Chapter 13: Blowing the Flute and Summoning the Dragon (Part 1)

  Nei yuan, Xi Xiang, Xiao Chengyan was staring at Yuan Zhai with a very unusual gaze.

  Yuan Dai put down the book in her hand and said, "It's getting late, sister should also go back to rest!"

  Xiao Cheng sighed and suddenly asked: "When sister gave me the medicine, had she already thought of today's matter?"

  Looking at Xiao Chengye calmly, Yuan Dai said: "If I say no, would sister believe me?"

  Xiao Chengxiu lowered her head and thought for half a day, but in the end she still shook her head and said, "Of course I don't believe it!"

  Yuan Dai suddenly let out a laugh and rolled up the book in her hand, gently patting Xiao Cheng's shoulder: "Then why ask!"

  Xiao Chengxian thought for a moment, but couldn't help laughing out loud. After laughing, he sighed and said: "From now on, I don't care about others, but I dare not offend my sister again! My sister's plan to kill two birds with one stone is really impressive!"

  Yan Dai smiled and looked at the carved window frame by the kang: "The people who were in the way are no longer a hindrance, we should also consider the time, it's better to leave the mountain early! Moreover, this matter of Tian Hua must not be spread to Pingjing Fu. Not to mention that I'm worried about nothing, I'm afraid that if Auntie finds out, she'll worry about you siblings and rush over anxiously, which would be terrible!"

  The direct branch of the Xiao family only has Xiao Chengye and his sister Xiao Chengyan. If this matter of Tian Hua were to be spread back to the Xiao estate, I fear that the Xiao family would immediately fall into chaos. With a nod of understanding, Xiao Chengyan smiled and said: "I understand this myself!"

  See off Xiao Cheng Ye, on the other side of Wen Ping has also come back. Yuan Dai's sleep was not very good, and after this disturbance, she had no intention of sleeping at all. She leaned lazily against the kang, too lazy to move, and the book in her hand had long been thrown aside.

  Wen Jing saw her like this and couldn't help but walk forward and ask in a low voice: "Miss, is there anything you need?"

  She slightly lifted her eyelids and Far Dai gently shook her head, indicating no need.

  After a moment of silence, Wen Ping finally couldn't help but say: "Miss, what's the point of coming here?" His words were tinged with a hint of resentment.

  Never thought she would come up with such a sentence, Yuandai was taken aback and looked at Wenshu: "What's the point of coming? Where did this start?"

  Wen Ping pursed her lips and said, "Just now I was ordered by the young lady to accompany Jin Huan to respond...". She then recounted Xiao Chengye's reaction one by one, but afterwards she said, "I just think that the matter of selecting a son-in-law is no longer related to the young lady, and Rui Qinqin Wang is not a good person to deal with. At this time, the young lady should actually be at ease waiting for her marriage. In order to avoid mistakes, why must she provoke trouble?"

  Yu Dai listened quietly, and only after a long time did she let out a faint sigh. She raised her eyes to look at Wen Ping: "You say these words, all for my own good. I understand this!" But then, she suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled: "But Wen Ping, do you know that sometimes I really feel suffocated!"

  "Are you choking?" she repeated in confusion.

  Without a word, Yuandai suddenly stood up and instructed: "Tonight is not going to be a good sleep anyway, Wenshu, bring that flute, wear something warm, and come with me to take a walk in the Shui Lin!"

  Wen Ping suddenly thought of going out for a walk in the middle of the night. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "It's very cold outside..."

  Stretching out her slightly sore body a bit, Yan Dai said faintly: "Don't worry, I won't freeze to death!"

  Wenping also knew that Yuandai's decision was unchangeable, and could only sigh in frustration. Without saying another word, she turned around and fetched a few thick clothes to help Yuandai change into. Yuandai didn't object, changed her clothes, and also brought the purple sable fur coat.

  After dressing properly, Wen Ping was still not at ease. After all, he had also replaced the hollow magpie and plum purple copper warmer that Yuan Dai was used to with a new carbon one. Only then did he let Yuan Dai go out. They had been busy for so long, but it was already nearly three watches in the night. The two of them quietly left the inner courtyard, but saw that the lights in the outer courtyard were still on, clearly Xia Chengye and others had not slept yet either.

  The two of them went out silently and unnoticed, exiting through the corner gate of the other courtyard, and before long they arrived at the Shui Guang Lin.

  The moonlight is cool and clear as water, quietly falling in the forest. It has been several days since the snow fell, but the snow on the plum blossoms has not melted yet. Although it has changed from a fluffy shape to an icy crystal shape since the initial fall, under the moonlight, it appears even more transparent and crystalline.

  With a faint smile, Yu Dai suddenly said: "Wenping, when the spring is about to end, you must remember to remind me!"

  Wen Ping responded with a sound, waited for a moment, and saw that Yu Dai had nothing to say next, so she couldn't help but ask: "I don't know what Miss wants me to remind you of?"

  She raised an eyebrow and said with a distant tone: "Of course it's reminding me that there is a patch of Narcissus here!"

  Wen Ping listened more and more puzzled, and couldn't help but ask: "When the spring is almost over, these plum blossoms should have withered too, why are they still reminding Miss?"

  She smiled and turned her head back, glanced at Wenjing with a white face, and said, "The flowers have fallen, how can there be no fruit! It's only natural to remind me to come pick the plums!"

  Wen Ping suddenly realized and laughed: "Miss, you actually want to make pickled plums!"

  Yuandai nodded and smiled, but didn't say anything else. She walked to the edge of Zhōushuǐ Lake and sat down on a large rock by the lake. After all, Zhōushuǐ Lake was formed from a warm spring, and although the water wasn't very hot, it was still much warmer than ordinary lake water. On this cold winter night, sitting by the lake, Yuandai actually felt a hint of warmth.

  Wen Ping came over and felt the warmth, couldn't help but laugh: "It turns out that sitting by this lake is actually warmer than anywhere else!"

  Yuandai didn't respond, but stretched out her hands, carefully massaging and flexing them until she felt they had regained their usual suppleness. Only then did she extend a hand to Wenshu: "Where's the zither? Bring it here for me!"

  Wen Ping was taken aback and couldn't help but frown, saying: "Miss, playing the flute at this time seems a bit out of place!"

  The weather was cold, and being outdoors in the mountains, people couldn't help but shrink their hands and feet, which were stiff and icy. It really wasn't suitable for playing the flute or blowing the whistle. Wenjing found it quite strange that this young lady would suddenly have such a elegant interest today.

  Sincerely nodding, Yuandai said seriously: "I just heard that someone was going to play the flute by the moonlit lake and had the same feeling as you!" She said, finally couldn't help but sigh: "But I didn't expect that in the end, the one who came here to play the flute at the wrong time would be me!"

  This remark made Wenping's face turn cloudy and misty, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. Wenping was too lazy to say anything more, so in the end he handed over the fan.

  She took the flute and, instead of playing it immediately, carefully stroked it. The scattered moonlight poured down, softly enveloping Yuedai in its gentle glow. At this moment, her expression was serene and calm, with the hazy moonlight softening her originally sallow complexion, making it look much more delicate. And as she turned her face, her profile, shrouded in the moon's shadow, became even more exquisitely beautiful, so much so that one could hardly tear their eyes away.

  Wen Ping stared blankly at the distant mountains, and for a moment he was in a daze.

  A faint sound of a flute also started at this time, as if it came from the edge of the sky, and never belonged to this mundane world. (This station... Your support is my greatest motivation.)