CHAPTER 342: CHAPTER 334: THIRD BROTHER LI HAS A GIRL HE LIKES (2)

In front of the Chen family’s residence, Mu Yuanxiu tied the mule under a tree, patted his sleeves, and walked through the courtyard gate.

The gatekeeper saw him and said, "Isn’t this Mr. Mu?" He came together with Li Xing’an yesterday.

"I’m looking for Third Brother Li, is he still here?" Mu Yuanxiu asked.

"He’s here, he’s here." The gatekeeper led Mu Yuanxiu to a corridor.

This place was breezy, with no sunlight coming through, making it very cool.

Li Xing’an was leaning back on a bamboo chair, contentedly closing his eyes to relax, waiting to go home with Li Yuzhu.

The gatekeeper approached quietly and called out, "Third Young Master Li, Mr. Mu is looking for you."

Li Xing’an turned around, happily saying, "Oh? Mu Yuanxiu, you’re back? I didn’t expect you to ride a mule so fast!"

Mu Yuanxiu glanced at him and replied with a disgruntled "Hmm."

He thought to himself, if he had come back late, would Li Xing’an have sold him to the Chen family?

"By the way, did you find Xiao Chengzi? What did he say?" Li Xing’an pressed Mu Yuanxiu to sit down and eagerly poured some tea.

Mu Yuanxiu held the teacup but didn’t drink immediately; instead, he looked at Li Xing’an and asked, "There’s no drug in this tea, is there?"

Li San’an was taken aback, "What nonsense are you talking? How could I drug the tea? Impossible, impossible, I’m drinking it myself."

He waved his hands repeatedly.

Mu Yuanxiu looked at him, frowned, and said, "Third Brother, I had a strange dream yesterday. I dreamed you drugged my tea, tied me up while I was unconscious, and sold me as a son-in-law to another family."

Li Xing’an jumped in fright.

Goodness, can this guy foresee the future?

"Haha, hahaha, Mu Yuanxiu, you really know how to tell jokes. If I were to sell anyone, it certainly wouldn’t be you." Li Xing’an laughed heartily.

Mu Yuanxiu looked at him and said, "Alright, I’ll trust Third Brother Li."

"Right, right, you can definitely trust me." Li Xing’an laughed sheepishly, rubbing his trouser leg secretly.

His palms were sweating.

.

Chen Danan had been busy at home for three whole days because her foster mother was having a baby.

Today, she finally had a bit of free time, so she immediately ran to her sister’s house in the village to chat.

But the little girl, being young, got so excited that she forgot her responsibilities.

She had only planned to spend an hour.

But in reality, it took her over an hour and a quarter.

Chen Danan was worried her sister would wake up and need a diaper change, so she almost ran back home.

Just then, the worrisome Li Xing’an ran to her, calling her to stop.

"Danan, wait a moment." Li Xing’an ran up to her and glanced over at Mu Yuanxiu in the distance, speaking in a low voice, "My friend Mu Yuanxiu is here, he says he has something to tell you."

Chen Danan wanted to get angry.

Because she could hear her sister’s cries, and her foster mother had a wound on her belly and couldn’t turn over, so someone else had to change the diaper.

She was the most idle person at home, so this task fell on her. If she was slow, her foster mother would surely scold her harshly.

"I’m busy, I have to change my sister’s diaper." Chen Danan didn’t want to see this Mu Yuanxiu at all.

"Which day doesn’t a baby cry? Can’t you just meet Mu Yuanxiu for a bit?"

"No!"

"Just for a moment, to say three sentences? If not, two sentences will do."

"I don’t want to say even a single sentence." Chen Danan turned around to leave.

"Hey, Danan, how about just saying one sentence!" Li Xing’an stepped in front of Chen Danan, blocking her way.

Chen Danan was both angry and anxious, "Not even half a sentence."

She pushed Li Xing’an aside and ran into her foster mother’s bedroom.

"Why is she so stubborn?" Li Xing’an scratched his head, now what to do?

By the door of the residence, Old Chen had just returned after finishing his business, and he witnessed Li Xing’an stopping Chen Danan to talk.

He took a deep breath; things seemed to be progressing well!

He wasn’t at home, and these two kids had started talking to each other?

Good, good, very good.

Old Chen was so pleased he couldn’t stop rubbing his hands.

.

Li Yuzhu had been taking care of Madam Chen, staying busy until dusk.

Old Chen was delighted and organized dinner again.

When the three left, Old Chen called Chen Danan to see them off.

"Properly see off Third Young Master Li and the others."

Hearing her little sister crying in the room behind her, Chen Danan felt as anxious as a cat being tickled inside.

The three of them are not three-year-olds, why should she escort them?

But she was afraid of Old Chen, so she reluctantly agreed.

"The road back is not close, hurry up, alright? Quick, quick." Taking advantage of Old Chen turning away, Chen Anan hurried them like ducks.

This girl is probably in a bad mood from taking care of her sister and foster mother day and night, Li Yuzhu didn’t mind, "Alright, we’ll be going back then, I’ll come again the day after tomorrow."

She got into the carriage.

Mu Yuanxiu also went to untie his mule.

Instead, Li Xing’an hesitated, reluctant to board the carriage, and softly said to Chen Danan, "My brother has something to tell you, go and find him."

Chen Danan responded coldly, "Not going, I’m going to see my sister." After speaking, she ran off.

Li Xing’an darkened his face, "Why run so hurriedly? Just to say a word."

Li Yuzhu didn’t know what happened and called him, "Third Brother, what did you want to tell Da Nuan?"

Li Xing’an refused to admit, "Ah, it’s nothing, let’s go, let’s go home."

Mu Yuanxiu looked at him, gently raising an eyebrow.

He mounted his mule and rode next to the carriage.

Li Yuzhu set aside Li Xing’an and started talking to Mu Yuanxiu, "Oh right, Mu Yuanxiu, how long did Xiao Chengzi say it would take to engrave the printing block?"

At Chen Family’s place, because there were Chen Family members present, she didn’t feel comfortable asking Mu Yuanxiu about it.

Mu Yuanxiu’s mule walked parallel to the carriage, he glanced at Li Yuzhu, threw a small package at her, and gestured towards Li Xing’an, making a silent motion.

Li Yuzhu also glanced at Li Xing’an, pursed her lips and smiled, quickly placed the small package back inside the carriage.

She rubbed her hands and opened it to see, it turned out to be a bean paste-filled icy cake she frequently ate in the county town. This method was quite elaborate, unavailable in the village, nor could the Second Princess make it.

She took one piece and ate it sweetly.

Mu Yuanxiu saw her, smiled warmly, and said, "Xiao Chengzi said he’s once engraved one, has experience, and this time it’ll be quicker, he’ll finish in seven days."

Li Yuzhu happily said, "That’s great."

Li Xing’an turned around and found them chatting and laughing again, his face darkened more.

This brat Mu Yuanxiu is tempting his third sister again!

Hurrying along, they returned to Li Family’s bamboo house when just the lanterns were lit.

Li Xing’an drove the carriage into the courtyard.

He went to park the carriage, Li Yuzhu returned to her own room.

Mu Yuanxiu did not immediately return to the mountain to stay.

He stopped the mule at the entrance and also walked into the courtyard.

The government official Qin Hu, knowing he had gone to the county town, immediately asked about the situation there.

Mu Yuanxiu said, "Business as usual, there hasn’t been anything major at the government office lately."

Qin Hu laughed, "That’s good. If there were a case, those lads wouldn’t handle it as quickly as I would."

Mu Yuanxiu, being a regular visitor, directly went to the back house to meet Prince Luling and his wife.

The old couple had finished dinner and were playing with the grandchildren.

Prince Luling asked with a smile, "Have you had dinner, Yuanxiu?"

Mu Yuanxiu smiled, "On the way back from the county, I passed the Chen Family and had dinner there with Third Brother Li and Yuzhu."

"Oh? Where are they?" Prince Luling looked out of the house.

"Third Brother Li is parking the carriage, Yuzhu went back to her room." Mu Yuanxiu placed a small package on the table, "I brought this back from the county town as a gift for uncle and aunt."

"You child, you don’t have much money, why do you always buy things?" Prince Luling smiled as he opened the package.

Inside was a folding fan.

This was exactly what he had been talking about, Prince Luling was pleased and immediately started fanning himself.

The other item was a bottle of rose dew.

Mu Yuanxiu took the bottle and placed it in front of Princess Consort Luling, "Auntie mentioned last time that it’s refreshing to mix rose dew with mountain spring water during hot weather. I saw it when passing by a shop and bought it, not sure if this is the kind Auntie talked about."

Princess Consort Luling was surprised, "You are really thoughtful, I just mentioned it casually, and you remembered? This must have cost quite a bit, right?"

Mu Yuanxiu smiled, "I’ve been lucky lately, caught some good game."

"Yuanxiu, come over for lunch tomorrow." Prince Luling said happily.

"Thank you, Uncle Li." Mu Yuanxiu replied with a smile.

Princess Consort Luling opened the bottle and sniffed, it indeed was the same taste she had tried in the Capital, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.

"By the way, Auntie, there’s something else I think... I should tell you." Mu Yuanxiu spoke again.

The couple had grown fond of Mu Yuanxiu due to his gifts, both smiling, "Whatever it is, just say it, we don’t consider you an outsider."

Mu Yuanxiu nodded, "It’s... it’s about Third Brother Li, he seems to have a romantic interest in a girl."

Prince Luling immediately asked, "Which family’s girl?"

Princess Consort Luling was most excited, "What about the family’s upbringing?"

"The girl is nice, but the family’s upbringing... I’m not sure." Mu Yuanxiu replied.