Chapter 439: Invitation

After seeing Li Shimin off, Chen Yan thought the matter was over.

From now on, all the research work could be left to Li Tai, a professional, while he would only be responsible for teaching him knowledge.

However, after Li Shimin returned, the next day Empress Changsun came over, grabbed Chen Yan and Li Tai by the ears, and gave them a good scolding.

It turned out that Empress Changsun learned from Li Shimin that Chen Yan and Li Tai had injured themselves with an explosion, which made her furious, and she rebuked them for a long time.

She only left after making them promise to be careful from now on.

"Brother, you got scolded by my mother again?"

As soon as Empress Changsun left, Sizi jumped out and said.

Chen Yan snapped, flicking her little head, "What nonsense are you spouting? Acting as if I'm the one constantly scolded by your mother. Clearly it's your royal brother who gets scolded all the time, right?"

Sizi giggled, "The royal brother has thick skin; not only can he endure scoldings, even if you hit him, he wouldn't feel pain."

"See, the royal brother doesn't care about his mother's scoldings at all; he's already gone back to the research institute."

She pointed at Li Tai's departing figure, then turned and said, "But sister said, brother's skin is thick, so he probably doesn't mind either."

Chen Yan roared, "Which sister said that? I'm going to spank her, and she dares to slander me behind my back!"

"Sister Li Lizhi said it, go ahead!" Sizi immediately added, "Not only spank her butt, but also hit her mouth so it swells!"

"......"

That sentence instantly left Chen Yan speechless.

He carefully examined the little girl in front of him, who was up to his thigh, squatted down, and said earnestly, "Sizi, I feel something's terribly wrong with you; you're becoming a spirit!"

"You don't even look like a child of this age; you must not be human, you're a little demon, and when you grow up you'll be a big demon!"

"I will set up an altar and perform a rite to capture you!"

Sizi blinked her big eyes, clearly stunned for a moment.

"Brother, you also know this trick?"

"Aren't you a healer?"

"Traveling the jianghu, how can you get by without learning more skills?" Chen Yan reached out, grabbed the little knot on her head, and said seriously, "Now you quickly admit your mistake and promise not to peek at me and your sister again; then I might consider letting you go!"

"Otherwise... humph."

"I'm not scared at all," Sizi said, thrusting her little waist. "I have my mother, and she knows Sunflower Acupoint Technique. If you dare to capture me, I'll tell my mother you bullied me. Then she'll grab you, use Sunflower Acupoint Technique on your points, and let Sister Gao Yang tickle you!"

Chen Yan laughed, "So you admit you're a little demon, huh?"

"Huh?" Sizi was startled, quickly shaking her head, "No, no, I'm not a little demon; I'm human!"

"Brother, don't try to scheme me!"

Chen Yan: "You still have the nerve to say you're human? Look at Cheng Yang and Li Xin, who are many years older than you; they don't have as many petty thoughts as you."

"You even want me to spank Sister Li Lizhi's butt; I think you just want to get a little nephew early!"

"What's wrong with that?" Sizi declared confidently, "I already have a little niece; wanting a little nephew isn't wrong, is it?"

"Sister is unreliable, so as the younger sister I naturally have to worry more; a younger sister is like a mother!"

Chen Yan:?

He had a head full of question marks, his face full of disbelief.

What the heck is "younger sister like a mother"?

He was about to look, when he suddenly saw someone behind Sizi and fell silent.

Sizi found it odd, tried to ask, and her ear hurt.

"Ah! It hurts!"

The little brat screamed miserably, but Li Lizhi didn't indulge her; she grabbed her ear with a cold face and said, "Come, I'm right here; you better explain properly—what does 'younger sister like a mother' mean?"

Sizi's small hand clutched Li Lizhi's hand, on the verge of tears but without any.

How did it get heard again?

Why have I been so unlucky lately!

This time Chen Yan didn't intend to rescue her, smiling as he stood by to watch the commotion.

But unexpectedly, Li Lizhi's next sentence completely stunned him.

"From now on, stay away from your brother, okay? Look at you now, all fidgety, you don't look like a three- or four-year-old child."

Chen Yan: "......"

That's not it; how can this even be about me?

Before he could speak, Sizi, with a sour face, was grabbed by the ear and taken away by Li Lizhi.

Chen Yan's face was full of hopelessness.

He felt his reputation was about to be ruined by this little brat.

Chen Yan's temper was already boiling over.

Coincidentally, Gao Yang jogged over at a slow pace, glanced at Chen Yan's expression, then at the departing Li Lizhi, and smiled brightly.

"Yo, isn't this Young Master Chen?"

"What's this… you got deflated again?"

Chen Yan gave her a sideways glance, "Do you believe I'll smash money tomorrow to publish the news of your saggy belly in the Great Tang Daily?"

Gao Yang:?

"Chen Yan, you're being so inhumane! I became like this just to bear children for you. Look, I'm still trying to recover from being laughed at all day."

"Can you bear that?"

"My heart is as hard as stone!" Chen Yan said with a stern face.

Gao Yang chuckled, not getting angry, and leaned in.

"Your mood is off, anyone can see that; I didn't mock you, so why does everyone still talk about it?"

"Hmm, you're right; whatever the Princess says is right," Chen Yan replied perfunctorily.

After speaking, he remembered something and warned:

"Don't get possessed while trying to recover; moderate exercise is enough. I didn't tell you to keep exercising—overdoing it will backfire."

"Fine!" Gao Yang's eyes curved, and he pulled an invitation from his bosom.

"Sure, it was just sent over by the Duke of Yi's household; I happened to come across it and took it."

"What is this?" Chen Yan took it and, upon looking, suddenly recalled that Qin Huai Dao was about to get married.

Looking at the date on the invitation, hmm, it's next month, which doesn't conflict with Wu Jing Qi's campaign date.

It should be said it's just a few days later.

Chen Yan smiled, "Calculating the dates, it's indeed about the same."

"Come to think of it, I was the one who arranged this marriage; he didn't even give me any matchmaker fee, yet sent an invitation for me to accept a gift—how excessive."

"Enough." Gao Yang rolled his eyes. "Who can outdo you? You've been married twice, received gifts twice, and now someone's getting married, and you still won't let them take back a bit?"

Chen Yan: "......"

"You have to snap at me, don't you?"

"The child was born, and your restless heart can't be restrained again? Want a beating?"

"You......" Gao Yang was startled, hurriedly turned his head to look around, found few people, and since Chen Yan wasn't speaking loudly, he relaxed.

Gao Yang glared: "We agreed early on that these matters must not be spoken about outside."

"Who made you unable to keep your mouth shut? I couldn't help it." Chen Yan wore an innocent expression.

"... Hmph!" Gao Yang didn't want to engage him, left a remark, and stormed off.

"When you return to Chang'an, remember to let me know; we'll take Xiao Sui An back to the palace."

"......"