Xue Lianyu sighed and said, "Now the situation of *Anecdotes in the Capital* under Cheng Xiran's hand is very good. If we ask her to add a few strokes for auxiliary use and plead with the emperor at the palace banquet, it might work."
Cheng Xiran? Helian Duo frowned slightly and murmured, "I'll find a way."
Seeing that he was about to leave, Xue Lianyu quickly stood up and shouted, "If you have no feelings for Yunxiu, then find a good family for her when she comes back. This can be regarded as fulfilling the promise you made to her father back then. Otherwise, it will be very troublesome in the future."
Helian Duo knew what he meant, but he still needed to think it over.
The next day, right after the morning court, Helian Duo rushed to Nanyuan. He also asked Zuo Yan to pick some ripe dates from the tree and bring them along.
At the gate of the Nanyuan courtyard, he saw Zhuque. "My lord, the young lady is receiving guests. She told this servant to wait here for you, my lord."
Receiving guests? Helian Duo was a bit stunned. Weren't they supposed to have lunch together today? Why were there other people here?
Helian Duo didn't say anything. He stepped into the courtyard and saw a large table set up in the yard with many dishes on it. Cheng Xiran was talking to a man and a woman. She seemed to be very happy, laughing heartily.
From afar, Cheng Xiran spotted Helian Duo. She quickly got up and went to greet him. "Why did you come back so early? I thought you wouldn't be off the court for a while."
"Sister Cheng, you look exactly like a woman waiting for her husband at home," Chu Liyin covered her lips and giggled.
Cheng Xiran gave her a disdainful look and said, "I'm just repaying the lord. Don't think I'm like you. Look at how intimate you two are. People who don't know might think you're a couple."
Only when Helian Duo got closer did he see clearly that the people sitting there were Xue Lianyu and Chu Liyin. His gaze fell on Cheng Xiran, and his gloomy face showed obvious displeasure.
"This was specially brought by the lord for Miss Cheng," Zuo Yan flattered as he presented the freshly picked dates.
Cheng Xiran was a bit dazed after taking them. Was Helian Duo such a straight - laced man? She had never seen anyone giving dates as a gift. Couldn't he bring something more valuable?
"Yo, this is a wish for early sons! The lord has given such an obvious hint. Sister Cheng, shouldn't you show something in return?" Chu Liyin laughed even more heartily when she saw the dates in the basket.
Cheng Xiran took the dates shyly and said, "Take your seats. The food was just served not long ago. There are still a few dishes I made specially for you. I was waiting for you to come back before serving them."
After saying that, she told Zhuque to take a few maids to the kitchen to bring out those dishes. These were all her specialties.
Just as the lunch was starting, a maid came to report that the second young lady of the Cheng family had come.
Cheng Zhiyue? Cheng Xiran frowned slightly. Why did she come here?
Cheng Xiran had no choice but to let the maid bring Cheng Zhiyue in. Cheng Zhiyue didn't expect that she was stopped at the mansion gate once and now again here. If it weren't for her eagerness to see Helian Duo, she wouldn't have endured such humiliation.
Filled with grievances, Cheng Zhiyue entered the courtyard with her maid. But the moment she saw Helian Duo, her expression changed instantly. Pretending to be gentle, she said, "Zhiyue pays respects to the lord and Young Master Xue."
Helian Duo and Xue Lianyu didn't even lift their heads. Cheng Zhiyue looked at Cheng Xiran embarrassedly. The latter sighed helplessly and said, "What are you doing here?"
Cheng Zhiyue walked forward slowly and said softly, "Mother heard that elder sister fell into the water and has been staying in the lord's mansion and hasn't returned yet. She was worried about elder sister, so she sent Zhiyue to check on you."