Chapter Eighteen: She Was The One He Was Destined To Meet
There comes a wind from the south, and the flying catkins enter my bosom.
A flower in the bosom, originally for the gentleman to open.
The zither and se are hard to be together, years hurry people to come.
Who threw melons at me will be rewarded with a jade pendant.
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Hearing this fresh and clever remark, a hint of a smile flashed across the worried eyes of the young lady.
Fan Xian smiled and looked at her, saying softly: "Do you still want to hide inside?"
The girl's family slightly blushed and shook her head.
At this moment, a voice calling out for someone came from outside: "Miss, where have you run off to again?" The woman in white's expression turned gloomy, knowing she had to leave.
Fan Xian also knew that she must be looking for her, and seeing her expression, a sense of loss rose in his heart, as if afraid that after parting today, he would never find this girl again. He hastily asked: "Will you come tomorrow?"
She shook her head, her expression somewhat dim.
"Are you a family member of that noble in the main hall?" Fan Xian asked tentatively.
The woman thought for a moment, smiled, and didn't answer him. Instead, she slipped out from the incense table and ran out like a gust of wind. Before exiting the temple gate, she turned her head to glance at Fan Xian, then looked at the chicken leg in her hand, playfully stuck out her tongue, thinking that if her uncle saw this, he would scold her again.
She rolled her eyes, ran back, handed the chicken leg to Fan Xian, smiled and waved goodbye, then ran out of the temple gate.
Never came back again.
……
……
Fan Xian was dazed and half-kneeling on the couch, confirming that what he saw earlier was not a spirit sent by heaven. He looked down at the chicken leg in his hand and chuckled foolishly. He made up his mind: no matter how deep he had to dig, he would find this woman in Kyoto. If she hadn't married into another family...no, even if she had already become engaged to some other family's good-for-nothing son, he would still steal her away!
As he walked out of the temple gate with a greasy chicken leg in his hand, he saw from afar that a convoy was heading eastward. He knew that the woman in white must be among them.
The setting sun cast a glow on the trees along both sides of the road, making their leaves seem as if they were on fire.
Fan Xian subconsciously picked up the chicken leg and took a bite, suddenly thinking that this chicken leg had also passed by that girl's fragrant lips, and his heart was also burning.
"Chicken leg, oh chicken leg, you can make that girl take a bite of you, you are the happiest chicken leg in the world."
He smiled and walked towards the center of Kyoto, no longer in a hurry to find his way back to Fanfu's house. Deep down, he was very grateful to that little boy who ate sugar gourd. And not far behind him, a blind man he should really thank was holding a bamboo stick, disappearing into the dusk.
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Gong Tian's mood was not as good as Fan Xian's. Today, he accompanied the old master to clear his mind, but did not expect that so many things would happen halfway through. First, a young man from an unknown family somehow managed to pass through the secret blockade of his own guards and ran into the Qing Temple. Then, a little girl actually slipped away to the side hall under everyone's eyes. It was really unclear what those old ladies were doing.
But he had nowhere to vent his anger, for the old master's face was always gloomy, seemingly very angry, it seemed that the encrypted letter contained something that made him very unhappy.
"Gong Dian." The nobleman in the carriage coldly shouted, he had never liked sitting in a sedan chair, it was a habit formed twenty years ago. "If Chen Pingping still refuses to come back, then send a team of people to capture him and bring him back."
"Yes." Gong Dian accepted the order, but in his heart he was secretly complaining, thinking that this task would be difficult for anyone to accomplish.
The horse carriage quieted down, Gong Dian secretly let out a breath and felt slightly relieved. He turned his head to see the dejected guards behind him, but suddenly became furious again. Earlier, these guards had been hiding outside the Qing Temple, but somehow they were all knocked unconscious without even seeing who did it!
That's why the young man was able to enter the heavily guarded Qing Temple so easily.
Gong Dian's eyebrows furrowed, wondering who could have such ability to simultaneously knock out eight fifth-grade guards silently. This was already at the level of a top master! If...the other party was an assassin? ...His heart felt a wave of fear, not daring to continue thinking about it, but knowing that upon returning, a secret investigation would begin.
In the last carriage of the team, unlike other carriages, there were some elegant flower decorations on the window. The white-clothed girl who had an awkward eye contact with Fan Xian in the Qing Temple was now leaning half-lying on the seat, her lips seeming to smile but not quite, as if she was still recalling something.
The maid beside her saw that the young lady was rarely so happy, and her mood also relaxed. She asked curiously: "Miss, what good thing happened to you today?"
The girl smiled slightly and said: "Every time I go out with my uncle, I'm quite happy. At least it's better than staying in that gloomy room."
Yahuan pouted and said: "But the imperial physician said that Miss's illness cannot be blown by the wind."
As soon as she heard the word "illness", the girl's expression became gloomy, thinking of the handsome young man she had met earlier, her mood improved slightly. In her heart, she thought silently that she was born with a short life, and looking at it, there weren't many days left, being able to meet that person, should this be happiness or sorrow?
She then thought of the rumor involving herself, thinking of that young master Fan, although her mother opposed it, and that unfamiliar father seemed to oppose it too, but... who could go against her uncle? Thinking of this, she felt a wave of worry in her heart, a sweetness in her chest, and quickly covered her lips with a white handkerchief.
After several coughs, there were a few specks of fresh blood on the handkerchief.
Yahuan saw it and panicked, saying with a sob: "He's thrown up again, what can we do?"
The girl smiled faintly and thought of what the young man had said, laughing softly: "What's the big deal? Spit it out, spit it out, and you'll get used to it naturally."
Yahuan exclaimed in surprise, extremely shocked, and didn't understand what it meant, thinking that the young lady had become delirious from her illness.
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At nightfall, Fan Xian returned to the Fan residence in a sorry state. He made up his mind that from now on, he would definitely tie Jingzhu to his waist whenever he went out.
At this time, the Fan family had already started dinner, and four people were waiting for him at the table. He was a bit embarrassed, but there was no expression on Si Nanbo's face, and Liu Shi also had a warm smile on her face, without any sharp tone.
He explained a few sentences in a low voice, and Fan Ruoruo couldn't help but laugh. She thought to herself that her brother was being a bit too muddle-headed - even if they couldn't find their own carriage, it would be fine to just rent one from the stables. However, Fan Xian hadn't even thought of the stables, so he could only endure the teasing from his little sister with a wry smile.
After dinner, the family of four started playing mahjong, laughing and having a great time. Fan Siyan was like an accountant, holding an abacus on the side, watching and helping everyone calculate their scores.
Liu's eyes flashed with a hint of sadness, but he suppressed his resentment towards his own son for not living up to expectations and smiled as he chatted with Fan Xian.
Today I finished three chapters, spent a whole week on it, exhausted. Going out to drink and relax, wish everyone a happy weekend.
