Chapter Twenty-Six—Xu Qingyan and Kong Shuyin
“Don’t say things like that. We’re not married yet!” An’an pressed a hand to his forehead. Kong Shuyin really had no sense of occasion.
There were still people nearby glancing in their direction.
An’an nervously looked around. Only after making sure no one was paying attention did he let out a sigh of relief.
“Keep your voice down. This is the capital. If someone hears you, they’ll make fun of us,” An’an reminded her in a low voice.
“Who would dare make fun of me?” Kong Shuyin said, clearly displeased.
“Xu Qingyan, don’t tell me that after returning to the capital, you’ve taken a fancy to another woman?” Kong Shuyin asked, looking him up and down.
She wondered what she would do if An’an really had fallen for someone else.
She could never be like those women in the capital and allow him to marry several women.
Kong Shuyin had her pride.
She liked Xu Qingyan, but she wasn’t a fool.
“My dear aunt, when would I have the time to look at another woman?” Seeing that Kong Shuyin was about to lose her temper, An’an thought of her several brothers. Even with his own considerable martial skills, he felt he would have trouble dealing with them.
He certainly wasn’t brave enough to pursue another woman behind Kong Shuyin’s back.
Thinking of this, An’an looked at Kong Shuyin beseechingly and said, “My dear aunt, this is the capital. I’m still Prince An’s third son, so could you please spare me a little dignity? There’s only room for you in my household. I couldn’t fit anyone else even if I wanted to!”
“Really?” Kong Shuyin looked at him uncertainly, wondering whether she should believe him.
“Really. I swear on my parents!” An’an immediately raised three fingers.
“All right, I’ll believe you for now. But if you dare lie to me, you know what will happen!” Kong Shuyin was quite satisfied with his attitude. After all, even her mother had praised the loving relationship between Prince An and his wife.
Seeing that Kong Shuyin believed him, An’an finally relaxed.
“What are you all busy with?” Kong Shuyin asked curiously as she watched the people bustling about.
“Of course we’re busy preparing the betrothal gifts for Big Brother and Sister Gu,” An’an quickly explained.
“Brother Qingshi’s future wife? Where is she?” Kong Shuyin immediately grew interested.
She loved beautiful women. She wondered whether that girl was pretty.
Could she be prettier than Niannian?
After all, among all the girls she had met so far, Niannian was the most beautiful.
“You can go take a look, but don’t cause any trouble. Be careful with your strength,” An’an warned her. He knew that Kong Shuyin had inherited her mother Kong Meng’er’s impressive strength.
An’an figured that Gu Nuonuo was a noble young lady from the capital. Regardless of anything else, she was certainly no match for Kong Shuyin when it came to strength.
If Kong Shuyin accidentally slapped Gu Nuonuo too hard, his elder brother would definitely be the first to come after him.
“Got it. Do I look like someone who doesn’t know how to cherish a beautiful woman?” Kong Meng’er rolled her eyes. She felt that Xu Qingyan had become rather strange after returning to the capital.
An’an frowned. He couldn’t refute her words, but for some reason, he still couldn’t feel at ease.
He always felt that Kong Shuyin was like a little firecracker that could explode at any moment. Yet it was precisely her straightforward nature that attracted him.
He hated people who made him guess what they were thinking. Kong Shuyin was perfect in that regard—if she had something to say, she would say it.
“Sister Nian Nian!” Kong Shuyin suddenly spotted Niannian and immediately left An’an behind as she ran over to her.
“Little Sister Shuyin? What brings you to the capital?” Niannian was delighted to see her as well.
Niannian liked her third brother’s partner quite a bit.
Kong Shuyin was sincere and warm-hearted, without a scheming bone in her body.
Niannian found it very comfortable to be around her.
“Hehe, I missed all of you, that’s why I came,” Kong Shuyin said, a little embarrassed.
In truth, she had heard that An’an had returned to the capital and had come along because she was worried about him.
Especially since her mother kept telling her every day that An’an had returned to the capital and probably had no intention of taking responsibility for her anymore.
How could that be acceptable?
The man Kong Shuyin had set her sights on wasn’t allowed to run away!
“Oh? Did you miss all of us, or did you miss a certain someone?” Niannian glanced at An’an in the distance, her meaning obvious.
“Oh, Sister Nian Nian, of course I missed you too,” Kong Shuyin said. She then noticed Li Mingyue standing beside Niannian.
“Sister Nian Nian, who is this? She looks a little like you.” Kong Shuyin’s eyes lit up in surprise.
“Didn’t Xu Qingyan say that Aunt Li only had one daughter? Could it be that your father has another woman?” Kong Shuyin asked, puzzled.
Li Mingyue, who was standing nearby, was startled by the sudden interruption.
“This is my maternal uncle’s daughter, my cousin. We look alike because my mother and her father are siblings,” Niannian explained with a smile.
“So she’s your cousin! Greetings, Cousin. Ah, I left in such a hurry that I didn’t bring a gift. I’ll make it up to you later,” Kong Shuyin said apologetically.
Li Mingyue quickly waved her hands. “There’s no need.”
“If she wants to give you one, just accept it. We’re family, after all. She’s your future sister-in-law,” Niannian said with a smile, pointing toward An’an, who was watching them with an ingratiating grin.
“Greetings, Sister-in-law,” Li Mingyue said. She was initially stunned, but then understood and bowed to Kong Shuyin.
“Oh, I haven’t married him yet. You can just call me Sister Kong,” Kong Shuyin said shyly. Then she added, “You’re really beautiful.”
The girls all laughed after exchanging those words.
“Xu Niannian!”
As they were talking, a young woman stormed up to Niannian, her face full of displeasure.
“Who are you?” Niannian asked in confusion as she looked at the angry young woman before her. She rarely stayed in the capital and didn’t know many of the daughters of the capital’s noble families.
“I’m Wei Zhiyao.” The newcomer was none other than Wei Herui’s younger sister, Wei Zhiyao.
She had admired the Third Prince for a long time and had wholeheartedly wanted to marry him.
She had never expected Xu Niannian to appear out of nowhere.
Because of her, the Third Prince was even willing to enter Prince An’s household as a live-in son-in-law. This came as a major blow to Wei Zhiyao.
She couldn’t understand how she was inferior to Xu Niannian.
As for the rumors surrounding Prince An, Wei Zhiyao had never seen him in the capital since she was old enough to remember. She therefore didn’t believe that Prince An could wield much power.
That made Wei Zhiyao feel that, in the capital, she should not be defeated by the daughter of a prince who had been sent away to govern elsewhere.
“Oh. Is there something you need?” Niannian frowned and thought for a long moment, but still couldn’t remember whether she was supposed to know this woman.
Why did she have no impression of her at all?
Kong Shuyin, meanwhile, stood in front of Niannian and Li Mingyue, her hand gripping the sword at her waist in case the woman before them tried to hurt either of them.
“What do I need? I’m here to warn you, Miss Xu. Stay away from the Third Prince. Someone like you isn’t worthy of him,” Wei Zhiyao said, clearly displeased.
Niannian hadn’t expected her to be one of the Third Prince’s admirers.
“Did your beloved Third Prince know you came here?”
