Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 361 Farewell
The next morning, Si Buping suddenly came to the Xiao family, intending to take Yan Ciwan away.

Yan Ciwan is very comfortable here. Not only does the Xiao family take good care of her, but she also gets to eat delicious medicinal meals every day. She doesn't want to leave.

However, Si Buping's attitude was very firm.

"The sage specially gave you Qingping Residence, but you want to live elsewhere. Do you look down on the house the sage gave you?"

Yan Ciwan denied it, explaining, "I'm very badly injured right now and can't move around. It's best not to change my residence casually. Let me rest here for a while longer, and I'll go back to Qingping Residence when I'm feeling better."

"I have already arranged a sedan chair, which is now parked outside the gate. I will carry you out of the gate, then use the sedan chair to take you out of the mansion, and then switch to a carriage to take you back to Qingping Residence. You don't need to move at all during the whole process."

Yan Ciwan frowned: "Why are you in such a hurry to take me away?"

Si Buping said solemnly, "You'll know when you get back to Qingping Residence. Don't worry, I won't harm you."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Yan Ciwan assumed he had some compelling reason to do so, and thus agreed: "Alright."

She wanted to see what treasures awaited her in Qingping Residence.

Upon learning that Yan Ciwan was leaving, Xiao Wang felt very reluctant, but with outsiders watching, he couldn't show his reluctance. He could only say, "I happen to have nothing to do, so why don't I escort you back to Qingping Residence?"

Before Yan Ciwan could speak, Si Buping refused, saying, "No need. I will escort Ning Ci; she will be safe."

Xiao Wang disliked Si Buping's attitude of forcibly making decisions for Yan Ciwan. He said in a deep voice, "I am asking Aci, not the Grand Secretary."

Si Buping stared at the other person steadily.

Xiao Wang looked back with neither arrogance nor servility.

Seeing that the atmosphere between the two was becoming tense, Yan Ciwan spoke up and said, "If Xiao Liu doesn't mind the trouble, then let him deliver it."

Si Buping turned to look at Yan Ciwan, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction, but since she had already spoken, he couldn't embarrass her in front of outsiders.

Xiao Wang was secretly pleased to see that Yan Ciwan had openly sided with him. He said, "It's no trouble at all. I'm just idling at home anyway, so I might as well give you a ride and you can go for a walk outside while you're at it."

Yan Ciwan smiled at him and said, "The sun is shining brightly today; it's indeed a perfect day for a walk."

Seeing that the two were chatting happily, Si Buping vaguely sensed that a subtle change had occurred in their relationship.

He reminded him, "It's getting late, let's get going."

Yan Ciwan was all alone and had nothing to pack. Nie Xiayun only needed to help her take Ning Dao. They could go out at any time, but Yan Ciwan was too badly injured and could not get out of bed yet. She had to be carried out by someone.

Just as Si Buping was about to step forward, Xiao Wang beat him to it.

Xiao Wang knelt down on one knee by the bed and said, "Aci, shall I carry you out?"

Before Si Buping could speak, Yan Ciwan quickly nodded and agreed.

Nie Xiayun knew her granddaughter's thoughts and was naturally happy to lend her a hand at this time. She stepped forward to help Yan Ciwan up and carefully let her climb onto Xiao Wang's back.

Because she was very tall and heavier than the average woman, this weight was a sweet burden for Xiao Wang. He didn't find it heavy at all; on the contrary, he felt especially happy.

Yan Ciwan placed her hands on his shoulders, her chest pressed against his back, and her cheek against his ear.

He could clearly feel her warm breath, and his ears quietly turned red.

Yan Ciwan noticed this change, smiled, but didn't expose it.

Si Buping said in a deep voice, "You two are being too intimate. If someone sees you like this, it will definitely cause misunderstandings, which will be detrimental to Ning Ci's reputation."

What he said was exactly what Xiao Wang was worried about. Xiao Wang knew that what he was doing was suspected of taking advantage of someone in distress, but he still did it anyway. In the end, it was his own selfish motives that were at play. Objectively speaking, it was indeed unreasonable for him to keep Yan Ciwan's secret. Now that Si Buping had exposed his selfish motives, Aci would definitely ask him to let go in order to avoid suspicion, right?
Thinking of this, Xiao Wang's heart sank slowly.

"There are no outsiders here, only our own people. Even if they see it, they won't tell anyone. Grand Master, you don't need to worry. Xiao Liu, what are you standing there for? Let's go."

The dark clouds in Xiao Wang's heart were instantly dispelled.

He looked down at the ground, not daring to let others see his joy, and carried Yan Ciwan toward the door.

Si Buping stared at their retreating figures, his expression very complicated.

Nie Xiayun looked Si Buping up and down, feeling that this man was paying a bit too much attention to his granddaughter.

Si Buping noticed her gaze and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Nie Xiayun, carrying Ning Dao, also walked out.

A sedan chair was parked at the entrance, with Dongli and Qiushuang standing on either side of it. They were both somewhat surprised to see Xiao Wang carrying Yan Ciwan out.

Qiu Shuang helped lift the sedan curtain, and Dong Li assisted Xiao Wang in helping Yan Ciwan into the sedan chair and sit down.

Two sedan chair bearers carried the sedan chair out, with the rest following closely behind.

When they reached the gate of the Xiao family, they suddenly stopped. The steward, Xiao Zhong, rushed over and said, "Grand Master, Sixth Master, unfortunately, we have distinguished guests arriving. It is not convenient to enter or exit through the gate at the moment. Please wait a moment."

Xiao Wang asked, "Who is this distinguished guest?"

"It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Hearing this, Yan Ciwan, who was sitting in the sedan chair, turned her head and looked through the small windows on both sides of the sedan chair towards the direction of the main gate. At this moment, the main gate was fully open, and Xiao Wenyi, along with his son and eldest grandson, personally came out to greet them. A handsome young man dressed in fine clothes was welcomed into the gate by everyone.

Even though they were some distance apart, Yan Ciwan recognized him at a glance as none other than the current Crown Prince, Li Cunxing.

She was quite curious as to why Li Cunxing would suddenly come to the Xiao family.

Li Cunxing also noticed the group of people here.

Si Buping and Xiao Wang stepped forward to greet them.

"Meet His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Cunxing glanced at the sedan chair parked not far away and asked, "Who is sitting in that sedan chair?"

Si Buping answered truthfully, "I would rather decline."

Li Cunxing thought for a while before he remembered that she was the suspect who murdered Fu Hui. He had seen her once in the palace. She looked delicate and frail, and didn't seem like someone who could kill.

He was preoccupied with his own worries and had no interest in other people's affairs, so he simply nodded and changed the subject.

Where are you going now?

“Sending Ning Ci back to Qingping Residence.”

Li Cunxing was quite surprised: "She actually lives in Qingping Residence?"

Si Buping replied meekly, "This is all the arrangement of the Sage."

Li Cunxing's mind immediately raced with guesses, but he pretended to know nothing and continued to ask, "After you've finished your business, come to the Crown Prince's residence. I have something to discuss with you."

"Yes."