Everyone present was shocked.
Ye Jueyao felt a flutter of joy in her heart. Could it be that she was really going to become the Princess of Yu'an?
Saixing thought to herself, "The young lady is about to start bluffing!"
Cao Sheng's face darkened. "What do you mean by this?"
Ye Jueyao stared at Ye Xi nervously. Although Ye Xi had had a falling - out with the State Uncle's Mansion, her skills were obvious to all. Since Ye Xi had spoken, it meant that she must be somewhat special.
Noticing everyone's expressions, Ye Xi pretended to size Ye Jueyao up and down several times, and then deliberately lingered her gaze on Cao Sheng. Then she said mysteriously, "For the sake of the one thousand taels from the State Uncle's Mansion, I'll say a bit more."
Shaking her head, Ye Xi looked at Cao Sheng with a regretful tone. "This young lady has an aura of royalty. Although she doesn't possess the aura of the true dragon, she has the aura of a side - branch of the royal family. Her fate is prosperous and she will bring good fortune to her husband and family, and will help the family business thrive. But as I look at Young Master Cao's appearance, he is entangled in a karmic relationship and his true love is nowhere to be found..."
"Tsk," Ye Xi pretended to make some hand gestures and murmured to herself, "How could this be? Young Master Cao is engaged to a young lady from the Ye family. Why is his marriage not right, causing obstacles to his official career and financial fortune?"
Although her words were murmured, those nearby could hear them clearly, and even Mrs. Cao caught a general idea.
Everyone present was lost in their own thoughts, but Ye Xi seemed to suddenly come to her senses. Then she continued in a rough voice, "Forget it. I'm only here for money anyway. Why say so much? The matter of the State Uncle's Mansion is settled today. I'll take my leave."
After saying that, she took Saixing and left, ignoring everyone's thoughts behind her.
Ye Jueyao was overjoyed. The fortune - teller had said that she had an aura of royalty and a prosperous fate. She was surely going to be the Princess of Yu'an. So she should distance herself from the Cao family a bit.
However, Cao Sheng and his mother were in a turmoil. Ye Xi's words clearly indicated that Ye Jueyao was Cao Sheng's true love and that Ye Xi was blocking Cao Sheng's future. No wonder Cao Sheng had failed to pass the imperial examinations in recent years and his studies had become worse than Cao Ceming's. The root cause was here!
But the engagement between Ye Xi and Cao Sheng was arranged by the Grand Tutor Cao himself.
Mrs. Cao was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She always felt that the Grand Tutor Cao favored Cao Ceming more. Cao Ceming's studies were personally taught and examined by him, and his engagement was carefully selected instead of being hastily arranged. But her son was engaged casually because of a debt of gratitude, and to someone who would block his future!
She couldn't just watch her son fall into this pit. No! This engagement must be called off!
As for this so - called fortune - teller, even if she tried to curry favor with her in the end, it was useless. She still had to die!
While Mrs. Cao was scheming, Ye Xi took Saixing straight to the martial arts school.
The strong martial artists were having a competition. Their well - defined and muscular bodies made Ye Xi and Saixing blush.
Ye Xi selected several champions of the competition, negotiated the terms and signed the contracts. Then she took Saixing back happily after changing their clothes.
This trip had taken a long time. Yi Yaofeng had already finished his schoolwork and was waiting impatiently.
Seeing Yi Yaofeng's pitiful look, Ye Xi felt guilty. She distributed the gifts and fruits she had bought to everyone, and gave Yi Yaofeng his share separately.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Ye Xi stroked Yi Yaofeng's little head, and her voice became softer.
Yi Yaofeng was concentrating on rummaging through the food box for candied fruits. When he heard Ye Xi apologize to him, his big black eyes curved into a line with a smile.
"It's okay." He found the plum he wanted and stuffed it into his mouth. Then he asked in a slurred voice, "Where... did you go?"
Ye Xi gave a mysterious smile. "Making money."
Yi Yaofeng widened his eyes. "Why?"
In Yi Yaofeng's impression, the people around him never lacked money. Even the word "making money" was quite novel to him.
"Because..." Ye Xi's smile turned a bit bitter. "Auntie wants to live, and live well."
And the first step to living well was to have money.
"Um..." Yi Yaofeng blinked his eyes half - understandingly. He quickly packed up the food box and pushed it back to Ye Xi.
"I don't want it." Then he patted his little chest and said seriously, "I'll give you money."
"Pfft~" Ye Xi was amused by his precocious look.
"Then thank you, Yaofeng." Ye Xi pinched Yi Yaofeng's chubby little face and laughed happily.
"But a child's money can't be given away casually. You have to save it for getting married and having children in the future."
"Why?" Yi Yaofeng frowned his little face, looking very confused. "If I don't get married, can I give it to you?"
"Er..." Ye Xi quickly waved her hand.
"No, no. You still can't give it to me. You'll need it yourself. And when you grow up, you'll surely meet the person you like. Then you'll want to buy all kinds of things for her and give her the best things in the world. By then, you'll know how important money is."
"Oh..." Suddenly, Yi Yaofeng clapped his little hand and said as if he had just realized something, "I know. It's just like Uncle Yuan."
Ye Xi:?
"What's going on?" Ye Xi leaned closer to Yi Yaofeng, looking like she was watching a good show. "Did your Uncle Yuan buy things for someone?"
Yi Yaofeng shook his head and then nodded. He simply pointed at Ye Xi.
"For you."
Ye Xi:??
"What did he give me? Why did he give it to me?" Ye Xi was almost shocked out of her wits. "Yaofeng, you can't talk nonsense."
"No." Yi Yaofeng said firmly. "He wanted to buy a gift but didn't succeed. Uncle Yuan said he would give you the garden."
"The garden is very big. Steward Chen said it's the best one."
"What?" Ye Xi was extremely surprised.
Did Yi Yuan specifically buy a gift for her? And because he didn't buy it, he gave her a garden!?
After babbling for a while, Yi Yaofeng had already reached a conclusion:
"So Uncle Yuan likes you."
Ye Xi's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Her lips parted and closed several times before she finally found her voice.
"No, it's not... It's different."
"How is it different?"
An indescribable emotion spread in her heart. Ye Xi felt as if something was gently wrapping around her heart and then gradually tightening, tightly pulling back her wild thoughts.
"He... Your Uncle Yuan gave me that garden on a condition. It's because he needed me to do something for him. It's different..."
She emphasized again, not knowing whether she was trying to convince herself or Yi Yaofeng.
Ye Xi's voice became more and more determined.
"This is just a deal. It has nothing to do with like or dislike."
"But Yaofeng, how did you know about this?"
When Steward Chen gave her the mansion, she specifically asked him to keep it a secret. Steward Chen also repeatedly assured her that apart from herself and Saixing, only Yi Yuan and Steward Chen himself knew about it.
Where did Yi Yaofeng find out about this?
Could it be that it was exposed so soon?