The light from the lanterns was dim.
Nan Baoyi covered her cheeks, her small face hidden in the dim light and she could not see his expression clearly.
Zhang Yuanwang said fiercely, "We are talking here, how is it any of your business?! No manners, if your family is reluctant to teach you, let me as a brother-in-law to teach you a lesson!"
He turned to Nan Baorong and immediately his expression became gentle, "Baorong, it is not suitable to talk here, why don't we head to the pavilion to talk?"
Nan Baorong's face became even paler.
She stared at Zhang Yuanwang. After a long time, she sneered.
She was engaged to this man two years ago.
She thought that he was modest and gentle. Thought that he was noble and talented. But she did not expect that not only did he had sex with his maid in the forest, not only did he get his maid pregnant, he even dared to slap her sister!
Everyone in her family saw Jiaojiao as an apple of the eye. Who was Zhang Yuanwang to dare and teach her sister a lesson?!
She looked at him coldly, "Young Master Zhang is wrong. Jiaojiao will have a brother-in-law, but it won't be you. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding between you and me before but from tonight onwards, you and I will move on with our lives without any relations with each other!"
Zhang Yuanwang was stunned.
Seeing that she was about to leave, his face tore into anger and said without hesitation, "Nan Baorong, your family is merely a merchant family, I am from an official family! You being able to marry into my family is a social upgrade, merits from your ancestors! As long as you are willing to help cover up the incident from tonight, you can still be Zhang's family Young Madam! This is something great that countless girls in Shu County cannot get!"
Nan Baorong smiled contemptuously.
She held Nan Baoyi and looked back coldly under the peach blossom tree and said every word clearly, "I'm sorry. The person I am today, not only despise your family but I also despise you as a man! A person like you deserves to have a bad reputation!"
Zhang Yuanwang watched her walk away.
The thought of the marriage proposal being rejected would be spread among the dignitaries tomorrow, the thought of him having sex with his maid in the forest would also become a laughing stock, he could not help but feel upset and ashamed.
He kicked the peach blossom tree fiercely but his toes hurt and he quickly hugged his legs while screaming around.
...
Back in the room, Nan Baorong ordered the maid to bring in a medicinal case.
She wanted to personally apply the medicine for her sister.
Nan Baoyi looked left and right of her face with the mirror and rejected, "It's just some red fingerprints, it's okay. But sister, do you really not like Zhang Yuanwang anymore?"
Big Sister loved Zhang Yuanwang deeply in her previous life. Even after she was dismissed, even after he married someone else, she still couldn't forget about this man.
Was it because in this life, Big Sister and Zhang Yuanwang did not have much contact?
Nan Baorong touched her face lightly and said gently, "What I like was only a future husband that I have imagined for myself, what does that have to do with him? Tonight if it weren't for you revealing his true colors, I would still be in the dark. If I marry into that kind of family, my life would really be destroyed…"
Seeing how rational she was, Nan Baoyi relaxed.
She held Nan Baorong's hand, "Sister, the wisest choice for a meaningless relationship like this is to get out in time. You are so unaffected, you are really our female role model!"
"What role model!" Nan Baorong was amused by her serious look and squeezed the tip of her nose affectionately, "Actually Jiaojiao, since you fell down from the rockery you looked like you have changed into a whole new person, bringing so much joy and honor to the family. Sister should learn from you!"
The two sisters talked for a while. Nan Baoyi was afraid of disturbing her rest and retreated soon after.
She went back to her room and sat in front of the dressing table, "He Ye, what time is it?"
He Ye helped her remove her pearl hairpin, "Another 45 minutes to 11 pm."
Nan Baoyi looked out at the window.
She wasn't sure that her Second Brother had already slept or not at this time…
She had not given him his present.
She pondered for a moment and whispered, "Go get the green robes that Lady Boss Han gave to me."
...
It was close to 11 pm.
The mountain villa that Xiao Yi was staying had majestic terrains.
The ground was covered with a floorboard that could reflect, three sides of the wall presented an openwork circular door and high ceiling cotton curtains with a few horizontal peach blossom branches arbitrarily penetrated the room. Under the clear moonlight, the shadow of the flowers appeared, making the entire surrounding peaceful and serene.
The moon suspended by the window, a single lantern lit still.
Xiao Yi sat cross-legged in his pajamas and flipped through a book.
The surroundings had many faint sounds of bugs and crickets.
In the midst of a quiet spring night, suddenly a tender child-like voice was singing:
"The spring breeze in the skies, the peach blossom petals were light as a plume, flying around like snow and landing like snow pellets…"
Xiao Yi raised his head.
Outside the beautiful window, the little girl stood under the peach blossom tree, her face painted and dressed in green robes like a boy. Holding a folding fan in one hand and her slender little fingers curled up gracefully, her phoenix-like eyes were bright as the stars.
She unfolded the fan and sang sadly:
"The blood-spattered spots on the fan with peach blossom paintings were fresher than the ones on the branches. This was all because of the boy. Bringing up the exhibition to the makeup floor, just like facing the remnants, making a life and death pact for the peach blossoms…"
Xiao Yi closed his book, looking deep in thought.
Nan Jiaojiao, what are you playing at?
After the show was finished, the sounds lingered around endlessly
Nan Baoyi strolled over, kneeling beside him and said sincerely, "Second Brother, you like flowers, right? I just sang a play from "Peach Blossom Fan", the peach blossoms described in the lyrics are beautiful and touching."
She folded the fan and smiled while saluting him, "Second Brother, I wish you a bright future with powerful authority!"
Xiao Yi just realized.
It turned out that this play was the little girl's gift.
It turned out that she was learning for him.
His heart seemed to be hit by something with a "bang", just like maltose shattered under the warm sun, spreading its strands of sweetness.
He smiled lightly.
However, his brows were still as cold as a mountain and faintly reprimanded, "You are a lady in a wealthy family, how could you learn such a thing like a singer? Such ill-behavior."
Nan Baoyi felt dejected.
Although it only sounded like a few lyrics, she had learned it for a whole of two hours!
And it was only because he insisted on her giving him a stupid present!
Right now, he actually scolded her for misbehaving!
The powerful minister was too hard to please!
She felt wronged and twisted her face unhappily.
Xiao Yi looked at her little face all covered in paint and makeup, looking very aggrieved so he ordered Yu Wei to fetch a basin of warm water.
He wrung the handkerchief himself and wanted to wipe her face.
Nan Baoyi remembered the slap print and said hurriedly, "I'll go back to my own room and wash up, don't mess up my makeup!"
But it was too late.
Xiao Yi wiped a few times and saw the red marks on her cheeks.
His cold eyes narrowed suddenly.
He asked in a low voice, "Who did this?"
Nan Baoyi was embarrassed, hugged her fan, and did not say anything.
"Nan Baoyi!" The young man's tone was harsher.
"It was Zhang Yuanwang…" Nan Baoyi hung her head low like a child who just did something wrong, "I revealed his true colors and he was angry so he slapped me… Sister saw him doing it and immediately break off any relations with him. So I think this slap was considered worth it."
Xiao Yi's eyes were filled with rage.
The Nan Jiaojiao last time was so spoiled and stubborn and did things her way all the time. Anyone who was not pleasing to her would suffer the consequences.
Although she was stupid, at least she would not go through any grief.
The Nan Jiaojiao today was careful and always thinking for other people. But why couldn't she think for herself?
This version of Nan Jiaojiao made Xiao Yi mad.