Chapter 66: Unexpected in the Unexpected

  "Sister-in-law, how have you been feeling lately?"

  "It's...alright"

  "I'm talking about the little one in my belly."

  Shen Huan saw that she didn't understand what he meant, so he immediately pointed to her still flat stomach. Hu Xiao Yan then smiled awkwardly: "It's still early, but I heard my mother say that after a while, I'll be able to feel him being naughty in my belly. My mother said that when she was pregnant with your older brother, he would kick her stomach mercilessly."

  As soon as the life in her belly was mentioned, Hu Xiaoyan's face glowed with maternal radiance again, and Shen Han couldn't help but curve up the corners of his lips. He walked over to her side, squatted down, looked up at Hu Xiaoyan and asked: "Can I touch it?"

  "Of course."

  Then Shen Han gently placed her hand on Hu Xiaoyan's belly...

  Time flies, and while Shen Huan is slowly getting familiar with her powers, Zhao Xiuzhi has already started his studies. As for him, Shen Huan still has some confidence in him. On this day, she accompanied Hu Xiaoyan walking on the street, without any intention of buying anything, just strolling around, but saw a scene of a pickpocket committing a crime.

  Just then, Shen Huan pointed at the little thief who was about to turn around and leave with a money bag: "Halt!"

  The people around her shifted their gaze to the little thief, looking at the purse in his hand and the little girl's stunned expression as she turned back. Everyone understood what was going on. Shen Han couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, thinking that this time the little thief wouldn't be able to escape.

  But what happened next was something she didn't expect. Not only did the heroic figure she imagined not appear to chase after the thief, but everyone seemed to have rehearsed it beforehand and retreated to both sides, clearing a very spacious path. The thief grinned, stretched out his hand and waved it over the little girl's head, who let out a shrill cry and crouched down, her hair already somewhat disheveled. Only then did the thief grab the chopsticks and take off running.

  "Halt! Did you hear me?"

  As soon as she saw the person about to run away, Shen Huan's anger was triggered. What kind of attitude is this? In ancient or modern times, it's all the same! Not only did he not help, but he also let the thief escape by giving up his spot. She lifted her skirt and prepared to chase after him, but her arm was caught. She turned around to see Hu Xiao Yan looking at her worriedly and shaking her head, signaling her not to give chase.

  "Sister-in-law, wait for me here."

  She pushed the hand that was holding her arm and chased after him. At that time, she didn't think too much about it. The little thief said something, but he's also a man. What could she do even if she caught up with him? Moreover, this little thief didn't show any sign of guilt at all, otherwise he wouldn't have snatched the hairpin from the little girl's head in front of everyone.

  Shen Huan chased after the thief's shadow, and soon disappeared into the crowded street. Hu Xiaoyan looked around and chose to stand behind a stall, while the little girl who had her hairpin stolen by the thief also stood silently beside her. The two exchanged an awkward smile, and remained speechless for a long time.

  "Master, I'll go take a look."

  This time, it was not Qian Shui who came out with Mu Siyao, but rather that person who looked like a passerby, yet always maintained a cold expression - Qian Fan.

  Mu Ziyao nodded, sitting in the high attic, looking at Hu Xiaoyan, savoring his tea, he wasn't anxious at all. However, this time he didn't intentionally follow Shen Han, but had been sitting in the teahouse early on, and hadn't expected that Shen Han would come out with her rumored-to-be-at-odds sister-in-law, let alone see her here. What's more, she actually risked her own safety to chase a thief.

  This is really... too silly. But Mu Siyao was also clear that the more she came into contact with Shen Huan, the more she felt that he was getting more and more interesting.

  Everyone else is avoiding it, but she's charging forward with all her might. Is she really so naive as to think that person is a thief and doesn't dare do anything to her, or does she think... her own safety isn't important at all?

  At this thought, Mu Siyao's lips curled up into an arc, looking perfect, but also making people feel a chill run down their spine.

  Look up at the sky, Mu Ziyao quietly watched Shen Huan disappear in the distance. He knew she was lucky to have met him here for tea and also encountered Qian Fan who volunteered to take on the task. If it were Qianshui, she would probably wait for him to speak up before going to protect her.

  About a minute later, Qianfan returned alone and said that he had not caught up with Shenhan's trail. Mu Siyao's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, spilling a drop of tea onto his collar. He frowned and put down the teacup before asking: "Was it that you lost them or did you never see them in the first place?"

  "Underlings are incompetent, haven't seen it."

  Mu Si Yao turned her head to look at Hu Xiao Yan who was still waiting behind the stall, as well as the little girl who had been robbed. She then looked in the direction Shen Han had chased after, and felt a faint sense of unease. With Qian Fan's speed, it was impossible for him to lose someone, unless... the other person wasn't an ordinary person?

  "Go back and ask Qian Shui to check if there's anything unusual around here recently, then you can follow the mark I left to find your way over."

  Yes

  Mu Siyao was just about to turn around and go downstairs when he heard Qianfan's slightly excited voice: "Young Master, she's back."

  Mu Siyao shifted her gaze downstairs and saw Shen Hanyi walking in front with a spirited air, while behind him was the little thief... or rather, the little thief with a bruised nose and swollen face.

  Not to mention Qianfan's astonishment, even Mushang Yao couldn't help but feel surprised. Qianfan had just gone to track them down and hadn't seen them at all, yet they were clearly coming back from that direction. Shen Huanren was not only unharmed, but the one who was actually in trouble was the little thief... what other place was it that he hadn't noticed being touched?

  "Miss, here are your purse and brooch, take a look if anything is missing?"

  "Thank you."

  "Huh? Aren't you the girl who... fell into the water last time?"

  "Sister has a great memory, it's me."

  "You also said your name was... hmm... Luli?"

  Luli nodded and skillfully inserted the hairpin into her hair, while Shen Huan had already stood beside Hu Xiaoyan. She didn't dare to slack off in front of this elder sister-in-law, although their relationship had improved, it didn't mean she could tolerate such disregard. Moreover, with her temperament, if she knew that Luli was the daughter of Peng Yuanwai from Shangfu Street, the possibility of her getting angry would be even greater.

  "Hmm, thanks again for your help last time, and now... it seems that Ruri is going to owe you a favor again."

  "Don't say that, it's just a small favor."

  Shen Han politely spoke to Liu Li, but in fact, catching this thief had taken her some time. She chased him into a small alley, where he suddenly stopped and turned around with a sly smile on his face. Shen Han wasn't unclear about the meaning behind his actions, but since she dared to chase him down, she was confident that she could subdue him.

  What I learned in modern weekend classes at the gym, such as self-defense and judo, are not just for show.

  "Is it really just a trivial effort? Miss Shen, you're being too modest! Being able to subdue the thief and make him see stars is not that simple."

  As soon as she heard this voice, Shen Han's body couldn't help but tremble, it wasn't a trembling of fear, but one of anger.

  She turned to face Mu Siyao, unexpectedly catching sight of Qianfan, who was smiling at her and nodding his head in greeting. She pursed her lips and shifted her gaze away from him, but before she could speak, she was interrupted by Mu Siyao's words.

  "It's me, Mingming, who is talking to you. Why would Shen Niang put her gaze on Qianfan? Isn't it... that she thinks Qianfan is more pleasing to the eye than me?"

  Upon hearing this, Shen Huan felt a wave of dizziness, as if she had been struck by thunder. She stared at Mu Siyao in silence, then glanced at Qianfan, who looked quite ordinary. Was he kidding? Did he really think Qianfan was more attractive than himself? Had the man gone crazy?

  Uh... Qianfan, sorry, although you look very ordinary, it's not hard to see that you're a good person. At least when your master teases you like this, you still keep smiling? (Daughter, don't you understand, Qianfan might actually be a hidden villain?)

  "What if I say yes?"

  Mu Siyao's face didn't change, but the hand behind his back couldn't help but pinch slightly. This scene happened to fall into Qianfan's eyes, who was standing behind him with a constant smile. Qianfan felt a lot of pressure and looked at Shen Huan with some helplessness, lamenting in his heart: Miss Shen, Young Master's emotions have already been manipulated by you, please spare me.

  "That's it, my family Qianfan was originally very good, someone likes me of course I'm happy."

  "Mu Si Yao, watch your words, I'm already a married woman, please be more discreet and don't spread any bad rumors about me in my maiden home."

  Shen Han was really angry. This man usually looked very deep and mysterious, but now he seemed so childish. Was it worth competing with his subordinates for attention?

  And yet... how did he end up here, provoking her with his words? Wasn't he actually among the crowd all along? Or... when she was teaching that thief a lesson earlier, had he seen everything? Otherwise, why would he say such things?

  Despicable and shameless, debased and ignoble.

  "Little sister...... who is this......"

  "Sister-in-law, don't mind him, he's a boring person."

  The appearance of Mu Siyao caused the crowd that had gathered to watch Shen Huan lead a man with a bruised face through the streets to quickly swell, many women gazing at him with admiration in their eyes. A very small number of them were able to remain calm and expressionless, but they were all looking at Shen Huan, wondering how she would react, heaven knows she didn't want to have anything more to do with this man.

  "Sister, I'd like to invite you to my home for dinner. Last time, things happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to thank you properly. When my dad came back that day, Brother Zi'an had already left. My dad told me that if I ever see you again, I must invite you back home to show our gratitude."

  Shen Huan felt a bit depressed, one Mu Siyao was enough to trouble her, and now there's this Liu Li miss, but... Shen Huan thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "Thanks Liu Li sister, but today I have something on, I'm out with my sister-in-law buying things, otherwise we can make an appointment and hang out another time."

  "It's all right, your dad and I aren't familiar with each other anyway, even if we went, I don't know what to say. I'm not too fond of social gatherings, what do you think?"

  "But if my dad finds out..."

  "If you don't tell him, he won't know"

  Shen Han blinked her eyes, and Liu Li was stunned for a moment before also bursting into laughter. Shen Han was indeed different from the other girls she had met before - she felt that Shen Han was very genuine and not pretentious.

  "Why don't we go sit on the other side then?"

  Luli pointed to the teahouse across from them, Shen Huan didn't think much of it, but Hu Xiaoyan's eyes widened in surprise: "That's 'Wenxiang Pavilion'."

  I was about to ask what's so special about this 'Wenxiang Pavilion', it doesn't look that impressive, how did it make her so surprised. Thinking again, this is my own home after all, if I'm too ignorant it won't be good, so I forcibly endured and didn't ask. Luckily Luli timely resolved the situation: "Hm, I quite like coming here to drink tea, you two sisters try some as well?"

  As soon as Hu Xiaoyan heard Luli's words, she knew that she was definitely a rich young lady. She suddenly felt a little emotional and looked at the man in front of her who was wearing simple clothes but everything on him was high-end goods. Now every time Luli spoke, she had an air of a rich girl about her, Hu Xiaoyan couldn't help but feel some doubt - when did Shen Han get to know these wealthy people?

  "Let's go, but I have to take him to the yamen first, are you coming with me?"

  Shen Han turned her head to look at Liu Li and Hu Xiao Yan. In fact, she had asked this question in vain. Since Liu Li was going to be the host and invite them out, it was impossible for her to go to the teahouse first. And Hu Xiao Yan would not leave Shen Han behind and go to the teahouse alone to wait for others to treat her. So she waited very satisfactorily for their nods.

  Shen Huan asked this question only because she didn't know where the government office was, and even if they couldn't take her there directly, she could follow their footsteps while talking to prevent herself from being exposed as an imposter.

  "Let's go together and chat on the way."

  Hu Xiaoyan responded first, while Liu Li just smiled and nodded. The three were about to leave when they heard Mu Siyao's voice again, his tone still devoid of emotion.

  "Shen Han, I said you've been deliberately ignoring me for long enough, haven't you?"

  "Who deliberately ignored you? Didn't they see we were discussing something?"

  Shen Huan turned around and directly gave him a sharp glance, saying that for some reason, in front of him she could freely express her happiness and unhappiness, as if knowing he wouldn't get angry about it. Even though earlier he was really secretly watching him teach the thief a lesson, she wasn't actually angry about it, but rather... slightly happy, at least this counted as him protecting her, right?

  "Hehe, let's go, Qianfan."

  Mo Si Yao just smiled and immediately called Qian Fan, turning to leave, while thinking: Shen Huan, you misunderstood me this time. I was drinking tea upstairs early on, it was you who entered my line of sight and distracted me, and it wasn't me who made Qian Fan chase after you, but rather he didn't catch up to you, that was an accident.

  And you... unexpectedly sparked my interest, which is an unexpected surprise within an unexpected surprise

  Mu Siyao's departure left Shen Huan bewildered, but she wasn't one to dwell on things. Seeing that he wanted to leave, she couldn't wait to get rid of this trouble. A single crystal ball was enough to make her worry about going home late, let alone adding this stormy character - did she still want to live a peaceful life?

  Not keeping a distance from Luli, purely out of personal preference, after Shen Zian sent her back, she sensed a hint of unusual ambiguity, although she didn't ask if there was something between them, but Shen Han's intuition told her that her little brother's marriage might not be far off.

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