CHAPTER 298: CHAPTER 256

Wu Zongyu is the host, having grown up here from a young age. Mr. Mo’s residence has some beautiful spots perfect for gatherings and scenery enjoyment, and he knew them all too well. Leading everyone, they took a round through the outer gardens, suggesting they head to the eastern corridor, where the scenery was very pleasant and cool, well-suited for their amusement.

Lan Tian brought up the rear, strolling leisurely and taking in the scenery along the way, occasionally observing the myriad charming young ladies ahead, who seemed to loosely cluster around Bai Qingqing.

Mo Junhua and Ji Feng both accompanied Lan Tian at a relaxed pace.

"These flowers in the garden are quite well-maintained," Lan Tian commented as the chrysanthemums in the nearby flower bed bloomed brilliantly—reds, whites, yellows, greens, in all manner of splendor. Aside from wild chrysanthemums, Lan Tian didn’t recognize any of them.

Ji Feng glanced over and thought they looked ordinary, nothing particularly striking.

Mo Junhua glanced at them and recognized several varieties. It should be said that his past self recognized them, as the corresponding names of the flowers naturally came to mind.

The group ahead seemed to notice that Lan Tian and her companions hadn’t kept up, so they waited in the cold pavilion ahead. Several young women looked out frequently onto the path they had come by. On this outing, they had been instructed by family elders to forge a connection with the Crown Prince, or at least to become familiar with him if they couldn’t connect. They peered for a while but didn’t see Lan Tian and her group, despising Lan Tian to death in their hearts, silently cursing her as a fox spirit, envious that she had snagged not just one desirable connection.

Lan Tian, unaware of their thoughts, couldn’t care less even if she did know. She absentmindedly twirled a chrysanthemum she had just picked, glancing back to see Ji Feng ahead, mercilessly plucking a petal from a flower and tossing it into the air, watching it drift down into the grass beside the path.

"Ji Feng, they came for you," Lan Tian stated confidently, "These people are really well-informed, knowing full well to waylay someone at Grandpa’s house."

Then, mischievously using the chrysanthemum to tickle Mo Junhua’s face, she annoyed him while Mo Junhua gave her a sidelong glance. He stepped aside to dodge, but Lan Tian followed him step for step, grinning and bursting into laughter as she saw Mo Junhua’s frown deepen.

Childish!

Seeing Lan Tian’s behavior, Ji Feng gave a two-word evaluation: utterly childish.

"You are mistaken this time. They were initially coming for Mr. Mo, not knowing I’d be visiting your house. It’s just a coincidence that I ran into them. If I had known I’d bump into them, I wouldn’t have come. I should have checked the almanac before leaving," Ji Feng lamented, realizing that he couldn’t frequent this place in the future, not wanting to interfere with Mo Junhua and Lan Tian’s developing relationship. The situation was nothing less than regrettable; these people were like the paparazzi of later generations, doggedly chasing after a scent.

However, not coming here would mean fewer chances to meet with Xiao Lan, and with less frequency, where would they foster their relationship?

Thinking of Mo Junhua, who was eyeing them like a tiger stalking its prey, Ji Feng felt even more troubled.

He needed to find a way to separate the two; if he couldn’t see Xiao Lan, he couldn’t let Mo Junhua stay with her either. Xiao Lan was naively easy to deceive, and this world’s Mo Junhua was more eloquent and thick-skinned than in the past, acting shamelessly clingy around Xiao Lan.

Mo Junhua cast a glance at the troubled young man Ji Feng, clearly aware of what was frustrating him. It was nothing more than the fear that the girl would grow fond of him after spending more time together. Piecing together the conversation, it became obvious that Ji Feng wouldn’t be stopping by for a while, preferable to the alternative of those with ulterior motives flocking to Mr. Mo’s house for a chance encounter.

With Ji Feng no longer being the glaring million-watt light bulb, Mo Junhua was planning how to spend the next few days fostering a good relationship with the young girl. The more detailed and comprehensive the plan, the better.

Lan Tian simply "Oh"ed, her visit to the old man was nothing more than an attempt to probe into his and his own old man’s affairs.

Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out a peach branch bracelet and handed it to him, "This is for you. Wear it and never take it off, no matter what."

Ji Feng readily stretched out his hand, "Better you put it on for me, just to be safe."

Lan Tian thought for a moment and liked the idea. Others wouldn’t be able to remove it, but Ji Feng could, and if he were hypnotized or fell under an Illusion Technique and took it off, the consequences would be unthinkable. Better for her to tie it on Ji Feng herself, so no one else could take it off.

Don’t think she’s making a mountain out of a molehill, even the rare Bloodthirsty Worm from the Cultivation World exists, an Illusion Technique is a rather common spell, how could it not be around.

Ji Feng was smug with a small victory, taunting Mo Junhua with a smile, and meaningfully glanced over Mo Junhua’s bare wrist, how about that, Xiao Lan gave him a bracelet, do you have one?

Mo Junhua narrowed his eyes, feeling very displeased, watching Lan Tian tying the bracelet for the young man, glanced at that irritating smiling face, and covertly thought, someday he should find an opportunity to beat up the young man after trapping him in a sack outside, the young man’s face was just asking for a beating.

Thinking of the peach wood bullet hanging on his chest, Mo Junhua still felt upset. Good things should be hidden away, and a good woman even more so should be treasured, not shown to anyone.

The group in the pavilion was getting irritated and impatient when, finally, they saw the tardy figures of the three people approaching.

"Qingqing, is that girl really your grandfather’s granddaughter? I’ve never heard of her before," a young lady sitting next to Qingqing, with pointed chin and delicately made-up, pointed towards Lan Tian and asked arrogantly, holding her head high.

The girl spoke quite loudly, and everyone in the pavilion heard it, their gazes seemingly drifting towards Bai Qingqing.

"Could it be some distant relative from the back of beyond, who’s popped up to take advantage of the Autumn breeze!" someone immediately seconded the young lady’s words.

Bai Qingqing said nothing, merely looking towards Lan Tian and the others, her expressionless face betraying no emotions.

Wu Zongyu’s face shifted in an instant, but quickly returned to normal, his smile deepening slightly as he swept a glance over the two ladies who had been speaking, "Ladies, please don’t talk like this in front of me. My old man is particularly protective, and if he finds out we’ve been talking about his granddaughter behind his back, I can’t cover for you, and then, one by one..." Wu Zongyu shrugged his shoulders, jokingly said, "Don’t say I’m not loyal, we’re all in the same boat, we should face difficulties together, right?"

Mixing in this circle, who isn’t shrewd? Everyone understands how to joke and have fun on a daily basis but knows not to cross the line. People in the circle are all out for their family’s interests, they know what can be joked about and what can’t. Upon hearing Wu Zongyu’s words, everybody understood the topic should be dropped right there.

They immediately got the picture; this young lady really is Mr. Mo’s granddaughter, and holds significant weight in Old Mo’s heart. Even Young Master Wu is protecting her, which shows her unusual status within the Mo Family.

Bai Qingqing’s eyes flickered, her peripheral vision seemed to casually sweep past Wu Zongyu, focusing on the Lotus Pond outside the pavilion, her thoughts unknown, her hand hidden in her sleeve tightly clutching.