Chapter 116: 3 People Sitting Opposite

"Son-in-law, please have some tea."

Liu'er placed the tea in front of Ning Yunzhao, interrupting his daze.

Ning Yunzhao smiled and nodded.

"Last time, I didn't have the chance, but this time I can invite you to try our family's tea," Miss Jun said, gesturing for him to help himself.

Last time, I didn't have the chance.

To Liu'er, this seemed a bit inexplicable at first, but Ning Yunzhao immediately smiled.

That last time, the grand banquet on the third of March at Jin Yun Hall, was a bounty of surprises, joys, sorrows, and wounds, embodying emotional impacts enough to fill a lifetime.

He comforted his sister, dealt with county registrar Lin, tirelessly traveled at night from north Yangcheng to Beiliu, rashly entered the Fang Family's residence in the middle of the night, and met with his once betrothed, now another man's wife.

This type of scene is often seen in plays, usually accompanied by poetic lines, like private lifelong promises in the back garden, or the hardships of scholars who become top scholars.

Though he was not the struggling scholar and had become a top scholar, and now they were also privately committed for life, though not in a back garden.

Thinking about it was quite interesting; this is the joy of life, you never know what will happen in the future.

Back then, due to the late hour, Miss Jun said it was inconvenient to invite him for tea, so she gave him a pear to drink instead.

Although he had drunk tea with her many times in the capital, this was indeed his first time in the Fang Family's residence.

Ning Yunzhao smiled and drank up the tea in one gulp.

"Excellent tea," he said with a smile.

Miss Jun also smiled and drank half a cup.

"What did you want to ask me?" she asked.

"Why did you suddenly..." Ning Yunzhao began to ask.

Before he could finish, footsteps approached, accompanied by a cheerful voice.

"Gongzhu, I'm back."

As the voice sounded, someone stood at the doorway.

"Look, what did I bring for you?"

The young man, with a face full of laughter, raised the paper bag in his hand, but froze the next moment, realizing there was an extra person in the room.

"This is..." He seemed embarrassed, a bit uneasy, "You have a guest."

Ning Yunzhao looked at this elegant young man, whose handsome features were not overshadowed by his lavish clothes, and stood up.

"Young Master Fang," he said with a smile, "I am Ning Chang."

Fang Chengyu's eyes lit up.

"Oh," his expression brightened with surprise, "so you are Tenth Noble Son Ning."

He stepped forward a few steps, seeming to want to shake hands with Tenth Noble Son Ning but hesitated a bit shyly.

"I have long admired your reputation but have never had the chance to meet you at home."

Ning Yunzhao smiled and gave a formal bow.

Fang Chengyu straightened up, remembering something, and bowed deeply to Ning Yunzhao.

"Thank you, Noble Son Ning, for your righteous help," he said.

He knew, eh? Ning Yunzhao glanced at Miss Jun; even the closest maid didn't know, but this little cousin did.

"Young Master Fang is too polite," he said with a smile, "I have already been thanked."

He had helped Miss Jun, and Miss Jun had already thanked him, so was there a need for him to be thanked again?

Fang Chengyu stood up earnestly.

"Gongzhu's thanks are hers, but I also need to give mine," he said.

Ning Yunzhao laughed and did not object further, just as one does not argue with a child.

"What did you buy?" Miss Jun asked.

Fang Chengyu hurriedly handed over the paper bag.

"Didn't I tell you this morning that there's a place making really delicious buns?" he said, unwrapping the package, "Try them quickly, they're not good when cold..."

He looked towards Ning Yunzhao.

"Noble Son Ning, please try some too."

He said, with a shy smile,

"I just bought two."

Two, but there were three people in the room now.

Ning Yunzhao smiled and nodded.

"Is that so? Is it a new shop? I haven't been back for a long time," he said, curious, reaching out his hand and brushing his sleeve, "The buns from Old Yang's at Mao'er Alley used to be really good. Let's see how these compare."

He really is eating!

But there are only two!

"There are only two left."

Fang Chengyu looked at him, somewhat surprised and a bit aggrieved.

Is this the demeanor of a scholar?

Liu'er, from a diagonal position, handed over a glass bowl while holding a box of soap bean powder in her other hand.

"Young Master, please wash your hands," she said.

Fang Chengyu took a step back, squeezed by the pressure.

Young Master.

Back then I was also called Young Master, yet she never addressed me that way.

Fang Chengyu looked down and pinched his fingers.

On the other side, Miss Jun placed the paper package on the table and also washed her hands.

Ning Yunzhao had already sat down, picked up a bun, and tore it open for a taste.

"Hmm." He nodded his head, his eyes full of surprise, "Not bad at all."

Hearing this, Miss Jun also picked up a bun and tore it open, then looked towards Fang Chengyu standing beside her.

"Here," she said, handing over half of it.

Ning Yunzhao looked a bit apologetic.

"Look at me, I thought Young Master had already eaten," he said, hurriedly passing over the other half he was holding.

Oh, scholars, oh, scholars.

Fang Chengyu watched as Ning Yunzhao's face lifted into a smile.

"I've had one already," he said, reaching out to take the half from Miss Jun's hand, then naturally sat down beside her, "Half more is enough for me."

Ning Yunzhao smiled quietly and continued eating gracefully and freely.

Liu'er happily topped up their tea.

"How about we ask the kitchen to prepare some snacks?" she suggested, about to call Baishao, then clapped her hands, "Better yet, let's set the table."

After saying this, she looked at Ning Yunzhao.

"Young Master, have a meal before you leave."

"Yes," Fang Chengyu mumbled with his mouth full of bun, his eyes wide as he stared at Ning Yunzhao, "Noble Son Ning has made the effort to come here; he should at least have a meal."

He added, a bit inquisitorially,

"It shouldn't delay Noble Son Ning, right?"

Ning Yunzhao smiled and shook his head.

"No, I came here specifically to ask about something," he said, "I need to rush back today."

Miss Jun made a sound of acknowledgement.

"What did you want to ask?" she said.

Seeing Miss Jun speak, Fang Chengyu did not say anything more, sitting behind Miss Jun, obediently and earnestly continued eating his half bun.

"I wanted to ask why you suddenly came back?" said Ning Yunzhao, his expression somewhat worried, "Didn't you initially say that you wouldn't return? What happened?"

He used the word 'suddenly' well. For him, Miss Jun's return was indeed abrupt.

Since he did not know whether the Fang Family was aware and did not want to make Miss Jun feel uneasy, he had earlier avoided Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang.

However, Fang Chengyu.

Ning Yunzhao looked at Fang Chengyu who sat behind Miss Jun, docile as a young deer.

This young man, who had been ill for nearly ten years and recovered as if overnight, dazzling brilliantly, surely it wasn't just because of his outstanding appearance.

This household's matters might be unknown to Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang, but he surely knew.

Indeed, before Miss Jun could speak, Fang Chengyu already lifted his head again.

"Noble Son Ning really is considerate," he said, his expression grateful yet sighing, "Indeed, a lot has happened."

Ning Yunzhao watched him.

But Fang Chengyu said no more, instead, he gently pushed Miss Jun's arm.

"gongzhu, you speak, you speak," he said. "You explain more clearly."

She speaks clearly, then why do you speak at all?

Are you trying to tell me that you know?

Really a child.

Ning Yunzhao smiled and kept silent.

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Thanks to Keppra and Southern Ice for rewarding Ling Jiu.

Thank you everyone, continue to have a pleasant weekend, and I'm off to work happily too.