Misty Rain of the Old Times

Joking aside, Chen Xuan didn't forget the important matter and turned back to say, "Xiao Lan, prepare pen and ink."

"Yes, sir," Yunlan replied and quickly went to prepare.

Knowing what Chen Xuan was about to do, the little princess didn't disturb him any longer. Having already familiarized herself with the surroundings a bit, she said to Yun Xin, "Xiao Xin, get ready, I need to take a bath and change my clothes."

After being out for most of the day, the little princess always feels uncomfortable if she doesn't clean herself up if she has the chance. It's just a habit, not because she has a serious obsession with cleanliness. Besides, she's going out again soon, and she can't keep wearing her male disguise.

It's normal for girls to love beauty, but Chen Xuan couldn't help but wonder if his wife found it troublesome to bathe every morning and evening. But then again, what man doesn't like his wife to smell nice?

Soon Yunlan prepared pen and ink for Chen Xuan. After a moment's thought, he began to write. While writing, he thought to himself that his handwriting was far from Xiao Gao's level. Fortunately, he would live a long time, and he wondered if he could reach that level in a hundred or eighty years.

Everyone has their strengths, and Chen Xuan truly lacked talent in academics.

He was writing a visiting card before his upcoming visit to Zheng Wanqian. It was a matter of etiquette; unless one had a relationship like Gao Jingming's, it was considered very impolite to visit someone without any scruples in this era.

Another reason is that no one is as free as Chen Xuan. Sending a visiting card is a way of asking if the person is available beforehand. Besides, they are going there in the afternoon. Zheng Wanqian is a young woman. If they go to her door without giving her prior notice, what if she is not available?

Although Chen Xuan is usually carefree, he has learned some social skills from hanging out with Xiao Gao for so many years.

After finishing writing, Chen Xuan blew on the ink to dry it, closed the gold-inlaid visiting card, and handed it to Xia Mei, saying, "Aunt Mei, I'd like to trouble you to go to the Si Luoyang Villa outside the city to deliver this visiting card. Go as soon as possible and come back soon; dinner should be served by the time you return."

"You're too kind, sir. It's my pleasure. I'll be right back," Xia Mei said as she accepted the visiting card and left. As a guard, she occasionally also ran errands.

It has to be said that Chen Xuan's life has undergone earth-shattering changes. Even his disposable invitations are now gold-plated and quite valuable. Back then, he was so stingy with his meager monthly salary of a few taels of silver that he couldn't bear to spend it. But at that time, he lived and ate at the Gao family's house, so money was of no use to him.

He always carried a note with him, since he never knew when he might need it. Fortunately, his meticulous personal maid took care of this, so he didn't have to worry about it.

Afterwards, having nothing else to do, he simply ran to a plum tree in the yard to bask in the sun and enjoy the warm breeze. He swayed back and forth in the recliner, feeling quite comfortable, especially with Yunlan massaging his shoulders and legs. This was truly enjoying life.

Zhang Ao's yard was quite nice; the plum tree was already laden with unripe fruit, which looked so sour that it made one's teeth ache. Out of curiosity, Chen Xuan picked one from afar, took a bite, and his eyes lit up. He chewed it vigorously, and one was not enough, so he had another.

Is it that delicious?

Yunlan, who was helping him press his head, hesitated for a moment, then picked a fruit to taste as well. As a result, her pretty face turned sour after taking a bite.

Then Chen Xuan quickly spat out the sour fruit in his mouth with a contorted expression and joked, "Xiao Lan, what do you think of the taste? Is it delicious?"

"So Master was just teasing me. I thought it was really that delicious," Yunlan said, stamping her foot lightly, her mouth feeling sour, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

With a laugh, Chen Xuan said, "Seeing you hesitate for a moment, I realized I was teasing you, so why did you fall for it?"

“Even if I know that Master is teasing me, I’m happy to fall for it,” Yunlan said with a radiant smile, gently placing his head back on her chest for a light massage.

Closing his eyes, Chen Xuan felt her unreserved tenderness and smiled, "Silly girl."

Yunlan smiled without saying a word, and her movements became even gentler.

Soon after, a familiar fragrance wafted over, and the little princess's curious voice rang out, "Husband, I just heard you laughing. What's making you so happy? Did you bully Yunlan in broad daylight? Should I leave for a moment and give you some private space?"

"No, Madam. Master didn't bully me. He was just joking with me and tricking me into eating sour plums," Yunlan said with a smile, sticking out her tongue, though her mouth still felt sour.

The little princess chuckled and said, "This isn't bullying? My husband is just like a little child."

Chen Xuan opened his eyes and saw that the little princess had finished bathing and changed into an elegant dress. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, taking a deep breath against her neck and saying, "Wife, you smell so good."

Nestled in his arms, the little princess gently punched him and said, "Husband, stop fooling around, it's broad daylight!"

"No one saw it, what's there to be afraid of? Xiaolan and the others aren't outsiders," Chen Xuan said dismissively.

Seeing this, Yunlan thought to herself, "The master and mistress are so loving. I am also very lucky to be able to serve the master in this life." Then, her face turned red and she lowered her eyes to focus on massaging.

Pressing down Chen Xuan's hand, which was moving erratically inside her collar as if it were on autopathy, the little princess raised her head and asked, "By the way, husband, what gift are you going to bring when we visit Miss Zheng later? We can't go empty-handed, can we?"

Chen Xuan paused, then said speechlessly, "If my wife hadn't mentioned it, I really wouldn't have thought of that. What do you think we should bring?"

"You, who are usually so shrewd, how could you be so confused about something like this? It's good that I reminded you that what to bring depends on your husband's wishes, or rather, on how much Miss Zheng means to you," the little princess said with a laugh.

Chen Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Gifts are a very particular thing. They also need to be appropriate for different people so that they won't be misunderstood or feel bad about receiving them. We don't seem to have anything suitable right now. Besides, Zhang Yu gave away 10,000 to 20,000 taels of silver in one go. Although it came from her, it was no different from what Miss Zheng gave. So, what do you think would be appropriate for us, my lady?"

After thinking it over, he decided to pass the buck to the little princess, since his wife was definitely better at interpersonal relationships than he was.

Upon hearing this, the little princess didn't hesitate and immediately suggested, "How about we bring two bottles of beauty pills with us? We can prepare a nice gift box to store them. It's highly likely that Miss Zheng will be joining our family in the future, and I'm sure my husband would want his future little wife to be beautiful, right?"

Hearing this, Chen Xuan almost had a black line on his forehead. Is this never going to end? Why bring up this kind of topic again? He decided to just close the door and leave. If it got out, who knows what kind of rumors would spread.

Instead of engaging with the topic, Chen Xuan asked疑惑地问道, "Did we bring any beauty-enhancing pills?"

Chen Xuan had given some of this stuff to Madam Gao before, and the effect was undeniable. Madam Gao now looks more than ten years younger. It was a practice product he had made in his previous alchemy practice. Although he hadn't been making alchemy recently, he still had quite a lot of it in stock, which he kept in the storeroom at home.

“Of course we brought some. Roujia, Xiaolan, and I don’t need it, but Sister Juan and Aunt Mei take it occasionally. Hasn’t my husband noticed that Aunt Mei and Sister Juan look much younger lately?” The little princess nodded.

Chen Xuan hadn't really paid close attention to this. After all, they spent every day together, so how could a grown man like him notice such details? But thinking about it carefully, Du Juan and Xia Mei did look younger than before, all thanks to the beauty pills.

Although they are all naturally skilled and have a long blooming period, how could a girl dislike her youth, especially Du Juan, who still wants to stay by Chen Xuan's side?

So Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Then let's bring two bottles of beauty-enhancing pills when we visit. It'll be presentable enough, not too shabby, but not too expensive either." As he spoke, he shook his head and smiled, "The Zheng family is so wealthy, it's said they could rival a country. They have all sorts of good things, so they probably won't lack this kind of thing."

While the beauty-enhancing pill is good, it cannot compare to the priceless and rare treasure that is the Youth-Preserving Fruit.

The little princess said speechlessly, "My husband, you don't understand girls at all. Although the Zheng family is wealthy, how can you feel the same way if the same thing is given by different people?"

Chen Xuan had a feeling that his wife was helping him pursue girls, but he had no proof. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Wife, you should say less of this. It concerns a girl's reputation. It won't be good if word gets out." "Am I such a tactless person? If I didn't understand Miss Zheng's feelings for you, would I make such a joke?" The little princess rolled her eyes at him, as if to say, "You don't understand romance."

Time flew by as they chatted. After a while, the maids who had gone out to buy things returned. Just as they set out the wine and dishes they had brought back, Xia Mei, who had gone to deliver the visiting cards, also returned.

After everyone sat down to eat, Xia Mei replied, "Master, the visiting card has been delivered. Miss Zheng replied that she is free at the moment and awaits your arrival anytime."

Nodding to indicate that he understood, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Eat something first, then we'll head over. It's getting too late. But eat lightly, we might end up paying for a banquet over there anyway."

Upon hearing this, the little princess covered her mouth and said, "We must treat Miss Zheng with great hospitality. Father was right all along, my husband, you're just a pig, all you think about is eating."

Only a little princess would dare to speak so frankly.

Chen Xuan replied matter-of-factly, "That's right. Eating, drinking, and relieving oneself come first. What else can you think about if not food?"

"Why don't you say that food and sex are human nature? I haven't seen you bring home more girls to have more children," the young princess blurted out.

At this moment, Chen Xuan was extremely distressed. His wife was hopeless; all she did was think about finding young ladies to have sex with.

He smiled but didn't reply. He looked at Du Juan and said, "You really do look much younger. Sister Juan was already young and beautiful, but now it's like you're aging in reverse, like a young woman of eighteen or nineteen."

How did we end up talking about me? Du Juan was taken aback, subconsciously touching her cheek, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She even said somewhat shyly, "Master, you flatter me. In our family, how could I dare to claim to be beautiful?"

"Sister Juan is indeed beautiful. Of course, Madam and Sister Xiaolan are also very beautiful. I will also try my best to grow up to be beautiful in a couple of years," the little girl said sincerely, looking at one after another.

Chen Xuan put a chicken leg on her plate and said happily, "Rou Jiaye is very pretty. Eat more, and you'll grow up to be even prettier."

"Yes, yes, I won't let Master down," she said with a happy anticipation.

After a pleasant meal, the group tidied up and, carrying gifts, went to pay a visit to Zheng Wanqian's villa outside the city.

Little did she know that Zheng Wanxi was so excited after receiving Chen Xuan's invitation that she almost flew away. This was the first time Chen Xuan had ever taken the initiative to contact her.

Originally, when Zhang Yu went back and told her about her chance encounter with Chen Xuan and the others, Zheng Wanqian, who had been longing for him all along, wished she could grow wings and fly to his side. She never dreamed that Chen Xuan would actually take the initiative to find her.

Then, in her excitement, she became anxious and insecure, and nothing else seemed important, not even the martial arts tournament she was in charge of. She pushed aside all the unimportant things and quickly arranged the important ones. After that, she immediately arranged for people to clean and prepare to welcome Chen Xuan and the others, making her courtyard a chaotic mess.

After quickly making arrangements, she dragged Zhang Yu to advise her on how to dress up, wanting to appear in front of Chen Xuan in the best possible light. To this end, she rummaged through her drawers and cabinets, filling almost half of her boudoir with clothes and jewelry, but no matter how she looked at them, she felt they were not quite right.

Seeing her flustered yet expectant appearance, Zhang Yu, leaning against the door with her arms crossed, felt sorry for her and said with a wry smile, "Wanqian, are you really that worried? You're practically ecstatic to hear that Young Master Chen is coming."

"No way, sister, don't make fun of me. Quickly help me see what I should wear," Zheng Wanxi said, blushing and trying to change the subject.

Stepping forward, Zhang Yu pushed her onto the dressing table with both hands, pointing at her pretty face in the bronze mirror and saying, "Where is she? Wanqian, look at yourself! You look like a lovesick fool. Where did the usually composed and dignified Miss Zheng go? She wouldn't even blink at a deal worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, but now she's acting like a little girl for a man. Is it worth it?"

With her head slightly lowered, Zheng Wanqian said with a hint of sadness, "Sister, you don't understand what it's like to fall in love with a man. You feel that nothing else matters, and you want to do anything for him. Even the smallest act of kindness or getting close to him can make you happy for a long, long time."

Zhang Yu truly didn't understand, because she hadn't yet met a boy who stirred her heart. She gently pulled Zheng Wanqian into her arms and said helplessly, "Little sister, I really don't understand these things, but I just don't understand. What magic does that young master Chen possess that makes you so recklessly throw yourself into his arms like a moth to a flame? And you should think this through. He's a married man now, and you know there are tons of girls who like him. Even if you end up with him, you'll only be a concubine, and how much of his affection will you get? You're the eldest daughter of the Zheng family, with immense wealth; don't be too humble."

With a smile, Zheng Wanxi's gaze lingered on the past. "There's no reason why. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps it was inevitable. On my way back to the capital, facing the bandits, in my despair, he just appeared. It was as if heaven had sent him to save me. At that moment, he seemed to emerge from the blazing sun, and everything else paled in comparison. Since then, my heart has been unable to hold anyone else. Actually, I know that we are not from the same world, and I am not worthy of him at all. It was truly unrealistic of me to have such thoughts. But apart from him, no other boy has ever caught my eye. I don't regret it, really. If we are not destined to be together in this life, then so be it. Hearing news of him occasionally is enough."

Some people remain strangers no matter how much they spend together, while others become instant friends. Zheng Wanqian and Zhang Yu belong to the latter category. Since they met, they have become inseparable best friends.

Hearing Zheng Wanqian's heartfelt words, Zhang Yu, though not understanding, did not discourage her. Instead, she comforted her, saying, "Sister Wanqian, don't belittle yourself. You deserve any man in the world. That Mr. Chen is clearly blind; he can't see your good qualities at all."

"Sister, don't talk about him like that. There are so many outstanding girls around him. I'm nothing special," Zheng Wanxi said pitifully as she turned around.

Zhang Yu almost laughed out of anger, and said speechlessly, "Little sister, you're hopeless. I'm speaking up for you, and you're actually siding with him?"

"No, I'm just stating the facts. Okay, sister, it's getting late. Why don't you help me figure out what to wear?" Zheng Wanqian changed the subject, her whole body and mind lightening with joy at the thought of seeing the person she had been longing for so long.

With a helpless smile, Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "My sister has always refused to say why she is so infatuated with him, even though he remains indifferent to you. I wondered why. Turns out it's a classic 'hero saves the damsel in distress' scenario. It may be a bit cliché, but it certainly works for a naive girl like you. What's that saying again? I remember reading it in a storybook by the Hermit of the Wind: 'Don't meet someone too stunning when you're young, or you'll feel insignificant in the face of others for the rest of your life.'"

She herself is completely clueless when it comes to matters of the heart, but when she talks about others, she has a whole repertoire of stories to tell.

Zheng Wanxi said, both amused and exasperated, "Sister, you're really something! Give me some advice!"

Then Zhang Yu pursed her lips, and amidst Zheng Wanqian's astonished expression, patted her bottom and said, "Little sister, stop messing around. You're so pretty, you look good in anything, especially this bottom, so round and perky. And your legs, long and straight yet still fleshy. Listen to me, wear something tight to show off your bottom and legs. That young master Chen likes big bottoms, he'll be staring at you. You'll be lucky to have him."

After hearing this, Zheng Wanxi's astonished expression widened slightly as she asked incredulously, "Sister, how do you know what kind of person Young Master Chen likes?"

Mentioning this made Zhang Yu angry, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Of course I know, he's no good either. He spanked me the first time we met. When we met on the street before, he immediately called me a big ass. Tell me, sister, do you think this kind of pervert likes big asses?"

Blinking, Zheng Wanxi's gaze fell on Zhang Yu's pert and full buttocks, and she said matter-of-factly, "Sister, your big butt is so tempting, even I, a girl, am tempted, let alone men."

Feeling embarrassed by her gaze, Zhang Yu instinctively covered her backside and backed away, saying coyly, "Little sister, what kind of look is that? I have absolutely no romantic feelings for that Young Master Chen. If he dares to have any improper thoughts about me, I'll just give him a cold shoulder for your sake."

Seeing this, Zheng Wanqian's eyes darted around, and she suddenly leaned closer to her, saying half-jokingly, "My dear sister, what if I'm fortunate enough to be by Young Master Chen's side in the future? Why don't you just marry him with me? I'm all alone, and you wouldn't bear to see me suffer, would you? You're my dear sister, you must help me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu stepped back and glared at him, saying, "Don't even think about it! Well, I treat you like my own sister, and you actually want me to be your dowry maid!"

"Please, please, sister, I beg you," Zheng Wanxi pleaded pitifully as she stepped forward, her voice a steady, almost menacing, urging him on.

With her pretty face, it was no wonder they were best friends. Zhang Yu's heart softened and she was about to agree, thinking to herself that she might as well let Chen Xuan have his way too. He was good-looking, and she had never seen anyone more outstanding than him.

Just then, a maid rushed in from outside to remind her, "Miss, Young Master Chen and the others have arrived outside."

"Oh no, I'm not dressed up yet! What should I do? Oh well, I'll just dress up as you said, sister," Zheng Wanqian said hurriedly, then looked at Zhang Yu and winked, saying, "Sister, it's settled then, okay?"

Zhang Yu was stunned. What? It's all settled? Did I agree to anything? No, little sister, you want to see your beloved, how did you drag me into this...? (End of Chapter)