Chapter Thirty-Four: The Appointment

  She carefully walked over with a tray, on which was placed a steaming bowl of seafood congee. "Miss, it's just been cooked, fragrant and hot, eating it will fill you up and warm you up."

  Xin Yan followed behind Lu Lao and Hong Yu, Lu Lao wearing a green jacket, Hong Yu wearing a red jacket, one holding a tray, the other carrying a woolen blanket. They walked to the grassy area in front of Bai Yun Nuan's station, quickly spreading out the woolen blanket, putting down the tray, Xin Yan placed the serving plate on the tray, and pulled Bai Yun Nuan to sit on the blanket.

  Green lotus and red jade present silver chopsticks and golden spoon.

  "Miss, take your time!"

  Bai Yun was about to put a piece of rice cake into her mouth when she caught sight of three maidservants staring at her with six shining eyes, like six small suns. She flung down her chopsticks and said, "With so many eyes on me, how can I eat?"

  "Eat with your mouth!" Hong Yu retorted, and immediately received a beating from Green Lotus.

  Bai Yun smiled warmly and Xin Yue also laughed, saying: "Miss, are you feeling hot?"

  A little bit.

  "That's heart-warming to feed you." Heart-warming said, taking the silver chopsticks and golden spoon, picking up a piece of rice cake, blowing on it a few times before placing it in the golden spoon to feed White Cloud Warmth. White Cloud Warmth smiled, opening her mouth to eat.

  Lü Lian and Hong Yu were smiling at the side, a master with three servants was having a great time, Zhang Nai Chun suddenly ran out, Bai Yun Nuan choked on a big mouthful, and immediately started coughing.

  Three maidservants hurriedly patted Bai Yun's back, while Xin Huan scolded: "Young Master Zhang, look at you, your butt is on fire, and you've choked our young mistress."

  "Sorry sorry sorry, Miss Bai, are you okay?"

  Watching the white cloud warm up with tears in her eyes, he was heartbroken and at a loss, if not for the restraint of men and women, he would have gone up to pat her back himself.

  Bai Yun coughed for a while, finally coughing out the sticky rice that was stuck in her throat. Xin Zhen scooped up a spoonful of soup and let her rinse her mouth with it, and only then did she recover from her exhaustion.

  Staring at Zhang Nai Chun, their auras didn't resonate with each other. This nemesis was indeed a nemesis!

  Zhang Nai Chun saw Bai Yun's warmth, but instead of scolding her, she just stared at herself with a sorrowful expression. Moved to tears, she suddenly knelt down on the ground and said in a sobbing tone: "Miss Bai is fine, that's all that matters... if there's anything wrong..."

  "If something happens, you won't be able to make up for it even with ten heads." Zhen Nai Chun scolded in one breath.

  Zhang Nai Chun hastily nodded and bowed: "Yes yes yes, Xin Yue sister's teachings are correct."

  Looking at his shameless and lazy appearance, Baiyun Nuan felt a bit helpless and asked: "What brings you to find me?"

  "Miss didn't ask me to practice the nine-linked rings? I've already mastered them all, and now I'd like to come and exchange moves with Miss." Zhang Nai Chun stretched out her neck and eagerly leaned in.

  Bai Yun said with a warm and cold smile: "How many tricks have you learned?"

  "I've mastered all nine."

  Zhang Naichun's eyes sparkled with snow, waiting for Bai Yunnuo to praise him. But unexpectedly, Bai Yunnuo said: "How come, Wen Xian didn't teach you the tenth style of his ultimate skill? It seems that Young Master Zhang's personal charm is insufficient, or perhaps your reward was not generous enough!"

  Zhang Nai Chun calmly and slowly said, "Wen Xian Di told me that the nine-linked ring is not the ten-linked ring, where did the ten kinds of flowers come from? He said it was Miss Bai who intentionally teased me."

  Bai Yun smiled warmly and said, "Do you believe me or Wen Xian brother?"

  "Of course I believe you."

  "Alright, you can come and spar with me again when Wen Xian teaches you the tenth form."

  "If I learn the tenth style, what benefits can Miss Bai give me?"

  White clouds warm one daze.

  She thought to herself, Wen Luoming was indeed not a person who would give in easily, and Zhang Nai Chun couldn't gain anything from her either. Let him make his demands then, she said: "What do you want?"

  Zhang Nai Chun was overjoyed: "If I learn the tenth style, Miss Bai will accompany me to watch a play at Jinxiu Ban, how about that?"

  "Miss can't go out without the old master and mistress's agreement." Xīn hurriedly stopped her.

  Bai Yun smiled warmly and waved her hand, "Never mind, as long as you learn the tenth style, I'll follow your lead."

  "A gentleman's word is his bond..."

  "It's hard to catch up with a team of six horses!"

  Jian Baiyun said so warmly that Zhang Nai Chun finally felt at ease and left on his own.

  Watching Zhang Nai Chun leave, Bai Yun Wan felt something was off and stared at Xin Yan, "You and Yu Mo really will be the tenth type of flower?"

  Xin Yuan nodded.

  Bai Yun warmed up a bit, feeling somewhat uneasy. Xin Zong would never betray her, but Yu Mo was another story altogether. She said, "Go and remind Yu Mo of this: under no circumstances is he to come into contact with Young Master Zhang."

  Xin Yuan Dao nodded and said "yes" before leaving.

  Bai Zhenxuan found Wen Luming on the empty land opposite the waterfall, seeing him sitting dazedly at the edge of the cliff, his feet hanging in mid-air, his eyes vacant, with residual tear stains at the bottom of his eyes.

  Bai Zhenxuan didn't dare to make a sound, and accompanied Wen Luming in silence for a long time. Seeing that the tear stains at the bottom of Wen Luming's eyes had dried, he finally spoke up: "Wen Xiongdi, why are you sitting here alone? Did you run into An Nuan and get upset by her?"

  Wen Luoming gave Bai Zhuanxuan a weak smile and shook his head: "Brother Bai, don't be suspicious, it's nothing."

  "That's why?" Bai Zhenxuan looked at him in confusion.

  Wen Lu's gaze fell on a white waterfall-like strip, and he was not very sad.

  "I'm just questioning life, why can't people be born equal? When will this world become harmonious?"

  Wen Lu's words made Bai Zhenxuan momentarily speechless with deep thoughts.

  When Bai Zhenxuan didn't respond, Wen Luming also fell silent. He was only thinking to himself: The Buddha said that all living beings are equal, but it's actually a deception. In this world, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those who are already good become even better, while those who are struggling become even more destitute. Take Bai Zhenxuan for example - he is wealthier than me, wrapped in silk and satin, yet still a refined and elegant person with a kind heart. He has never looked down on me because I was born into a poor family of scholars. We have a close relationship. But as for myself, living under someone else's roof, struggling to make ends meet, and trying to curry favor with the powerful, is my treatment of him really genuine? Or is there an element of flattery in it, just like what Bai Yunnuan said?

  The more she thought about it, the more she felt that she was being despicable, and the more determined she became to leave the White family.

  Not for avoiding the warmth of the white clouds, but solely because he didn't want to desecrate the deep affection White Zhenxuan had for him, he too had to leave the White household and start anew.

  "Baisheng brother, I may not be living in the Bai family home anymore."

  Bai Zhenxuan looked at Wen Luming in surprise, "Why?"

  Wen Luoming said: "There are still a few mu of thin land in the old house that can be cultivated, I don't want to rely on the government for food, and take advantage of it."

  Bai Zhenxuan suddenly became anxious: "Wen Xiongdi, what are you talking about? You're a scholar, aren't you going to take the imperial examination anymore? Let alone that we've known each other for years and are as close as brothers, even if you were just Mr. Wen's son, the White family would still be obligated to support you out of respect for your father. If you feel indebted to the White family, then you should work hard to make a name for yourself, and on the year of the big comparison, get top honors on the imperial examination as a way of repayment. Don't mention going back home to farm again! As the saying goes, 'all other pursuits are inferior, only reading is superior'."

  Bai Zhenxuan's emotions were stirred, his cheeks slightly flushed, and Wen Luming was called to stop saying anything. However, he had already made up his mind, a great man does not eat food that comes easily, nor will he bow down for five pecks of rice, he can farm while reading books at the same time.

  Bai Zhenxuan returned to the lakeside grassland, Wen Luming had tidied up his injured heartstrings. When he saw Bai Yunnuan, he didn't reveal an unpleasant expression, just like nothing was wrong, calm and composed, gentle and elegant, with a hint of a smile, light as a cloud and thin as mist.

  This made Bai Yun warm quite surprised.

  Bai Zhenxuan pulled Bai Yunnuan and Wen Luming to barbecue with Qin Ai, Zhang Naichun also joined in, the young men went to play cards by themselves, they played until late afternoon before heading back to the city.

  A green canopy carriage was followed by Zhang Nai Chun's red curtain carriage, like a green insect with a red silk ribbon tied to its tail, which was quite eye-catching.

  Zhang Nai Chun's carriage followed behind the Bai family's carriage to the front of the Bai Manor. Xi Bo opened the middle gate and let the carriages in. Si Er lifted up the curtain and stuck his head inside, saying to Zhang Nai Chun: "Young Master, the Bai family didn't invite us, shouldn't we leave?"

  Zhang Nai Chun thought for a moment and said: "Let me say goodbye to Miss Bai." Then he jumped off the carriage and ran into the White family's gate.

  On the road, White Cloud got down from the carriage with the help of her maid, and Zhang Nai Chun hurried over, laughing and saying: "Miss Bai, don't forget our agreement."

  Bai Yun smiled faintly and lazily, too lazy to continue arguing with him, nodded slightly.

  Zhang Nai Chun's heart was filled with joy and anger, but he immediately went to bid farewell to Bai Zhen Xuan, Wen Lu Ming, Bai Yu Shu, and Bai Jiang Shi. After completing all the necessary formalities, he left the White family.

  Watching Xi Bo close the middle gate, Zhang Nai Chun's figure in golden crown and embroidered clothes was shut out by the big gate, Bai Yu Shu furrowed his brow.

  Bai Jiang said: "This Zhang Dashi is notorious in Luozhou County, let's not get too close to him from now on."

  Zhen Niang said with a smile: "Anyone with eyes can see that Young Master Zhang is here for our young lady."

  Bai Yu's book was calm and composed, but didn't he know that this little drunkard's intention wasn't in the wine? It's just that because of the Lingyun Temple affair, he had to attribute all the credit to him, and it wouldn't be good to burn his bridges after crossing the river, so he couldn't make it too obvious.

  Bai Jiang saw the old master's serious and silent face, and inferred her husband's thoughts a little, saying: "The old master is grateful to him, no matter what, inviting him for a drink or sending a generous gift would be enough, must he really promise his daughter in marriage to repay the favor?"

  Bai Yushu saw that he was being reproached by his wife with just one sentence, so he said: "It's possible that we're overthinking things, and the other person didn't explicitly express any ulterior motives towards Anuan!"

  "It's even more infuriating this way. Without a proper marriage, you're so eager to get close, is it just for the sake of having fun?"

  Bai Yu's book is worried about this matter.