Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 152 Curiosity

Nianyao sat in the carriage staring at Xue Yunting: "What are you laughing at?"

Xue Yunting said, "I'm happy for Ninth Brother that he's going to be the groom."

Nianyao said, "You're being sneaky, how can I not believe you?"

Xue Yunting said, "Sister, if others don't believe me, how can you not believe me?"

Xue Yunting had always called her "sister," but now he was calling her "elder sister," which sounded a bit like he was being affectionate.

Nianyao snorted. Xue Yunting sized her up: "Sister, aren't you planning to ask your brother-in-law to give me the antidote?"

Nianyao turned her head and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside: "He must have his reasons for giving you the medicine, and he has his own considerations for whether or not to give you the antidote. Why should I worry about it?"

Nianyao waited for a while but didn't hear Xue Yunting speak. She turned her head and saw Xue Yunting leaning against the carriage, his face calm and his eyes slightly closed, as if he was very sleepy.

Nianyao rubbed her eyes: "You came alone?"

Nianyao thought Xue Yunting hadn't heard her, but then she heard Xue Yunting's voice say calmly, "Two people."

Nianyao stared at him: "Are you going to argue again?"

Xue Yunting fell silent, and Nian Yao said, "Since you have the ability to come, you must have the ability to leave. Do you expect me to help you?"

Xue Yunting smiled and said, "Sister, I was just joking with you. Don't take it seriously. If I dare to come, I can leave."

Nianyao wanted to ask him where he planned to leave, but seeing Xue Yunting's indifferent expression, she held back.

Duan Mingzhu wore no makeup, and her clothes were loose. Her long hair was tied with a red string and hung down her back. She tore a steamed bun into small pieces and threw them into the pond, attracting a large group of goldfish.

Gu Yu and Qin Jiu stood in the center of the courtyard. Seeing them return, Gu Yu immediately ordered breakfast to be served. Qin Jiu greeted them with a smile.

Duan Mingzhu turned her head and looked at them without moving. Xue Yunting walked to Duan Mingzhu's side, took her hand, and took a bite of his steamed bun: "I'm so hungry."

Duan Mingzhu threw the last of the steamed buns into the pool: "They're all cold!"

Xue Yunting straightened Duan Mingzhu's clothes, tightened her belt, and tied her red hair tie around her wrist. He then pulled out a comb from somewhere and combed and styled Duan Mingzhu's hair.

Duan Mingzhu took out a hairpin and naturally handed it to him. Xue Yunting styled Duan Mingzhu's hair into an adorable double bun, which complemented Duan Mingzhu's small and cute face, making her look very beautiful.

Yaochi was stunned, watching in astonishment as Xue Yunting put the comb into his bosom and pulled Duan Mingzhu up to the pavilion.

The pavilion was enclosed by screens on three sides, with beaded curtains hanging inside and a charcoal brazier burning. As soon as they sat down, someone brought them steaming hot buns and porridge.

Gu Yu said, "Breakfast is simple, please bear with me, Young General."

Xue Yunting laughed and said, "It's my brother-in-law's mercy that I don't starve to death. How could I be the one to complain?"

Duan Mingzhu sat next to Xue Yunting, looking like a well-behaved child. Nianyao took a big bite of her steamed bun, her heart filled with mixed emotions: "Mingzhu, how old are you?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "Seventeen."

Yaochi said, "Really seventeen? How come it looks like...fourteen or fifteen?"

Duan Mingzhu said softly, "I'm not tall, and my face is small and chubby, so I look younger than others... It's so nice that you're tall, sister..."

Nianyao said, "Your face is small and not very fleshy, which is nice. You look petite and delicate. Unlike me, I'm tall and have a loud voice. Everyone says I don't look like a woman."

Duan Mingzhu said, "As long as my brother-in-law likes it, it doesn't matter if it's a man."

Xue Yunting almost spat out the porridge in his mouth, and Nianyao choked on a steamed bun. Qin Jiu quickly brought her some hot tea.

Nianyao took a sip and praised, "Mingzhu really knows how to talk."

Duan Mingyao smiled, as if admitting it.

Nianyao's gaze lingered between the two of them before she suddenly asked, "Mingzhu, you've heard others call Yunting Young General, aren't you curious why?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "I'm not curious."

Nianyao asked, "Why?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "Legend has it that cats have nine lives."

Nianyao asked, "What does this have to do with cats?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "Even a cat with nine lives can be killed by curiosity, I only have one life..."

Nianyao was dumbfounded. She stuffed all the steamed buns into her mouth, took a sip of water, swallowed, and started drinking her porridge. She thought, steamed buns can choke you to death, porridge is much better.

Xue Yunting laughed: "Sister, Mingzhu is young, but not stupid."

Nianyao said sullenly, "Seventeen isn't exactly young. Are you planning to have her come back to Chongming Island with us?"

Xue Yunting said, "She's pregnant, so it's inconvenient for her to come with me."

Nianyao said, "A delicate young lady like her is probably not suitable to stay on Chongming Island. Why don't you send her to Qinzhou? It would be easier to take care of her there."

Xue Yunting replied without hesitation: "Stepparents are ultimately inconvenient. I feel more at ease with my own sister."

Unable to finish her porridge, Nianyao pushed it aside, her eyes darting around. Qin Jiu sensed something was wrong and got up to leave.

Sure enough, Nianyao said, "Ninth Brother, you are the councilor of the Great River Gang. Mingzhu is going to Chongming Island. Do you have any objections?"

Xue Yunting said, "Ninth Brother is taking Princess Qingcheng and her son to Chongming Island. Chongming Island will be lively then, and Mingzhu will be happy to stay there. I have already entrusted Ninth Brother to take care of Mingzhu for my sister, and Ninth Brother has no objection."

Nianyao asked, "Ninth Brother, you have no objections?"

Xue Yunting said, "Ninth Brother, I told you yesterday that Mingzhu would be returning to Chongming Island with the wedding procession. Mingzhu and Princess Qingcheng will be traveling together, didn't you have no objections?"

Did he have no objections? He remained silent because he was unaware of the situation. Qin Jiu suddenly clutched his stomach, his expression pained: "Chief, I need to relieve myself..."

Qin Jiu clutched his stomach as he descended the stairs, with Xue Yunting pulling Duan Mingzhu along behind him. They saw Luo An approaching.

Luo An called out, "Mingzhu."

Seeing Luo An's slightly cold expression, Xue Yunting subconsciously tensed up and tightened his grip on Duan Mingzhu's hand.

Duan Mingzhu remained remarkably calm: "Brother-in-law."

Luo An said, “Mingzhu, I am cold-hearted by nature. Although I am a doctor, I have no compassion. Treating the sick and saving lives is just a skill; I cannot empathize with patients. If you are willing to give up the child, there is still a glimmer of hope…”

Luo An's words came as abruptly, but Duan Mingzhu was not surprised at all. Her voice was soft but firm: "I will not give up."

Luo An paused for a moment: "You..."

"You don't need to say anything, I will never give up." Duan Mingzhu pulled Xue Yunting to leave.

Xue Yunting suddenly asked, "A glimmer of hope? How thick is that glimmer?"

“There’s no hope, there’s no hope at all.” Duan Mingzhu tilted her head slightly, looking at Xue Yunting: “Yunting, if there’s no child, I’ll die right now. There’s no chance of survival…”

Xue Yunting saw that she was still thinking, and Duan Mingzhu let go of him and walked away.

Nianyao asked blankly, "What illness does she have?"

"Heart disease." Seeing Nian Yao's blank expression, Luo An explained, "Heart deficiency."

Xue Yunting asked, "As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood. If there were no children, what are the chances of a cure?"

Luo An scoffed, "The young general is indeed exceptionally rational."

Nianyao didn't understand pathology, but she could roughly guess what they had done from their conversation. She asked Xue Yunting, "What have you been doing?"

Qin Jiu advised, "The young general must have only found out afterward."

Xue Yunting shook his head: "I know."

Nianyao rushed up to Xue Yunting, raised her hand as if to hit him, but in the end she didn't. She clenched her fist an inch away from Xue Yunting's face, then turned and left.