Full House Spring

Chapter 95: Clumsy Means
Zhong was thinking about how to smooth things over later, but when she looked up, she saw Rong leisurely admiring paintings and flowers. She suddenly felt an indescribable feeling of suffocation, so she could only let out a sigh of relief and calm down.

When the group finally walked up to Xia Li, they were all stunned when they saw her paintings. Every stroke of her painting was exquisite, and the realism of the pictures was unbelievable, as if the things in the paintings were right in front of them.

Zhong looked at the painting, then at Xia Li, and felt that it was unreal. She couldn't help but want to touch it. Du Ruo hurriedly stopped her and said, "Madam, please don't touch it! The paint is not dry yet, and you will ruin the painting if you touch it."

Mrs. Zhong quickly withdrew her hand. She said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm so sorry, this painting is so realistic that I was so distracted by it that I couldn't help but reach out and touch it. Look, Madam Rong, even the hairpin on your head is painted so realistically. It's really amazing."

Rong's eyes were full of pride. She said gently, "Mrs. Zhong, I'm afraid I can't give you this painting. I have to frame my daughter's calligraphy and treasure it."

Mrs. Zhong was not an ignorant person, so how could she not see the value of this painting? She said reluctantly, "This painting is so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off it. You can ask Miss Fang to paint another one when you go back. Can you give this one to me?"

Rong was silent for a few seconds. She calmly withdrew her gaze and said slowly, "No, her father and brother haven't seen the painting yet. If I don't take it back, I'm afraid they will blame me."

The girls who were competing in the same competition and wanted to see the fun of the show were a little confused. Why did they start snatching the paintings out of the blue? They couldn't sit still and rushed over to look at the paintings.

When Zhong Huiting saw the lifelike flower-viewing picture, she was stunned. She opened her mouth for a long time without saying anything. After a long while, she shook her head and said, "Is this really drawn by her? I don't believe it!"

She spoke loudly, and everyone present could hear it clearly. Xia Li was wiping his hands with the wet towel handed to him by Shi Mi, and he chuckled when he heard her:
"I was painting in front of everyone just now, no one was doing it for me, so your slander is a bit far-fetched."

He Moli saw that Mrs. Zhong looked unhappy, so she hurriedly walked up to her and tugged at Zhong Huiting's sleeve, lowering her voice and saying, "Huiting, don't talk nonsense. How could this be fake? She painted right under everyone's noses."

Zhong Huiting pursed her lips tightly, her brows showing uneasiness, her face pale as she said:

"Even if she painted it herself, it doesn't mean she is the winner. Aunt, please tell me who painted the best."

Mrs. Zhong didn't know what happened before, but she could hear something unusual. She said in a deep voice, "What are you doing? If Miss Fang's painting is ranked second, who among you dares to claim to be the first?"

When Mrs. Zhong said this, the girls who were watching lowered their heads and kept silent. Kuang Yulin was no less shocked than Zhong Huiting. Her mother was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and had taught her carefully since she was young. Although she was of low status, she prided herself on her outstanding talent. She didn't expect that Fang Xiali could easily crush everyone without making any noise. He really should not be underestimated.

The girl from the Qin family, who was waiting to see the show, stepped forward and said with a smile, "Since the winner has come out, according to the rules, Miss Fang can ask for any item from us. Miss Fang, please pick one quickly."

Xia Li raised his eyebrows slightly, and said with a half-smile, "I'm not familiar with the girls, and it would be rude to ask for things rashly. Why don't I just ask Miss Zhong for something as a token of my appreciation?"

Zhong Huiting's eyes were red, and she said with a forced face: "What do you want? I'll take it off and give it to you."

Xia Li walked towards Zhong Huiting with a smile on her face. Zhong Huiting's fear increased with every step she took. Xia Li had no interest in torturing her. She simply reached out and pulled a hairpin from her bun, and her hair immediately fell into disarray.

Xia Li handed the hairpin to Shi Mi and clapped his hands nonchalantly. Zhong Huiting showed an expression of great humiliation. Xia Li glanced at her and said lightly: "I see that your hairpin has a novel pattern. Take it down and play with it for a few days. If you still want it, you can send someone to my house to get it."

Zhong Huiting's face turned pale, tears welled up in her eyes, and she said in a hoarse voice, "I don't want it anymore, you can do with it as you please."

After saying that, she turned and left. Mrs. Zhong looked a little embarrassed, but now she understood that her niece must have overestimated her own limitations and provoked others.

She coughed lightly and whispered to Rong: "I'll go see if the banquet is ready. You can go shopping first."

Rong nodded slightly. Her daughter had never suffered any loss or injustice, so she didn't need to worry about it. After Zhong left, Rong smiled and said to Xia Li:

"It's rare for you to come out and relax, so walk around and take a look. Don't be too reserved. If there are girls you can talk to, make more friends. I'm afraid you'll be too lonely."

Xia Li smiled slightly and whispered, "Mom, don't worry about me. I know what's going on. Go enjoy the flowers."

The corners of Rong's mouth rose slightly, with an imperceptible tenderness in her eyes. She instructed Shi Mi and Du Ruo to take good care of the girl, and then she walked away.

Xia Li doesn't like to join in the fun. Most of the time, she would rather quietly do what she likes. After all, with her status, there is no shortage of people who try to curry favor with her. However, she thinks that's meaningless and doesn't pay much attention to them.

The master and his servants walked aimlessly. Shi Mi saw a pavilion in front of them and said softly, "Miss, how about we go sit in the pavilion over there?"

Xia Li retracted his gaze and said calmly, "Then let's go."

Du Ruo went over first to check whether the table and chairs were clean. She was afraid that the dust would dirty the girl's clothes, so she wiped them with a handkerchief, and then invited Xia Li to sit down. As soon as Xia Li sat down, she saw a girl in light grass-colored clothes walking over.

Kuang Yulin had been struggling over whether or not to get close to Xia Li. She had seen the flattering looks on other people's faces just now. When she thought that she would be Yu Ru's biological sister-in-law in the future, she couldn't help feeling depressed, so she finally came over.

She walked up to Xia Li, bowed, curled the corners of her lips, and explained in a gentle tone: "Miss Fang, I'm Kuang Yulin, I wonder if you have heard of me."

Xia Li's eyes flashed with surprise. She obviously didn't expect the Kuang family to appear here. No wonder they looked familiar. She lowered her eyes slightly and said, "I've never heard of them. I wonder what Miss Kuang wants to see me about?"

Kuang Yulin smiled uncomfortably, took a deep breath, and said softly, "I see that Miss Fang is a kind-hearted person with a noble character, and I really can't bear to see you being deceived by my brother, so I want to come and tell you something."

Xia Li glanced at her and said calmly, "What do you mean? Lord Kuang escorted me all the way back from Kyoto. Although he is not good at speaking, he is a very chivalrous man. Could it be that I have misjudged him?"

Kuang Yulin knew that his eldest brother had done a lot of things in private, no wonder the Fang family had not taken the initiative to cancel the engagement. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and she forced herself to be calm and said, "Miss Fang, you don't know that my eldest brother is the most valued by my grandfather. He has always been able to do whatever he wants at home. What he showed you was all deliberately disguised. In fact, we brothers and sisters of the second branch have been bullied by him. He has a violent temper and beats and scolds soldiers at will in the guard post. He is also very strong. He is just a rough man and is not worthy of you. I hope you will carefully consider this marriage."

After Kuang Yulin finished speaking, her eyes were red, and she looked very pitiful. Xia Li's mouth showed a hint of amusement, and he said meaningfully: "As far as I know, your father is responsible for two houses, and you and Kuang Chengrui are not from the same mother. What you said is inevitably suspected of throwing dirty water. How can I believe it?"

Kuang Yulin lowered her head and pursed her lips, twisting her fingers gently in front of her, and mustered up the courage to say: "I think Miss Fang is a good person, so I came here to tell you all this. Putting aside my eldest brother's temper, my eldest aunt is timid and afraid of things. She can't stand up. If you really marry into her family, she will not only be unable to help you, but will also hold you back.

My grandfather was also very strong-willed. He would not tolerate anyone contradicting his words. Our house was not spacious. Apart from the front yard, there was only the east wing where the eldest son lived and the west wing where our second son lived. When you get married, you can only live in the east wing. I can’t imagine how miserable your life would be. ”

Kuang Yulin looked like she was really thinking about her. Seeing that Xia Li was unmoved, she continued to lobby, "Besides my eldest brother, there are three other men in our family, as well as me and my sister. Apart from other things, marriage will cost a lot of money. If your dowry enters our house, there is no guarantee that..."

She didn't say the rest of the words, but the unfinished meaning was self-evident. Xia Li tilted her head to look at her, her eyes moving, and said with a smile, "What is your purpose in sparing no effort to slander Kuang Chengrui? Does my marriage into the Kuang family hinder you?"

Kuang Yulin was stunned by Xia Li's unconventional words. She felt guilty and raised her voice unconsciously: "I just can't bear to see you fall into the abyss of no return. I am a girl and I will get married sooner or later. You have more choices. There is no need to go all the way to the end."

Xia Li looked at the other's unwilling eyes, smiled and said, "I can't help it. I have deep feelings for him, and he is also loyal to me. We are destined to be together."

Kuang Yulin seemed to not believe her ears. Her eyelashes moved for a long time before she said, "If you don't believe me, you will regret it sooner or later. That's all I have to say. You can do whatever you want."

After that, she ran away angrily. When she disappeared, Shi Mi said worriedly, "Miss, although Miss Kuang's words were meant to sow discord, they were also true. It seems that Master Kuang is not a good match. But, why did you deliberately say such words that you two are in love?"

Xia Li stood up, looked at her with a smile, and said in a gentle voice: "Kuang Yulin came to me to stir up trouble, exposing the fact that the two branches of the Kuang family are not in harmony. It can be seen that Mr. Kuang is on the side of the eldest branch, and the second branch is very dissatisfied.

Kuang Yulin's tactics are so despicable, she just looks down on me. She really thinks she can fool me with a few words. Why should I do as she wishes? Regardless of whether I marry Kuang Chengrui or not, my interests will never coincide with hers, so why not make her feel uneasy?"

Du Ruo was slightly surprised, then the corners of her mouth rose, and she said with a smile: "I'm afraid that after Miss Kuang returns, the second wife will not be at peace."

Shi Mi frowned slightly and said, "Since Mr. Kuang is on the side of the eldest house, then the eldest wife should have the final say in everything in the Kuang Mansion. The second house can still jump around like this, which shows that the eldest wife's methods are not very smart. Maybe she really can't stand up."

Du Ruo was quiet for a few seconds, then said in a serious tone: "It doesn't matter if you really can't stand up, just be obedient. Our girl has her own ideas, so there's no need to discuss everything with her. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have the final say."

Xia Li curled his lips and then smiled, "You are thinking too far ahead. I haven't decided who to marry yet. Let's go, the banquet is about to start. Let's talk about it after we meet the next candidate."

Xia Li estimated the time just right. When she arrived, the dishes had just been served. Rong waved to her daughter, motioning her to sit next to her. Since they were all female relatives, there was no need to be too particular.

Xia Li had eaten delicacies made with flowers before, but she didn't expect that Laizhou could make such delicious dishes. She ate a little more out of respect. When she was about 60% full, Rong leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Madam Xu will accompany you to change clothes later. Madam Zhong has prepared some gifts for you. Go pick them up while you are here."

Xia Li's eyes flashed with understanding. She thought that she was arranged to meet the talented third cousin of the Zhang family before she left. This was fine. She nodded gently and said, "Then mother, wait for a while. I'll be back soon."

There was no trace of shyness on Xia Li's face. Her eyes were clear and transparent, and she was clearly a child who had not yet begun to fall in love. Rong secretly cursed the emperor in her heart and said softly, "We are not in a hurry. Take your time to look carefully and come back."

Xia Li smiled and said sweetly, "Don't worry, mother. I have a plan in mind."

Rong nodded slightly, then looked at Aunt Xu and said, "Don't take your eyes off the young lady. Your safety is the most important thing in case of any trouble."

Nanny Xu agreed respectfully and followed Xia Li. Shi Mi and Du Ruo were both unmarried girls in Yunying, so it would be safer to have an experienced nanny accompany them on such matters.

At this moment, all the guests were sitting at the banquet. There was no one else in the courtyard except two or three servants. The maid beside Mrs. Zhong led Xia Li and Madam Xu forward and stopped only when they saw a young man in a moon-white brocade robe.

Madam Xu whispered to Xia Li, "Miss, I will watch over here. You can go get your things by yourself."

Xia Li raised her eyebrows slightly, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she said softly, "Please wait a moment, Madam."

Xia Li walked past Aunt Xu towards Zhang Jun'an. Her every move revealed her elegant temperament. Her graceful, confident and calm appearance made her different from other girls.

Zhang Jun'an's eyebrows were dark and shiny. He pulled the corner of his lip and said slowly, "Miss Fang is different from what I imagined. She looks quite elegant. Are you satisfied with my appearance?"

Xia Li carefully looked at the young man in front of him. He had a handsome face, eyes like bright stars, a thin and tall figure, and exuded a familiar yet unfamiliar smell. Xia Li had an indescribable feeling.

She raised an eyebrow at him and asked instead of answering, "Are you Zhong Huiting's talented third cousin?"

Zhang Junan smiled slightly and said in a low and pleasant voice: "My cousin must be talking nonsense again. I am not a talented person, but I play the piano well. If Miss Fang is interested, I can play a song for you."

When Xia Li heard this, he looked him in the eye and said without any warmth in his tone, "Forget about playing the piano. Are you really willing to marry into my family?"

Zhang Jun'an's fingers turned slightly white as he held the brocade box. He said leisurely, "The Zhang family has no shortage of legitimate sons. I am uneducated and have no interest in the imperial examinations. Marrying into the Fang family is a good way to make the best use of my resources."

After saying that, he picked up the brocade box and handed it to Xia Li. The raised little finger gave Xia Li goose bumps all over his body, and he instantly understood.

(End of this chapter)