Chapter 90 “If Sister Sheng Wants, You Can Always Win Me.”

Ao Luanjing had no idea that her family came to Sheng Family to apologize, but she knew that Sheng Lanci had gone to Lin County a few days ago to talk with her grandfather for quite a while before leaving in a hurry.

Then, Senior Master Ao made all the children pack up their luggage before they set off, and put a “gag order” on everyone that they should all forget the arrival of Sheng Lanci and never mention it again. At that time, Ao Luanjing was really confused, but she thought it was not relevant to her.

However, after being stared at frequently by Sheng Shuihe, she started to overthink, “When Uncle Sheng went to our family, Second Uncle Sheng was still in jail. As the head of Sheng Family and the eldest brother of Second Uncle Sheng, he should have been too busy to have this trip. There must be some reasons for him to visit us in person.”

For example, the marriage of his only son, Sheng Shuihe?

After all, only his wife and children were more important than his own brother.

Thinking about the “snooping” of Sheng Shuihe just now, Ao Luanjing was even more convinced of her idea, “Our family had not visited Sheng Family for over a decade because of my aunt. Sheng Family should take the blame for the alienation, so if they want… me to marry Cousin Sheng, Uncle Sheng needs to visit us in person to show sincerity.”

When Sheng Shuihe received Ao Family in Jinxue House with Sheng Weide, he behaved gentlemanly and gracefully. At that time, he looked steadily forward. Even when he looked at Ao Luanjing, he also acted uprightly and decently.

Why did he keep staring at her once they came out of Jinxue House?

It would be absurd to say he was attracted by her beauty because he must have lots of beauties around by virtue of his appearance and status. What’s more, though Ao Luanjing was always confident of her appearance, she must admit that the presence and skin of Sister Sheng, who was walking arm in arm with her, were way better than hers.

Living with a sister who was as beautiful as a picture, Sheng Shuihe would never fall from grace just because he saw someone pretty.

Sheng Lanci might have told him in private that she would be his fiancée, so he took this opportunity to look her up and down.

And the reason why her grandfather put a “gag order” on the family and forbad talking about the visit of Sheng Lanci was that Ao Family would lose face if the marriage blew up and other people knew about this.

Ao Luanjing thought she had figured it out and felt shy and perturbed, “Cousin Sheng is good-looking indeed, but I should never take my marriage for granted. My aunt provided me a vivid example before. I will not give him everything he wants just because of his handsome appearance. I need to know more about his character and education to see if he is the one!”

With this thought in mind, Ao Luanjing had no interest in the delicate and gorgeous garden of Sheng Family or the fascinating rare animals in it. She looked around casually, thinking about how to get information from Sheng Weiqiao to know more about Sheng Shuihe.

Sheng Weiqiao had no idea about Ao Luanjing’s intention. However, she already held grudges to Sheng Shuihe firmly, but she had to endure him because of the guests.

So, she would not bring Sheng Shuihe up.

Ao Luanjing tried several times to get her to talk, but she felt guilty then, seeing Sheng Weiqiao always avoided and shifted the topic, “Stupid me! Cousin Sheng has already known that Uncle Sheng wants me to marry him, so his own sister must be informed about it. Why would I think that I could get her to talk about her brother? It means that I already know about it. And to Cousin Sheng… to Cousin Sheng….”

Thinking about it, she was flushed and ashamed.

“Sister Ao, is it too hot for you?” Seeing the flush on her pale face, Sheng Weiqiao, knowing nothing, thought it was because of the sunlight, and said, “There is a waterside pavilion ahead of us. Let’s have a sit there and ask the servant fetch us some frozen fruits for cooling.”

At this point, Ao Luanjing also needed to sit down and get her head together, so she said, “That will be great!”

The girls need to take a break. Although the guys, including Sheng Shuihe, were not tired at all, they also walked in the pavilion with the girls.

This pavilion was not Cuimo Waterside Pavilion, where Sheng Weiqiao drew lotus for Xu Baomo, but another waterside building far away, named Yiyue.

Like Cuimo Waterside Pavilion, Yiyue Waterside Pavilion also had two wing-rooms on the shore. One was a study, and the other was a bedroom.

The study was set for people in the mood for some creation when visiting the garden, so they didn’t have to send servants back to fetch them writing brushes, ink sticks, paper, and inkstones. The bedroom was set for people who felt tired seeing the garden to have a rest, which could also serve as a temporary guest room for lack of guest house when too many guests visit the family.

At that moment, they just wanted to take a rest in the pavilion, have some fruits, and then continue to tour the garden, so they didn’t ask the servants to prepare those two rooms.

However, after drinks and fruits had been served, Ao Luanjing, not feeling quite herself, drank cups of icy plum wine during chatting. She knew she was drunk when she felt dizzy, so she held the hand of Sheng Weiqiao and told her with a bitter smile, “Sister, I’m feeling a bit tipsy, and I can’t hold my liquor!”

Hearing that, Sheng Weiqiao put down her half-finished drink in a hurry, “Don’t worry, sister. Let me get you to the wing-room here to take a rest. You only drank several cups of it, so you will be fine soon!”

And then, she made Lvjin clean up the room with other servants immediately.

Fortunately, Madam Feng had made the rules that for every building in this garden, even though their rooms might be vacant for a long time, they should be opened every three days and swept every five days. Therefore, though this wing-room had been empty for two years, it was dustless, and the bedding in the boxes behind the screen was also clean, which had been dried under the sunlight lately and smelt like camphor.

At this point, Ao Luanjing already felt dizzier and couldn’t even sit tight in the chair, so she would not be picky over it. Lying down with the help of Sheng Weiqiao and maids, she fell asleep peacefully just after Sheng Weiqiao tucked her in the quilt.

Sheng Weiqiao was speechless, “I have no idea that she’s not a drinker at all.”

Sheng Weiqiao didn’t drink a lot, but the icy plum wine was no strong liquor, so she could drink cups of it and still be okay. It was surprising that Ao Luanjing could not hold her alcohol.

In the hall, knowing that Ao Luanjing had been settled, Sheng Shuihe and other guys were also amused, and Ao Luanxiao said with confusion, “Little Jing can’t hold her liquor well, so she hardly has wine at home. Why did she choose icy plum wine today among so many icy drinks?”

“Maybe she wants to have a try.” Even Ao Luanjing’s own brother didn’t know that she tried to drink sorrow down, so Sheng Weiqiao could only guess randomly, “I will stay here and wait for Sister Ao to wake up. Would you like to sit for a while then leave, or wait for her together with me?”

Hearing that, Sheng Shuihe and Xu Baomo both looked towards Ao Luanxiao, and Ao Luanxiao chose the latter one without hesitation.

So, there was only one girl, Sheng Weiqiao, left in the hall, and she felt bored because no one could chat with her.

Xu Baomo, feeling delighted, suggested, “How about playing Go for fun?”

In his opinion, though he had lived in Sheng Family for a while, he was their guest like the children from Ao Family.

Therefore, Sheng Shuihe had to play with Ao Luanxiao, and he would be paired up with Sheng Weiqiao. When his brother-in-law and Ao Luanxiao were focusing on the board, he could flirt back and forth with Big Weiqiao. Nope, they could cling to each other!

Thinking of this, Xu Baomo looked at others nervously, for fear that they would reject his suggestion.

Sheng Shuihe didn’t reply immediately, and Ao Luanxiao said with hesitation, “I’m afraid that I’m not good at this, and you may feel disappointed!”

“It’s just for fun.” Xu Baomo said immediately, “Brother Hengshu, Sister Sheng, how about you?”

It seemed like Ao Luanxiao was convinced. Bearing her mission in mind, Sheng Weiqiao nodded her head.

Although Sheng Shuihe agreed later with a half-smile, Xu Baomo felt guilty for no reason, “Did Brother Hengshu see me through?”

However, he thought, even though he had been indulged in dissipation in Cangwu County, he had been an all-around “perfect fiancé” since his arrival in Nanfeng County.

Who could be more outstanding than him, especially among those guys around Sheng Weiqiao?

Even Sheng Shuihe was fond of his sister, he would not be hostile to him as the future brother-in-law.

After all, Sheng Weiqiao had to get married in the future!

Thinking of this, Xu Baomo felt relieved then.

Servants fetched them Go sets from the study next to them quickly.

The four people will play Go into two pairs. As Xu Baomo expected, Sheng Shuihe invited Ao Luanxiao first. He was thankful to his future brother-in-law, and walked up to Sheng Weiqiao with joy in heart, “Sister Sheng, I appreciate your guidance!”

“Brother Xu is good at all four arts, and I’m ashamed to hear that!” Sheng Weiqiao was already close to him. What’s more, after being grounded in the ancestral hall for several days, she was much more at ease and with a casual attitude when seeing Xu Baomo, who was “like her own brother and not as repugnant as Sheng Shuihe”. So, she looked at him mischievously and said with a smile, “Please take it easy on me!”

Xu Baomo was wild with joy for her look, “As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Big Weiqiao is so dear to me today, so it might be good for me that Aunt Feng grounded her in the ancestral hall and didn’t allow me to see her.”

He calmed down, and then put the Go sets on the table between them, said with a smile, “I’m not so sure! As they say, everything has its vanquisher, just like brine and tofu. Maybe your maneuver can take me down, and you will outsmart me completely.”

What he said is with some mixed-signal, but unfortunately, people like Sheng Weiqiao, who had no experience in relationship, couldn’t understand it. Hearing that, she got excited and rolled up her sleeves, “I’ll try my best. It will be a great honor for me to win you!”

“If Sister Sheng wants, you can always win me.” Xu Baomo said with a gentle voice, looked at her with a meaningful smile, “Do you believe me?”

Having noticed his hints, Sheng Weiqiao stopped smiling and thought for a while. Xu Baomo remained calm but held his breath quietly, waiting for her answer.