Chapter 129

Gu Xixi was still laughing when she suddenly heard An Qinghe ask, "Do you like me like this now?"

In the small courtyard, only the sound of wind remained in an instant.

Zhang Shen turned pale with fright, shouting in a trembling voice, "Shitou, close the door! Hurry and close the door!"

Although the customs of the Great Undertaking Dynasty were not completely closed off, they still placed great emphasis on women's reputation.

Nowadays, there is a group of people in the village waiting to arrange a match for Gu Xixi.

If people hear An Qinghe's nonsense like this, how could it be allowed?!!

Shitou immediately ran over and shut the door tight.

Zhang Shen stood before Gu Xixi like a hen protecting her chicks, glaring at An Qinghe.

"You youngster, running into someone else's house spouting nonsense—what are you talking about?!"

"I tell you! We are a respectable family; my Xixi is a proper young lady—no one led you to say this nonsense! It's all your own wicked idea!"

An Qinghe nodded honestly, "It's my own idea."

"But it's not a bad idea, it's a good one."

From the moment An Qinghe entered the courtyard, Mu Nan Zhao stood in front of the main hall.

He watched the farce silently, his face showing no expression, impossible to tell whether he was pleased or angry.

Shitou took small hurried steps to Mu Nan Zhao's side and whispered, "Sir, sir, won't you say something?"

In Shitou's mind, Sister Xixi and Mr. Chen ought to be a couple.

Although Shitou had not really approved of this marriage from the start, compared to this sudden blue‑eyed man before him, he thought it better to let Mr. Chen have a chance for now.

Gu Xixi regained her composure and also glanced awkwardly at Mu Nan Zhao, "Um, let me introduce—this is An Qinghe of the Yunling County Nursery Firm, a Western Regions merchant."

She then introduced these three of her household to An Qinghe.

She hoped to just move on, pretending that An Qinghe's earlier embarrassing remark had never existed.

An Qinghe was quite courteous, greeting each with the etiquette of the Great Enterprise.

Zhang Shen and Shitou both responded, but only Mu Nan Zhao stood there motionless.

He looked at Gu Xixi and said, "Boss An just asked a question, but the host hasn't answered yet."

Gu Xixi held her breath and closed her eyes.

"This Mu Nan Zhao, always bringing up the pot that shouldn't be opened, right!"

She took a deep breath, showed a smile, "Western Regions folks are hot‑hearted and unrestrained; their way of speaking differs from ours."

"So-called liking is just like how I like Aunt Zhang, like Shitou, like good food and scenery."

Gu Xixi turned to An Qinghe, "Brother An, you'd say that, right?"

An Qinghe hadn't been in the Great Enterprise long, yet he'd already been dazed by Gu Xixi's repeated "likes."

He only knew Gu Xixi was seeking approval, so he nodded blankly, "Yes, that's what Xixi said!"

Mu Nan Zhao's lips curled into an arc, "I see."

Zhang Shen saw this and quietly let out a breath of relief.

Although Xixi has never explicitly mentioned marriage, Chen Fang after all was bought by her initially, so it wouldn't be right to let him down.

Coincidentally, Lao Langzhong came over to summon Mu Nan Zhao for a medicinal bath, and Mu Nan Zhao replied, "I'll pass."

He didn't show any displeasure.

But when Gu Xixi locked eyes with him, she felt as if she'd been caught sneaking a snack outside with a dirty mouth, then silently mocked.

However, after a moment's thought she fiercely rejected that notion and straightened her back.

"Please, Boss An, come inside and sit; I'll go prepare tea and snacks."

What does she have to feel guilty about?

First, Mu Nan Zhao is her pampered fiancé to date—this is a facade, unavoidable.

Second, she has nothing with An Qinghe. She wouldn't be so narcissistic as to think that a few days of interaction and some business could make him deeply enamored of her.

In the kitchen, Zhang Shen helped Gu Xixi lay out the snacks.

Pine‑nut candy, peanut pastry, jujube‑paste stuffed buns.

Once the household had spare cash, these snacks were always kept on hand.

Zhang Shen laid out the plates while absentmindedly stealing glances at Gu Xixi's expression.

"We don't know if this Western Regions fellow will be used to our snacks."

Gu Xixi laughed, "He's used to it; he's lived in Yunling County for a while now."

Zhang Shen continued probing, "You and him… are you on good terms?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "He has a good nature, helped me a lot, and I enjoy being with him."

Zhang Shen's heart gave a sudden jolt.

Gu Xixi had already picked up the tea kettle and headed out, "I can't let the guest sit alone; I'll go boil the fu tea, Auntie will bring the snacks later."

According to An Qinghe, he has two purposes for this visit.

First, naturally, it's the matter of Gu Xixi's letter entrusting him.

Gu Xixi said the household is busy and can't leave as promised to go to Yunling County to select saplings; she wants to fully entrust An Qinghe to oversee the selection and arrange transport and all related matters.

An Qinghe said solemnly, "I've selected the saplings one by one according to the years you wanted, picking the best; the convoy is already booked, and they will arrive exactly as you requested."

"Leave these matters to me; you can rest easy."

Gu Xixi laughed, "Of course I'm at ease; otherwise I wouldn't have just sent you a single letter."

Zhang Shen brought the snacks in, heard Gu Xixi and An Qinghe discussing business, knew she shouldn't interrupt, set down the snacks, offered a couple polite remarks, then withdrew from the main hall.

An Qinghe asked again with concern, "Your recent letter said the firefly‑bone flower has been found, so I don't need to keep having people look for it."

"Could it be that the Chen Fang, Mr. Chen we just saw, is ill?"

Gu Xixi had not yet answered when An Qinghe added, "I see his complexion; it seems his qi and blood have long been deficient."

"Besides, your teacher, that old gentleman, has a strong medicinal smell on him."

The tea has reached the proper heat.

Gu Xixi opened the lid without a change in expression, scooped out the tea with a wooden spoon, and said with a faint smile:

"You're talking about Chen Fang? His constitution has always been a bit weak, but it's nothing serious."

"The firefly bone flower is something I sought for another seriously ill friend."

"As for my teacher, he is a physician; having long been exposed to medicinal smells, it's inevitable that one would notice the medicinal odor."

She raised her hand and placed a cup of hot tea before An Qinghe, saying, "You like tea cakes; try my brewed tea."

An Qinghe drank the Fu tea and couldn't stop praising it.

"Good tea! Rich with a lingering sweetness; if you add milk and sugar, it will surely be delicious!"

"What is this tea called?"

"Fu tea." Gu Xixi said, "It is made from tea leaves shipped from the south, combined with the local climate, and fermented into tea cakes."

An Qinghe said with some regret, "The materials, shipping costs, and labor for the tea brought from the south make it not cheap, right?"

"What a pity; I thought I had discovered a new business opportunity."

Gu Xixi laughed, "If we can solve the materials issue and let the northwest region grow tea leaves, this business can be done."

An Qinghe said, "That's not just possible; it's absolutely possible! There's great potential!"

Gu Xixi smiled faintly as she drank tea; the tea trees she planted are still being cultivated—let's not mention it for now, and save it as a surprise for later.

At present, the matter she most cared about had been settled; relaxing, she casually asked, "Do you have another matter?"

"Oh," An Qinghe said with a cheerful laugh, "Of course I came to see you."