan looked at her with a doting gaze, his large hand gently ruffling her slightly disheveled hair.
Suddenly recalling his earlier words, Xia Muxin lifted her head from his chest and questioned, "Why can't we dig in this lotus pond?"
"Come on, I'll take you to meet someone," Shen Muhan replied without directly answering her question. He took her hand and led her away, but Xia Muxin kept glancing back at the pond... she was determined to have it.
"Senior Brother, I heard you came back. Have you had dinner yet...?"
Shen Muhan brought Xia Muxin to another building that felt more feminine in design. Various types of Noble Orchid surrounded it, and the decor in the main hall was warm yet elegant.
As soon as they stepped into the Main Hall, a clear and melodious female voice greeted them. A figure dressed in Pale Yellow appeared, followed by a shorter man wearing Plain Clothes that somehow suited him well.
The woman in Pale Yellow had initially been delighted to see them, but upon noticing Xia Muxin holding Shen Muhan's hand, her cheerful expression instantly darkened. Her gaze fixated on their intertwined hands.
Xia Muxin was also sizing up the woman at that moment. With an oval face like a goose egg, Willow Leaf eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes filled with a mix of resentment and anger, her features... how could they bear some resemblance to Qing Ran? Could it be that Qing Ran disliked her because of this woman?
"We've already eaten, Muxin. This is Qingyue, and this is..."
"Just call me Jiao Jiao."
Shen Muhan shot a glance at Qingyue before introducing Zhaoxia Muxin, but before he could finish his sentence, a cool female voice interrupted him.
"You are Jiao Jiao..."
Xia Muxin's eyes widened as she looked at this strong-eyed woman who concealed an inexplicable sadness. She exclaimed in surprise.
Jiao Jiao lightly glanced at Shen Muhan, nodded at Zhaoxia Muxin, and then walked past them.
Xia Muxin's only impression was that this woman felt icy cold.
"Senior Brother, who is she?"
Qingyue watched Jiao Jiao's retreating figure with a smirk, casting a glance at Xia Muxin before stepping forward. She playfully wrapped her arms around Shen Muhan's, tilting her head up and sweetly asking,
"Shen Muhan, who is she?"
Shen Muhan calmly withdrew his hand, his tone somewhat distant as he reprimanded her,
"I've told you countless times that men and women should keep their distance. Why can't you change? She is my future wife, Xia Muxin."
Upon hearing this, Qingyue didn't put on airs; she simply pouted at Shen Muhan with a look of grievance, clearly displeased.
"I only have you and Qing Ran as my family. Who else should I rely on?"
Shen Muhan pressed his lips together, a myriad of black lines appearing on his forehead. He then turned to Zhaoxia Muxin and said, "Let's go."
Huh??
Just like that? Uncle, is this a hidden beauty in the mountains? You want me to leave after just one meeting? I don't even know what's going on!
Xia Muxin looked at Shen Muhan with countless question marks in her eyes, but he simply pulled her along.
"She is Qing Ran's sister, but they are not blood siblings. She is the only orphan left by my master. After my master passed away, he entrusted her to me."
As they walked halfway, Shen Muhan explained, glancing at Xia Muxin with concern, waiting for her response. After all this time, he was only now telling her. Would this girl be angry?
"Um... Uncle, she likes you."
Xia Muxin tilted her head and after a moment finally blurted out something that made Shen Muhan want to smack her.
"But I only like you."
"I want to fill in that pond."
"No way."
"Is it just because that pond is her favorite?"
"......"
"Uncle, you don't care about me."
"Go ahead and dig. Let me know when you're done."
After their conversation, Xia Muxin finally made a secret victory gesture, her clear eyes sparkling like a crescent moon. Under the glow of the sunset, a row of eyelashes cast shadows like butterfly wings around her eyes.
"Uncle, did you bring me here just to meet these two people?"
As they strolled leisurely through the estate, Xia Muxin was extremely fond of the air here, filled with the fragrance of Azure Bamboo. The sky gradually darkened, and a thin mist enveloped the entire estate. Xia Muxin yawned and suddenly asked.
"I brought you here to assert my claim; this is my territory, and it will be yours from now on."
Shen Muhan pulled her into his embrace, gazing into the distance with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth as he spoke naturally.
Xia Muxin was taken aback for a moment but then smiled lightly.
"Is that Jiao Jiao the one the emperor has been thinking about?"
Recalling that cold voice, Xia Muxin began to worry about Tian Ming Rui. As she spoke, she tightened her grip around Shen Muhan's waist.
That woman seemed icy and difficult to deal with, but it was understandable; after all, anyone would react that way after experiencing such a significant upheaval.
It was a pity to see such a couple torn apart, and at the same time, one couldn't help but feel that Heaven truly favored them.
"Yeah, she's quite stubborn and tends to take things to extremes. I guess it all depends on fate," Shen Muhan sighed as he held her tightly in his embrace, speaking solemnly.
In fact, the most troublesome one should be him. Dealing with an old demon like Qing Ran was enough of a headache, not to mention having a clingy Qingyue who refused to marry. As for Jiao Jiao, she was more rational than them, and he had no control over her.
"Are you hungry? Let me take you to get something to eat," Shen Muhan suddenly remembered that they hadn't finished their meal and gently asked Xia Muxin.
"Uncle, it seems you really dislike that Qingyue's little junior sister," Xia Muxin said with an expanding smile as she walked alongside him. She had been puzzled when he mentioned they had already had dinner; now it made sense—he didn't want to share a table with Qingyue.
Shen Muqing merely glanced at her without refuting her statement.
However, when they arrived at the dining hall, they saw Qingyue's graceful figure circling around the table, leaning down to sniff the dishes. After a satisfied smile, she sarcastically remarked, "Senior Brother, didn't you say you had dinner? Why is your future bride here for a second helping?"
She remembered how he had dragged that woman away earlier without giving her any face. Besides, she was the Fourth Miss of this estate; wasn't this woman being too rude? No wonder Qing Ran had said last time that if she continued to spoil her senior brother, she would completely give up on her.
She had never understood the meaning of the words "give up." Was it that he would no longer pay her any attention, or did her senior brother have feelings for her but was retreating due to his own temperament? Today, upon seeing the plain-looking woman beside him, she finally understood—he would completely disregard her from now on.
"I will take your suggestion and have the food sent to the room."
Shen Muhan glanced at Qingyue, whose gaze was unfriendly, and then instructed the servants.
"Keep your distance from her; she is cunning yet lowly."
On the way back to the room, Shen Muhan reminded Zhaoxia Muxin again.
Xia Muxin was taken aback, realizing it was due to responsibility...
Uncle, how much responsibility do you bear to tolerate these unrelated people? One Old Immortal grandfather is enough; now there's also a willful Qingyue.
"Uncle, how did you live before?"
"Qing Ran liked Qingyue, but my life was given by Qing Ran. I have no choice but to repay this favor."
"Was it during the battle with Ming Lie?"
"Not just once."
"......"
Soon, the meal was brought in. Looking at the few simple home-cooked dishes, Xia Muxin's appetite suddenly surged. Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, she was stopped by Shen Muhan.
“Muxin, let's go back.”
He suddenly pulled her and walked out.
Xia Muxin was incredibly clever; the food must have been tampered with. Otherwise, given Shen Muhan's nature, he would never let her go hungry.
Because of this, she felt that going back was a good decision. She was afraid of getting into a fight with Qingyue tonight...
As they entered Zhushan County, the night was deep, but there were still a few people wandering the streets.
“Today is the fifteenth, the night of the full moon,” Xia Muxin said excitedly as she lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked up at the bright Qingyue in the sky.
- End of Chapter -
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