Cheng Xiran wasn't startled by him at all. Anyway, she was already used to his unpredictable comings and goings.
She turned her head and saw him looking at her leisurely, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"What are you doing hiding here?"
"I'm not hiding. I'm just dealing with official business," Helian Duo said as he waved the vermilion writing brush in his hand at her.
Cheng Xiran averted her gaze, sat down on one side, and casually picked up a candied fruit from the plate. She sighed helplessly, "I don't know how long they'll stay. I can't keep hiding like this forever."
As soon as Cheng Xiran finished speaking, the shopkeeper came up with a basket of food, even including chickens and ducks.
The shopkeeper first bowed to Helian Duo, then said, "These are the good wishes of the neighbors. They said it's to congratulate the young lady and the prince on their engagement. I thought they were fresh, so I accepted them on your behalf, young lady."
Cheng Xiran's eyes lit up when she saw the fat hen in the basket. "This is an old hen... We can have chicken soup for lunch!"
The shopkeeper nodded in agreement. "Sure."
Seeing her beaming, Helian Duo felt in a good mood too and then buried himself in his work again.
Cheng Xiran had no mind for writing. She was just thinking that it would be great if she could invite her grandmother over for a meal on such a wonderful day. Once the thought popped into her head, she began to rack her brains for a way. After much thought, she couldn't come up with a good idea. Finally, she decided to go to the Cheng Mansion in person, the place she least wanted to return to.
Just as she was about to go downstairs, she heard a servant downstairs call the shopkeeper.
"Shopkeeper, the old lady of the Cheng family is here!"
Cheng Xiran's face lit up, and Helian Duo also put down his vermilion writing brush and stood up.
Cheng Xiran dashed downstairs and saw the old lady being supported by Nanny Jin walking towards them.
She immediately stepped forward and gave her grandmother a big hug, saying softly, "Grandmother, Xiran was just thinking of going back to invite you!"
The old lady lovingly stroked her head and smiled. "As soon as Nanny Jin told me, I thought I must be by your side for such a big event. So, here I am."
Cheng Xiran helped her all the way up to the second floor.
Helian Duo personally served her hot tea, but the old lady still remembered to perform the courtesy.
Helian Duo quickly stepped forward to support her gently. "We're all family now. There's no need for you to be so polite, old lady."
Cheng Xiran was deeply touched by these words.
Family. She and Helian Duo were actually family?
"Even so, the proper etiquette must not be forgotten. After all, the prince is still the prince."
After everyone sat down, there was a moment of silence. The old lady looked at Cheng Xiran and then at Helian Duo, her smile overflowing. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide it.
"Although I don't know why things happened so suddenly, at least... our Xiran will finally have someone to care about her, take care of her, love her, and share joys and sorrows with her. She won't have to live an uncertain life like before."
The old lady said this with tears in her eyes. Nanny Jin carefully wiped the wrinkles on her face.
Cheng Xiran wanted to explain to her, but seeing her grandmother so genuinely happy, she really couldn't say those words.
Helian Duo assured her firmly, "Please rest assured, old lady. As long as I'm alive, I'll protect her peace."
Cheng Xiran was actually overjoyed inside.
After the shopkeeper listened to their chat for a while, he went downstairs to prepare lunch. Since there were more people today, he specially called some helpers. As for Cheng Xiran, she accompanied the old lady to chat. Helian Duo seemed not to be involved, but he would occasionally chime in. The atmosphere at the table was very harmonious.
The lunch was extremely pleasant. When the old lady was about to leave, Cheng Xiran tried to return the two hundred taels of silver, but the old lady refused to accept it. Moreover, the old lady also gave her a box of her former dowry, which were some valuable jewelry and antiques.
"I'm old. Keeping these things is of no use to me. Leaving them to you can be a souvenir."
Seeing that Cheng Xiran was about to refuse, the old lady gently patted her fair little hand and said earnestly, "Now it's just the emperor's bestowed marriage. You two still have a long way to go. Don't be in a hurry about anything. Besides, don't decline these things anymore. You're the only one I can give them to. I don't know if others will stand by your side, but you should clearly know that I, your grandmother, will always stand behind you, watching you get married, watching you have children. If I can also watch you grow old together, that would be even better."
Helian Duo stood quietly on one side, not saying a word, but his eyes and heart were full of this little girl, Cheng Xiran.
He had to admit that he had been infatuated with her for a long time, but he didn't realize it until now.
The old lady paused for a while, then suddenly led Cheng Xiran aside and whispered to her.
"Although he is the regent with an unparalleled status, I won't allow you to belittle yourself or compromise. In the future, if you feel aggrieved, you can always come to me. I'll even risk my old life to stand up for you."
Cheng Xiran was so happy that she shed tears.
She nodded slowly and replied, "I'll keep your words in mind, grandmother. We should visit each other more often in the future. I won't let anyone bully me easily."
As she said this, she almost subconsciously looked at Helian Duo.
Just as they sent the old lady away, they welcomed Chi Liyin and Xue Lianyu, this pair of happy lovers.
Chi Liyin said excitedly, "I said at that time that elder sister and the prince were interested in each other. It seems that they're really together now. This is simply a great joy!"
Xue Lianyu also walked straight up to Helian Duo and couldn't help but punch him in the chest. "Good for you, blockhead. You didn't even tell me about such a good thing in advance. If the news of the emperor's bestowed marriage hadn't spread throughout the capital, I would have thought someone was spreading rumors..."
"This is the candied fruit I just bought this morning. It tastes good. You'll definitely like it," Cheng Xiran said in time to change the topic. Chi Liyin didn't think much and just obediently went to one side to eat.
Looking at this happy scene, Cheng Xiran couldn't help but sigh in her heart that if all this were real, it would be great.
Then she would surely be the happiest woman in the world.
Helian Duo suggested going on an outing in the mountains and waters this afternoon. It was the first time he took the initiative, and it was obvious that he was in a good mood today.
At the mention of playing, Chi Liyin was overjoyed and began to calculate where it would be fun. Usually, Xue Lianyu who liked to play refused today. "How about we call it off today? I just leaked the news that you two are now in this area of the East Street. I'm afraid it will be blocked tightly soon..."