Chapter 26: The Sudden Appearance of Yan Yuwei

  Fan Yicheng learned about the events of that night through Ze Gongzi's words.

  His face suddenly became extremely terrifying.

  "As for what exactly to do, let's talk about it after Miss Xu has thought it through!" said Zé Gōngzǐ.

  Fan Yicheng did not speak, and after a long while, he nodded slightly.

  Xu Mingjin indeed saw the 'little tail' brought by Fan Yicheng a few days later.

  That evening, Ming Xuan took her to stroll around the other courtyard, saying that she had been immersed in the sorrow of Mrs. Fan's departure for so many days and hadn't taken a good look at this other courtyard. Xu Ming Jin rarely saw Ming Xuan in such a low mood, so he agreed without hesitation.

  It was June, and the weather had become unbearably hot. However, the late afternoon was the coolest time of day. Moreover, there was a large lake in the backyard filled with lotus flowers, which were now in full bloom and breathtakingly beautiful. The two people arrived at the lakeside pavilion with great enthusiasm, admiring the scenery while sipping on iced sour plum soup brought by the servants, feeling extremely comfortable.

  Xu Mingxuan's facial scars have now fully healed, and Ze Gongzi said that his wounds are recovering well. In another two months, the scars will be completely gone. Upon hearing this news, Xu Mingxuan was extremely delighted, which is the only thing that has made him happy since Madam Fan's passing. Xu Mingjin saw that his spirit had already recovered from the collapse when he first arrived at the other courtyard and had gradually returned to normal, so she took on the responsibility of being the eldest sister: urging Xu Mingxuan to quickly catch up on the schoolwork he had fallen behind on during this period. Xu Mingxuan's current state of mind is vastly different from before; although he used to study hard, it was nothing compared to how desperately he is studying now. Ever since he found out about Madam Fan's death and its connection to his mother, he has become this desperate studier. At first, Xu Mingjin was quite relieved, but later on, she became deeply worried, fearing that he would overexert himself. After all, he is still just a seven-year-old child. So, when he finishes his homework, she will take him out to play. Today was no exception.

  Two people carefreely looked at the scenery for a while, until Xu Mingjin finished drinking a bowl of sour plum soup. Suddenly, Xu Mingxuan grabbed her arm and said: "Sister, look!" Xu Mingjin followed his gaze and saw two people standing about 300 meters away from them. To be precise, it was a man and a woman who were pulling and tugging at each other. The man seemed impatient and tried to shake the woman off, but she clung to him like a sticky plaster. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake her off. Suddenly, the man ran towards them, and the woman was caught off guard, flung away like a dog eating feces.

  Xu Mingjin and her brother looked at each other and burst out laughing. Suddenly, Xu Mingjin laughed so hard that she couldn't close her mouth: "Mingxuan, look! That man is our uncle!" Xu Mingxuan took a closer look and also started laughing: "Isn't it really our uncle? And who's the woman? I've never seen her before."

  The woman turned her face around. Xuming Jin finally saw clearly who she was, "I know who that woman is!"

  "Who is it? Speak quickly!" Xu Mingxuan urged.

  "She is Yan Yurou, the daughter of Yan Zhi Prefecture. Xu Mingjin said: "It was she who bought my lotus flower painting for 10,000 taels of silver at the embroidery shop that day."

  "Oh! It's her!" Xu Mingxuan tilted his head and said: "What is she doing running here?"

  "This," Xu Mingjin smiled slightly: "You'll have to ask her yourself, I really can't guess."

  Xu Mingxuan heard this and smiled mischievously. He rolled his eyes, thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up and shouted loudly: "Uncle, uncle, come here!"

  Just as Xu Mingjin wanted to cover his mouth, it was too late. Fan Yicheng had already heard the shout and looked over this way. She couldn't help but complain: "What are you yelling about?" Mingxuan innocently said: "I just wanted Uncle to come over, what's wrong?"

  What's wrong with you? Where are you going to put Fan Yicheng's face? In front of two younger generations, this appearance is seen, isn't it too embarrassing? The two of them just need to be quiet and avoid the awkwardness, how good would that be! Xu Mingjin gave a glance at Xu Mingxuan with an expression of innocence. Ignoring him now.

  Fan Yicheng hesitated about whether to go forward, he heard Xu Mingxuan's shout and also saw the curious gaze of two people. He forcefully shook off the hand that was clinging to his arm, wondering why this young lady, who was supposed to be a spoiled daughter of a high-ranking official, had such great strength? Why wasn't she angry with him after being treated like this? Fan Yicheng thought gloomily.

  Forget it, what's there to be ashamed of? If anyone should be ashamed, it's this girl. He's a grown man, what is he afraid of? Fan Yicheng thought to himself with a humph, then said to Yan Yuwei who was already getting tired: "I'm not running anymore, let's go rest in that pavilion over there."

  Yan Yuwei let go of his arm and panted on one side.

  Fan Yicheng ignored her and walked away with Xu Mingjin's siblings into the pavilion. Yan Yuwei saw this and quickly followed, entering the pavilion with them.

  "Miss Yan is good." Xu Mingjin and his sister first greeted Yan Yuwei, then asked Fan Yicheng: "Uncle, you also came to see the lotus flowers?"

  Fan Yicheng gloomily said: "Yeah, let's go admire the flowers."

  Xu Mingjin didn't have time to comfort Fan Yicheng's low mood, she was interested in checking out Miss Yan, last time the distance was a bit far, now close-up viewing, this Yan Yuwei is 15 or 16 years old, with an oval face, white and delicate skin, is a big beauty, Xu Mingjin thinks, from that day to today, Yan Yuwei's performance must have taken a liking to Fan Yicheng! But in her heart, she was also very puzzled, what's wrong with her uncle? Having a big beauty chasing after him, but instead having an unhappy expression, why is this?

  "Ah, they are your nephew and niece?" Xu Mingjin sized up Yan Yuwei at the same time, Yan Yuwei was also sizing her and Xu Mingxuan up, because she had just heard them call Fan Yicheng "Uncle". The little niece looked about four or five years younger than her, so how old was Fan Yicheng exactly? Yan Yuwei was attracted to his mature charm, but had always been unaware of his true age.

  Xu Mingjin saw the doubt in her heart, and she was very much in favor of what seemed like her pursuit of Fan Yicheng. So she smiled and said: "My uncle is only 28 years old this year, his sword is not old yet, and he hasn't married a wife yet!"

  Fan Yicheng was speechless with laughter and tears by Xu Mingjin's words, while Yan Yuwei heard this and looked at Fan Yicheng with sparkling eyes. Fan Yicheng glared at her angrily. "By the way, how did you know my surname is Yan?" Yan Yuwei asked Xu Mingjin.

  "This is of course something my uncle often mentions to me!" Xu Mingjin's mind moved quickly, saying: "My uncle often praises you!"

  "What are you bragging about?" Yan Yuwei looked at Xu Mingjin with great anticipation, her cheeks flushing red.

  "My uncle often told me that Miss Yan is the most beautiful, gentle and polite young lady he has ever seen." Xu Mingjin said, ignoring Fan Yicheng's desperate attempts to signal her with a twisted face: "He has been thinking about you nonstop since he saw you at the embroidery shop last time!"

  Fan Yicheng was so angry that he wanted to shut Xu Mingjin's mouth, and at the same time, he thought about finding a hole in the ground to hide in. He wasn't unaware of the little tricks in Xu Mingjin's heart, but this also depends on who you're dealing with, right? As a down-and-out person who had been a beggar for several years, how could he be worthy of Yan Yuwei, an official's daughter? The two people were fundamentally incompatible, okay? At most, he just wanted to find someone who could look up to him, and a young lady from an ordinary family would do. Yan Yuwei was a talented and beautiful young lady with both talent and status, but he couldn't afford her, nor did he dare to want her.

  Xu Mingjin understands Fan Yicheng's idea, but she doesn't agree. Who says it's definitely not going to work? It's up to people to make it happen!

  "Miss Yan, may I call you Sister Yan?" Xu Mingjin warmly pulled up Yan Yuwei's hand and said intimately. Fan Yicheng had a stubborn and annoying temper, she would ignore him for now, anyway the key to the matter between Fan Yicheng and Yan Yuwei was not Fan Yicheng, but Yan Yuwei's attitude, so she would first build a good relationship with her, making it easier to probe into the situation of her rival. Xu Mingjin thought happily.

  "Okay, but your uncle hasn't introduced me to your names yet!" Yan Yuwei also knew that Fan Yicheng's current relatives were only these two children. To make Fan Yicheng like herself, she first had to get the recognition of the two children. So, she also warmly held Xu Mingjin's hand, with a very affectionate attitude. The two people standing together really gave off a sisterly feeling. Yan Yuwei was not bad-looking, and Xu Mingjin was not inferior either. Fan Yicheng was taken aback for a moment.

  Xu Mingjin pulled Yan Yuwei over to the stone table, and the two of them started chatting intimately.

  "Yan sister, did you come with your uncle?"

  "That's right!"

  "Yan sister, it must have been a tough journey? I heard from uncle that he rushed to get here quickly, are you okay?"

  "I'm really having a hard time, but I saw that he was in pain all the way, so I gritted my teeth and endured it. After resting here for two days, I'll be fine."

  "That's good, Yan sister. You should understand my uncle. My mother was murdered and he is very grieved. If there is anything that he has not taken care of properly, I apologize to you on his behalf."

  "It's nothing, I'm used to it!"

  Xu Mingjin said "......"

  "Yan sister, you came here, does your family know?" Xu Mingjin carefully asked the question that had been on her mind all along.

  Yan Yuwei's smile slowly faded away from her face.

  "Since your family members all disagree with you coming here, you'd better hurry back!" Fan Yicheng said suddenly.

  Yan Yuwei suddenly burst into tears, glared at Fan Yicheng with hatred, turned her head and rushed out of the pavilion, and soon ran far away. Xu Mingjin shouted after her repeatedly, but couldn't catch up.

  Fang Weichen and Xu Mingjin were left staring at each other, ten seconds later, Xu Mingjin urged: "Uncle, aren't you going to chase after her?"

  Fan Yicheng shook his head, sitting there motionless, and seemed to let out a sigh of relief as he revealed a faint smile. Xu Mingjin's face turned red with anger, as if he wanted to tear the smile off Fan's face. Xu Mingjin said in a wronged tone: "Uncle, you promised me, where is my aunt?"

  Fan Yicheng was confused, when did he agree with her?