“Why are you here, all of a sudden?” While Sheng Shuihe was talking about the education of his niece with Gongsun Xi, Sheng Weiqiao was making apologies to Xu Baomo with a face full of guilty, “I wanted to stay alone just now, so I told them that no interruption was welcome. But they shouldn't have stopped you here!”

Saying that, she called Lvjin and Lvqi to entreat his forgiveness.

Xu Baomo raised his hand to stop them and said with a smile, “I came here without being invited. I drop by like this. How could your maids be blamed for following your order?”

Sheng Weiqiao wasn't meant to blame Lvjin and Lvqi. After all, they were just following her orders. Seeing that Xu Baomo wasn't intended to chide them, she scolded them perfunctorily, cast a look on them that “take the blame for me first and I'll recompense you later,” and sent them away.

After the conventional episode, when Sheng Weiqiao felt confused about why Xu Baomo dropped by, Xu Baomo said, “I met Seventh Miss on the way here just now. Seeing that she was mad, I asked about the reasons behind it. Hearing from her that you were not in a good mood, I was worried, so I came over to visit you. Do you feel better now?”

“Weiwu?” Sheng Weiqiao then realized. Though after the journey on the sea, she didn't think of Xu Baomo as an outsider anymore, out of the cultivation, she instinctively didn't hope to air their dirty laundry in public. After a momently blankness, she began to cover up, “You didn't know that Weiwu misunderstood me because of her young age! I was not in a bad mood. It was just because that the wisteria in the backyard bloomed, and I wanted to appreciate it alone for some time!”

At the point, she glimpsed at the wet spot on the table in front of Xu Baomo. It was made when he switched the tea when waiting for her. Sheng Weiqiao said apologetically, “I didn't expect you would sit here for long and worry about me, Brother Xu!”

“Sister Sheng, you're treating me as an outsider!” Xu Baomo smiled gently and said with a sincere look, “We once lived and died with each other, so was it necessary to ever say that?”

He couldn't be more satisfied with Sheng Weiqiao in his heart. Because Sheng Weiwu was still little, she didn't understand what happened to Sheng Weirao and thought that she had tramped outside for some time but was back safe and sound. Also, she remembered Xu Baomo's kindness of interceding for them, so she hid nothing from this “Brother Xu.” When she was stopped on the way and questioned, she spilled her guts at the drop of a hat: Sheng Weiqiao had made preparations for days and expressly gone to visit Sheng Weirao, but she had been stopped by Madam Bai and confronted her cynicism. She told him everything!

In the end, she said madly, “I've heard from my mother that Second Aunt isn't nice. Eldest Brother's mother was pushed out by her! If grandfather and grandmother didn't protect Eldest Brother, he might not have grown up safely! As expected, Second Sister went to visit Third Sister out of kindness. Let alone blocked her outside; she bullied Second Sister in that way! It was too evil of her! If she weren't my senior, I would lecture her for Second Sister!!!”

Xu Baomo always felt guilty about Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao's accident.

After all, no matter what Madam Bai had been plotting or what Old Madam Ming had done to cover up for her son, if he hadn't come to visit Sheng Family, the grandchildren in Sheng Family would have never gone out together, and Han Family wouldn't have caught the chance to act.

But his guilt was mainly about Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao, and he didn't hold any favorable impression of Madam Bai.

Because as an old comrade in arms of Senior Master Sheng, Old Marquis Xu was also an old acquaintance of Mrs. Ao's father.

At the time when Ao Family insisted on the divorce of Mrs. Ao and Sheng Lansi, Old Marquis Xu had once strived for their reconciliation. But of course, Ao Family didn't trust Sheng Lansi's morality, so they didn't accept Old Marquis's kindness. And since then, Old Marquis had held hatred against Madam Bai, whom he had never met, and he had whinged more than once, “Filthy and greedy woman, she almost ruined the over ten years of friends.h.i.+p between Old Ao and Old Brother Sheng!”

Xu Baomo was drummed into such views since he was a child, so before he had come to Sheng Family, he didn't keep a very good impression of Madam Bai. Even though he felt guilty about Sheng Weirao, he couldn't foster any similar pity for Madam Bai.

So hearing Sheng Weiwu's words, he just gave her some consolation out of protocol. After getting that Sheng Weiqiao went back to Zhuying Mini Villa with despondency, he said goodbye to Sheng Weiwu and came to coax his Big Weiqiao.

At the moment, when seeing Sheng Weiqiao explained for Madam Bai implicitly without mentioning herself being offended, Xu Baomo thought, “Big Weiqiao is always pampered in Sheng Family! Even though Madam Bai is her aunt, if she went to Senior Master and told him today's event, surely Madam Bai would be the one to lose! She certainly could presume that, but she chose to keep silent and return good for evil. She's so innocent and tolerant!”

He was pitiful for such a broad-minded Big Weiqiao. Since she was tolerant and gentle, after she became Mrs. Xu, he definitely wouldn't need to worry that she would bully the pretty maids and concubines with the wife's status. On the contrary, he should worry that the concubines got pretentious with his affection and bully the wife!

But to the problem, Xu Baomo soon found a solution, “Anyway, they are not my wife. It's not necessary to take them all into the mansion! I'll pick the gentle type who would respect the wife to marry into the mansion, while the indulged and piquant type will be settled in the foster home!”

Of course, all the children would be entrusted to Sheng Weiqiao to rear. Even if children's own mother wasn't a gentle type, raised up by Sheng Weiqiao, with the saying that the favor of giving birth didn't overtake the favor of rearing, the children wouldn't offend the gentle and legitimate mother!

Sheng Weiqiao knew nothing about Xu Baomo's delusion. When she heard him mentioning “lived and died with each other” and recalled what they had undergone when captured by Young Master Han, which didn't last long but counted the most thrilling moment in her life.

At the time, with a sense of relief and fear, she felt even closer to Xu Baomo who was doing his best to defend her and couldn't help to thank him again, “Brother Xu, without your help, I wouldn't have possibly come back! Though you told me not to treat you as an outsider, I still owe you my life!”

Xu Baomo raised his brows. In his eyes, there were star-like glitters sparked and faded. His eyes had rested on her face gently for a while before he put on the most tender smile, “It's my job, but you take it as a favor, which lets me down so much!”

Though he looked gentle and elegant outside, he was impatient within. Why was Big Weiqiao still so polite to me? Hadn't I shown enough my pa.s.sion?!

He originally presumed that when on Daimao Island, Sheng Weiqiao should have understood his feelings. After all, as the only son of Ningwei Marquis's Family, he had gone through fire and water for Sheng Weiqiao with whom he hadn't even talked much. It couldn't simply be ascribed to the friends.h.i.+p between the two families. Certainly, it was because he was in love with her that he had risked everything!

If Gongsun Yingjiang hadn't come to mess it up and Sheng Lanci hadn't got him away deliberately, who would call her “Sister Sheng” so distantly? Let alone a sweet “honey,” at least he would reach the level of “Big Weiqiao,” like Shen Jiuniang, wouldn't he?

However, Sheng Weiqiao had been back for a few days, let alone visit him spontaneously, now he had already come to the door, but he could tell from her look that she didn't intend to return him with more pa.s.sion.

Xu Baomo found the situation a little… bizarre!

“Might Big Weiqiao hadn't fallen for me yet?” The moment such a thought came to his mind, Xu Baomo rejected it, “I'm young, handsome, n.o.ble, talented, bound to a promising future, considerate, gentle, sensible, and serious about marriage…. How could she think me unqualified?!”

Take all the males Sheng Weiqiao had known in her life, even in the face of Sheng Weiqiao's father, a famous competent person in Nanfeng County, Xu Baomo wouldn't flinch at all!

After all, almost in his forties, Sheng Lanci was far less vigorous than he was!

Thus, Xu Baomo unwaveringly believed that his Big Weiqiao was also in love with him!

And she had been in love with him for long. But she just didn't dare to speak of it!

“Might it be because of Miss Shen?” Xu Baomo had a momently confusion, and something suddenly occurred to him. He couldn't help to dive further into it, “At the beginning, because Miss Shen expressed her affection for me, being tolerant, Big Weiqiao openly wanted to cede me to her. Now Miss Sheng was missing on the sea and hasn't been found yet. Might Big Weiqiao rejected me for her sorriness about that?”

At this thought, Xu Baomo saw even more of Sheng Weiqiao's kindness and consideration.

However, it also made him more determined to marry her!

“Seems like I need to take the initiative more eagerly!” Xu Baomo affected to drink tea and glanced collectedly at Sheng Weiqiao. Her fresh cheeks reminded him of the buds on the spring branch; Her soft lips were like morning petals dipped in dews which glittered subtly in the room; Her black eyes, filled with innocence, looked clear and bright.

For no reason, seeing such a girl who had yet met her maturation made Xu Baomo bring out some nameless sorrow, “Based on Big Weiqiao's conducts, if I didn't stick with her, even though she loved me desperately, for her cousin, I suppose she wouldn't let it out and would miss me in the end, wouldn't she?”

While after missing a true love like him, even if Sheng Lanci and Madam Feng found her an outstanding husband, how many males in the world could compete with him concerning the intellect, the appearance, and the skill to please a girl?

At the time, Sheng Weiqiao would possibly spend all her life gloomily.

Maybe some people would think that she was recalling the days with Shen Jiuniang, or there were other reasons behind. But only a few people, no, only the two would know that Sheng Weiqiao was thinking about him….

At the thought that decades later Sheng Weiqiao would sit alone under the pergola with greyish hair and gazed at her grandchildren with dim eyesight as if seeing her youth, Xu Baomo sighed secretly, and his look at Sheng Weiqiao got half guilty and half tender.

“….” Bewildered about his look, Sheng Weiqiao paused for a moment and said thoughtfully, “Though you're so virtuous, I can't take it for granted! But since you don't like such words, I won't bring it out later. But I can't unlearn your help!”

You could bring it out!

With an offer of marriage!

What a simple thing!

If you were too shy to speak it out, with a peek accompanied by a timid face, I would understand instantly!

Even if you a.s.sumed anger, stomped before leaving, and swore “b.a.s.t.a.r.d” at me, I would also understand!

You were always polite, but even if you stuck with such politeness for one hundred years more, I would only be your “brother,” not your husband. Did you get it?!

Though roaring in his heart, Xu Baomo showed a tender smile on his face, “Put it aside…. The garden of Sheng Family has got a gorgeous view. I plan to go to the garden and paint the lotus tomorrow, but I'm not sure of the best position for painting it in this season. If you could spare some time, will you go there with me and give me some suggestions?”

Of course, Sheng Weiqiao agreed, “No problem! I'll find you somewhere nice tomorrow!”

“I'll paint the lotus tomorrow, work at night to paint Big Weiqiao beside the lotus pool with my memory, send it to her the day after tomorrow, and then clear out my feelings. So that she wouldn't retreat from me anymore!” Xu Baomo made the plan and was proud of himself, “Luckily grandfather admires the four arts (the seven-string instrument, the strategy game of Go, Chinese calligraphy, and Chinese painting), so he has employed many teachers to teach me all those kinds of things. Now it's put into use!”

He was about to sweet talk her and leave to prepare for the surprise on the day after tomorrow. But at the time, Lvjin entered with a porcelain basin covered tightly by the lid, whose diameter reached 30 centimeters and placed it in front of him, with some struggle.

Xu Baomo asked with confusion, “Sister Sheng, what's this?”

Though when he had the tea alone and when Sheng Weiqiao had come to receive him herself, he had got plenty of refreshments, but the porcelain basin served just now didn't look like a container for snacks, did it?

“Could it be a special in Nanfeng County?” as he thought, Sheng Weiqiao said eagerly, “Brother, when in the backyard, I heard that you have come, I sent someone to prepare the snacks for you!”

Hearing that, Xu Baomo suddenly sensed something not right!

As expected, while Sheng Weiqiao was moving on with her speech, Lvjin opened the lid, and some fresh scent came to him, accompanied by Sheng Weiqiao's sweet explanation, “They're the clams freshly made by the most skillful seafood cook in our mansion! Have a taste, Brother Xu! Does it please you?”

Seeing her expression of “it's too rude to have kept your sitting alone for so long, so I plead your forgiveness with the clams. As you like clams so much, you'll surely pardon me, will you,” Xu Baomo took several deep breaths to suppress the impulse to overturn the table, but he was still depressed within, “This winter… no, from now on, I'll never have any fox or mink fur coat! All my fur coats should be leopard-furred!!!”