When Chen Cang returned to the rear courtyard, it felt as though he had arrived in Hiroshima: everywhere he looked, there were familiar faces.
Xiao Yi Xian and Xun'er stood together, smiling warmly, as lovely as a painting.
Standing distinctly apart from them, in stark contrast, were the three brothers on the other side. Their grins were rather toothy, making them look like a rich country landlord's three idiot sons.
"Brother Cang, welcome back! When the servants came to tell us just now, I thought I'd heard wrong. We're not leaving sober tonight. You have to tell us about the world outside."
Xiao Ding, the eldest, spoke first, and the others all nodded.
Their gazes were full of scrutiny, as though they had plenty of questions and were deeply curious about Chen Cang's experiences during his time away.
"No problem. How about this, Xiao Ding: have someone fetch a clean iron plate and some seasonings. I'll treat you to beef, and we can talk while we eat."
After giving Xiao Ding his instructions, Chen Cang turned to Xiao Yi Xian and Xun'er.
"Here, let me introduce this little girl. Her name is Zi Yan, and she's a friend I met at Jia Nan Academy. Aside from being a glutton, there's nothing wrong with her."
"That's not true! I never eat anything that doesn't benefit me!"
Zi Yan huffed in protest, revealing her two little canine teeth. Her adorable appearance made people instinctively want to get close to her.
Xiao Yi Xian and Xun'er both smiled sweetly and stepped forward to introduce themselves. The three brothers briefly gave their names, and with that, everyone was acquainted.
Soon, the servants brought everything they needed.
Without needing any directions from Chen Cang, the three brothers chose a spacious spot in the courtyard and