Zhao Jingyu was overwhelmed. Facing Xie Nanjia's half-smile, he felt a chill on his back.
As soon as he returned home last night, before he had time to feel the joy of going home, he was startled by Yun Shu who suddenly appeared.
He still had some impression of his childhood playmates. He also remembered that there was indeed a girl named Yunshu who lived next door to his house. She would run to play with him early in the morning every day and was reluctant to go home even after dark. She would often have dinner at his house and would not go home until her mother called her through the wall, "Ashu, Ashu, it's time to go to bed."
At that time, the adults of the two families got along very well, and indeed once jokingly mentioned that the two of them should get married, but he never agreed.
His mother asked him why he disagreed, and he said he didn't like girls who were too clingy.
He was only a few years old at that time, and his mother didn't take his words seriously. She just said that he would like it when he grew up.
He did not take his mother's words seriously, because at that time he did not care about getting married at all. It was enough for him to have food to eat and friends to play with.
After his mother passed away, Yunshu's father and Marquis Dingyuan buried her together. After the funeral, he followed Marquis Dingyuan to the capital. Yunshu's family of three saw him off, and Yunshu even cried and chased after them for a long distance.
But he was sure that no one, whether his mother or Yunshu's parents, had ever told him about their engagement. As for the two copies of the marriage contract and the jade ring that Yunshu mentioned, he had never even seen them.
Last night he asked Dingyuan Hou in front of Yunshu, and Dingyuan Hou said that he didn't know about it either, as Yunshu's parents had never mentioned anything to him back then.
Yunshu showed him the engagement contract, saying that the words on it were written by his mother, and the handprint was made by his mother herself. The half jade ring was also his mother's ornament, which was broken into two halves by Yunshu's father himself.
After so many years, he had long forgotten what his mother's handwriting looked like, let alone her fingerprints.
Besides, Yunshu's parents are no longer around, so no one can prove whether what Yunshu said is true or false.
This was not because he was looking for an excuse to shirk responsibility. The truth was that he was not even sure whether Yun Shu was real or not, because after so many years he had long forgotten what she looked like.
But Yun Shu insisted that she was his fiancée and kept calling him "Little Good Brother".
Xiaoguai was his nickname and also the only name he had before he was eight years old. His mother did not give him a full name, perhaps waiting for his father to name him one day.
At that time, all the neighbors called him Xiaoguai, and Yunshu did call him Brother Xiaoguai, but he couldn't believe that she was the real Yunshu just based on this name.
Moreover, he really doesn't like this name now. He gets goose bumps every time he hears it.
He tactfully reminded Yunshu that he should either call him by his full name or call him the Second Young Master, but Yunshu acted as if he didn't hear him and continued to call him "little good brother".
He himself found it corny, let alone Xie Nanjia. Therefore, when he heard Yun Shu calling him "little darling brother" in front of Xie Nanjia, he wanted to die.
"I told you not to call me like that again, why didn't you listen?" He frowned and warned Yun Shu solemnly, "If you call me like that again, I will have no choice but to ask you to leave the mansion."
Humph! Xie Nanjia couldn't help but roll his eyes and sneered secretly, why are you pretending? You may say this, but you may feel very happy in your heart!
Yun Shu pouted her lips, blinked her innocent eyes and said, "I've been calling you that since you were a child. How can you change it all at once? You have to let me change slowly!"
Zhao Jingyu: "...Okay, then hurry up and change it. Also, don't use the word 'people' anymore. It sounds awkward."
"Oh, I understand." Yun Shu said obediently, "Brother Xiaoguai, I'm so obedient, you won't chase me away again, right?"
Zhao Jingyu: “…”
To be honest, the girl's parents had both passed away and she had no relatives. She came all the way to the capital to seek refuge with him. He really couldn't do such a heartless thing as to drive her away.
The only thing he could do now was to hurry up and confirm Yun Shu's identity. If she was really Yun Shu, he would find a way to properly place her. If she was fake, then there would be no need to be polite.
But before that, he had to make things clear with Xie Nanjia, otherwise he would have no good life in the future.
"Xiu'er..." he called out and walked towards Xie Nanjia.
Xie Nanjia stood up suddenly and said, "Second Master and Miss Yunshu, please stay here and talk to the old lady. I will go to Sijin Courtyard to see the young master."
Having said that, without waiting for the old lady's reaction, he took Liusu's hand and got off the couch, then walked away, brushing Zhao Jingyu's shoulder.
Since he was reluctant to send Yunshu away, then she could go by herself.
Zhao Jingyu's heart skipped a beat, and before he knew it, Xie Nanjia had already walked over.
The old lady was anxious and urged him: "Why are you standing there? Go and catch up."
“Oh oh oh…” Zhao Jingyu came to his senses and hurriedly chased after him, “Xiu’er, wait for me, I’ll go with you!”
"Brother Xiaoguai, I want to go too!" Yun Shu shouted, and ran out the door after him.
The old lady hadn't even caught her breath yet, and Yun Shu's anger choked her throat, and her face turned red.
"Stop her quickly and don't let her cause trouble."
A maidservant responded and ran out, but returned empty-handed after a while.
"It's impossible to stop her. The girl just kept grabbing the second young master's sleeve and wouldn't let go."
"It's unruly and ill-mannered!" The old lady slammed the table. "It's inappropriate to flirt with a man in public!"
"Who says it's not true!" said Aunt Hua, "The Second Young Master and Miss Xiu'er were about to get married, but someone unexpectedly showed up and irritated Miss Xiu'er. The Second Young Master's life will be hard again."
"You are all so blind. You shouldn't have let Xiu'er into my yard when you knew she was here. Who let her in?" The old lady was angry at the servants in the house.
Yunque shrank his neck behind Zhao Lanshu.
Zhao Lanshu also tensed up, fearing that someone would guess it was Yun Que.
She had originally thought that the two fiancées would have a big fight, but Xiu'er didn't even respond to Yunshu's suggestion, which disappointed her greatly.
It's really a waste of time.
In fact, Xie Nanjia just didn't want her to do what she wanted, so she endured the temper. After leaving Ci'anju, Xie Nanjia immediately changed her expression when facing Zhao Jingyu and Yun Shu who caught up with her.
"If you don't want to affect my mood for babysitting, then stop following me like a dog and take your childhood sweetheart with you and go wherever you want!"
Zhao Jingyu: “…”
What a harsh curse!
You actually said I was a dog!
A dog is a dog, but she can still curse at people, which means there is still room for redemption. I should be happy.
Yun Shu refused to accept this and walked up to Xie Nanjia and shouted, "Why do you call me little brother?"
Xie Nanjia glanced at her coldly: "I am happy, and he is happy too, what is it to you?"
"He's happy? How did you see that he was happy?" Yun Shu turned to look at Zhao Jingyu, "Little Brother, are you happy to let her scold you?"
"Yes!" Zhao Jingyu nodded heavily, "I'm happy to do that."
Yun Shu: “…”
Xie Nanjia snorted coldly and walked away.
Zhao Jingyu wanted to follow, but was afraid that Yun Shu would follow him, so he had to call Wei Jun: "Wei Jun, take her away!"
Wei Jun appeared out of nowhere and scared Yun Shu.
"Are you a human or a ghost? Why are you so silent? Don't touch me. I won't go with you. Ah ah..."
Wei Jun grabbed her expressionlessly and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her away like a sack.
Zhao Jingyu finally got rid of this follower and hurriedly chased after Xie Nanjia.
He jogged all the way to the gate of Sijin Courtyard, just one step away. At Xie Nanjia's instruction, Feng Lun slammed the door shut and refused him entry.
Zhao Jingyu couldn't stop and his nose hit the door, causing tears to well up in his eyes.
"Xiu'er, listen to me..." he shouted with tears in his eyes, covering his nose.
Xie Nanjia turned a deaf ear to him and walked into the house holding his mother's hand.
Zhao Jingyu called out a few times but got no response, so he called Feng Lun again: "Feng Lun, open the door."
Feng Lun said through the door: "Xiu'er won't let me go."
Zhao Jingyu said depressedly: "Why do you listen to her? This is the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, not the Zhenguo Duke Mansion. I am your master."
"Don't you listen to her?" Feng Lun asked.
"..." Zhao Jingyu was unable to refute this question.
How dare I disobey her
Hualou Lvliu and the fourth aunt Zhao Lanzhi followed and saw Zhao Jingyu sitting dejectedly on the steps in front of the door with his knees hugged.
"Second brother, why don't you go in?" Zhao Lanzhi asked.
"Xiu'er won't let me in." Zhao Jingyu said frustratedly.
Zhao Lanzhi covered her mouth and snickered: "You deserve it!"
"..." Zhao Jingyu was furious, "You little girl, since you became a housekeeper, you have become more and more daring. How dare you talk to my second brother like this? Have you forgotten who helped you find such a good in-law family?"
"I didn't forget, it was Xiu'er." Zhao Lanzhi said crisply.
Zhao Jingyu: “…”
I can't live like this anymore, everyone is helping Xiu'er bully me!
Although he was angry, he still had to hurry up and comfort her. He had no choice but to beg Zhao Lanzhi shamelessly: "Fourth sister, come knock on the door. Xiu'er is so good to you and will definitely let you in."
Zhao Lanzhi waved her hand: "I won't shout. I'm not in a hurry anyway. I'll just wait here."
"..." Zhao Jingyu felt so choked up that his heart ached, and he went to ask Hualou again, "Miss Hualou..."
Hualou had a wooden face and refused him before he could finish: "I'm not in a hurry either."
Zhao Jingyu almost went crazy.
Hey, are these girls brought up with such courage? It’s okay that they are not afraid of the Second Young Master, but they are not even afraid of the Crown Prince
How come I, the crown prince, am such a coward
Is it because it hasn’t been officially canonized yet
This is so abominable. I will go to the palace to find the emperor right now and ask him to hold a ceremony to confer the title on me immediately. I will scare you to death!
But that won’t work. If Xiu’er doesn’t forgive me, the coronation ceremony will be useless!
Xiu'er, Xiu'er, can you please listen to me
Xie Nanjia couldn't hear his thoughts and was hugging her son with tears in her eyes.
After not seeing the child for several months, Xie Nanjia was surprised and sad to find that the child could not only take his first steps holding someone's hand, but also make sounds similar to "mother" in a baby voice.
The poor child didn’t even know who his mother was, but was the first to learn to call her mother.
Xiu'er's mother said, "I don't know what's going on. He still can't call me dad after being taught for a long time. But he learned to call me mom without anyone teaching him. This makes the prince complain every time he comes over, and he insists that we didn't teach him."
"If he doesn't teach me, what can he do?" Xie Nanjia said, "The child doesn't call him, which means he is not qualified to be a father. If he comes a few more times, there is no way the child will not learn."
"He has been coming more often recently. He said that the child is growing up and becoming more sensible, and that he should spend more time with the child. He has also made great progress. I heard that he has been promoted in the Bingmasi and has become an official of some kind." Xiu'er's mother spoke for Zhao Jingping.
Xie Nanjia felt somewhat comforted after hearing this: "He can think about the children, which shows that he has finally gained knowledge."
"It's all because of Aunt Liu's good discipline. She always urges the prince to make progress, and she almost whips him from behind." Xiu'er's mother said, "Even the old lady admires her!"
"No wonder, with his temper, he needs Green Willow to deal with him." Xie Nanjia smiled knowingly.
It was a great achievement for Lvliu to lead Zhao Jingping onto the right path. When she moves into the Eastern Palace, she will ask her mother to officially recognize Lvliu and Hualou as her daughters. In this way, Lvliu and Hualou will be the daughters of General Wu'an and the sisters of the Crown Princess. With the support of her and the General's Mansion, it will be legitimate for them to be made the principal wives.
"Mom, I haven't asked you yet, are you and Uncle Song living well here? Have you suffered any grievances?" she asked Xiu'er's mother.
"Your Uncle Song and I are getting along very well. You don't have to worry about us." Xiu'er's mother said, "Everyone knows that you are my daughter and they all take good care of me. But when I think of the suffering you have endured in the past, I always feel sorry for you."
"Why bring up the past? Mother had no choice." Xie Nanjia said, "Don't let your imagination run wild. Just take good care of the young master and spend the rest of your life lovingly with Uncle Song."
"This child is talking nonsense again." Xiu'er's mother blushed. To hide her embarrassment, she took the little boy from Xie Nanjia's arms and said, "The child will be one year old in a few days. The old lady and the marquis plan to hold a grand ceremony for him. At that time, they will formally give him a name and put him in the family tree!"
"..." Xie Nanjia was in a daze for a moment. The heart-wrenching pain in the delivery room was still vivid in her mind. The child was already one year old in the blink of an eye. Time passed so quickly!
She had been through so much this year. Looking back, it was like a dream and she didn't know how she had gotten through it.
In an instant, she suddenly wanted to see Zhao Jingyu very strongly.
Because of the ups and downs she has experienced along the way, only Zhao Jingyu can accompany her to recollect them.
Zhao Jingyu is her witness.
But she absolutely couldn't go to see him now. She had to leave him alone for a few days to prevent him from thinking she was so easy to talk to.
Men cannot be spoiled, they have to be kept in suspense.
She smiled and raised her hand to pinch her son's face: "That's great, in a few days, our little boy will have a name."
The child opened his arms and threw himself into her arms, calling her incoherently: "Mom..."
Xie Nanjia's heart ached and she really wanted to agree without hesitation.
"Good boy." She didn't dare to agree in the end, but just hugged the child tightly in her arms.
At this time, Xiao Xizi ran in in a panic and shouted to Xie Nanjia, "Sister Xiu'er, it's bad, the second young master is going to break in!"
(End of this chapter)