Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 819: Little Buddy

Chapter 819: Chapter 819: Little Buddy

The Zhou family; when Rongchuan arrived, Zhou Shuren had already taken his medicine and fallen asleep. Zhulan said, "I’ll go and wake up your uncle."

Rongchuan hurriedly said, "Auntie, I just came to see him. Knowing that uncle is fine, I’m relieved. You don’t need to wake him up."

Zhulan didn’t actually plan to call her husband; she wished he could rest more. But now, Rongchuan wasn’t a family member, and she had to be polite. Rongchuan had been back at the Ning household for some days, and the boy had changed quite a bit.

The current Rongchuan had an added air of nobility and was more at ease— a confidence that came with his status. The Rongchuan of the past didn’t possess this confidence and was always cautious in his actions.

Not to mention his outer garments.

Zhulan said, "Chang Lian is at a gathering. Why didn’t you go? Right, look at my memory—they’re the scholars’ gathering."

Rongchuan smiled with his eyes, "Actually, I was also invited, but I needed to tutor Ning Zhao and Ning Ming, so I declined."

Zhulan knew about this; Rongchuan had mentioned it on his last visit and had taken away questions posed by Zhou Shuren.

Zhulan saw that Rongchuan didn’t seem ready to leave and understood, "Look at me, talking your ear off. I’ll go call Xue Han."

Rongchuan’s ears turned red. Now, he and Xue Han could interact without need for pretense, but he still felt somewhat embarrassed, especially knowing that the Empress had rewarded them with fabric for the wedding clothes.

In Xue Han’s courtyard, Xue Han was sorting through threads. She wanted to embroider her own wedding gown and needed gold threads, pondering a trip to the market to buy some. When she heard from the senior maid by her mother’s side that Rongchuan had come, the corners of Xue Han’s mouth curled into a smile, "I’ll go there right now."

Xue Han quickly reached the main courtyard. Seeing the two of them acting restrained, Zhulan smiled and said, "I’m tired from sitting for a while anyway. Why don’t you two take a walk in the garden?"

Xue Han took up the conversation, "Mother, I was thinking of buying some gold thread."

Rongchuan caught on immediately, "Aunt, it just so happens that I’m not occupied. I’ll accompany Xue Han to buy it."

Zhulan, "Alright."

Although the two were betrothed and nobody would say anything, Zhulan still called Su Xuan and Chang Zhi to accompany them. Su Xuan and Chang Zhi were pleased, perhaps they hadn’t had a chance to stroll the streets together for a long time.

At the Zhou family’s estate, after the elder Zhou brother had toured the estate, he took a sharp breath, "Is this really our estate?"

Chang Yi replied, "To be precise, this is the estate that will come with Xue Han’s dowry."

The elder Zhou brother felt that yesterday’s estate was already quite large and beautiful, and he sighed softly, "Back then, who could have imagined we’d have a day like this?"

Chang Yi couldn’t help but laugh, "Even if we racked our brains, we wouldn’t dare dream of this day."

The elder Zhou brother inhaled sharply, "I just returned and your sister-in-law was talking about my younger sister’s dowry. I didn’t feel much then, just thought there were many valuable items, but now that I’ve seen the estate, I feel even more pressure."

Chang Yi agreed, "Who’s to say it isn’t so? I feel the pressure too."

The second wife certainly had two daughters!

In the capital, at the Ministry of Revenue, Xiao Qing heard about Zhou Shuren’s convalescence and smiled. If the Ministry of Revenue were to be handed over to Zhou Shuren in the future, he really had nothing to worry about; Zhou Shuren was indeed sharp-minded.

When Qiu Yan received the news, he was wondering whether or not to pay a visit.

There really were a lot of visitors to the Zhou residence. Zhulan received many gifts of tonics throughout the morning; word in the capital traveled fast, and everyone who ought to come did so. Some came to gather information, while others came to probe whether the illness was genuine.

Zhulan wasn’t pleased even though she received numerous precious medicinal herbs; she felt weary, heart-weary.

In a tea house in the capital, Chang Lian was somewhat distracted; he couldn’t stop thinking about why his father was so eager to begin his convalescence.

Mr. Lv said, "You’ve been distracted all morning. What’s the matter?"

Since everyone was looking at him, and they’d find out soon anyway, Chang Lian explained, "My father caught a bit of a chill, and I’m worried about him."

Mr. Lv, "Lord Zhou is ill?"

"Mm-hmm. The Imperial Physician saw him and prescribed some tonic prescriptions. He needs to rest for a few days."

Coming from his own flesh and blood, those words certainly attested to his father’s actual illness.

Mr. Lv was worried, "Is Mr. Zhou alright, how come he got sick so suddenly?"

Chang Lian replied, "....It was chilly last night after the rain."

Despite being his own son, Chang Lian wasn’t as anxious as Lv Liang. After speaking, he silently turned his head to look out of the window. Upon looking, Chang Lian’s mouth twitched, for he had unexpectedly seen Ming Teng and Mr. Ran’s grandson, Ran Xun.

It was then that Chang Lian remembered, today the Academy was closed for a holiday.

Mr. Lv noticed Chang Lian staring outside and leaned in, "What are you looking at?"

Chang Lian stood up and said, "Excuse me, I just saw my nephew, I should be going."

Mr. Lv had also seen the two young masters downstairs and couldn’t help but laugh softly, "Don’t rush off, are those two entering the tea house your nephews?"

Chang Lian took another look, finding it unusual that these two would come to a tea house, fearing the boys might run wild everywhere, "Yes."

During their conversation, the two children had already entered the tea house.

Chang Lian wanted to leave, but the others wouldn’t allow it, eager as they were to meet the grandchildren of the Zhou family.

Ming Teng had just entered with his friends and was invited upstairs. On seeing his third uncle, he laughed awkwardly, "Third Uncle, you’re here too!"

Ran Xun grinned, "Third Uncle."

Chang Lian felt a headache coming on. When those two rascals got together, they were truly mischievous, "Ran Xun, when did you come to the capital?"

He remembered this boy stubbornly refusing to come to the capital.

Ran Xun chuckled, "Well, my grandfather transferred me to a new Academy, and tomorrow I will start attending the same Academy as Ming Teng."

Ming Teng added, "I only found out today as well. Ran Xun said it was meant to be a surprise for me."

Indeed, he was surprised. Ming Rui was completely focused on his studies and rarely spent time playing with him, so Ran Xun’s arrival was a delight.

Chang Lian thought differently, though. His mother had gone to the Third Prince’s Consort’s birthday celebration, and she had mentioned that the Crown Princess Consort had specifically brought Consort Ran along. Could Ran Xun’s arrival in the capital be for more than just schooling? Was this the Crown Prince’s doing?

Lv Liang asked, "And who is this young master?"

Chang Lian explained, "The grandson of Mr. Ran, the Maritime inspector."

Lv Liang’s eyes shone. Not to mention Mr. Ran’s Third Rank, or the significance of the Maritime inspector’s role, just the fact that he was the father of the Concubine of the Crown Prince made Lv Liang’s tone incredibly enthusiastic, "Oh, Master Ran, it is my pleasure to meet you."

Ran Xun was no stranger to such situations. Despite his mischief, he knew what was expected, the manners due to a Scholar of the Hanlin Academy, "Since you are a colleague of my third uncle, it is I who am honored."

Ming Teng felt his friend had changed quite a bit. Back in Jinzhou City, he wasn’t nearly so well-mannered. He said, "Third Uncle, Ran Xun and I are going to head out for a bit, then we’ll return home."

Chang Lian stood up, "I’ll go back with you."

Ming Teng, "...."

Did he not trust him to return home? Alright, he indeed didn’t want to go home.

Chang Lian, taking hold of one child in each hand, said to Lv Liang and the others, "I can’t be at peace if these two are out by themselves, I’ll be leaving first."

This time no one stopped them. They were all cunning enough to realize from Chang Lian’s reaction that the two boys were troublemakers.

Meanwhile, at the needlework shop, Xue Han had already bought gold thread and some other threads she needed. She didn’t have anything else she wanted to buy.

Rongchuan didn’t have a maid carry the purchased needlework; he carried it himself, "Fourth Brother and Sister-in-law are at the jewelry shop, let’s join them."

Xue Han tugged at Rongchuan’s sleeve, "Fourth Brother and Sister-in-law have finally gotten a chance to go out together; let’s not disturb them."

Rongchuan didn’t really want to join them either; he wanted to spend time alone with Xue Han, even though they were still followed by maids and attendants. Nonetheless, they didn’t get in the way and could be ignored.