"Yanran, I heard you want to go to the battlefield, but your father and mother don't allow it, is that right?"
Yanran frowned. "Who told you that?"
She's not stupid; don't even think about sowing discord.
Xiao Pang said, "Many people in the manor are saying that because you've never cried and are usually quite likable, but lately..."
"That's how it is," Yanran said.
However, she was unwilling to speak ill of her father and mother in front of her biological father, so she continued, "Father and Mother did all this for my own good. I'm so young, the battlefield is so dangerous, and Father and Mother can't go with me, so they didn't let me go."
It's not that my father and mother treat me badly, don't even think about stirring things up, hmph!
Xiao Pang thought, "Just as Cui Xiaoqiu said..."
He said it's too difficult to persuade others, but it's easy to persuade yourself.
He also told Xiao Pang, "Don't worry that Yanran will hold a grudge against you. Because you never show up, there's no chance for you to rebuild your relationship with your father."
Xiao Pang, as if possessed, listened to the young boy's words and came to find Yanran today.
He said, "That's true. But I heard you really want to go and are heartbroken, which might not be good for you..."
"What do you mean, heartbroken? I'm just a little disappointed," Yanran said. "It's nothing serious. Strength speaks for itself. In another three to five years, once I've mastered my skills, no one will need to worry about me anymore. My father and mother are so open-minded; they'll definitely agree."
Xiao Pang deliberately asked, "Is that so?"
Yanran's little eyes widened. "Of course! Those are my father and mother, don't I know them better than you? They're both doing this for my own good, that's why they don't want me to go! The timing isn't right either. You know how dangerous it is in the Xia Kingdom..."
She went on and on, trying to prove that she was right.
Xiao Pang listened patiently to her finish speaking, then pretended to suddenly understand.
"So that's how it is. Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. I didn't understand before, but now I do. You're much better off with the Prince and Princess than with me; it's my fault."
Yanran couldn't stand being spoken to like that, and bit her lip, saying, "You don't need to say that. I don't blame you. It was just a choice I made back then... If you hadn't made that choice, I wouldn't have had the fate to be with my father and mother, and I might not be living a better life now."
"Yes," Xiao Pang said, "Following a father like me, who's controlled by drugs and is neither human nor ghost, will do you no good."
After a moment of silence, Yanran asked, "Are you feeling better now?"
Xiao Pang exclaimed with delight, "Alright, alright, I've finally broken free from this dependence. But Her Highness the Princess said before that it was practically impossible to break free, I don't know if she believes me... I really tried my best, I..."
Seeing his eagerness to defend himself and his determination to learn his lesson, Yanran said, "Don't worry, my mother isn't the kind of person to falsely accuse others! You said it yourself, she said it's basically impossible, isn't that leaving you an opening?"
Xiao Pang said, "Thanks to Your Highness and Your Highness, they are not only good to you, but also to me..."
"It's good that you've changed." Yanran swung her leg awkwardly, suddenly unsure of what to say to him.
Fortunately, Xiao Pang didn't pester her any longer. He stood up and said, "I was being petty. I thought you would be heartbroken, but I didn't expect you to be so virtuous and understanding after being taught by the Princess. I still have to learn from you."
Yanran: "No problem, no problem. If you keep praising me, I'll blush."
Xiao Pang smiled and said, "Weren't you planning to go horseback riding? Go ahead, but be careful. If you ever have any unpleasant experiences in the future, and you don't mind me, you can always come and tell me."
"Oh, okay." Yanran waved to him and ran off in a flash.
She suddenly became shy.
She suddenly realized that she had talked a lot with Xiao Pang and had completely placed herself in a very high position, so now she was almost embarrassed to say that she was going to the Xia Kingdom.
Ugh, what a mess!
Cui Xiaoqiu resolved the matter successfully.
Moreover, after this incident, Xiao Pang often "accidentally" ran into Yanran, and their relationship changed slowly but noticeably, from awkward to natural, like wheat sprouting.
However, the tension in another relationship—that of Ren Yingying and Qu Nian —is clearly not like that.
They were like thunder and lightning, a truly spectacular sight!
Qu Nian he had come to his senses.
That means he absolutely had to make his presence known to Ren Yingying, no matter what.
Of course, we also need to clarify our primary objective at the moment, which is to find an opportunity to make peace with the Dog Meat supplier.
Perhaps, because of a past experience, the person and the dog will find it easier to communicate?
Thinking this way, Qu Nian that even if he didn't have the means, he would create them to get close to Ren Yingying.
Can't we talk about love?
It's okay, I'll talk to you about money.
Ren Yingying looked at the calm Qu Nian —no, the creditor—and felt a bad feeling.
But no matter how anxious I am, I can't afford to lose.
So she asked, feigning bravado, "What do you want with me?"
We can't expect her to fulfill marital obligations, can we?
It's not impossible, but we need to agree on thirty rules.
For example, valuing each other's feelings, or not making a fuss afterward... If she can let go easily, she might consider it for his sake.
She is different from Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun is meticulous in her work and always thinks things through carefully.
She just wanted to have some fun, as long as she didn't die; the experience was what mattered.
Anyway, it doesn't violate any public order or good morals, so let others say whatever they want.
Life is short, so try to live it a little easier.
Qu Nian said, "Collecting debts."
"You just said it," Ren Yingying glared at him fiercely, "I don't owe you anything."
"What about the tens of thousands of taels of silver you absconded with from the Prince's mansion before you left?"
Ren Yingying: "Rumors!"
Absolutely a fabrication.
However, she thought to herself that Qu Nian was definitely bluffing her, and she absolutely couldn't fall for it.
Unexpectedly, Qu Nian sneered, "Including the money you got from selling your belongings, and not counting the other things you took from the Prince's mansion, you brought with you 56,321 taels of silver and 340 coins. Am I right?"
Ren Yingying was shocked.
She didn't know if he was right or wrong, she only vaguely remembered that it was indeed more than 56,000 taels of silver.
Because at the time she even joked that everyone would get 10,000 taels, and she would keep 16,000 taels for herself.
The reason we can keep such a clear inventory is because we know how to calculate the cost of Hua Cha.
How did that scoundrel know?
Qu Nian: I've always been by your side, how do you think I knew?
"No," Ren Yingying said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Qu Nian sneered, "I knew you wouldn't admit it. But what about the box you and your men retrieved from the lotus pond in the Prince's mansion?"
Holy crap! Holy crap!
They were acting in complete secrecy; no one in the Prince's mansion knew. How could Qu Nian have found out?
Having probably seen through her thoughts, Qu Nian deliberately tricked her.
"You think that when others say they dislike me and wish me dead, they really do dislike me and wish me dead? Only a fool like you would think that."
Ren Yingying: "Stop trying to flatter yourself, and don't even think about sowing discord. It definitely wasn't those four who told you!"
They love me, not you!