Chapter Ninety-Three: Collective Effort Fuels Success

Chapter Ninety-Three: Collective Effort Fuels Success

As dusk fell, Xie Yan drove the carriage he had commissioned from the city's carriage house, clip-clopped through the streets and gates, returning to Changxi Village.

Two lanterns hung outside the house, swaying gently, casting a soft, warm glow that enveloped everything around in a hazy, comfortable light, warming the heart with its glow.

The familiar sounds of laughter and playful teasing drifted in the wind, and he could almost imagine Sanbao pestering Mingchao.

Xie Yan raised his hand and knocked on the door, "Mingchao, it's me."

At once, footsteps echoed in the courtyard.

The gate opened, and a glossy black horse caught Lu Mingchao's full attention.

The black horse tapped the ground lightly, steadily pulling the carriage.

Lu Mingchao's eyes lit up, "Our carriage?"

Xie Yan chuckled, "Fine horses are rare, so it took a little longer."

"Not late at all, if it had come earlier, the stable at home wouldn't have been built yet."

Lu Mingchao stepped aside to make way.

The children's eyes also lit up, gazing intently at the horse. The liveliest Xie Jingyi stood on tiptoe and was the first to speak, "Dad, can Sanbao ride the horse?"

The phrase "ride the horse" wasn't a fond memory for Xie Huaiqian and Xie Ru'an, but with a real fine horse before them, their spirits remained high.

After sharing a look with Lu Mingchao, Xie Yan nodded, "Of course."

Xie Yan unharnessed the carriage, lifted Xie Jingyi, and with a step on the stirrup, mounted the horse.

Xie Jingyi's chubby hands tightly gripped Xie Yan's front, cheering nonstop.

The spacious and flat courtyard wasn't ideal for galloping, but a leisurely stroll around was just fine.

Xie Yan wasn't one to show favoritism. After setting Xie Jingyi down, he reached out to Xie Ru'an, his long arm scooping him up. Before Xie Ru'an could react, he was already on the horse.

With the night wind whistling past and his father's warm embrace behind, Xie Ru'an's face was tense, as if trying to hide his smile, but the joy was unmistakable, his lips twitching and his eyes sparkling.

Xie Huaiqian and Lu Xin, being older, were already young teenagers. Xie Yan simply led the horse, letting them sit on it alone.

Lu Mingchao leaned against the window, her eyes crinkled with a smile, watching the lively scene in the courtyard.

As for why she didn't join in; she was both afraid of the cold and a bit lazy.

After tying the horse to the stable, Xie Yan's fingers were red and stiff from the cold.

In the room, the charcoal in the brazier cracked with a "pop," filling the air with warmth.

The children were still immersed in the joy of riding the horse, eagerly sharing their excitement.

Lu Mingchao and Xie Yan sat on wooden chairs not far from the brazier.

"Mingchao, the renovation of the shop with the small courtyard is nearly done. I took the liberty of delivering the custom-made plaque."

Xie Yan's voice carried a faint smile as he leisurely shared the day's events.

Lu Mingchao took out a tube of lightly scented hand cream, squeezing a small flower-shaped amount onto Xie Yan's palm, gently spreading it out.

The weather was dry and cold, with a sharp and biting wind. Xie Yan was often out and about, and it wouldn't be good if he developed chilblains.

He hadn't paid much attention to these issues before, but in the afternoon, while Yunniang was making soup for him, he noticed the dry, cracked wounds on Yunniang's hands, which made him take notice.

"So, can we pick a good day to open the shop?" Lu Mingchao lowered her eyes, continuing to carefully apply the hand cream.

Xie Yan felt a warm glow in his heart.

He thought, perhaps this is the essence of a steady, enduring love.

There weren't many dramatic scenes, but rather a series of small details that accumulated into a deep, affectionate warmth.

The smile in Xie Yan's eyes sparkled like stars under the candlelight, as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind Lu Mingchao's ear. "Absolutely."

Suddenly, his tone shifted, his smile fading, replaced by a hint of unshakable grievance.

"Mingchao, Sun Zhiye is not a good person."

Lu Mingchao stopped and looked up sharply, her brows knitting in concern, her tone icy. "Did he bully you?"

Xie Yan's expression was subtle, but his lips twitched between a smile and a frown.

"Mingchao, he wants to drive us apart."

Lu Mingchao grew even more confused. Does Sun Zhiye really have nothing better to do?

Sensing her confusion, Xie Yan nodded firmly. "Today, when we were finalizing the contract at the county office, he kept inviting me to the Floating Fragrance Pavilion. After I refused several times, he even made up a business pretext to lure me there."

"Floating Fragrance Pavilion?"

"Floating fragrance drifts down, its scent lingering in the quiet emptiness."

"Quite elegant," Lu Mingchao remarked.

Xie Yan was speechless, then took Lu Mingchao's hand. "The Floating Fragrance Pavilion is the biggest brothel in Changhe County!"

"Does the perfect Jade String Gentleman usually do business in brothels?" Lu Mingchao exclaimed in surprise.

"The locals call brothel regulars 'upright gentlemen.'"

Xie Yan: That's not the point!

Isn't the point that Sun Zhiye has ulterior motives?

Xie Yan sighed, resigned to explaining. "Sun Zhiye doesn't touch the women; he just drinks fine wine and enjoys the dances, keeping it proper."

"I see," Lu Mingchao said, suddenly understanding, then paused before adding, "He doesn't have any special preferences, does he?"

"Is he the only pure one in a world of filth?"

Xie Yan's face darkened. "Mingchao, the point is that he invited me to a brothel."

"What kind of person am I!"

"What kind of person are you?" Lu Mingchao asked shamelessly.

Xie Yan took a deep breath. "I'm your husband. As a husband, I should stay true to myself. Besides, a gentleman should avoid any hint of scandal, not walk through melon fields or adjust his hat under a plum tree."

"He invited me to the Floating Fragrance Pavilion with ill intentions, plotting something sinister."

Lu Mingchao smiled and stopped teasing Xie Yan, saying, "Yes, yes, A Yan is the most upright husband."

Xie Yan's gaze shifted slightly, his ears reddening.

"Sun Zhiye is indeed hypocritical."

"The Jade String Gentleman's reputation is like burning paper money at a grave—just fooling ghosts."

"What's a newspaper?"

"..."

"Mingchao, I fought back."

Lu Mingchao blinked, "Do you have a little plan now?"

Xie Yan nodded, "Adapting to the situation and acting accordingly."

"Returning the favor in kind might just align with Mingchao's thoughts."

"These past few days, the Sun family has been like a sieve."

Lu Mingchao seemed to understand, but not entirely, "Qu Ying?"

Xie Yan is going to use Qu Ying!

"A Yan, we really are a pair of troublemakers."

"A perfect pair!" Xie Yan emphasized seriously, "Many hands make the work easier."

Lu Mingchao: Now I get it!

Learned something new!

The eldest son of the Sun family, known for fooling ghosts, now walked with a cold and sinister expression through the main courtyard, which was covered with talismans.

Even the auspicious jars in the courtyard were plastered with yellow talismans.

Sun Zhiye showed a mocking expression, "Are they worried that evil spirits might crawl out of the water jars?"

"Evil spirits that need to crawl out of water jars to cause trouble? What kind of evil spirits are those? They’re an embarrassment to ghosts."

"Out!"

Adding fuel to the fire.