Chapter 188 The restless heart begins to attack

"Young Master, how are you?"

Seeing Qi Heng walking towards her quickly, Minglan's heart started beating fast and she bowed a little awkwardly.

"Sixth sister."

Qi Heng walked forward with a happy face.

"A few days ago, I wanted to ask some of my brothers from the academy to go to the polo club with me, but we couldn't make it together, so we had to give up in the end."

Qi Heng looked apologetic, but said as if to assure:
"If I wasn't afraid of my mother knowing and punishing me, I would definitely go!"

"Yeah!" Minglan just nodded.

I was glad that Qi Heng didn't go.

Otherwise, if Qi Heng went to participate in the polo match at such an important time in the imperial examination, this matter would definitely reach the ears of Princess Pingning. When the time comes, she would investigate. I would not say anything for now, but my father would definitely be in trouble.

"real!"

Qi Heng saw that Minglan's answer seemed a bit perfunctory, so he continued:

"If you don't believe me, tell me before you go next time, and I will definitely go then!"

Afraid that Minglan would not believe in his determination, Qi Heng made repeated assurances.

"No, no, no!" Minglan waved her hands anxiously.

She didn't dare let Qi Heng go to the polo club on impulse.

"The young master has always been a trustworthy gentleman, Minglan naturally believes it!"

Seeing that Minglan did not seem to be lying, Qi Heng gave up.

Then he looked at the book box in Xiaotao's hand in the distance and asked:

"Mr. Zhuang kept you here just now, but he punished you to copy books again?"

Qi Heng did not ask why Minglan was punished, because this was not the first time this had happened. Everyone knew that Minglan was kept by Mr. Zhuang because of her poor handwriting.

It is well known.

Minglan nodded, but then a mischievous look immediately appeared on her pretty face, and she said with a smile:

"The teacher asked me to copy the Salt and Iron Treatise in three days."

"Three days?"

Qi Heng looked puzzled. He knew how many words there were in "Salt and Iron Theory" and it was not something that could be finished in three days, so he didn't understand why Minglan could still laugh.

"But I just happened to hear your fifth sister asking you to help sew a purse."

Qi Heng showed concern and said:
"You don't have enough time to begin with. If you help your fifth sister..."

"How about I copy half of it for you?"

Qi Heng seemed to think this was a great idea, his eyes lit up, and he immediately said:
"I can learn your calligraphy. With my help, you will surely catch up."

"Ah? It's okay!" Minglan waved her hands to refuse.

Although Minglan felt sweet when she heard the words "I can learn your calligraphy", she didn't want Qi Heng to help her copy... or maybe she didn't dare?

Fearing that Qi Heng would go and talk to Fifth Sister for her sake and ask her to skip this task, Minglan continued:

"I promised to cook a few meals for you, and you agreed to give me two more days."

After saying this, Minglan chuckled, as if she found this to be very interesting.

Seeing the bright smile suddenly blooming on Minglan's beautiful face, Qi Heng stopped talking about persuading her and could not help but stare at her in a daze for a moment.

This is why he is so happy about Minglan.

Even if you are behind bars, you can still maintain an optimistic attitude.

It is always like a ray of brilliant sunshine, silently shining into Qi Heng's heart.

"Little...young master?"

Minglan had some feelings for the handsome Qi Heng in her heart, but she did not dare to reveal them due to the huge gap in their status. Now facing Qi Heng's straight gaze at close range, Minglan felt unable to control her emotions for a moment. She could only hold the hem of her skirt tightly with her slender fingers, and her fair cheeks were immediately flushed with a deep blush.

"Oh……"

Qi Heng came back to his senses after Minglan's gentle reminder, and then he withdrew his gaze with a lingering feeling.

He understood that his current behavior was reckless and inappropriate.

What kind of gentleman would stare at a girl like that?

However, the ambiguity in this hazy atmosphere was so alluring that Qi Heng's behavior seemed inadvertently abrupt.

If you like Minglan, you can’t stop it!

"correct."

Qi Heng didn't want to leave the impression of being a pervert in Minglan's mind, so he quickly diverted her attention, took out the mahogany food box that had been placed under the peach tree beside the path, handed it to Minglan, and said:
"I heard from Brother Donghuan that when he gave water chestnuts to Sister Hua, they were mostly eaten by you, Minglan..."

Qi Heng felt that he had made his meaning very clear, so he immediately put the food box in Minglan's hand, whose face was red, and said softly:
"I thought you might like it, so I asked someone to find some for you."

It is early spring now, while the water chestnuts are in season in summer and autumn.

Qi Heng must have put a lot of thought into getting these out-of-season water chestnuts into his hands.

Minglan understood the value of the food box in her hand.

It's not just the value of goods.

Qi Heng's affection is also implied in it.

This made the food box in front of her seem unusually heavy, and Minglan, who was always cautious, did not dare to respond.

She knew that there was a high probability that the relationship between her and Qi Heng would not have a good outcome, so her little hand couldn't help but shrink back when Qi Heng expressed his feelings so blatantly.

Qi Heng felt depressed when he saw Minglan was reluctant to take his hand.

Thinking of his previous defeat in front of Minglan in the game of tossing pots and Gu Tingye's many instigations, he could not help but make up his mind and showed his decisive side in front of Minglan for the first time. He pushed the food box into Minglan's arms, and then turned around and left quickly while Minglan was holding the food box in her hands, at a loss as to what to do.

"I've been waiting here for a long time. The brothers must have been getting anxious when they saw that I was not here."

Minglan looked at the food box in her hand, then looked at Qi Heng who was running away quickly. She was stunned for a long time, until Qi Heng ran out of the corner, then she looked back and shouted loudly:
"If you think it suits your taste, tell me and I'll ask someone to bring some back for you!"

The boy's behavior was so unusually high-spirited that the girl was stunned for a moment. A hundred thoughts were running through her mind, but she just stood there, not knowing where to start.

"Girl, girl?"

It was not until Xiaotao asked quietly beside her that Minglan woke up from her dream and burst out laughing.

The smile is bright and dazzling.

"Miss, is this what the young master gave you just now?"

Xiao Tao also heard what Qi Heng said when he left, and she guessed in her heart that what her young lady was holding in her arms should be some food. She immediately felt a little greedy and wanted to see what it was. She thought that considering the status of the young master and his affection for her young lady, the gift must be delicious food.

I, Xiaotao, am just taking a look. I’m definitely not greedy!

"Snapped!"

However, Xiaotao did not get what she wanted, as her outstretched hand was immediately slapped away by Minglan.

"Girl, what are you doing?"

Seeing that Minglan still refused to let go and held the food box in her arms like a treasure, Xiaotao defended herself:

"I just saw that you were having a hard time, so I thought I could help share the burden as your personal maid."

"No need!"

Minglan raised her cheeks, with an inexplicable joy in her voice:
"Don't I know you? Just hold my bookcase and don't think about the things in the food box."

As she spoke, Minglan picked up the food box and walked towards Shou'an Hall.

"That is what the young master gave it." Minglan was walking in front, and Xiaotao followed closely behind her holding a book box, muttering to herself.

She grew up with Minglan and inherited Minglan's nature as a foodie, and she loves delicious food very much.

Now seeing Minglan guarding the food box like a treasure, his curiosity was as strong as a cat's scratching, and he really wanted to find out what delicious food was inside.

Shou'an Hall. Minglan looked in cautiously from outside the courtyard.

Now her grandmother was probably waiting for her to have lunch, but she was holding the food box sent by Qi Heng in her hand, and she didn't dare let her grandmother see it. She just planned to sneak back to her room, put the things down, and then go to her grandmother.

Unfortunately, as soon as he showed his head, he was discovered by Fang Mama who had been waiting at the gate of the yard.

Mother Fang: As soon as your head shows up, I’ll be there in seconds!

"Girl, the old lady asked you to go over quickly."

Before Minglan could make any stealthy move, she was stopped on the spot and stood there awkwardly.

But since she was stopped, Minglan decided to give Xiaotao more burden and let her take the book box and food box back to her room.

When Fang's mother saw Xiaotao carrying her book box, she quickly came over to help her, took the lunch box from Xiaotao and said,
"Let me take this, Xiao Tao, you take the bookcase back to the girl's room first."

"Yes!"

Xiao Tao watched as the book box was taken over by Mama Fang. Although she wanted to help cover it up, she could only look helplessly at Minglan. Mama Fang was the head maid of Shou'an Hall, and Xiao Tao dared not refute her orders.

"Young lady, you came so late. Did you go to the kitchen to prepare food for the old lady?" Mother Fang said, looking at the food box in her hand.

Minglan is a greedy person. Not only does she know how to eat, she can also cook. Occasionally, she would cook for Old Madam Sheng. When Mrs. Fang saw that Minglan came late, she thought that today would be the same, so she took the food box from Xiaotao so naturally.

"Um~" Minglan didn't know what to say. She just responded vaguely and walked quickly inside.

inside the house.

Old Mrs. Sheng was already sitting at the dining table waiting, fiddling with a delicately shaped small hand warmer in her hands.

"Are you being punished by the teacher to do homework again?" Mrs. Sheng hadn't noticed Fang Mama who was following behind her yet, and when she saw Minglan, she asked directly.

"Hmm!" Minglan felt that Fang's mother had the "handle" over her and she had no interest in saying more.

"Here, take this hand warmer."

Old Madam Sheng handed the hand warmer to Minglan and said:
"You'll probably have to work late these days as punishment. This hand warmer is warmer than the others. Take it."

Minglan nodded and accepted it.

At this time, Fang's mother came in with a lunch box.

"Hey, you're not being kept in detention, are you going to get some food again?"

"Grandma, it's detention. I just got it from the school."

"Oh? Is it from your brother-in-law again?"

Minglan didn't dare to answer, otherwise if her grandmother asked her elder sister or brother-in-law later, she would be exposed immediately. She could only yell that she was hungry and asked her grandmother to eat.

Old Madam Sheng had a preconceived notion that it was a gift from Yang Wenyuan, so she nodded in agreement immediately, but still asked:
"What is this gift?"

"water chestnut."

Old Mrs. Sheng nodded.

It was water chestnuts again. Yang Wenyuan had sent them to him several times before.

However, this thing is cold in nature, and as an old lady, she didn't dare to eat too much, so most of it went into Minglan's stomach.

……

After one day.

At noon, Master Zhuang announced the end of get out of class and lunch.

As soon as Master Zhuang left first, everyone else immediately filed in.

"Yuanruo, let's go and have dinner together." Seeing that Qi Heng was hesitating, Gu Tingye urged him immediately.

"Uncle, I'm going to change my clothes first." Qi Heng explained.

When they say "changing clothes", they actually mean going to the toilet. However, because of their status and family background, they think it is not decent to say "pee" or "defecate" which are related to dirty things, so they use "changing clothes" to refer to it.

Yang Wenyuan on the side looked over with a smile.

"Yuan Ruo, you have to change this bad habit. You always change clothes at this time these days. I'm afraid you are not feeling well. How about going home today and letting the doctor at home check your pulse?"

"Yes!"

Gu Tingye seemed to come to his senses and said teasingly:

"Yuan Ruo, if you are worried that the princess will worry, you can come to my house and I will ask someone to diagnose your pulse."

"No...no need." Qi Heng said guiltily.

Qi Heng saw that Rulan and Molan had already left the women's quarters, and Minglan seemed to be tidying up the desk quickly, so he called Xiaotao to bring the book box and said hurriedly:
"Brothers, please go quickly. I'll be back soon!"

Yang Wenyuan felt helpless when he saw this.

Qi Heng looked so anxious now that he might not be able to listen to his subtle advice at all. He could only look at Gu Tingye and leave quickly.

inside the house.

Seeing that everyone had left and only himself and Minglan were left, Qi Heng immediately tiptoed to Minglan's side.

I wanted to give Minglan a surprise.

Unexpectedly, Minglan seemed to have a pair of eyes behind her. Qi Heng was discovered as soon as he walked behind Minglan.

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

In response to Minglan's question, Qi Heng smiled awkwardly, then immediately walked back to his seat and took out two slender rosewood boxes from the bookcase.

Qi Heng walked quickly to Minglan.

Afraid that Minglan would find the purple-hair brushes too precious, Qi Heng did not open the box and only handed the two wooden boxes to Minglan.

"I think you haven't improved after practicing calligraphy for a long time. It must be because you don't use the brush well. I have two extra purple brushes. You can use them first."

"This... this is too expensive." Minglan waved her hands to refuse.

She grew up with her grandmother and had some knowledge about various precious objects. Although she had never seen what the purple-hair brush looked like with her own eyes, the name of the purple-hair brush alone was enough to make it very expensive.

It seemed that he had "forced" Minglan to express his experience yesterday. Seeing Minglan's refusal, Qi Heng immediately used the excuse that his brothers had waited for a long time yesterday, put the wooden box in his hand on Minglan's bookcase, and waved to Buwei to leave with him.

"Why is the young master so silly? Your handwriting, young lady, cannot be saved by a pen." Xiao Tao, who had already packed up the textbooks that Minglan needed, muttered softly.

Minglan was not convinced by this and immediately said:

"Nonsense, it's not as bad as you say."

Xiao Tao knew Ming Lan's temper and was not afraid of her getting angry, so she just continued:
"Girl, you have been practicing your calligraphy since you were little, and the old lady has been urging and teaching you all the time. It has become like this even now."

Xiao Tao's next words are even more heartbreaking:

"Otherwise, why did Master Zhuang ask you to write the punishment instead of asking the fourth and fifth girls?"

"This... this is because Master Zhuang likes the food I cook!"

Minglan felt that she could still argue for this matter, so she immediately stiffened her neck and said:
"If my two elder sisters could have my good cooking skills and gentle personality, I'm sure Master Zhuang wouldn't favor me alone."

Xiao Tao pursed her lips when she heard that, and took out a water chestnut from her waist to grind her lips with, so as not to choke her girl again.

"Hey, why are you eating again?"

Seeing Xiao Tao taking out the water chestnuts, Ming Lan couldn't help but complain:

"I didn't eat much of the water chestnuts I got yesterday. Most of them went into your stomach."

"Hehe~" Xiao Tao just responded with a simple smile.

"Minglan!"

Suddenly, Rulan's voice sounded from outside the house.

Hearing this, Minglan and Xiaotao looked at each other, and hurriedly hid the two wooden boxes containing purple-hair brushes into the bookcase.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Rulan saw this scene and she couldn't help but ask.

"Pack up your textbooks!"

(End of this chapter)