CHAPTER 216: CHAPTER 208: CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS

"Ah Nan"

Tian Xinhua’s voice had returned to normal, no longer the raspy tone of a drake that it was last month. After going through the voice change, his already pleasant voice had become more magnetic.

"Brother Xin Hua, your voice is better now?" Tian Sisi giggled, she had often teased him when his voice was changing.

Tian Xinhua sighed helplessly yet indulgently, "Hmm, what is Ah Nan doing?"

"I’m making Plum Blossom Porridge!"

Tian Sisi chattered away, her voice as clear as a skylark, causing the smile on the lips of the boy on the other end of the phone to grow wider, like blooming flowers.

"Silly appearance!" Mr. Yun scoffed disdainfully, he was out to brew osmanthus dew in the living room.

Tian Xinhua ignored the increasingly cheeky sir and after listening to Tian Sisi’s lengthy explanation on how to make Plum Blossom Porridge, he laughed softly: "Ah Nan, Brother Chengsi and I will be back in three days, then you can make Plum Blossom Porridge for me."

"Great, that’s fantastic, and just in time for the Pre-New Year Festival too!" Tian Sisi was extremely happy.

The two chatted for almost half an hour more, mostly with Tian Sisi speaking and Tian Xinhua listening, occasionally interjecting about things like the dream Tian Sisi had last night, or a new dish she tried making.

After brewing the osmanthus dew and lingering around, Mr. Yun shamelessly eavesdropped on the youngsters’ phone conversation from his Taishi Chair, chuckling as he listened. Once Tian Xinhua finally hung up the phone, he said with a smile:

"It’s fun chatting with little green plum, isn’t it?"

Tian Xinhua gave Mr. Yun a cold look, fully aware now of Mr. Yun’s true nature—a gluttonous, thick-skinned, scheming old fox. It was puzzling how people outside could think of Mr. Yun as a reserved and aloof person.

"Burning bridges after crossing them! If it weren’t for me, old man, you and Ah Nan would still be just siblings!"

"I and Ah Nan are still siblings now. If you keep talking nonsense, sir, I might not bring you the new batch of Plum Blossom Dew that Ah Nan made."

Although Tian Xinhua had clearly understood his own feelings, being called out by Mr. Yun still made him shy, his ears turning red, and he glanced at Mr. Yun before returning to his room to pack his luggage.

Mr. Yun chuckled contentedly, savoring a sip of the Floral Dew. The young man was still denying it stubbornly, but did he not know that Xinhua pulled some strings to send Chengsi off to military training? If it were not for him originally planning for Chengsi to follow a military career, why would he let Tian Xinhua have his way so smoothly?

Hmph, trying to be sneaky under the eyes of this all-knowing old man, Mr. Yun Po Bi.

Tian Sisi cheerfully hung up the phone, bidding farewell to the smiling Tian Qiusheng. Her steps light, she left the village committee office.

Actually, Tian Sisi knew the Tian Family’s intentions; she had inadvertently heard the conversation between the Old Man and He Xuewen, where the Old Man sought He Xuewen’s opinion about pairing her with Tian Xinhua.

At the time, she didn’t feel shy or embarrassed. If she had been the original owner of this life, she might have had difficulty accepting it because of their sibling status. But she was Tian Sisi, and from the start, she knew she wasn’t a child of the Tian Family.

She also knew she wasn’t Tian Xinhua’s biological cousin. Over the years she spent with Tian Xinhua, rather than seeing him as her brother, it was more accurate to say she saw him as a good friend, a true-hearted one at that.

Best friends might become boyfriends, Tian Sisi felt very calm about it, not rejecting the idea at all, even feeling a little excited, or sweet. Could it be that she actually likes Tian Xinhua?

Tian Sisi was somewhat taken aback; was it like a case of an old cow eating tender grass? Maybe it was because Tian Xinhua acted too maturely? That made her rely heavily on him, all the ever-present traces of him in her life. It turned out, without her noticing, had Tian Xinhua really become that tightly knit with her?

Tian Sisi chuckled and stopped thinking about these matters; after all, she was only 13, love and marriage were too far from her grasp still, just let things take their natural course! Tian Sisi shook her head to dismiss these distracting thoughts.

Beijing

He Chengsi, who had barely been let out, rushed through the door immediately looking for Tian Xinhua to settle scores—the damn pretty boy dared to stab him in the back? See if I don’t flatten you!

It was only accidentally when the Company Commander was making a phone call that He Chengsi found out his military boot camp was Tian Xinhua’s handiwork. Thinking he couldn’t call Sisi for almost half a year, he was so furious.

Tian Xinhua was in his room packing his luggage. He had bought many small gifts for Tian Sisi – all things girls liked – plus some specialties for the family.

"Tian Xinhua, you dare to stab me in the back!"

He Chengsi threw a punch without another word; Tian Xinhua frowned and dodged He Chengsi’s casserole-sized fists, "Wait a minute, let me finish packing these things; these are for Ah Nan."

Upon hearing it was for Ah Nan, He Chengsi drew back his hand but felt even more infuriated. Old man slogging and bleeding in the military, and this pretty boy plotting to win Sisi’s affection, huh, boils my blood!

Once Tian Xinhua finished packing, He Chengsi’s fist came swinging again, and since the room was too small to fight properly, they soon took it to the front courtyard.

Mr. Yun was drinking tea and sunbathing in the front yard; Niu Erniu was sun-drying quilts; watching the lively fight between the two boys, they both shook their heads with smiles.

While fighting, He Chengsi cursed, "Tian Xinhua, playing dirty tricks, what skill is that? Let me tell you, Sister Sisi is my bound wife, Daddy arranged her for me since childhood! What’s it to you?"

"You’re nuts! What era is it still talking about arranged marriages? Besides, I’ve never heard Uncle He mention this; you must be dreaming!"

Tian Xinhua easily handled the fight; he hadn’t neglected his practice over the years and was a match for He Chengsi.

"You’re the one dreaming! Anyway, Sister Sisi is my future wife, don’t even think about it!"

"You, thinking about marrying Ah Nan with that stupid look? Can you even protect Ah Nan?"

"Of course, I can protect her. Whoever dares to bully Sister Sisi, I’ll smash him with a punch!"

"Hmph! Just a brute, how many can you kill with your fist? No matter how hard your fists are, can they be harder than guns? He Chengsi, better grow some brains, stop daydreaming and not focusing on real work!"

Upon hearing this, He Chengsi got even more irritated. What do you mean not doing real work? Who is the one that’s not focusing on real work? He’s been training in the military for half a year!

Unable to outtalk Tian Xinhua, He Chengsi, with suppressed anger, threw even faster punches, bringing a burst of strong winds. Mr. Yun, who was enjoying the show, quietly moved his chair back a bit to avoid getting caught in the fray.

Niu Erniu also moved further away. Luo Datou, who was weeding in the garden, heard the commotion and came out, cheerfully making comments on the sidelines, alternating his advice between Tian Xinhua and He Chengsi, reveling in the chaos.