Chapter 87.2

After handling Commander Xie’s affairs, Ruan Mingfu and Xie Yanzhao both sighed in relief.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to see me?”

When Lin Xiao saw the door open, he noticed Xie Yanzhao backing away.

“No,” Xie Yanzhao replied.

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but glance behind Lin Xiao. Upon confirming that the two familiar burdens were not there, he finally relaxed.

Lin Xiao shot him a glance but chose not to call him out.

“Anyway, I’m here today for something important.”

A hint of bitterness crossed Xie Yanzhao’s face. “Uncle, let’s go inside and talk.”

Lin Xiao stepped into what was commonly known as the flower hall.

Even though this wasn’t their first meeting, he couldn’t help but feel astonished.

The rich man really dotes on his sister.

Just look at the ornate carvings around them and the antiques on the treasure shelf nearby. He had previously doubted their authenticity, thinking they were replicas. But after glancing at the inscriptions on the bottom of the vases, he was momentarily stunned.

Damn, Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain!

At that moment, Lin Xiao’s footsteps grew noticeably softer.

According to Guan Jiu, these items were transported from Hong Kong, and part of them had been donated while the remainder was placed in the two siheyuan owned by Ruan Mingfu.

Lin Xiao was left speechless.

At that moment, his desire for a wealthy older brother like Qi Yangyan peaked.

“Where is Mingfu?”

“She is very tired from all the work today, so she is resting in the room.”

Lin Xiao nodded and then got to the main topic.

“Do you remember the exchange meeting that Baron Andre mentioned?”

Hearing the name Andre, Xie Yanzhao’s expression darkened again.

He had heard about it; that scoundrel had even come this morning just to convince Ruan Mingfu to be his translator.

Thinking about this made Xie Yanzhao grit his teeth in anger.

Lin Xiao noticed his reaction and felt that today’s plan might succeed at least halfway.

“I’m here to discuss that exchange meeting,” he said, glancing at Xie Yanzhao’s sour expression, trying to suppress a smile, “As you know, our Foreign Ministry has sent out a lot of people, and we’re really short on manpower. I thought you could help out.”

“I’m not going,” Xie Yanzhao replied without hesitation.

Lin Xiao didn’t rush, “Have you thought about it again?”

“We’re leaving in a couple of days, there’s no time.”

“Oh,” Lin Xiao said, remaining calm as he stood up, “In that case, I’ll ask Mingfu if she’s interested…”

Sure enough, as soon as he moved closer to Xie Yanzhao, Xie Yanzhao grabbed him.

He forced the words out through clenched teeth, “Uncle, you’re doing this on purpose.”

Although Ruan Mingfu was delicate, she was kind-hearted. As an elder, Lin Xiao’s suggestion would make it hard for her to refuse.

Xie Yanzhao: “…”

No wonder Old Gu always scolded Lin Xiao for being sly. He finally understood it today.

Lin Xiao smiled triumphantly and patted Xie Yanzhao’s shoulder.

“Well then, it’s settled. I’ll send someone to pick you up at eight tomorrow morning.”

Xie Yanzhao’s face remained dark, and he didn’t say anything.

Lin Xiao knew he had struck a nerve. Understanding Xie Yanzhao’s relationship with Andre, he was certain that with this guy around, he couldn’t let Ruan Mingfu go alone.

Damn it, he felt cornered.

The next morning, the cold wind howled.

Ruan Mingfu couldn’t help but lean into Xie Yanzhao, finally feeling warmth and relaxation. 

However, it also made her wide awake.

“Xie Yanzhao, it’s so cold today.”

Through the window, she could see the scene outside.

The wind had blown the branches of the cypress trees in front of the window all out of shape, and the other plants were no exception. A thick layer of white covered the ground, making Ruan Mingfu, nestled in her blankets, shiver.

“Why don’t you sleep a little longer?”

Xie Yanzhao placed his hand on her waist, resting his head against her neck.

“I can’t sleep anymore once I’m awake,” she said, her big eyes avoiding his closeness. “Look outside, it’s definitely freezing.”

Feeling her rejection, Xie Yanzhao simply picked her up completely and used her as a cushion.

Startled, Ruan Mingfu felt her vision blur as they switched positions.

She raised her hand and playfully smacked his chest.

“All the heat is gone, it’s all your fault!”

In this weather, getting out of bed really took courage. Ruan Mingfu extended her hand and soon felt it turning icy.

Xie Yanzhao quickly grabbed her hand and tucked it back under the covers.

“If you catch a cold, it’ll be your loss.”

“But you’re here to warm me up~”

Ruan Mingfu cozily leaned against Xie Yanzhao, her cold hands warming up quickly.

“We’re going back in two days, and there are still so many things I want to buy.”

She mentally counted… Oh no!

It felt more like a shopping trip than a work assignment.

Xie Yanzhao’s eyes showed a hint of regret. “I’m afraid I can’t go with you…”

He explained the situation regarding Lin Xiao, and Ruan Mingfu nodded in understanding.

She had come back and gone straight to sleep yesterday, not knowing anything that had happened.

The two lingered for a while longer until they almost lost control of the situation, prompting Ruan Mingfu to quickly climb out of bed.

As expected, the weather today was bone-chilling.

The cold wind hit her like ice.

From the main courtyard to the flower hall, Ruan Mingfu couldn’t help but yawn several times.

“Oh, you’ve caught a cold. Come drink the soup I just made. It’s still hot.”

Perhaps due to the burning charcoal, the place felt warm. Ruan Mingfu sat at the table, watching Aunt Zhang serve the soup.

It was a simple silver fungus meat pie soup.

The soup was clear and bright, not murky at all. There was little oil on the surface, and besides the silver fungus, it even had some lily added.

“Aunt Zhang, I brought you here to enjoy your retirement.”

This soup must have taken considerable effort to prepare. Looking at the breakfast Aunt Zhang had served, which included porridge and fried noodles, Ruan Mingfu couldn’t believe how early Aunt Zhang must have woken up to prepare such a meal.

“Mingfu is right,” Xie Yanzhao agreed, “Just relax and enjoy your time here, you don’t need to worry about anything.”

“This won’t do. I need to keep moving to stay healthy,” Aunt Zhang said, her eyes filled with warmth as she looked at Xie Yanzhao. “Once you have kids, I’ll come help out too.”

“Cough!”

A loud coughing fit broke out, and Xie Yanzhao quickly put down his chopsticks and rushed over to pat her back.

“Are you alright?”

Ruan Mingfu took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort in her throat.

She waved her hand, “I’m fine.”

Goodness, there really is no shortage of people trying to urge her to have children.

Ruan Mingfu was so choked up she almost teared up, and after everything that had happened, her small face looked pale. She sat in the chair like a flower battered by the rain.

“Are you really okay?”

Xie Yanzhao’s expression remained tense, and even the others nearby seemed worried.

“Maybe we should… go to the hospital,” one suggested.

“I’m fine now,” Ruan Mingfu said, taking a deep breath. “You don’t need to worry.”

A visible sigh of relief escaped from Aunt Zhang.

“Great! That’s wonderful!”

“Be careful,” Aunt Zhang warned.

Ruan Mingfu thought to herself, Damn, I’ve really made a fool of myself.

But to be fair, the soup Aunt Zhang made was indeed delicious. After drinking it, she felt warm all over.

While they were eating, Xie Yan and Xie Ming entered through the door.

As they came in, they couldn’t help but sneeze. Xie Yan sniffled and walked over.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but the temperature dropped suddenly,” she said, pulling her clothes tighter around herself and pouting. “I was even woken up by the cold in the middle of the night.”

Ruan Mingfu realized she had completely forgotten about them.

“Are you both okay? I’ll add another blanket for you tonight.”

Xie Yan replied casually, “No need, sister-in-law, Guan Jiu sent one over for me. You don’t have to worry about us.”

“Right,” Xie Ming chimed in, nodding in agreement.

Ruan Mingfu felt relieved. “That’s good to hear.”

Guan Jiu did a great job. She would ask her brother to give him a raise later!

After all, they were the children of Xie Yanzhao’s uncles, and if anything happened to them in her care, she wouldn’t know how to make it right.

After finishing their meal, the car called by Lin Xiao was conveniently parked at the gate.

“It’s cold today, just stay home. No need to rush out to buy things,” Xie Yanzhao said, looking at her. “We can talk about it when I get back.”

“Got it, just go already,” Ruan Mingfu replied, feeling a little annoyed.

Didn’t Xie Yan’s teasing gaze almost pierce through her?

That intense stare was almost unbearable, even for someone as thick-skinned as Ruan Mingfu.

Xie Yanzhao swallowed hard. “Then I’ll take my leave.”

Ruan Mingfu waved him off.

She felt a bit exasperated; that guy was becoming increasingly clingy.

After seeing him off, Ruan Mingfu turned around to meet Xie Yan’s bright, sparkling eyes.

Ruan Mingfu thought to herself, Here we go again…

That look meant one thing: gossip.

She immediately turned and ran, but Xie Yan chased after her.

“Sister-in-law, how did you meet my big brother…”

Ruan Mingfu had expected the gloomy weather to continue, but to her surprise, it cleared up the next day. She took off her thick winter coat and changed into a lighter jacket.

The exchange meeting would last for several days, and that clingy guy was whisked away by a car early in the morning.

Ruan Mingfu found herself with some rare free time. She pulled out a long list, ready to go on a shopping spree, but unexpectedly, Guan Jiu drove over and delivered her things.

“Comrade Ruan, these are the items I prepared for you.”

As a competent butler, Guan Jiu aimed to anticipate his employer’s needs. Knowing that Ruan Mingfu would soon leave Beijing, he bought several portions of the city’s famous snacks. Luckily, he was still considered a foreign guest, making shopping much easier for him than for the average person.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to gather so many items.

Ruan Mingfu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the snacks.

Finally, she had something to send to her parents and show off to Gu Yilin!

But thinking about Gu Yilin made Ruan Mingfu frown. Knowing that she had told Bai Qingnian her address, Gu Yilin even wrote a letter to scold her.

Hmph!

Ruan Mingfu was not convinced.

If this woman hadn’t seduced the boy’s heart, he wouldn’t have come to her house!