What's going on? Why cry on such a joyous occasion?
Xiao Xitian turned to look and saw Xiao Xinling dragging Yun Siman into the back garden...
Yun Siman was a bit tipsy, but in good spirits.
"Alright, Fourth Brother has made the princess angry again!" Xiao Xitian quipped.
She ran out of the pavilion with her short legs. She had no habit of eavesdropping on lovers' quarrels.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Xinling glanced over and shouted, "Sweet Baby, you're not allowed to leave, come here and judge for me!"
Xiao Xitian: "..."
Why wasn't she allowed to leave?
Yun Siman waved his hand, "Little sister, don't listen to her, go play!"
Xiao Xitian rolled her eyes. So, was she supposed to go or not go...
"Sweet Baby, you're not allowed to leave!" Xiao Xinling let go of Yun Siman and directly pulled Xiao Xitian over. "Sweet Baby, tell me, where in this world can you find a scumbag like your Fourth Brother? My father said he'd marry me off to a faraway place when we return, but your Fourth Brother hasn't said a word. Is he even a man?"
Xiao Xitian: "..."
This was a case of one willing to hit and the other willing to be hit. She used to think Fourth Brother was sharp and eloquent, but she never expected him to be so stubborn when it came to relationships.
No wonder he'd been single for so many years without finding a wife...
"Oh, Sister Xiao, I'm still a child, I don't understand love or anything like that. Why don't you ask my mother? I'm leaving!" With that, Xiao Xitian tried to slip away.
Seeing this, Xiao Xinling scooped her up. The awkward way she held her almost sent Xiao Xitian tumbling headfirst...
"No, what are you doing? Let go of my sister!" Yun Siman stepped forward to grab Xiao Xitian.
Xiao Xinling refused to let go, "Yun Lao Si, if you don't state your position today, I... I'll..."
"What do you want to do?" Yun Siman shot her a glare. "You want to jump into the river with my sister in your arms?"
Xiao Xitian, utterly bewildered: "..."
"Fourth Brother, can't you treat Sister Xiao better!" Xiao Xitian sighed helplessly. "It wasn't easy for Sister Xiao to travel all the way from the capital. If Fourth Brother always puts on a cold face, how can any girl feel comfortable!"
Yun Siman was taken aback, "Little sister, she's always making unreasonable demands and picking faults. I can't stand her!"
"But you can't always be arguing with her!" Xiao Xitian wriggled out of his grasp and jumped to the ground. "Fourth Brother, if you miss this village, there won't be another shop like it. Sister Xiao will be amazing in the future. If you don't believe me, let's make a bet..."
The girl is so eager, why are you still playing hard to get.
"What's the use of being amazing? She is her, and I am me. Even if she's rich, it has nothing to do with me!" Yun Siman said stubbornly.
Xiao Xitian: "..."
Can't help her, she's done.
"I'm going to help Big Sister-in-law and Huaihua Sister wash the dishes, I'm leaving!" Xiao Xitian waved her little hand and ran off before Xiao Xinling could catch her.
Xiao Xinling glared resentfully at Yun Siman and asked, "Tell me, what are you thinking? I'm telling you, if I go back to the capital this time, you probably won't see me again in this lifetime..."
"So what?" Yun Siman looked down at her. "If you won't see me again in this lifetime, why make a promise? If we don't see each other after you go back, won't it be even harder to bear?"
Xiao Xinling's disheartened heart finally saw a glimmer of hope upon hearing this.
Did this rascal saying this mean he actually cared about her?
"Whether I see you or not, I just need your word now!" Xiao Xinling's cheeks flushed as she lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers. "You... what do you think of me? Besides throwing tantrums, being unreasonable, being difficult, and loving to sleep in, can we be together?"
Yun Siman: "..."
You've already admitted you have a lot of flaws, how else can he evaluate you.
Yun Siman scratched his face, looking a bit troubled. "The work I do is very dangerous. I might die any day. Don't you mind?"
Working under Marquis Gu, almost every task was life-threatening. He didn't want to hold the girl back...
Xiao Xinling blinked and asked, "What kind of work do you do?"
What else could he do in the countryside besides farming?
"I can't say!" Yun Siman shook his head. His handsome face was covered in stubble, making him look even more manly.
"If you don't say, you don't say. Even if you're a spy, I don't care!" Xiao Xinling said with certainty.
Yun Siman actually had a good impression of her, but Xiao Xinling was too exasperating. Even her own father couldn't handle her...
"Since that's the case, then I..."
Before he could finish speaking, he heard a burst of giggling from the moon gate.
They both turned to look and saw Shangguan Fang'er, munching on corn and laughing uncontrollably.
Oh my, the Yun family had so many young couples, she couldn't keep up.
Yun Siman: "Miss Shangguan, how long have you been here?"
Shangguan Fang'er casually tossed the corn cob aside, clapped her hands, and said, "Why don't you two elope? You can come back after you have children, then no one will say anything!"
Yun Siman: "..."
Xiao Xinling: "..."
Her, a dignified princess, eloping with someone?
What a joke!
Yun Siman took Xiao Xinling's hand and quickly walked out of the back garden. As they brushed past Shangguan Fang'er, Yun Siman suddenly said, "You're not stupid at all, you're smarter than anyone else!"
Especially when it came to matters of romance, Shangguan Fang'er was practically an expert...
After they left, Shangguan Fang'er was slightly stunned. She ran to the pond, washed her face, and murmured, "So, did they end up together or not?"
Alas, she hated this kind of drawn-out drama the most.
The wedding banquet at the Yun family's house continued until midnight, and then the villagers began to disperse.
Wang Suzhen and other women like Huang Xiangyun stayed behind to help clear the dishes and sweep the yard.
Magistrate Chen was so drunk he was leaning at an odd angle. Amidst Huang's scolding, he was taken to a guest room.
Prefect Qin was also a bit tipsy. He accompanied Old Man Yun for a couple of cups of tea, chatted for a while, and then went to a guest room to rest.
Jin Xiaolou was very diligent, helping Zhao Guihua and Jin Huaihua move tables, clear the stove ashes, chop wood to feed the pigs, and light the stove to make tea. He did all sorts of chores.
However, these farm tasks were rather complicated, and he wasn't very skilled at them. He broke a bowl here, and poured a full bucket of water into the stove pit there...
Xiao Xitian's room was also lively. Miss Qin and Chen Xiaoran moved in. When young girls got together, they always had endless things to talk about, chattering until late into the night before falling asleep.
Just as Xiao Xitian was drifting off to sleep, a 'kaka' sound suddenly came from the window frame.