Chapter 72: Whether it's worth it or not is up to me to decide

  Xu Mingjin didn't know how to describe her emotions when Xuan Yuan Ze said "I believe you" with certainty, her heart was in disarray.

  Xu Mingjin pretended to turn his head to look at the scenery to cover up his own confusion, but suddenly found that Xuan Yuan Jinglin had unknowingly sneaked away beside him.

  The attic with only two people, the atmosphere is unprecedentedly ambiguous.

  Xu Mingjin's hands were clenched tightly, her eyes didn't even look at Xuan Yuze, she only heard the sound of her own heartbeat.

  The two met for the first time, she saved him who was seriously injured and unconscious. The second time they met, it was he who saved her from being surrounded by beggars. The third time, he even saved her from being killed by someone sent by Mrs. XU, as well as her brother in the sea of fire. He also helped her bury her mother. This time, he asked his sister to save her again from being locked up in the Buddhist hall. Xu Mingjin realized that she owed Xuan Yuanze so much, so much that she couldn't repay it for this lifetime.

  After returning from the attic, Xu Mingjin was unusually sleepless, tossing and turning.

  "Miss, why aren't you asleep yet?" Chun Xing asked in the darkness upon hearing the noise.

  Xu Mingjin said: "I couldn't sleep, don't mind me, maybe I'll fall asleep after a while."

  Chun Xing heard this and had no choice but to go to sleep by herself.

  On the second day when Xuming Jin woke up, he really couldn't remember how he fell asleep last night.

  After having breakfast, Xuan Yuan Jinglin came running to find her: "Ming Jin, come and watch my second brother go hunting!"

  Xu Mingjin exclaimed in surprise: "How can we hunt in this other village? Are we going up the mountain today?"

  Xuan Yuan Jing Lin smiled and said, "It's not like we're going to hunt some rare beast, so why bother with the mountains? Behind our villa, there is a large dense forest with many wild rabbits, pheasants, and whatnot. Originally, these were all staple dishes in our villa, but I'd rather eat dishes made from the game that your second brother hunted, cooked by your own hands."

  Xu Mingjin lost his smile: "But the taste is still the same?"

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin shook her head and said, "It's different."

  As they spoke, they had already arrived in front of the forest. A white horse rushed out from within, and the person on it was as elegant as jade, with a lithe and agile figure. It was precisely Xuan Yuan Ze.

  When Xuan Yuan Ze rushed in front of the two people, Xu Ming Jin finally saw that he was holding a pile of prey in his hand.

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin complained: "Second brother, you're so swift! I wanted to see your dashing figure with Ming Jin, but unfortunately, you finished hunting so quickly."

  "This time you can't see it, then next time, there will always be a day when you can see it."

  Xuan Yuan Jing Lin said: "I came in vain this time, but if even Ming Jin also comes in vain, it's really unjustifiable."

  Xuanyuan Ze took out a jade flute from his bosom and handed it to Xu Mingjin, saying: "I don't know if you'll like this?"

  Xu Mingjin shook his head: "You don't have to give me something so valuable."

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin took the flute and handed it to Xu Mingjin: "My second brother gave it to you, just take it, don't be polite."

  Xu Mingjin saw that he couldn't decline anymore, so he had no choice but to accept it.

  In the evening, Xu Mingjin made two called flower chickens for Xuan Yuan Jinglin and said: "This is all for you to eat, it can make up for the regret of being robbed of chicken by Ping Xi Wang Shizi last time?"

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin smiled and turned her head, proudly glancing at Xuan Yuan Ze, ordering someone to pick up the two chickens.

  Xuanyuan Ze still couldn't see any expression on his face.

  Carefree days always pass quickly, and before he knew it, Xu Mingjin had been living in the other courtyard for half a month.

  She wants to go back to Beijing to see how Mingxuan is doing.

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin said: "It's easy for you to come out this time, so stay a few more days. I'll send someone back to investigate your brother's news."

  Xu Mingjin thought for a moment, and then he was at peace with himself, living in the other courtyard. Every day, Xuan Yuan Jinglin would send someone to report on Xu Mingxuan's daily life in the Xu family. Now, Mrs. Xu has not yet started to take action against Xu Mingxuan, but Xu Mingjin knows that the emperor's edict making Fang Furen a first-class lady, plus Xu Ruo Yi being the eldest son now, no matter what he does, will block Mrs. Xu's way. She will eventually make a move on Mingxuan.

  Since that day, Xuan Yuanze said not to worry about rumors, Xu Mingjin threw the matter out of her mind. Every day when she was interested, she would write and practice piano. One day, she thought of her uncle Fan Dichen, then thought of Linglong Pavilion, and decided to paint a picture of Jinling Twelve Hairpins as a gift for her uncle. The day agreed with Wang San Niang is approaching, she has to hurry up and draw a dress pattern and send someone to deliver it to Wang San Niang's place, but doesn't know how her business has been in the past half month?

  Xuan Yuan Jing Lin saw Xu Ming Jin busy every day, and felt very strange. Xu Ming Jin told Xuan Yuan Jing Lin about her uncle's embroidery shop in the capital and the agreement with Wang San Niang. After a long time, Xuan Yuan Jing Lin said: "Ming Jin, are you short of money?"

  Xu Mingjin nodded and then shook his head. Xuan Yuan Jinglin smiled: "With this expression, are you short of money or not?"

  "It's certain that I'm short of money, and I couldn't expect Mrs. Xu to give me money to use. But I'm not short of money, what I enjoy is the fun of making money."

  Xuan Yuan Jing Lin said, "Maybe I've never had to worry about money, so I don't understand your way of thinking. But what you're doing is right, otherwise, your days in the Xu family would be unbearable."

  Xu Mingjin nodded and continued working on his hand. Xuan Yuan Jinglin stood beside him, watching Xu Mingjin paint beauties on a piece of cloth filled with grids, each one vividly alive. Xuan Yuan Jinglin asked: "How many beauties do you want to paint?"

  "This makes twelve; this painting is called 'The Twelve Beauties of Jinling'."

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin sighed: "This name is still nice to hear. Do you remember the portrait you drew for me that day?"

  Xu Mingjin stopped his brush and asked: "Remember, what's wrong?"

  "My mother saw that painting and liked it very much. She wants to meet you."

  Xu Mingjin was stunned.

  The empress of a country wants to see her? What a joke!

  Xuan Yuan Jing Lin saw Xu Ming Jin's tongue-tied appearance, and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "My mother is very kind to people, you don't have to be afraid."

  "When?"

  "My mother didn't say anything else. She just said she wants to see you, but didn't say when."

  "The empress must be busy with a million things, she might have already forgotten about me." Xu Mingjin patted his chest and said to Xuan Yuan Jinglin: "What's the point of scaring me like this? Let's talk when she remembers me!"

  Xuan Yuan Jinglin said with a smile that was not quite a smile: "An ugly daughter-in-law will eventually have to meet her in-laws."

  Xu Mingjin was so angry that he threw down his brush and stood up to hit Xuan Yuan Jinglin. The two of them were laughing and playing in the room, rolling around together.

  Suddenly, a servant came to report: The second prince is fighting with someone in front of the mansion!

  Xu Mingjin and Xuan Yuan Jinglin stopped their actions at the same time, with worried expressions on their faces, and rushed towards the outside of the villa.

  When the two rushed to the scene of the accident, Xuan Yuan Ze and a man were in the midst of a fierce fight. Xu Ming Jin took one glance and saw that the man was indeed Xuan Yuan Qi Yu. Xu Ming Jin subconsciously wanted to slip away. Every time she met Xuan Yuan Qi Yu, nothing good came out of it. But she couldn't help but worry about Xuan Yuan Ze, so she stood there without moving. Xuan Yuan Jing Lin took one look at the scene and felt relieved, saying to Xu Ming Jin: "You don't have to worry about my second brother, the Crown Prince can't even beat me, let alone my second brother. Today is a good day for my brother to avenge you for being kidnapped that day."

  The two people fighting could hear their conversation clearly, Xuan Yuan Ze heard the words and smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth, while Xuan Yuan Qi's face turned black, he used even more force, as if he had a "rather die than yield" attitude.

  Half a response, Xuan Yuan Qi finally conceded defeat. He roared at Xuan Yuan Ze: "You clearly know that Miss Xu Liu likes me, why do you still want to compete with me? There are so many women in the world, just pick one!"

  Xu Mingjin's mouth was agape like a goose egg, when did she start liking Xuan Yuan Qiyue this demon boy?

  "So you like to be overly sentimental." Xu Mingjin said after a long while.

  Xuanyuan Ze said to Xuanyuan Qi, "Now you can leave?"

  Xuanyuan Qiyue felt as if his heart had been cut by a knife when he heard Xu Mingjin's words "So you like to be overly sentimental". He asked incredulously again: "So, was I never in your heart?"

  Xu Mingjin knew that she had to cut the Gordian knot quickly, otherwise Xuan Yuan would entangle her endlessly. She nodded and said without hesitation: "The status of the young master is noble, but Mingjin's humble appearance is not worthy of the young master's favor."

  "It's up to me to decide what's worth it or not!" Xuan Yuan Qi's anguished roar echoed. His life had been smooth sailing from the start, with everything he wanted handed to him on a silver platter since childhood. The only setback was brought about by Xu Ming Jin. This unrequited love was painful for anyone, but for him, it was no less than being cut open alive. But he also had another flaw - stubbornness. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

  "It doesn't matter, after you marry me, I'll make you slowly fall in love with me." Xuan Yuan Qi Xi sneered.

  Xu Mingjin was shocked beyond words, what did he mean by this?

  "It's just as you heard." Xuan Yuan Qi said, wanting to know the confusion in Xu Ming Jin's heart. Then, without waiting for Xu Ming Jin's response, he leaped away, his figure gradually disappearing from everyone's sight.