Chapter Twenty Return to the Mansion

  A horse-drawn carriage was moving at a steady pace on the snowy road back to Luoxian County from Lingyun Temple.

  Horses' hooves trod on the snow, and the wheels of the carriage rolled over the road surface, making a creaking sound.

  The bright moonlight shines down and mingles with the snow's radiance.

  Fourth Son sat in the front of the horse cart, waving his whip and shouting back: "Young Master, you've traveled such a long way, set off so many firecrackers, is this exhausting and costly endeavor worth it?"

  Zhang Nai Chun lay in the train car, his hands clasped behind his head, one foot propped on the other, swinging freely as he said, "Chasing girls is really expensive."

  "You're burning silver and also your brain..." Before Si'er could finish grumbling, Zhang Nai Chun had already poked his head out of the carriage and gave him a knock on the head.

  "Can't you speak properly? What's 'burning brain'? That's called being distracted. No wonder your parents named you Si Er, two plus two!"

  Zhang Nai Spring finished training and lay back in the train carriage.

  The fourth son rubbed his sore head and chuckled.

  Bai Zhenxuan opened his eyes to find himself lying in a strange room. With the sunlight projecting from outside the window, he saw that all the windows, doors, tables and beds inside were made of fragrant sandalwood, very simple and elegant.

  He struggled to get up and found his head splitting with pain.

  "Is anyone there? Where is this?" Bai Zhenxuan struggled to prop up his consciousness and got up, seeing that his crimson cloak was still hanging on the screen windbreaker rack, so he carefully walked over to take it with the help of furniture.

  Just as he had taken the cloak, the door was pushed open and Zhang Nai Chun and Si Er walked in.

  "Master Bai, you're awake?" Zhang Nai Chun walked over with a smile and instructed Si Er, "Si Er, quickly go get some water for Master Bai to wash his face, and prepare some breakfast."

  The fourth son got the order and ran out with a whoop.

  Bai Zhenxuan looked at Zhang Nai Chun in confusion and asked: "Master Zhang? Where is this place? How did I end up here?"

  "This is one of my private villas." Zhang Nai Chun was very flattering towards Bai Zhen Xuan because of the warm relationship between them.

  "Your private villa? How did I end up in your private villa? Did you kidnap me?" Bai Zhenxuan suddenly looked at Zhang Nai Chun with vigilance.

  Zhang Nai Chun Ah Ping was shocked, he covered his forehead with his palm and said in disbelief: "Bai Shao Ye, you... made me look at you in a new light, why did I kidnap you? Is the White family richer than my Zhang family or is Bai Zhen Xuan as beautiful as a celestial being?"

  Bai Zhenxuan immediately thought of Zhang Nai Chun and Qin Guan's ambiguous relationship, his vigilance increased a few points. He anxiously retreated several steps back, his back against the screen clothes rack, and sternly said: "Zhang Nai Chun, I'm telling you, I keep myself clean, I don't get involved in your kind of thing!"

  "Which set are we using?" Zhang Nai Chun looked at Bai Zhen Xuan with a mixture of laughter and tears.

  "You and Qinguan are a perfect match." Bai Zhengan said quickly, turning his back.

  Zhang Nai Chun smiled and said, "None of that is true." In his heart, he cursed him as a bookworm. He cupped his hands together in respect and explained, "Young Master Bai, I took you in because your younger sister asked me to."

  "My sister? An Nuan?" Bai Zhenxuan turned around suspiciously.

  "That's right. It was Miss Bai who entrusted it." Zhang Nai Chun spread out his hands.

  "What's going on?"

  "Then Miss Bai will have to explain it to you herself."

  At this time, Fourth Son brought in a servant with a basin of water for washing his face and breakfast. How could Bai Zhenxuan have the heart to eat? He hastily put on his cloak and rushed out the door. He had to see An Nuan immediately and ask her what was going on.

  Long Xiang City Forum

  Zhang Nai Chun saw him hurrying along and chased after him, shouting: "Bai young master, don't be in a rush, let my carriage take you."

  Bai Zhenxuan ran out the door and stopped again, oh yeah, he still had to ask Zhang Nai Chun about Ah Nuan and his parents' whereabouts now? Were they at Lingyun Temple or had they already returned to the White family?

  The old housekeeper Xi Bo had already opened the two middle gates at the front of the White House, and several horse-drawn carriages returning from Lingyun Temple drove in one after another under the warm sunshine.

  Immediately, several family members came forward, some supporting people, others moving boxes, leading horses and unloading carts.

  "Old Master..." Ji Bo stepped forward and bowed his head to listen for Bai Yushu's orders.

  Bai Yushu's face lit up with joy, and he instructed Xi Bo: "Xi Bo, hurry up and take the family to clean up Qiang Jin Ge. In two days, Master Xiang will be visiting our White family, so we must treat him well."

  "Is Master Xiang coming? Is he going to ascend to the Qiangjin Pavilion to view the stored books?" Xi Bo's old face blossomed like a flower, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and forehead trembled like chrysanthemum petals in the wind.

  "Alright, alright, don't say any more, hurry up and lead the family to get busy, must serve Lord Chengxiang well!"

  Xi Bo didn't dare to linger and immediately called out to his family members to hurry off.

  Bai Yu Shu turned around and saw Madame Jiang smiling and standing there, while her daughter Bai Yun Nuan had a calm expression.

  He smiled and walked over, looking at Bai Yun warmly: "Anuan, where did you hide your brother?"

  Just then, from outside the gate came a shout of "Halt!" The sound of the coachman's whip cracking and the urgent footsteps followed. When everyone turned their heads to look, they saw Bai Zhenxuan striding in wearing a scarlet cloak, with Zhang Naiqing and Fourth Son following closely behind him.

  "Master, I finally get to see you!" Songta had already slipped to Bai Zhenxuan's side, smiling with a flattering expression.

  Bai Zhenxuan gave him a glance and said in a low voice: "Scram!"

  Songta was used to Young Master's rough jokes, stuck out his tongue and backed off.

  Bai Zhenxuan quickly walked up to everyone and said: "Father, mother, An Nuan, what's going on?"

  Bai Yu saw that Zhang Nai Chun was present, and couldn't speak clearly, so he comforted Bai Zhen Xuan by saying: "Let's talk about it in a few days, first take your mother and sister back to the inner courtyard."

  Bai Zhuanxuan had no choice but to follow his father's orders and headed towards the inner courtyard with his mother and sister.

  "Miss Bai——" Zhang Nai Chun saw Bai Yun Nuan was about to leave and hastily called out to her.

  Bai Yushu recalled the trouble caused by Yu Mo at Lingyun Temple and felt a sense of disgust towards Zhang Nai Chun. He deliberately blocked Zhang's line of sight, his expression serious as he asked: "Young Master Zhang has come to our manor for what purpose?"

  Zhang Nai Chun was momentarily speechless.

  Bai Yun thought of her brother's affairs and finally thanked Zhang Nai Chun for his help, then solemnly bowed to Zhang Nai Chun before following her mother back to the inner courtyard.

  Zhang Nai Chun looked at Bai Yun's warm attitude, which was not as lively and enthusiastic as before in Lingyun Temple. She secretly wondered if she was pretending to be reserved because of her father's presence, and felt a sense of loss in her heart.

  "Mr. Zhang, the Bai family will be busy for the next few days and won't have time to entertain you. Would it be possible for Mr. Zhang to choose another day to visit our residence?"

  Zhang Nai Chun's eyes lit up and he immediately said: "Very good, that young nephew will come to visit again another day." He then called out to the fourth son to leave.

  Just as he arrived at the gate of the White Mansion, a horse carriage came towards him. Two men got off the carriage, an old and a young one, both were elegant and courteous, cautious and refined. He was curious about who they were.