Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 34 Master and Servant Meet
Qingdou was no longer in the courtyard. Chen Xuan's room had been cleaned and was spotless. Even the bedding had been re-folded.

This made Chen Xuan sigh in his heart. Was he really a servant of the Gao family? He had never enjoyed such a good life before. He never dared to imagine such a fairy-like life before. What's wrong with the book boy? I'll let him blow it up!

Now that my identity has been determined, I have to learn to adapt slowly.

So he pulled the rope, and soon a maid came to ask what was going on. Chen Xuan asked her to help bring him lunch. The other party asked him if he had any food taboos or favorite foods. The Gao family's dietary situation was not clear at the moment, so Chen Xuan said that it would be fine as he pleased.

Although he was a child, he was humble and polite, and people were happy to serve him.

Qingyu said he could go for a walk or even leave the house, but Chen Xuan took into consideration that the young master he had never met might come back at any time, so he decided to stay in the courtyard after dinner and wait, so as to make a good impression on him.

To put it bluntly, he still has to rely on the Gao family for food. It is no exaggeration to say that the young master is his bread and butter.

It was a sunny day, and the warm spring sunshine made people feel comfortable all over. While waiting, Chen Xuan took the time to try on the spring clothes that Qingyu sent.

Three sets of clothes, including tops, pants, shoes, socks and hats, are made of silk fabrics, two layers of material, and are light blue in color. They fit well and are very comfortable to wear.

The style is relatively simple, and the sleeves are narrow, which I think is convenient for work.

The previous set was just temporary, so Chen Xuan simply changed into a new one and put the new one in the bathroom, and someone would take it for cleaning later.

"Tsk, it looks quite like that," he muttered as he looked at himself in front of the bronze mirror.

The clarity of the bronze mirror is not much worse than that of a glass mirror, but it is a bit dark. I don’t know how it was polished. It should be worth a lot of money.

Bored, Chen Xuan wanted to go to the study in the main building, but then he thought it was not appropriate at the moment and decided to wait and see. Besides, he was still illiterate and could not understand the book.

Sitting in the middle room waiting, looking towards the door from time to time, Chen Xuan touched the peach pit on his neck, thinking about asking if he could plant it later. It shouldn't be too late in the spring, but he didn't know if it could survive.

After all, it is the only thing brought into this world, and it is ultimately a wish. If it can be grown, maybe I can still taste the flavor of my hometown in the future, but it must be allowed.

It shouldn't be a big problem. There are already plum trees in the yard. If there is another peach tree, it will symbolize the fragrance of peaches and plums.

In fact, he also thought that this was a personal property and should be planted in his own land. After all, he was living under someone else's roof. What if the peach pit died after a long time? At most, if he had the opportunity to be independent in the future, he could just move it away. He thought the Gao family would be considerate and would not make things difficult for him.

But that is a matter for the future. Whether or not one can be independent is a matter of course. Chen Xuan doesn't think he can do well without the Gao family. Let's just leave it this way for now.

Time passed and before he knew it, the sun was setting. Chen Xuan, bored from waiting, felt a little sleepy.

Suddenly, he heard a commotion in the distance, much more lively than before. He couldn't help but wonder if that young master had returned. Otherwise, given the Gao family's tradition, he shouldn't be so impetuous.

The eldest young master is coming home from living on campus, and he is very likely the heir. This is a big deal, so won't it cause a lot of excitement?

"Xuan'er, Xuan'er, are you there? Yes, you are here. The young master is back."

Just as Chen Xuan was thinking, Qingdou came hurriedly holding up her skirt to deliver the news. She looked happy, as if something happy had happened, and she seemed to be more concerned about it than Chen Xuan.

Hearing this, Chen Xuan was no longer sleepy. He thought to himself, "As expected," and stood up and said, "Sister Qingdou, go slower, don't fall."

"It's okay, it's okay. I came to tell you as soon as I heard the news," Aomame said, patting her bulging chest and taking a breath.

Chen Xuan listened to the commotion in the distance, which wasn't quite as chaotic but was close enough, and asked, "Sister Qingdou, where is the young master?"

"I went to see the madam as soon as I got home. Xuan'er, you will be able to see her soon," Qingdou said with a smile.

He nodded. For some reason, even though he was about to meet a little kid, he felt a little nervous. He couldn't help but ask, "So, Sister Aomame, do you think I need to prepare anything?"

"No need to prepare, Xuan'er, it's fine just like this. Hey, you've changed into new clothes. I'll wash the ones you took off later. And the young master is very easy to get along with. You'll know later." Qingdou seemed to see his nervousness and comforted him.

Nodding again, Chen Xuan was neither standing nor sitting, just like the other family members waiting outside the delivery room.

"Meet the Madam, Master"

Soon, the sound of servants bowing could be heard outside the courtyard. Chen Xuan looked outside and wondered, "Why are they here so soon?" Perhaps the young master was even more anxious than he was, or perhaps he wanted to see his servant right away. After all, they were destined to be together for many years, bound by fate.

There was no reason to let anyone come to see him, so Chen Xuan walked towards the door and Qingdou followed.

Upon arriving in the courtyard, Chen Xuan saw a group of people entering. Madam Gao was naturally the leader, accompanied by a little boy. There were also three older maids, including Qingyu. Qinghe was gone, and Chen Xuan had never seen the other two. He remembered them as Qingmei and Qingping, whom Qingyu and the others had mentioned. Then came two younger maids, about ten years old, wearing emerald green dresses. One had a bit of baby fat, the other was quiet and pretty, both of them were true beauties. Chen Xuan guessed they were the young master's personal maids, Xiaoye and Xiaocai.

I don’t know which one is Xiaoye and which one is Xiaocai. Anyway, one of them is carrying something like a book basket, which looks quite heavy.

"Meet the Madam, Master"

While Chen Xuan was thinking about how to start the conversation, Qingdou spoke first, and patted Chen Xuan's shoulder gently to remind him.

So Chen Xuan followed suit and said, "Greetings, Madam, Master."

"Well, Xiaoxuan, are you used to living here?" Mrs. Gao smiled and nodded gently.

Chen Xuan quickly said: "Thank you for your concern, Madam. Everything is fine."

While he was speaking, the little boy following Mrs. Gao couldn't wait to walk towards Chen Xuan, looking at him curiously, and even looking at him in circles. There was no malice in his eyes, but rather a look of increasing satisfaction the more he looked.

The little boy was estimated to be about seven or eight years old, a head taller than Chen Xuan now. He was wearing a blue and gray long gown with wide sleeves and a front opening. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, red lips and white teeth. His eyebrows were full of the youthful liveliness and high spirits. He had a good face and would definitely be a handsome man with a graceful demeanor when he grew up.

He and Mrs. Gao are 60% similar, so he must be her biological son. And with Mrs. Gao's appearance, how bad could her child's appearance be?

"I heard from Mother that your name is Chen Xuan? Are you the study companion that Mother went through so much trouble to find for me?"

The little boy circled around Chen Xuan a few times, then came in front of him and asked in a familiar tone.

He glanced at Madam Gao, and as she nodded slightly, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Master, yes."

After receiving the affirmation, the intimacy in the little boy's eyes became stronger. He stepped forward and patted Chen Xuan's shoulder, almost hugging him, and said eagerly: "You are finally here. We won't be bored in the future. Follow me, the young master, and I will guarantee that you will have delicious food and drink. We are a family, so don't be polite to me."

The look on his face was like he had met a long-lost brother, and he wanted to become sworn brothers right then and there. His words probably meant that from now on, we'll be brothers, so don't be so distant with me, Jill.

Logically speaking, given Chen Xuan's status as a servant, it's not an exaggeration to say that their future relationship will be as close as brothers. After all, they will grow up together. It's not an exaggeration to say that as long as Chen Xuan behaves himself, he will definitely be the person he trusts the most in the future, no doubt about it. Even the person next to him may not be as close as him!

This really wasn't an exaggeration. Growing up together, the person who knew him best was Chen Xuan, even more so than his parents. And no matter what he was going to do, whether it was in public or in public, Chen Xuan knew it all. Wasn't he the person he trusted the most? He was like a personal secretary to his boss.

They were right, this guy was really easy to get along with.

Chen Xuan was muttering in his heart, not knowing how to respond when he heard this. Madam Gao stepped forward with a serious expression, but her eyes were filled with doting and helplessness. She patted the boy's head and reprimanded him in a deep voice: "Ming'er, is this what your teacher taught you? Where are your manners? It's okay to be so frivolous at home, but if you act so frivolously in public, you'll be laughed at."

The little boy shrank back when he was scolded. Whether it was out of filial piety or fear of his mother, he immediately smiled and said, "Mom, I was wrong. I will pay more attention next time. Aren't you happy to see Xuan?"

"Well, this is just the first time, it won't happen again," Mrs. Gao said with satisfaction after touching her head.

Then the little boy turned to look at Chen Xuan, took a step back slightly, and bowed to him in a very formal manner, saying: "Ahem, um, I am Gao Jingming, a student who has not yet been given a courtesy name. I am honored to meet Brother Chen Xuan. From now on, we are a family, like brothers. I will trouble you from now on. If there are any shortcomings, I hope Brother Chen Xuan will bear with me and remind me."

Is it that formal? It's like confirming the subordinate relationship.

Anyway, Chen Xuan was a little bit at a loss at the moment, so he subconsciously waved his hands and said, "Master, there is no need to do this. No, no."

"That's right. After all, Brother Chen Xuan will have to worry about all the big and small things in the future. It's quite awkward to call you that. From now on, I will call you A Xuan, so that we can be closer," Gao Jingming said seriously.

Chen Xuan quickly said: "Master, please feel free to do as you please."

He knew in his heart that this was probably a matter of formality. To put it bluntly, he was just a servant. Since it was their first meeting, the other party would definitely be more formal. Perhaps he had been specifically taught to do so before coming, and perhaps there was some element of favor-giving and control mixed in.

No matter what, Chen Xuan has to accept this courtesy.

Then Chen Xuan saw Gao Jingming winking at him with his back to his mother, with a helpless look in his eyes.

Good guy, it’s obvious that he doesn’t like this, but he has to do it this way. It seems that this kind of etiquette that makes everyone uncomfortable is just for his mother to see.

Chen Xuan sighed inwardly. He was just a child after all. With this young master's personality, the days ahead would surely be very interesting...

(End of this chapter)