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n“Mrs. Ning, how are you? Our lord and lady went to your restaurant and found you weren’t there, so I lead them here.”

n“Qingyou is here? Why don’t you tell me in advance so that I can welcome you better?”

n“Qianxue, sorry to disturb you without a notice in advance. I’ll accept any punishment.”

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nJian Qingyou had lifted up the carriage curtain, smiled at Mo Qianxue and was about to introduce to Mo Qianxue her elder brother Jian Mobai who sat next to her.

nUnexpectedly, Mo Qianxue quickly jumped off the oxcart, and gently pulled Jian Qingyou off the horse carriage too.

n“Come on, Qingyou, sit with me on this oxcart.”

nNanny Yuan also got off and shouted in a hurry, “No, lady, you can’t!”

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nHow could she let their lady take an oxcart? Her lady was brought up in the lap of luxury. How could she withstand the bumping and windy oxcart which would expose her to the public?

nAhu also coughed desperately on the side.

nToday, he was going to suffer. His lord wouldn’t do cruel things to lady but would definitely give him a torturing day.

nHe heard shadow guard said that last night lord kicked lady’s ass and later was kicked off bed.

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nWith that anger in his throat, his lord took it out on him and Asan by waking them up in midnight and let them show him martial moves, in the name of checking whether they had made progress in martial arts since he had lost contact with them for so long.

nWhat a poor guy he was that first he learned how to drive an oxcart and then he fought against Asan until exhaustion and at last tried to befriend with the ox! He hadn’t sleep for a second for the whole night!

nShadow guard had told him that what their lord hated most was the intimate behavior of their lady with this lady Jian.

nThey didn’t know why lord hated lady Jian so much, but his preference was also theirs, so they had come to a unanimous decision that they would cut out any chance for their lady to contact with lady Jian.

nBut now, what should he do?

nIt was only yesterday that lady was disciplined, but now she forgot the pain so soon. In the end, the ones who had to suffer in real terms were them…

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nMo Qianxue was clear what the coughing meant. She frowned and said in a soft yet ironic tone, “If you keep coughing like this, why not take a rest at home? Next time, let Asan be my driver.” Before other people, and before Jian Qingyou, she needed to manage impression.

nAs soon as this was said, Awu’s coughing disease immediately got better.

nNanny Yuan couldn’t talk Jian Qingyou out, so she got onboard the horse carriage again, worried and helpless.

nIgnoring Awu’s change, Mo Qianxue, all smiles, pulled Jian Qingyou onto the oxcart, “I bet you never took an oxcart. Today, you’re lucky enough to take advantage of me and try your first-time oxcart trip.”

nShe ordered Awu to take the opposite direction to head home and turned back to hold Jian Qingyou’s hand, “Enjoy. This cart is quite stable with a broad horizon. It’s not worse than your horse carriage.”

nYoung lord Jian was stunned by the statement.

nIt was the first time he heard someone bragging an oxcart in a voice that sitting on an oxcart seemed to be a great fresh-new thing.

nIt was the first time he saw someone on an oxcart should talk big before a person coming on a horse carriage.

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nIt was also the first time he met such a countryman-driver who was even more handsome and better-built than their mansion guards.

nSuddenly he came to understand why his wise grandmother insisted to take this woman as her granddaughter.

nHowever, he, a good-looking noble young lord, was a little unhappy of being ignored. Seeing that old Wang, his driver, sat there motionless, he scolded, “Hurry and catch up. Or do you want me to take the oxcart too?”

nNanny Yuan sat inside, as anxious as sitting on a bed of needles.

nWhen they arrived the yard, Asan was chopping firewood. Mo Qianxue ordered, “Asan, come and welcome our guests. Let Nizi help make tea.”

nAsan saw Mo Qianxue holding a delicate slim beauty into the yard and then met with Awu’s helpless eyes. Instantly, he knew this was that young lady Jian. He cried to himself, because tonight there would be one more round of checking of their martial arts progress.

nAsan, giving Awa a look, led the guests into the living hall while Awu secretly sneaked out of the yard.

nCertainly, Jian family had made a thorough investigation of what Mo Qianxue did in the Wang village. Jian Mobai also knew that.

nHe had been living an extravagant life, so a small workshop, a house in a village or a small restaurant wouldn’t worth mentioning in his eyes. Such properties were countless under Jian family.

nHowever, at first glance, he was still astounded.

nThe layout of the restaurant was simple yet tasteful.

nThe courtyard was located in a village, the size wasn’t small, and inside everything was placed in a neat order.

nCompletely the opposite of what he had imagined about a low muddy hut and uncourteous humble woman.

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nThe horse carriage was loaded with a lot of gifts Jian Qingyou prepared. Mo Qianxue thanked her and let Asu to help nanny Yuan unload and arrange them.

nAsan took nanny Yuan out of the room, and the two sat down with the group too.

nAfter introducing her elder brother, Jian Qingyou mentioned between their talks a little about old madam’s proposal, which totally made Mo Qianxue dumbfounded.

nAnd then she heard that it also required a ceremony and that the Ning couple would be invited to Jian mansion to attend the ceremony, which Jian Qingyou hoped shouldn’t be plain.

nAt once, Mo Qianxue shook her head like a rattle drum.

nFoster grandmother? She only heard of foster father…

nAnd to attend a ceremony in Jian mansion? And she would be kowtowing and calling her grandma in a superficial tone in public like what happened in a drama?

nThinking of the scene, Mo Qianxue shuddered and forced a smile, “We’re already intimate sisters. Of course your grandma is my grandma too.

nQingyou, just send my words to grandma that we don’t need a ceremony. Just let everything go naturally. I believe a ceremony will only produce counter-effect.”

nThis was a tactful way to refuse. Jian Qingyou wasn’t surprised at all, so she didn’t persuade her anymore and just smiled.

nYet, Jian Mobai’s eyes were popped open in shock.

nHow many people were there that were eager to build connection with his grandmother? There was a person who should refuse it when Jian family made the proposal voluntarily?

nNo wonder grandma liked this woman so much. She had a really broad horizon to ignore him, the future master of Jian family, and to push away such a good opportunity.

nOnce the woman was recognized as a foster granddaughter of Jian family, which meant connection with a noble family, she would be a completely different person in the eyes of ordinary people.

nJust like people didn’t dare to beat a dog of a noble family. If people planned to bully her, they must consider her position in Jian family to decide whether to actually carry it out.

nNizi entered the room with a tea tray. Mo Qianxue and Jian Qingyou continued to chat for a while when Ning Shaoqing came back.

nAs the male host, he should come back home to receive guests.

nNing Shaoqing walked in the front, followed by Awu, and took graceful steps into the living room.

nSeeing a man getting in, Jian Mobai figured he must be Mr. Ning. He just didn’t expect to meet such a noble-looking man and hurriedly stand up to greet him.

nAcross Tianxiang city, there was only one man that lord Jian thought highly of, and that was Xin Yiming.

nIn fact, he got along well with Xin Yiming privately. Of course, he knew Xin Yiming’s feeling towards his sister and hoped Xin could marry his sister, but…

nHe never expected a man better-looking and more stylish than Xin Yin. He seemed nobler than Su Qi, presenting an air of natural authority.

nWas he really a village school teacher?

nNeither of the couple was ordinary people!

nJian Mobai pondered to himself, but something different was in Jian Qingyou’s mind.

nThis man was handsome enough to be a match of sister Mo. But why did he turn a cold shoulder to me?

nMo Qianxue felt really guilty when Ning Shaoqing came back.

nThe two men raised folded fists to greet each other while Mo Qianxue struggled to get up and nervously introduced them to each other. Jian Qingyou was introduced too.

nNing Shaoqing screened the sister and brother with a pair of cold eyes. His expression was freezing but tone polite, “Welcome. Your presence bright light to my humble house!”

nA second-class noble lord didn’t deserve his personally receiving.

nThe main reason why he came back was to keep an eye on his woman and prevent her from touching or kissing that lady Jian.

nTaking a glimpse of her, Ning Shaoqing subtly snorted.

nThis man’s eyes were so fierce! Jian Qingyou trembled, voluntarily moving toward Mo Qianxue, who subconsciously reached out to held her.

nUnexpectedly, her arm suddenly ached, and, in an instant, she was already pulled over to stand next to Ning Shaoqing. The cello-voice rang, “Nizi, come and hold lady Jian.”

nIn a daze, Mo Qianxue had been arranged to sit by Ning Shaoqing. Nizi was clever and held Jian Qingyou to sit next to lord Jian.

nOnly then did Ning Shaoqing’s expression was a little softened, “What may I help you, brother Jian?”

nIt was common among women to touch one another, so Ning Shaoqing’s behavior confused Jian Mobai a little. But at a second thought, he recalled the life-saving method of air-transfer. Then he couldn’t help laughing.

nOnly men understand men.

nHearing Ning Shaoqing’s question, Jian Mobai wanted to test whether this man would respond the same way with his wife, so he repeated old madam’s proposal again.

nThis woman only made troubles!

nA second-class noble family wanted to take his wife as a granddaughter, seriously? Kowtow ceremony?

nNing Shaoqing disdained in secrecy, but his expression maintained calm and cold. Without looking at Mo Qianxue, he turned him down immediately, quicker than Mo Qianxue.

nThis kind of refusal was both within in and out of Jian Mobai’s prediction. He fell silent!

nSince when did a noble identity turn so cheap?

nIt seemed that the world was going to change dramatically!

nThe two men started to chat politely about poetry or prose or the current political situation.

nMo Qianxue intended to take Jian Qingyou into the inner room to have a good talk with her but was fixed on the chair by Ning Shaoqing by one sentence.

nFinally, under his scorching gaze, she decided to sit there quiet in the living room and stared numbly and sipped tea with Jian Qingyou, hearing the two men’s polite but superficial conversation.

nJian Mobai was a person of high esteem. But for Ning Shaoqing’s learning and temperament, he would have left already.

nAlthough they didn’t get deep into subjects, Jian Mobai admired very much the insightful opinions and noble spirit Ning Shaoqing revealed between lines.

nHowever, this occasion wasn’t a proper one to enjoy a meaningful conversation as much as he would like to.

nSince the Ning couple had turned him down, after a while, Jian Mobai said goodbye and left with Jian Qingyou.

nGetting back Jian mansion, Jian Mobai reported the result to old madam and clarify the Ning couple’s attitude.

nOld madam Jian only sighed, “See? I told you they wouldn’t appreciate it.”

nMadam and master Jian said in unison, “Rude people!”

nOld madam Jian laughed out of anger, “Rare for you to share an opinion!”

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