Hearing the sound, Helian Duo was the first to put down the book in his hand and look outside.
Cheng Xiran and the shopkeeper followed closely behind.
It was Yan An. Today he was wearing a long moon - white robe. Complemented by the warm sunlight, he seemed to shine brightly. She remembered that Helian Duo also had a robe of a similar color. If Helian Duo was deep and noble, then Yan An was like a clear stream.
In modern terms, he was a kind of fresh and gentle type. Although he was not as sharply - featured and handsome as Helian Duo, his delicacy was something Helian Duo didn't have.
Cheng Xiran invited him in and poured him a cup of freshly - brewed fruit tea. "Young Master Yan."
Yan An sat down politely opposite Cheng Xiran. Then he picked up the basket beside him and gently pushed it in front of her. He said leisurely, "A few days ago, I went to visit my grandmother. I heard that she hasn't been feeling well lately and has a bit of a cough. So I picked some pears and dates from my own garden..."
As he was speaking, he picked up another basket from the other side. It weighed just the same as the one on the table. "I hope Miss Cheng will accept them."
Helian Duo gave a soft snort and picked up his book again. But this time, he held it farther and lower, still able to see everything happening between Cheng Xiran and Yan An.
Cheng Xiran felt a bit embarrassed. She didn't know whether she should accept the gifts or not. Yan An also felt a bit awkward. He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and then praised, "The taste is really good. Did Miss Cheng make it herself?"
After Yan An finished speaking, he nodded towards Helian Duo who was looking over. Since he had always been immersed in daily trifles and was only concerned about reading books, although he knew the great reputation of the Regent, he had never seen him before. He only thought that Helian Duo looked imposing, so he was sure in his heart that Helian Duo was a man of high status.
Cheng Xiran shook her head with a smile. "I'm not that skillful. This was given to me by a friend."
Seeing that Yan An didn't say anything, she could only look down at the pears and dates in the basket. It had to be said that each pear and date was bright and beautiful. It was estimated that Yan An had spent a lot of effort on them. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Young Master Yan has really good skills. I guess you've spent a lot of effort growing these, right?"
"Indeed. I have little research in this area. I've always relied on reading books and have been trying for many years. Teaching while planting is actually quite interesting..."
He paused for a moment and then continued, "These are the first batch of fruits after my first successful attempt. They look good, and I've tasted a bit. They're really nice. I think you and your grandmother will like them."
"Since it's such a kind offer, I'll accept them..." Cheng Xiran gave a look to Mu Li beside her. After Mu Li carried the two baskets aside, she said again, "When are you free, Young Master Yan? I'll invite you to a simple meal as a way to show my gratitude."
Yan An quickly shook his head and even stood up. "I just wanted to share this joy with Miss. I don't expect anything in return. If Miss insists on this, I won't dare to come and see you in the future."
He was really a straightforward person.
Cheng Xiran gave a faint smile and didn't say anything more. Since Yan An still had classes, he only sat for a while, chatting about some interesting things about the cute kids he taught. Then he left soon.
Cheng Xiran courteously sent him to the door. When she came back in, Helian Duo was eating a pear.
"Is it delicious?" Cheng Xiran asked casually.
But Helian Duo was shaking his head while eating. "It's not delicious at all. It can't compare to the ones in my mansion."
"Then you should go back and eat the ones in your mansion quickly. Don't torture yourself..." Cheng Xiran stepped forward, snatched the half - eaten pear from his mouth, and went outside to feed it to a passing puppy.
Helian Duo wasn't angry. There was even a faint smile in his eyes.
Anyway, this ordinary scene between Helian Duo and Cheng Xiran really shocked Mu Li. She used to think that there was nothing between Helian Duo and Cheng Xiran, but all the signs showed that Helian Duo treated Cheng Xiran differently.
It was the first time she had seen a woman who could be so rude to Helian Duo.
Moreover, she had observed Helian Duo's facial expressions. It seemed that he quite enjoyed Cheng Xiran's naughty look.
When Cheng Xiran came back in again, she made a face at Helian Duo. Then she took out some pears and dates from the basket and gave them to the shopkeeper, inviting him to have a taste.
"Cheng Xiran, I just did you a big favor. Is this how you treat the benefactor of the Cheng Mansion?"
But Cheng Xiran wasn't afraid. "You said before that as long as Cheng Zhiyue could catch the eye of a noble at the Hundred - Flower Banquet, she could get rid of Qian Youliang. She'll just be a bit bothered these two days. Moreover, when you stepped in to settle this matter, not only did my father owe you a big favor on the surface, but you also strengthened your good reputation among the common people. It's a win - win situation for you."
Helian Duo looked at Cheng Xiran in disbelief, which made Cheng Xiran even more high - spirited. "See, I'm really smart, okay? I can think of everything you can think of."
This girl was really interesting.
After arguing with Helian Duo for a while, Cheng Xiran thought it was about time. She lazily stood up and called Mu Li to go with her. "Grandmother should be awake by now. Let's take these things back. We can ask Zhuque to make some rock - sugar pear soup for grandmother to soothe her throat."
Mu Li responded and went to pick up the two baskets. To her surprise, Helian Duo also put down the book in his hand and followed Cheng Xiran out.
Cheng Xiran thought he was going back to his palace on the way. But when they reached the fork in the road with weeping willows, he didn't turn off. Finally, she asked actively, "Are you going back to the Cheng Mansion with me?"
"The old lady is not feeling well. I should go and pay a visit."
For some reason, when Helian Duo referred to himself as "This King", Cheng Xiran found that he seemed to be shining with boundless light.
She couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
It should be noted that the two of them had appeared in public view together twice today, so it was inevitable that they became the hot topic of those women's afternoon chats. Cheng Xiran didn't really care. After all, "Young Master Cheng" was her, and Cheng Xiran was also her.
Helian Duo, on the other hand, seemed to care a bit. "What do you think people will say about our relationship?"