Zhuque and Yun'er had received the news and had already started packing their luggage. They didn't ask a single extra question, which made Cheng Xiran feel deeply gratified. Many times, what she truly needed was silent support. As long as she knew there were people standing behind her, she would have enough confidence to take on the responsibility.
Thinking of this, she also went into the room to start packing. About an hour later, Nanny Jin came over with a food box.
Cheng Xiran was putting away the calligraphy and paintings she had collected over the years one by one.
Seeing Nanny Jin come in, she smiled at her and said, "It's so late. Why did you come here, Nanny Jin?"
"The old lady was worried that you hadn't had dinner, so she told me to make some of your favorite dishes and bring them to you..." Nanny Jin looked around the room, then put the food box on the somewhat messy table and continued, "Miss, come and eat something first. I'll help you pack up."
Come to think of it, she was really a bit hungry. Cheng Xiran didn't refuse. She picked up the chopsticks and the bowl with rice already in it and started eating.
"The old lady has taken the herbal medicine and gone to bed. Please don't worry, miss. The old lady told you to take good care of yourself when you're outside. Eat and drink well, and come back often. She will also find a way to get you back."
Hearing this, Cheng Xiran shed tears again in an unseemly way. "It's my fault. I always make grandmother worry about me," she said.
Nanny Jin quickly replied, "What are you saying, miss? Who in our Cheng Mansion doesn't know your character? It's just that the situation here is too complicated to explain clearly in a short time. Fortunately, you're an open - minded person, so the old lady isn't too worried. She's just angry at what Prime Minister Cheng has done."
What else could it be? Either it was for the Queen Mother to investigate Helian Duo's whereabouts, or he was just bored.
It must be one of these two reasons, and there was no need for Cheng Xiran to speculate.
Before leaving, Cheng Xiran noticed that there were actually two hundred taels of silver hidden under the food box.
Her grandmother had really done everything she could for her.
She originally wanted to return the money, but it was already very late, and it wouldn't be appropriate to disturb her grandmother. So she planned to return it the next day, thinking it wasn't too late. Zhuque and Yun'er had almost finished packing their luggage. It was already deep night outside.
"Miss, where are we going to stay tonight?" Yun'er asked casually, but was glared at by Zhuque.
Cheng Xiran smiled. "There are a few empty rooms in the newspaper office. We'll sleep in the partition on the second floor tonight, and then clean up the downstairs to live in tomorrow."
The three of them made more than ten trips back and forth from the back to the front before all the things were moved out. The servants who used to be on good terms with them didn't dare to come forward to help casually now. Because if they did, it would mean going against Prime Minister Cheng, and they naturally wouldn't risk their own futures.
There was a carriage parked at the mansion gate. It was the one Nanny Jin had specially called for them earlier.
They arrived at the newspaper office soon. Even though Cheng Xiran moved very quietly, she still woke up the shopkeeper.
"Miss, what's going on..." the shopkeeper asked curiously while rubbing his eyes.
Cheng Xiran explained the reason, and the shopkeeper didn't ask any more questions. After washing his face, he started to help her.
Anyway, among all the shops on this long street, only the newspaper office still had its lights on. The lights gradually went out until the middle of the night.
Early the next morning, Cheng Xiran was woken up by the street vendors selling breakfast.
After a brief wash, she went downstairs. The shopkeeper had already bought breakfast. There were steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and soybean milk.
"Miss, it's time for breakfast!"
Zhuque and Yun'er seemed very satisfied with living in the newspaper office. It seemed that none of them had any nostalgia for the Cheng Mansion.
Cheng Xiran sat down and asked the shopkeeper about the recent situation of the newspaper office. Everything was normal.
"By the way, there's something else I think is very strange, but I still think I should tell you, miss."
Cheng Xiran took a bite of the tofu - stuffed steamed bun and nodded slightly. "Go ahead. What's the matter?"
"Do you still remember Young Master Gu? His mother came to the newspaper office last time to ask you for help."
Hearing Cheng Xiran give a soft "hmm", the shopkeeper continued, "The Gu family bought a quadrangle courtyard in the capital city yesterday. They suddenly have a lot of money, and Young Master Gu's health is said to have recovered more than half."
Cheng Xiran wasn't very interested in this, so she just listened to what he said.
After breakfast, she went upstairs to write articles. Zhuque and Yun'er were cleaning the rooms in the backyard.
She didn't know how long she had been writing. Maybe she was too focused. She didn't even notice that Helian Duo had been there for a while.
"Have you been bullied?" Helian Duo asked with a half - smile.
Cheng Xiran really didn't want to talk to him because she was angry that he had disappeared for a few days. But for some reason, she always couldn't control herself from responding to him.
"It's good to move out. It's quiet, and how could I be bullied by them?"
Helian Duo pointed at her still - red cheeks.
Cheng Xiran bit her lower lip gently and didn't reply for a moment.
Helian Duo gently put down the "The Art of War" in his hand, and then said leisurely, "Do you want me to find someone to cause some trouble in your house so that your ungrateful father can see how powerful you are?"
"Can you stop causing trouble..." Cheng Xiran gave him a disdainful look. Because she was inexplicably angry, she casually threw away the writing brush in her hand, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and looked unhappy.
"It seems that this matter is really because of me. Then I have to go there myself."
As Helian Duo said this, he was about to get up and leave. Cheng Xiran quickly called him back. "Why do you argue with those people? It's just a waste of breath."
Seeing that he really sat down obediently, Cheng Xiran's anger subsided a little.
Then she softened her tone and kindly reminded him, "My father repeatedly asked about our whereabouts this time. I guess he wants to know something from me. I didn't say anything, but you should also be more careful of him."
As soon as she finished speaking, Helian Duo was already sitting beside Cheng Xiran.
This made her heart beat involuntarily faster.
Helian Duo carefully rolled up the sleeve of her dress that was about to touch the ink. They were very close to each other. Cheng Xiran, this unsteady girl, blushed again.
"Can't you be more careful? You're not a child anymore."
There seemed to be a bit of reproach in his tone, but more of it was unexpectedly doting.
Cheng Xiran suppressed her smile and said indifferently, "It's all your fault. You always appear silently. Are you a ghost?"
And then she saw Helian Duo's expression turn serious. "I used to be, but not anymore since I met you."
Was this... an indirect confession?
Cheng Xiran could hardly believe her ears.
Just as she was secretly happy, she felt Helian Duo getting even closer to her.
He seemed to have become more proactive than before. It was no longer just her singing a one - man show.