Chapter Ninety-Three Reunion

  Mei Lin arrived soon after, and Lin Zhaoyan also collected his thoughts and walked towards the depths.

  It's early summer, the plum blossoms in the plum forest have withered, leaving only bare branches, but due to proper pruning, they don't look ugly. On each plum tree, a red silk ribbon is carefully tied, and the gentle breeze blows, causing the red ribbons to flutter, creating an unusual beauty.

  Lin Zhaoyan remembered that she had told Jingyi Shitai before that as long as a red ribbon was tied to the tree, it would grow luxuriantly next year. Jingyi Shitai said she was talking nonsense, but unexpectedly, it came true.

  There are at least a thousand plum trees in this forest, and she is indeed very patient.

  Lin Zhaoyan couldn't help but curve her lips upwards as she thought about it more and more, the smile was pure and beautiful, like the spring breeze blowing away the ice and snow condensed on the branches of the plum blossom tree, instantly the grass grew and the swallows flew, all things revived.

  Xiao Xi saw such a smiling face as soon as he went out, bright and beautiful, clean and transparent, even the snow and ice on the snowy mountain could melt with it.

  This is quite different from the images I saw in previous encounters.

  "It's Lin Si!" Xu Xiujian's eyes were sharp and he called out immediately, "I didn't expect her to smile like that too!"

  His voice not only shocked Xiao Qi's mind but also startled Lin Zhaoyan, who was not far away, and his eyes stared straight at them.

  Not far away, two tall and slender men were standing, both with extraordinary demeanor. The one in black was Xiao Qi, while the one in green clothes she had not seen before, but she guessed it should be Xu Gongzi.

  Lin Zhaoyan's eyebrows were tightly furrowed.

  This plum forest behind the mountain has many visitors, but few people come inside. How did Xiao Qi end up here?

  Could he also know Jingyi Shitai?

  A distant memory suddenly floated in, Lin Zhaoyan thought of the conversation between two men he had heard last time in the back mountain, one of whom was slightly cold and detached, who else could it be if not Xiao Qi?

  Could it be that she heard Xiao Qi's voice in the palace that day and felt a sense of familiarity.

  So that's how it is!

  Is this Xiao Qi, has been eyeing them from the start?

  A chill ran down Lin Zhaoyan's spine as he felt that Xiao Qi was really too terrifying.

  Xiao Xi looked at her looking over, expressionless and shifted his gaze, saying to Xu Xiu Jian beside him: "Let's go!"

  Xu Xiujin's face was excited, "It's Lin Siyi, the first time I met her in person, she's more beautiful than I imagined!"

  Xiao Qi: "......"

  Lin Zhao said: "......"

  "Hi, Miss Lin Si, nice to meet you. I'm Xu Xiuren. Although you don't know me, I've known you for a long time. Nice meeting you for the first time, take care of each other from now on."

  Lin Zhaoyan said: "......" She suspected that this stuff was also brought from elsewhere.

  "Is that all?" Xiao Qi didn't even glance at Lin Zhaoyan, but instead stared coldly at Xu Xiuren and asked.

  Xu Xiujin touched his nose and said, "You see, she doesn't even speak."

  Then don't make a fool of yourself. Xiao Qi remained cold and treated Lin Zhao Yan as if he were air.

  Lin Zhaoyan felt that this Xiao Qi was completely different from the one she had met before, and there wasn't a single trace of frivolity or arrogance on him, cold as ice.

  Maybe this is the real him!

  As she thought so, the door of the small house was pushed open and Jingyi Shitai came out. At first glance at this scene, she was indeed stunned for a moment. "Xiaozhao, how did you come?"

  "I have come to pray for blessings." Lin Zhaoyan replied honestly.

  Jingyi Shitai shifted her gaze to Xiao Qi and Xu Xiujian, "Aren't you two leaving yet?"

  Xu Xiujin replied: "Isn't this Lin Si's daughter?"

  "Do you know each other?" Jingyi Shitai was even more surprised.

  Xu Xiujin hadn't even had time to respond when Xiao Qi took a step ahead and calmly said, "I don't know him."

  "How can you say we don't know each other? Didn't we still share..."

  "You won't speak and nobody will take you as a mute." Xiao Qi's gaze was sharp as she looked at him.

  Xu Xiujin let out a disgruntled hum and turned to Lin Zhaoyan, "Lin Fourth Miss, I believe you'll tell the truth, do you two know each other?"

  Lin Zhaoyan thought Xu Xiujing was a good-for-nothing.

  "I will naturally speak the truth, but would you believe what I say?" Lin Zhao Yan looked at him and said with a faint smile.

  Xu Xiujin nodded repeatedly, "Of course I believe it!"

  Then Lin Zhaoyan smiled again, and in Xu Xiujian's expectant gaze, he said word by word: "To be honest, I don't know you or this young man beside you."

  Xu Xiujin felt that he was probably being deceived.

  Xiao Xi heard the words and turned to look at her sideways, Lin Zhao Yan was also looking at him, and in the intersection of their gazes, they could clearly feel the smile in each other's eyes.

  Xiao Xi raised an eyebrow coldly, as if saying: Well done!

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and replied: Likewise.

  What happened in the cave that night would forever remain a secret, even if it was an unspoken one, rather than being openly discussed.

  She thought that unless Xiao Xi had the ability to become her brother-in-law, they would not have much intersection in this life, why bother saying it out and causing trouble?

  Although she can't understand what Xu Xiuren means by doing this now, it's absolutely not good for her.

  The nun is as clever as a spirit, but seeing it now, I still don't understand its meaning.

  Xu Xiujin wanted to expose the two of them, but these two people were tight-lipped and couldn't be pried open. In between, something must have happened.

  Qí ér and Zhāo ér...

  The combination of these two people is quite refreshing.

  Xiao Xi was too lazy to continue socializing with them and directly said: "Shifu, I'll take my leave first."

  Xu Xiujin saw the situation and had no choice but to chase after him, taking three steps as two, but not forgetting to turn his head back to Lin Zhao and flash a radiant smile.

  "Who is this Mr. Xu, after all?" Lin Zhao Yan looked at the two of them walking further and further away in the distance, and couldn't help but ask.

  She was just muttering to herself, not expecting Jingyi Shitai to respond. But unexpectedly, Jingyi Shitai said without reservation: "On the surface, it seems like he is the nephew of Xu Shen, a university scholar in the imperial court. In reality, he is the young master of Xu Family Manor, the largest dark power in the Jianghu. Not only does Xu Family Manor cultivate dead soldiers, but also the largest money houses, grain shops, and pawnshops on the market today are all under their name. Don't look at how he seems to be following Xiao Changgong every day, in fact, it is Xiao Qi who is seeking his help."

  Lin Zhaoyan did not expect that Xu Xiuren was so deeply hidden, and for a moment he was shocked. Later, thinking of the court officials colluding with the Jianghu people, he couldn't help but think crookedly, but he wasn't foolish enough to say those treasonous words to Jingyi Shitai.

  Compared to that, she was even more perplexed that the nun knew so much inside information, "Nun, how do you know Xiao Qi and know so many things?"

  It seems that Jingyi Shitai is very familiar with Xiao Qi and Xu Xiujin, they must have come here before, but she just didn't bump into them.

  Ke Jingyi lived in seclusion deep in the plum forest, rarely going out. Even if someone accidentally stumbled upon her home, as long as she didn't want to be seen, no one would have been able to find her. So how could she have been so familiar with Xiao Qi, who wasn't a good person at first glance?

  Jingyi Shitai smiled slightly and didn't hide it from her, "I knew him before we entered the Lingyun Temple. He is the only one among the people I used to know who treated me with a true heart."

  Lin Zhaoyan was shocked beyond words.

  Xiao Qi and Jing Yi Shitai? This combination doesn't match no matter how you look at it!

  Lover? Impossible! Jingyi Shitai is old enough to be Xiao Qi's mother, or even his aunt.

  Is this really Big Auntie? I've never heard of any sisters of Xiao Wangfei who were living outside!

  Or is it an unforgettable friendship, a bosom friend?

  Jingyi Shitai gazed at the changing expression on Lin Zhaoyan's face, laughing even harder. "Don't guess anymore, you're not familiar with Zi Shu, are you? Once you get to know him better, he'll tell you everything without reservation."

  Lin Zhaoyan felt that Jingyi Shitai had also started to deceive people.

  What would Xiao Qi tell her? Not even in the next life.

  Xiao Qi has been gloomy and silent all this time.

  Xu Xiujin knew he was angry and just messing with him, laughing even more heartlessly. "If you really didn't care, why would you get angry when I say a few words? That's what makes this Lin Si different."

  “She wasn't the first.”

  If this was Xiao Xi's first time facing Xu Xiu Jian's "matchmaking", then so be it, perhaps he would really consider it, thinking that Lin Zhao Yan had some extraordinary and invincible charm that made Xu Xiu Jian willing to introduce him.

  But this is not the first time, and I believe it won't be the last time either.

  In the past, whenever there was a woman, he would push her in front of him and keep admiring his reaction. The angrier she got, the happier he became, until eventually he didn't even bother to pay attention to her anymore.

  The only gain in these three years is probably Mo Fang, that beautiful and intelligent woman who is unparalleled in the world.

  Lin Zhao said, he really looked down on him.

  Xu Xiujin was exposed and smiled awkwardly.

  The life in the imperial court is boring to the extreme, and there's no joy or freedom like in Jianghu. If he doesn't find some fun, he'll suffocate to death.

  It just so happened that Xiao Qi, who had been dragged down by him in the imperial court, became his entertainment object.

  He admitted that those women in the past were just joking around.

  But Lin Si thought it was really good anyway.

  Xu Xiujin thought of this and asked: "By the way, doesn't your family have a Tian Shan Snow Lotus that was given by Empress Dowager Cixi?"

  "What's wrong?" came a disgruntled voice.

  "Oh no, Lin Si! I just saw that her right hand seems to be injured, what a beautiful hand, leaving scars would be a waste of heaven's gift!"

  "What does it have to do with me?" A clearly indifferent voice.

  Xu Xiujing's face turned red with rage, and he immediately pointed at his nose and scolded: "How can you be so heartless? You've had a romantic tryst before, how can you bear to see a young girl like Bai Hua get scars on her hands?"

  “……”

  "You don't like her, I like her. Once you've dealt with Lin Wu, I'll go deal with her. Who knows, maybe in the future I'll even marry her, and she'll be your sister-in-law. Are you going to give me some face?"

  "I've eaten."

  "Have you eaten?" Xu Xiujian asked incredulously, "Isn't Princess Xiao not fond of eating these things?"

  "I've fed Ah Dai already."

  A'Da is a local dog raised by Xiao Wangfu's guardian.

  Xu Xiuren was internally injured.

  His wife is not even comparable to a stray dog, what a terrible match!

  Thanks Sunflower889 for the blessing charm! RS