Mo Qianxue greeted him at the gate and ushered him inside, feeling strange. She heard that Su family was based in the capital. Why did he go back home for the New Year?
Mo Qianxue's doubt was also the pain for Alu and Azhao who followed behind their lord. The reason why Lord didn't go back home was because old madam Su set up another blind date for him again.
Since it was New Year, it would be impolite if she didn't detain him for a meal, and besides, he was her business partner.
Moreover, as a foodie, wasn't he coming for a meal by showing up at lunch time?
They exchanged greetings, and Yunyao asked whether to have lunch now. Then, Mo Qianxue invited Su Qi to join them.
"Lord Su Qi, please bear with our humble home dishes."
"Mr. Ning, it's very unobtrusive of you to say so."
Listening to their excessive annoying politeness, Mo Qianxue couldn't help frowning. Why were these two people acting so hypocritical on their first encounter?
Since when Su Qi, the playful dandy, became so pedantic? And since when Ning Shaoqing, an indifferent lord, also became so ceremonious and worldly?
"I'm surnamed Su and named Jinhan, ranked the seventh in our family. Mr. Ning could just call my name."
"I'm Ning Shaoqing, you can call me brother Shaoqing."
"Mr. Ning is elder than man, anyhow I should call you elder brother."
Mo Qianxue was so embarrassed by them and buried herself in rice.
"Elder brother. No, I don't dare to be called that. Why I call you the seventh young lord brother Su. What do you think?"
"No no no, that flatters me. Since you're elder than me, just call me Qi."
"No no no, it's not proper to call your nickname. I think brother Su would be better."
"I'm afraid. Brother Ning, just accept my suggestion."
"…"
Mo Qianxue could no longer bear with them, pointing at the two men with chopsticks, "You're Ning Shaoqing, and you're Su Qi. Whatever you call each other, now eat!"
The fake hypocritical smile froze on their faces, and they began to eat in silence.
Asan, Awu, Alu and Azhao all cast grateful eyes towards Mo Qianxue. They almost got dizzy by their lords' nonstop exchange of courtesies.
During these days, Su Qi had thought it through. He needed something to help him make up his minds as to whether he should give up or go on. Therefore, he was here to check if Mo Qianxue was leading a happy life.
If she was happy, then he wished the best for her and tried his best to help her get the weird doctor.
If she wasn't happy, even to the slightest extend, he would fight for her even though she was already a married woman.
To him, the most insignificant thing was fame. What hard it might bring to marry a married woman?
Although Ning Shaoqing's expression wasn't good, he was pour out vinegars as ever. Since Su Qi entered the gate, he didn't take a direct look at Mo Qianxue.
He could tell that Su Qi was controlling himself and that Su Qi seemed to be making a big decision.
A decision that required his assistance.
After the meal, Su Qi asked Ning Shaoqing for advice in the chess. The two set a chessboard on the root sculpture table in the yard. Mo Qianxue, bored, sat in the study, read a book, and constantly looked out through the window.
Su Qi was wearing in moon-color, a jade ring to bind up his hair, holding a brocade little fan. The playful smile that he used to wear now was placed by seriousness. He didn't deliberately display it, his air of nobility shouted its existence naturally.
Ning Shaoqing wore a Tibetan-blue long gown, with a cloth band tying his hair, sitting extremely upright over there. There was always a trace of small smile playing at the corners of his lips, which suggested calmness and leisure.
Their movements all indicated high spirits. The chess was played like a battle.
Snow, yard, beautiful men and chessboard. What an eye-pleasing picture!
Yet, Mo Qianxue sneered at their pretentiousness. It wasn't snowing, but the weather was bitter cold. They didn't play the chess indoors but sat out over there. What a pity that there wasn't wind, or wouldn't they looked more graceful in floating gowns like heavenly immortals.
The two played the chess in a slow pace. They must be excellent at Tai Chi.
From time to time, words came out of their mouths; the rounds of exchange made Mo Qianxue feel like there were swords and spears.
It seemed that Su Qi had known Ning Shaoqing's real identity.
Were the two families at odds?
While Mo Qianxue was wondering, Yunyao walked in respectfully and reported gentling, "Lady. Eldest lady Jian is here."
Qingyou was here? Mo Qianxue was shocked.
She, as a junior, should pay a New Year call at Jian mansion, but she didn't want to go without an invitation.
If she did, what other would think of her? An apple-polisher? A boot-licker? Jian Qingyou had arrived at the gate, leaving no time for Mo Qianxue to think much. Quickly, she sorted her clothes and hurried out.
Under the big tree parked a date-colored horse carriage, the windows, door, and even wheels of which were carved with patterns and painted in brown, making it both grandeur and austere. The driver was old Wang.
There was another carriage behind this one. Who could it be? Mo Qianxue took a glimpse at it, sure that she didn't know the person, and looked back.
Seeing Mo Qianxue, old Wang knocked at the carriage. To the sound, the door curtain was lifted up. It was nanny Yuan.
After nanny Yuan got off, then it was Jian Qingyou's two servant girls, Siqin and Nongcha.
They jumped off, put a footstool on the ground, and then held Jian Qingyou to get out of the carriage.
Seeing that Jian Qingyou had got out, he other driver, like old Wang, also knocked at the carriage.
Out came were nanny Zhang and another nanny that Mo Qianxue didn't know. Then, two servant girls, and finally the fifth young lady Jian Qinghua and the seventh young lady Jian Qingzhen.
The two ladies got off, looked in the direction of Mo Qianxue, without greeting her, at the Ning's house.
At the sight of the normal village courtyard, which was a little bigger and more grandeur than an average one, Jian Qinghua displayed admiration while Jian Qingzhen showed scorn.
Obviously, the several rooms in the front had been recently restored. On the eaves hung several clusters of dried vegetables and peppers. The cotton paper on the windows was white and clean.
"Qingyou, you can come by yourself. Why do you bring them?"
"Grandma valued courtesy. She regards you as my life-savor, so she demanded that I visit you. Yet, you're also grandma's life-savor. She couldn't pay a visit in person, so she sent them here on her behalf to express her gratitude."
Um… Was there such a ritual? Mo Qianxue suffered headache.
Any guests should be treated nice.
After exchanging a few words of greetings with Jian Qingyou, Mo Qianxue, out of politeness, walked over to greet the two ladies.
After the lengthy formalities, Mo Qianxue led the group of people into the living room.
The front yard was nothing special but a row of low-rise rooms.
Then when they entered the back yard, standing at the gate, as their clothes, which were blown up in cold wind, fell down, what made the view were two good-looking young men playing the chess.
The one in Tibetan-blue wore a waterfall of tied hair, yet with delicate eyebrows, fair complexion and upright figure.
Although in a rough cloth gown, his slim figure didn't look dim but airy and elegant. At this moment, he was holding a chess piece, ready to fall. His lowering head and furrow gaze made him looked up a celestial who had transcended the filthy world to fly his mind above the universe…
His gesture and temperament totally moved Jian Qinghua's heart. Wasn't this the life she had sought after? Wasn't him the man in her dream?
She, as a daughter of a concubine, had never expected to end up with a happy marriage.
Since ancient times, the daughter of concubines of a noble family would either marry her brother-in-law as a concubine or be sent to a higher-ranked family as a concubine of a young lord.
The luckiest ones married as a legal wife of those spoiled sons of concubines.
At this moment, this fifth lady Jian's eyes could see no other men but Ning Shaoqing, while the seventh lady Jian fixed her eyes on Su Qi.
When they just arrived the gate, she recognized Su Qi. Earlier on the birthday of old madam Jian, she had sneaked out to take a peek at him the moment she heard the news that the legal son of the top noble family came to extend gift.
The swinging little fan, the air of nobility and the careless face had remained in her mind. Ever since that figure appeared in her eyes, her heard seemed like being bombarded and kept replaying a sentence, he was the one, he was the one. He was exactly the man whom she had always wanted to know but didn't have the opportunity to meet him again…
The noble young lord had been in her heart and made her eager to meet him again. To her surprise, in this humble house that she disdained, Su Qi was playing the chess with another man. This must be fate.
"The Ning's is really poor. They even don't have a decent living room." Nanny Zhang commented after taking a thorough glance at the courtyard. She sneered to herself and didn't notice that the seventh lady next to her was already dumbfounded.
Seeing guests coming, sister Fang also came to help receive them.
She came at the right time. Quickly, Mo Qianxue let her receive the two nannies and four servant girls in the front courtyard. She herself led Jian Qingyou and the other two ladies to the back courtyard.
Jian Qinghua and Jian Qingzhen kept looking back every few steps at the place where the chessboard was placed.
Mo Qianxue witnessed all the ladies' eyes and secret movements and quietly led then into the living room to take a seat before letting Yunyao make tea.
When the tea was served, the two ladies absent-mindedly sipped the tea, but their eyes involuntarily looked out of the doors.
Mo Qianxue snorted and let them waited here for a moment because she had an embroidery sample to show to Jian Qingyou and let her give some advice.
Jian Qinghua and Jian Qingzhen were immersed in their own ecstasies and didn't want to pay any attention to Mo Qianxue, only wishing her to leave as soon as possible so that they could go to find their beloved ones. Hence, they readily nodded.
With a smirk, Mo Qianxue and Jian Qingyou went to the inner room.
After serving the tea, Yunyao felt a little improper, so she came again to serve some snacks.
Seeing the snacks, the joy instantly climbed on Jian Qingzhen's face.
She could take the snack as an excuse to approach the two gentlemen who were playing the chess.
Unexpectedly, the same idea also occurred to Jian Qinghua who also placed her hands on the plate of the snacks.
The two ladies looked at each other, figuring out the determination in each other's eyes, so they both stepped up the strength to drag the snack to their own sides. Therefore, the plate on the table shuffled from right to left and then from left to right over and over again.
Yunyao was stunned by this scene.
Were they really ladies from a noble family? To compete for a plate of snacks? That was really indecent thing to do. Didn't they have good snacks at home?
Hence, with disdain, Yunyao took over another plate of the same snacks, put it on the table and left.
At the sight of the new plate, Jian Qinghua let of the original plate and got her hands on the new one. Yet, in a coincidence, Jian Qingzhen thougth exactly the same way, also releasing the original plate and grabbing the new one.
Hence, for the new plate of snacks, the battle started again.
This time, it become fiercer. Neither of them wanted to give in. They loosed at the same time to head for the other one, so the cycle started all over again.
At finally, Jian Qinghua regained a little sanity, releasing, and asked, "Sister, which one do you want? I can let you choose first."
Jian Qingzhen was a little embarrassed, but as a person who had always looked down upon the daughter of concubine, she only snorted, taking away one plate and leaving a comment, "A sensible person you are." Then she held the plate and walked towards Su Qi.
Anyway, there was no one in the yard, so she didn't have to worry about being accused of behaving in an immodest way.
As for Jian Qinghua, she had never taken her seriously. That daughter of a concubine didn't dare to throw dirt at her.
Outside, a sensational event was going to break out, yet Jian Qingyou and Mo Qianxue quite enjoyed their private chatting in the inner room.
Jian Qingyou melancholy told Mo Qianxue that Jian family was now discussing a marriage for her. After the New Year festival (after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month), there would be the engagement.
*
When the Ning's enjoyed the New Year's Eve dinner, Tong mansion was serving dishes too.
Old Mr. Tong wore a dark-red coat edged in golden and stood with excitement in the hall, in high spirits, because this would be the first time he enjoyed New Year's Eve dinner together with his son since over a decade ago.
Ever since Tong Zijing was poisoned, he hadn't eaten one meal with him again.
Seeing the butler, all smiles, leading Tong Zijing into the hall, old Mr. Tong was more than excited. There were changes in Tong Zijing's walking gait and expression, which proved that the former reports from the butler was true.
Meeting with such a Tong Zijing, old Mr. Tong instantly discarded his uncertainty and became overjoyed at once. He stood up and smiled, "My Jing is back."
Then he patted the chair next to him, "Come, come and sit here."
Entering the room, Tong Zijing didn't look at his father, as if the person didn't exist at all, selected a chair farthest from Mr. Tong and sat down.
Mr. Tong's heart sank. He knew this meant his son's hatred toward him. He made his tone more pleasing and forced a smile, "Jing, now you're much better and you should understand me. What I did was in your interest. Don't blame me."
Upon finishing these words, Mr. Tong didn't take it seriously. There wouldn't be vengeance between a father and son that lasted long. In addition, although he had done a wrong thing, he was of good intention; he did that for the good of him and Tong family.
Tong Zijing only took a glance at him and never saw him again. He seemed didn't hear his old Mr. Tong's words at all.
He was absorbed in carving a small wooden piece in his hand, the expression of which looked like a person.
Mr. Tong got up and walked to him, in a tone caring for his pleasure, "Jing, what are you carving? Can you tell daddy?" He had never talked to anyone in this way ever.
Tong Zijing was silent, still silent. With all of his attention on the carving piece, he even didn't look up.
As Mr. Tong's passion pressed against his son's cold face, the smile on his face faded away. The apology and compromise in his heart was replaced by fury and dissatisfaction, which making the ingratiating smile turned ferocious.