Chapter 64: Are You Childhood Sweethearts

Cheng Zhao took a tour of the inner courtyard of her eldest sister's mansion by herself.

No one followed her.

After she had walked enough, she returned to her eldest sister and mother.

"...The sightseeing pavilion in the west is built so well. The window lattices were made by the Xu family's workshop again. Furniture from the Xu family's workshop always requires a wait," Cheng Zhao said.

Her mother smiled, "Your second brother put a lot of thought into it."

"Second Brother is reliable. If it were Fourth Brother, he would definitely fool you and Eldest Sister," Cheng Zhao said.

Her eldest sister laughed, "You and A'Chao weren't this bad when you were young. It's just those few years in Fengzhou that made the two of you as incompatible as fire and water now."

Cheng Zhao: "He ganged up with an outsider to bully me, and he still expects me to treat him well?"

When they were in Fengzhou, her fourth brother Cheng Chao always brought Helian Xuan to wander in front of her.

In Cheng Zhao's eyes, two tigers cannot share one mountain. Those two refused to lower themselves and listen to her orders, yet they dared to constantly hover around her. It was pure provocation.

It was like foreign tribes harassing the borders.

It would have been one thing if Cheng Chao provoked her himself, but he even brought an outsider.

It was not merely a threat to Cheng Zhao's territory, but also a rebellion against the family. Not docile, not loyal—Cheng Zhao felt irritated just thinking of him.

"Don't let an outsider ruin your sibling bond," her eldest sister said. "Our little sister is the most magnanimous, just forgive him. Why care so much about an outsider and give him such face?"

Cheng Zhao took a deep breath. "Eldest Sister is right."

Her mother said, "You only like to listen to your eldest sister's words. Whenever I try to persuade you, you never listen."

Cheng Zhao: "..."

Lunch was eaten separately. Her eldest brother-in-law was entertaining guests in the outer courtyard and did not come in to accompany his mother-in-law.

After Cheng Zhao had lunch with her mother and eldest sister, she prepared to return to her estate.

A servant boy went to inform him, and the eldest brother-in-law came out to see off his mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Fan Xiao and Helian Xuan also took the opportunity to say their goodbyes.

They met again at the doorway.

"...Come visit our estate another day," Zhou Yuanqi suddenly said to Helian Xuan.

Helian Xuan's peach-blossom eyes looked exceptionally friendly and handsome when he smiled. "Alright, I will definitely come to bother you. I happen to have some matters to discuss with Duke Chen."

Fan Xiao also exchanged a few pleasantries, inviting Helian Xuan to visit his home another day.

Helian Xuan was also acquainted with the Fan family's old matriarch. He asked about the old madam's health and promised to visit another day.

Only then did they part ways.

Since Cheng Zhao was returning to the Duke Chen's estate, Fan Xiao entrusted Zhou Yuanqi to her.

"This saves me from having to escort him back separately," Fan Xiao smiled. "Thank you for the trouble, Madam Duke."

When he called Cheng Zhao Madam Duke, there was a hint of teasing in his tone.

"Uncle is making fun of me," Cheng Zhao said. "I will take him, Uncle can rest assured."

Fan Xiao: "Come play at our house another day, and bring Yuanshen along."

Cheng Zhao agreed.

They each got into their carriages. Cheng Zhao did not spare another glance at Helian Xuan.

Inside the carriage, Zhou Yuanqi looked at her curiously several times.

"Why did you follow Uncle to visit my brother-in-law's house?" Cheng Zhao asked Zhou Yuanqi.

"Little Uncle has a military book compiled by Du Anli. I had never met someone with such insight, so I was curious and asked Little Uncle to bring me to meet him," Zhou Yuanqi said.

He added, "Little Uncle deliberately teased me. It wasn't until we were almost at the door that he told me Du Anli is your brother-in-law. I've met him before."

During the New Year, he had followed along to pay New Year's greetings at the Cheng family and had met Du Anli.

He only knew him as the eldest brother-in-law but hadn't remembered his name.

This time, he finally got his name, background, and official title all sorted out.

"My eldest brother-in-law is indeed very talented and learned, and his martial arts are excellent. He is also quite worldly-wise," Cheng Zhao said.

The Cheng family children all respected their eldest brother-in-law very much.

"Compared to The Brute?" Zhou Yuanqi asked.

Cheng Zhao: "Don't even think about catching me making a mistake."

"Then you must think The Brute doesn't compare. By saying that, you've just exposed your own mistake," Zhou Yuanqi said.

Cheng Zhao: "..."

She desperately wanted to reach out and pinch his cheeks.

But she didn't dare.

Zhou Yuanqi always fancied himself an adult; he could not accept others teasing him like a child. He couldn't do anything about verbal teasing, but getting physical would be going too far.

Cheng Zhao was afraid he would fly into a rage out of humiliation.

"Are you and the Prince of Andong childhood sweethearts?" Zhou Yuanqi asked again.

Cheng Zhao whipped her head around. "Who started that rumor?"

Zhou Yuanqi observed her. "Are you feeling guilty?"

"No!"

"But you have quite a temper. With such a huge reaction, it's hard to say there's no past between you two," Zhou Yuanqi said.

Cheng Zhao: "..."

There was indeed a lot of past history, but she simply could not accept the term childhood sweethearts. This term was not only ambiguous but also carried a hint of fond memories.

Cheng Zhao and Helian Xuan definitely did not have that kind of relationship.

Cheng Zhao would often think of her estate guard, Wen Liang.

Not only was this guard loyal and attentive, but he also had a very good relationship with Qiubai. After he died, Qiubai secretly cried several times.

There was no opportunity to avenge his death. His parents and sister took the opportunity to defect to Prince An's estate, using his remains to seek high positions.

They suppressed everything. Cheng Zhao wanted to seek revenge, but in their eyes, she was just stirring up trouble, making her look bad from all sides.

Cheng Zhao didn't know who to hate.

And this human life, that friendship, and Qiubai's pain were all connected to Helian Xuan.

"I don't have any past with him." Cheng Zhao turned her head to the side.

She forcefully clenched her back teeth.

However, Zhou Yuanqi kept looking at her.

After watching her for a long while, Zhou Yuanqi came to a conclusion: The Empress's bestowed marriage had broken up a pair of lovebirds.

Zhou Yuanqi had just tactfully inquired about it. Helian Xuan's father had passed away before Cheng Zhao's marriage was bestowed. He guessed that Helian Xuan was observing a strict mourning period, which delayed the wedding.

And through a twist of fate, Cheng Zhao became Zhou Yuanqi's sister-in-law.

"Can this person marry into our family as a live-in son-in-law?" Zhou Yuanqi thought.

It was unlikely. Helian Xuan was the Emperor's cousin, had inherited a noble title, and had been conferred the title of Prince.

A Prince could never become a live-in son-in-law.

Zhou Yuanqi clicked his tongue, feeling a bit unwilling to give up.

He had scouted quite a few candidates for a live-in son-in-law for his sister-in-law. In terms of conversational skills, appearance, and temperament, Helian Xuan ranked at the very top; no one could surpass him.

His background was also excellent.

Only someone with such a noble status was qualified to match his Fairy Sister-in-law.

Before meeting Helian Xuan, it seemed like anyone would do; after meeting him, everyone else felt like just making do.

Zhou Yuanqi disliked making do the most; he pursued the best in everything. Even for practicing calligraphy, he would buy Mr. Qu Lian's copybooks at a high price.

"How can I force a Prince to become a live-in son-in-law?"

This would probably be one of Zhou Yuanqi's primary tasks for a long time to come; he had to conquer this difficult problem.

Aside from Helian Xuan being outstanding in every aspect, it was also because his appearance could barely compete with The Brute.

Zhou Yuanqi felt that The Brute was very lucky to have been born extremely handsome. And it was precisely because he was handsome that he attracted so many women around him, making his Fairy Sister-in-law suffer grievances.

His imagination ran wild, a massive battle raging in his brain, bustling with intense activity in silence.

Meanwhile, Cheng Zhao was also quietly lost in thought.

When the carriage parked at the entrance of Duke Chen's estate, the two of them were completely unaware.

Until someone lifted the carriage curtain.

Outside the curtain was a clear mid-afternoon. Sunlight crashed in from outside, and both Cheng Zhao and Zhou Yuanqi subconsciously squinted their eyes.

"...Fell asleep?" Zhou Yuanshen asked. "You haven't gotten out of the carriage for ages. What are you two dawdling for?"

The sunlight spilled onto his face. His prominent brow bones cast a slight shadow under his eyes, making his excellent bone structure appear even more striking.

Helian Xuan was still not as good-looking as him.

Zhou Yuanqi let out a deep sigh.

Trying to find a live-in son-in-law who surpassed The Brute in every aspect was so difficult.

"Getting off right now," Cheng Zhao snapped back to reality.

She and Zhou Yuanqi stepped through the grand doors of the Duke of Chen's estate, their minds weighed down by heavy thoughts.

Though young in age and possessing exquisitely delicate features, the two of them wore the profound, solemn expressions of the elderly. It was quite an amusing sight, Zhou Yuanshen thought to himself as he, too, stepped over the threshold.