CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 180: XINHUA SNEAKS INTO THE YUN MANSION

The Yun Family’s dinner was extremely delicious, with dishes exquisitely and tastefully prepared, far more appetizing than any meal she had ever had in those grand restaurants in her previous life. It seemed that not only was Niu Erniu’s pastry craft impressive, but her cooking skills were top-notch as well.

Watching the little girl eagerly looking at her bowl and then at her plate, Mr. Yun’s appetite suddenly improved, and he ate half a bowl more than usual. A hint of moisture appeared in Niu Erniu’s eyes; it was so rare for her husband to willingly eat a little extra after all these years.

She turned her body to the side and wiped the corner of her eyes with her sleeve, whispering to her husband, "This is probably the most reliable thing you’ve done in all these years."

Luo Datou hummed proudly. When had he ever done something poorly? However, he didn’t argue with his wife—the dignity of a man does not include squabbling with women!

After dinner, Mr. Yun went to the backyard garden to cool down, a habit he had cultivated over many years. Tian Sisi had eaten a lot for dinner and soon felt sleepy. After taking a bath led by Niu Erniu, she went to rest in the guest room, which was close to the backyard garden. The scent of flowers wafted in, making her head spin, and before long, she drifted off to sleep.

The Yun Family’s backyard garden was the most exquisite place in the whole mansion. It was not only large but also intricately designed with artificial hills and lakes. Moreover, many rare flowers and exotic plants were grown here, providing year-round fragrance, making it a notable scene in Beijing.

It was said that the previous owner of the mansion, who was that Commandery Prince, was quite renowned in Beijing for his fondness for flowers and plants, and he spent most of his fortune on them.

Mr. Yun himself was a person of taste and took a fancy to this not-so-large Prince Mansion at first sight. Being a connoisseur, he naturally recognized many valuable flowers and plants in the garden. If one were to calculate, the value of those flowers and plants in the backyard might even exceed the mansion itself, which meant he had picked up a bargain.

Because he had eaten a bit too much at dinner, Mr. Yun felt languidly relaxed. He had Luo Datou play a vinyl record for him and sipped gently on Qiong Wine while listening to Beijing opera, particularly Mei Lanfang’s "Farewell My Concubine." Accompanied by Mei Lanfang’s melodious voice, Mr. Yun kept tapping rhythmically, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Mr. Yun usually slept very late at night, a complete night owl. Sometimes, when he was in the mood, he would fall asleep in the garden while listening to opera, and afterward, Luo Datou would carry him back to his room and tuck him in before going to sleep himself.

Suddenly, Luo Datou, who was behind Mr. Yun, gave Mr. Yun a meaningful look and started to move stealthily, floating without making a sound—it was a wonder how his strong, muscular body could be so agile.

Tian Xinhua, hidden under an osmanthus tree, was oblivious to the fact that he had been spotted. At this moment, he was nervously watching Mr. Yun in the garden; since Luo Datou had always been hiding in the shadows, Tian Xinhua was unaware that there was another person in the garden.

It turned out that Tian Xinhua had grown more and more anxious as he thought about the situation. He had discretely inquired about the location of Yun Mansion during dinner. After the Yang Family had gone to sleep, he quietly slipped out. The military region’s compound had strict security, and it was a mystery how he managed to sneak out.

Although Tian Xinhua had roughly figured out the location, as clever and competent as he was, he was still just a thirteen-year-old boy, and it was his first time in Beijing. He had wandered aimlessly around the city for over an hour before finally locating the Yun Mansion, which he confirmed only after smelling the fragrance of his family’s wine.

His hands were soaked with sweat, and Tian Xinhua didn’t know why he had run here in the middle of the night. He was well aware that there wouldn’t be any problems with Tian Sisi—Uncle He and Uncle Yang had assured him of that, and he certainly trusted them. But he just couldn’t help feeling anxious and had to come to have a look.

But in which room was Ah Nan? This place was so big, with so many rooms—he couldn’t possibly search each one, could he?

At this point, Tian Xinhua somewhat regretted his rashness. Even if he was to come, he should have figured out the specifics first! Great-grandpa used to say, "Knowing both the enemy and yourself, you can fight a hundred battles without defeat;" he had forgotten about that in his haste.

He thought about returning, but he was reluctant; yet merely staying put here was not a solution either! The indecisive Tian Xinhua crouched under the tree, unsure what to do. Little did he know, Luo Datou had already approached him!

Luo Datou reached out to grab Tian Xinhua from behind, stirring a slight gust of wind. Tian Xinhua instinctively darted two meters away, dodging Luo Datou’s attack. Luo Datou uttered a sound of surprise, seemingly perplexed that Tian Xinhua had managed to avoid his grab.

Luo Datou grabbed once again, this time using thirty percent of his strength, as he had held back earlier upon seeing it was only a child, applying less than ten percent of his force. Tian Xinhua, unaware of Luo Datou’s intentions, braced his spirits and entangled with Luo Datou in a struggle.

Mr. Yun watched with great interest from under the tree as the two tangled into a ball, not expecting the young man’s capabilities to be quite impressive. Although Datu had only used thirty percent of his strength, the fact that he could last so many moves against Datu was already commendable.

After toying with Tian Xinhua for about ten minutes and seeing the lad gasping for breath, Luo Datou knew his opponent’s energy was exhausted. With a quick sidestep, he moved behind Tian Xinhua and locked his throat.

Tian Xinhua dropped his head in dejection, not frightened. He wasn’t foolish; he knew full well that Luo Datou hadn’t been using his full strength, suggesting there was no malice intended.

Luo Datou chuckled, hoisting Tian Xinhua in front of Mr. Yun and tossing him to the ground, saying, "Sir, this youngster’s handiwork is quite good, even better than a few from my household."

Mr. Yun smiled faintly, looking at Tian Xinhua who had already steadied himself. "Did you come to see your sister?"

Tian Xinhua startled, quickly regaining his composure, loudly denying it and saying he just smelled the fragrance of the flowers and sneaked in to have a look.

However, he was still young and had not yet mastered the skill of remaining unperturbed even should Mount Tai collapse before him; how could his momentary surprise have escaped the cunning Mr. Yun?

Mr. Yun didn’t mind, he picked up his wine cup and took another sip, "You must be Tian Xinhua, right? Don’t worry, your sister is very well here. She will be sent back in a few days."

Ever since He Xuewen arrived to deliver wine, Mr. Yun had thoroughly inquired about the Tian Family and He Xuewen’s matters. He could say that he knew even more clearly than both He Xuewen and the Tian Family themselves. Thus, from Tian Xinhua’s age and performance, he knew who he was.

Tian Xinhua had no idea that the man who looked a bit like Uncle He was so formidable. Hearing Mr. Yun correctly address him, he thought He Xuewen must have mentioned it during the day and no longer denied it. Still, he inquired:

"Ah Nan has never stayed outside alone; I’m worried she might be scared. Otherwise, let me stay to keep her company?"

That little girl scared? Seeing how much she enjoyed eating and sleeping peacefully, how comfortable she must be! Mr. Yun found it amusing; apparently, that young girl also had different faces in front of and behind others, just like his younger sister. In front of their parents and him, she was a delicate treasure, but behind their backs, she turned into a little devil.

"Big brother, stay with me, okay? I’ll be scared all by myself!"

"Nannan, are you really scared? But I clearly saw you running to play in the bamboo forest behind the mountain by yourself yesterday!"

"Big brother, you must have seen wrong. Brother, I’m really scared, brother!"

It seemed like the whining voice echoed in his ears, each time accentuating the second syllable when calling ’big brother,’ a sound that warmed his heart. Even though he knew his little sister was tricking him, he was willingly fooled.

Little sister, were you worried that your big brother has been alone for too long? Did you send them to keep me company? Little sister, so you have always been thinking of me! You don’t blame your brother, do you?

Mr. Yun looked up at the stars in the sky, his expression fluctuating for a moment before breaking into a grand smile, "Datu, I was wrong. Nannan has always remembered me; she didn’t blame me."

Luo Datou, confused by the words, still followed his usual fashion: if the master laughs, he laughs; if the master cries, he cries. So, he too joined in with an ignorant laugh. Seeing Tian Xinhua looking worried on the other side, Mr. Yun found him rather pleasing to the eye. The young man was not bad, but his temperament still needed polishing; too panicky. How could he become a good big brother like this!