"Little Xia!"
Startled by his sudden entrance yet not really surprised at his visit due to her father's warning, Fan Zhu Xia smilingly greeted him with a happy tone in her voice as she said, "Second Brother!"
"Little Xia, you made Second Brother so worried!" Fan Yong Rui burst out as he gathered her into his arms while giving her a tight hug just as she managed to stand up on her two feet.
Feeling warmed by his concern, Fan Zhu Xia ignored the usual customary distancing between opposing sexes and returned his hug as well while leaning her head against his shoulders with her eyes closed.
Just as she opened her mouth to comfort her cousin; Fan Yong Rui, she felt a strong gust of wind enter the room before herself be pulled from his arms to another with her head being securely tucked under someone's chin as her eyes flew open to see herself pressed against an expanse of chest dressed in dark green robes.
She was about to struggle free when she heard a deep voice murmur just above her ear.
"I'm glad you're alright, but Xia'er, never ever do that again. Do you understand? "
Hearing the familiar voice that started scolding her, Fan Zhu Xia realized who was currently hugging her and she couldn't help the soft giggle that escaped her before she muffled it with her hand as she leaned back to look at him and give him a nod and gentle smile as she opened her mouth to say one word.
"En."
"Good."
Watching their short exchange, Fan Yong Rui pouted, stood there looking at the pair as if like an aggrieved wife seeing her husband with another woman before he reached out to snatch back Fan Zhu Xia and cradle her securely against him as he shot his older brother a discontented look.
"Alright, enough with that. Eldest Brother can't hog Little Xia all to himself!" Fan Yong Rui grumbled, displeased at his brother's action of grabbing their cousin from him earlier.
Lifting a brow, Fan Li Jie frowned at his brother before opening his mouth to sarcastically retort back.
"Well aren't you hogging her all to yourself right now? Shouldn't Second Brother let go of our little cousin then?"
With narrowed eyes and scowling faces, the two started bickering back and forth and seeing the situation slowly build up, Fan Zhu Xia's two maids inconspicuously left the room.
After all, the argument involved not only their young miss but also the two young masters!
This simply isn't something that they can interfere with!
Both Chun Tao and Chun Hua could only apologize to their young miss deep in their hearts and hope that someone arrives to break up the argument inside the room before it escalates any further.
The only thing the two maids can do is to stand quietly just outside the door and pay close attention to the sounds inside the room.
When Wei Rou Xiang arrived with her youngest son; Fan Xian Liang in tow, they saw two young maids standing on either side of the door looking anxiously at each other.
"Ehem..."
Hearing a cough, the two maids quickly turned and saw the figures of Wei Rou Xiang and Fan Xian Liang standing a couple of feet before them.
"Madam!"
"Young Master!"
Looking at their flustered faces, Wei Rou Xiang was about to open her mouth and ask why they were guarding the door when they heard loud yet muffled voices echo from inside the room.
Feeling that the voices seemed familiar, Fan Xian Liang turned to his mother and slowly said, "Mother, I think those voices belongs to Eldest Brother and Second Brother..."
Seeming to understand what's happening, Wei Rou Xiang sighed and nodded in confirmation.
Gesturing at her son, the two of them went closer and with Fan Xian Liang pushing the door open, the sight they saw baffled them to the point of being speechless.
There inside the room stood two young men standing on either side of a young woman while their hands were clasped on each of her arms, constantly tugging her back and forth between them.
Looking at them, it was quite a pleasing sight, with two handsome young men, one looking aloof and cold while the other looking elegant yet frivolous that were seemingly fighting over a peerlessly beautiful young lady.
Normally, Wei Rou Xiang would have enjoyed seeing this and watching the show unfold but sadly, the two young men involved were both her sons and judging by the young lady's exasperated expression on her face, this has been going on for quite a while already.
Snapping back to her senses, Wei Rou Xiang's gaze sharpened.
"Li Jie! Yong Rui! What under heaven's name are you two doing?!"
Hearing their mother's usually calm and gentle voice snap at them, the two both hastily let go of Fan Zhu Xia's arms and turned to their mother.
Seeing her fearsome gaze, the two who had just opened their mouths to explain simultaneously closed them together and remained silent.
Seeing their actions, Fan Zhu Xia who was the object of the tug of war looked at them with wonder before her eyes curiously landed on the woman who made her bickering cousins as meek as sheep.
Meeting Fan Zhu Xia's inquisitive gaze, Wei Rou Xiang smiled at her gently before turning to her youngest son and saying, "Xian'er go and help your cousin sit down while I go talk to your brothers outside."
Shooting a glance at his brothers, Fan Xian Liang then gave a nod before striding forward and giving the young lady a smile.
"Hello Cousin. I'm glad to finally meet you."
Seeing the young man act friendly, Fan Zhu Xia returned his smile as she replied.
"Likewise. Father has told me much about you."
Hearing her words, Fan Zhu Xia felt both Li Jie's and Yong Rui's gazes land on her but before they could say anything, their mother drew their attention and gestured for them to follow her outside.
Sighing simultaneously, the two then shot pitiful looks at her, even Li Jie before they followed her out.
With her curiosity definitely piqued, she then turned to Fan Xian Liang who was left with her and shot him a questioning look to which he then chuckled in reply.
"No need to worry Cousin... Mother would just talk to them for a bit and then they'll be back in no time."
"Just talk? Really?" Fan Zhu Xia asked with a subtle yet obviously amused grin on her lips.
Laughing, Fan Xian Liang shook his head before replying.
"Fine, fine... Mother will most likely be scolding them for fighting and putting you in the middle like that but that's it, nothing serious."
"If you say so..."
After that, the two of them fell into a comfortable silence which ended up with Fan Zhu Xia looking at him with a weird expression, making Fan Xian Liang uncomfortable.
"Do I have something on my face?"
"No, not really..."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
Instead of answering, Fan Zhu Xia remained silent before she opened her mouth and asked a question back instead.
"Have we met before?"
Startled at the question, it took Fan Xian Liang a minute before understanding dawned on him.
"In a way?" he answered with a laugh making Fan Zhu Xia frown in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"Well Cousin, I first saw you when you were on your way here to the capital, just a short distance away when you set up camp with Uncle to rest. You were dressed in red at that time and happily drinking away at the time."
"Oh, so you were one of the people peeping at us..." Fan Zhu Xia slowly said with a knowing look on her face.
As her words sank in, Fan Xian Liang panicked and missed the teasing glint in Fan Zhu Xia's pale blue eyes as he hurriedly defended himself.
"Peeping?! We weren't peeping! If anyone was peeping it would definitely be Meng Yao and not me!"
"Meng Yao?"
Realizing what he said, an awkward look appeared on his face as he replied in a small voice.
"Uhh, yes... my friend, Jin Meng Yao. He was the one who initially noticed you and wanted to approach you but I stopped him."
"Ahh, is that so?"
"En."
Seeing the nervous look on his face, Fan Zhu Xia couldn't help herself any longer and she burst into a fit of giggles.
Realizing that his cousin was teasing him, Fan Xian Liang mock-glared at her before he shook his head in resignedly as a few helpless chuckles escaped him.
When, Wei Rou Xiang came back, this is what she saw, with the two cousins laughing and teasing each other harmoniously.
Glancing up, Fan Xian Liang noticed his mother return alone so he couldn't help but ask, "Where's Eldest Brother and Second Brother?"
"Uncle Guo dropped by to tell them that your father and uncle was looking for them and needed them for something."
"I understand Mother."
With a nod, Wei Rou Xiang then turned to Fan Zhu Xia with a soft, motherly smile on her face.
"So you must be Xia'er! I've heard so much about you..."