Chapter 69

After that, Ying Qingcang’s happy life returned. At the same time, the summer vacation was running out. The day before they left, he brought Xin Qing to a lavender field dozens of miles away from the town.

“It’s so beautiful!” Xin Qing admired, looking at the large field of baby blue and pinkish-purple lavender.

Ying Qingcang signaled with a nod and said, “Go ahead. Don’t you want to roll inside?” Xin Qing mentioned before that it would be wonderful to roll in the sweet and soft lavender sea.

“The field must have an owner. How can we tread on other’s property?” Xin Qing rolled her eyes to him.

Ying Qingcang held her to his chest at once and, regardless of her scream, rushed into the field and said, “Now, it’s yours!”

“You bought it?” Xin Qing threw her arms around his neck and stared at him with blinking eyes.

Ying Qingcang dropped her into the lavender field and answered satisfactorily, “Yes. So you can roll inside as much as you want.”

“Hahahaha!” Xin Qing was full of joy and rolled in the field. She pulled a handful of petals and threw them into the sky. “Thank you, Ying Qingcang! Thank you very much!” She looked at Ying Qingcang, her eyes full of love and appreciation.

Ying Qingcang opened his arms automatically, and Xin Qing jumped up and fell into his embrace. The two fell back because of inertia and rolled into the deep lavender sea.

“It’s such a waste to have the field lying here without any use.” Xin Qing poked Ying Qingcang’s face with the flower branch. Ying Qingcangput her finger into his mouth, gave it a bite and said, “Let’s purchase a cosmetic company when we go back and use the lavender to make cosmetics. What do you think?”

Hearing this, Xin Qing rolled over and pressed on his chest, asking, “Am I the boss?”

“Well… I can think about that.” Ying Qingcang’s hands became restless again. Xin Qing stared at him and thew him a punch, “What’re you doing? It’s broad daylight. There’re people passingi by!”

Ying Qingcang pinched her soft waist and said, “I’ll just have a touch. What are you thinking about?”

“Then tell me if I’m the boss!” Xin Qing stuffed a flower into his mouth. Ying Qingcang rolled over and pressed her under him, saying vaguely, “It’ll be yours if you make me comfortable.” Finishing these words, he pressed his kiss on her, with a smell of lavender in the mouth. Xin Qing tried to push him away but didn’t have enough strength, allowing him to feed the flower into her own mouth.

When the setting sun dyed the field golden, the two walked from the flower sea. Xin Qing tidied her clothes, her cheek blushed, and kept rolling her eyes toward Ying Qingcang. Ying Qingcang put his arm around her shoulder and said with satisfaction, “Good performance. I’ll let you be the boss!”

The second day, they returned to the Ying Ancestral Home. In front of the door, Monica was waving toward her from far away.

“Rong Siman returned, together with her son!” Monica held Xin Qing and told her, “Be careful. I think she becomes weirder.”

Xin Qing handed the gift to Monica while packing her suitcase, saying, “Hehe, I know she won’t give up. She’s the typical kind. If she couldn’t get it, she won’t allow others to have it.”

“Tut-tut. Luckily, Uncle Ying doesn’t like her either, or the Ying Family would have long been occupied by her.” Monica opened the gift. It was a lavender gift bag. She took a smell and thanked Xin Qing. Xin Qing nodded and added. “That’s stranger. Why did he marry her if he didn’t like her. Besides, marrying the girl of his dead friend…” Xin Qing shrugged. “Isn’t that strange?”

“Our guess would change nothing. Anyway you’re going back and I’m going to the university. Whatever she does has nothing to do with us.” Monica examined Xin Qing and asked, “Am I wrong or you become more beautiful when you return from the trip?”

“Do I?” Xin Qing touched her face and said smilingly, “Perhaps because I’ve been in a good mood!”

Monica curled her lips and ushered her downstairs.

No matter how much they wanted to avoid her, they had to see her during supper. Besides, since they were going back tomorrow, Ying Hao arranged a big dinner for everyone. When Xin Qing saw Rong Siman, she was wearing a smile and talking to a teenage boy.

“Muhai, this is your brother’s friend. Call her aunt.” Xin Qing blinked her eyes. Rong Siman quickly dragged the boy beside her and introduced, “Xin Qing, this is my son!”

“Poof!” Monica laughed out loud and winked at Xin Qing.

Ying Qingcang glanced over with cold eyes and was about to speak when Xin Qing quickly sat beside him and pressed his hand. She looked at Muhai and said smilingly, “I’m Ying Qingcang’s lassie. You don’t have to call me aunt. I’m much younger than your mother. You can call me sister!”

Without a doubt, the woman didn’t give up. The relationship between her and Ying Qingcang became friendship in her words. Her son called Ying Qingcang brother, but called her aunt. Xin Qing thought this was ridiculous. Last time, Ying Qingcang almost strangled her to death, but she didn’t know when to be afraid and kept on provoking her.

“You don’t deserve my brother. He marrys you only because of the Ancestral Behest.” Ying Muhai looked at Xin Qing with despise, ill-mannered.

Ying Qingcang immediately threw over the fish soup. Rong Siman quickly dragged Ying Muhai aside. The blue and white porcelain bowl fell with a crash and the fish soup splashed all over Rong Siman and her son. Ying Muhai was afraid of Ying Qingcang since he was small. Seeing this, he burst out crying at once.

“Woo… Mother.” He jumped in Rong Siman’s arms. Rong Siman checked him in a hurry, worrying that he might be burnt. Then she glanced at Ying Qingcang with red eyes. Seeing that all his attention was on Xin Qing, she bit her teeth and turned to Ying Hao.

“Ah Hao, look. Muhai is only a kid. He knows nothing and is crying with fear.”

Monica sneered, “Right. The kid knows nothing. Who teaches him to say that?” She threw a glance at Rong Siman. The woman really wouldn’t give up until the last minute.

“Monica, this is the business of our Ying family. You’re an outsider and you’d better stay out of this.” Rong Siman wouldn’t be soft to her.

Monica retorted with a laugh, “Your Ying family? Since when did you change your family name?”

“I married Ah Hao and gave birth to his son. Certainly I’m a member of the family.” Rong Siman said proudly.

Monica slapped the table and said, “Good point! Your son…”

“Monica!” Ying Hao suddenly shouted, and Monica shivered out of fear.

Ying Hao’s eye were deep and quiet, displaying no joy nor anger. He sighed and said to Monica, “That’s enough. Sit down and eat.” He then stared at Rong Siman and added, “Ah Cang will leave tomorrow. If you won’t behave yourself, take Muhai and leave.”

“It doesn’t matter. You can continue. We’ll eat.” Ying Qingcang kept putting food on Xin Qing’s plates while helping himself. Xin Qing was chewing a piece of venison in great spirit and said pitifully, “The fish soup smells so good.”

“When we to back, Aunt Tian will cook for you!” Ying Qingcang glared at Rong Siman and thought, “Very good, you’re still not afraid of death…”

The second morning, Ying Qingcang was preparing to take Xin Qing out. Watching him directing people to carry their suitcases into the car, Xin Qing was puzzled, asking. “Aren’t we leaving in the afternoon?”

“I’ll take you to a place and we’ll go to the airport directly.” Ying Qingcang opened the car door. Xin Qing turned around and stared at the second floor. “I haven’t said goodbye to Uncle Ying!” Ying Qingcang pushed her into the car and said, “There’s no need. I’ve already done it for you.”

Xin Qing was helpless. She stuck her head out the window and saw Ying Hao standing at the window waving to her. She quickly waved back. Ying Qingcang ordered the driver to start the engine and they went away. The car went across the city again, and then entered a mountainous area, climbing over several mountains on the winding road. Finally, a white building came into view.

This was a magnificent castle house, with a modern taste. Golden and white sculptures were everywhere. Inside the iron gate, there was a large area of well-trimmed flowerbed and lawn. Several foreigners in tuxedos were standing at the door. When the car stopped, they came forward and opened the door.

“Young master, the duke has been waiting for a long time.” The leading old man said to Ying Qingcang respectfully.

Ying Qingcang nodded and took Xin Qing inside, asking, “How’s your English?”

“I can understand.” Xin Qing looked up at him. She was going to study in France. Therefore, she learned both English and French!

Seeing her proud face, Ying Qingcang pinched her chin and said, “Don’t be afraid when you see that old man. If you don’t want to talk to him, just ignore him. We’ll leave quickly.”

“Who is it exactly?” Xin Qing asked curiously.

Ying Qingcang answered without any emotion, “My maternal grandfather.”

…

In a delicately decorated study, Xin Qing met Ying Qingcang’s maternal grandfather. Monica had mentioned that this man was a real duke, a blood relative of the British royal family.

That was to say, Ying Qingcang Ying Qingcang’s dead mother was a real princess. It was said that if Ying Qingcang agreed, he could become the successor of the duke. It was a pity that he didn’t want to care about the maternal grandfather at all.

“You are the girl?” An old English man stared at Xin Qing with a frown. He was wearing a white moustache and a majestic face.

Ying Qingcang didn’t answer at all. Xin Qing sighed and greeted the old man politely in English, “Nice to meet you. My name is Xin Qing.”

“Your face looks fine. But I don’t know about your intelligence. Will your children be as smart as Ah Cang.” The old man examined Xin Qing and said.

Xin Qing pulled the corner of her mouth. She didn’t know how to respond…

“Smart or not, it’s my son. This is none of your business.” Ying Qingcang finally said something. But he’d better not. Grandpa was so angry that his moustache raised and he kept pounding the ground with his walking stick.

“How could it be none of my business? Your son is my grandson. I don’t care if you want to come back and see me. But you can’t stop me from seeing my grandson.” The old man coughed and swayed a little after saying this. Xin Qing quickly came up and steadied him.

“Grand… Grandpa, don’t get excited. Be careful.” How could she drive the old man mad at the first meeting? This was not right.

The old man glanced at Xin Qing and sat down with satisfaction. He added, “Call me again.”

What? Xin Qing didn’t realize what he meant.

The old man got irritated when he saw her like that, shouting, “Is it so hard for you to call me grandpa?”