61: Chapter 41 Trouble Arises 61: Chapter 41 Trouble Arises Ran Yan hurried to Wu Xiuhe’s courtyard, but found him just catching his breath.
His face still pale with a shade of blue from the choking, when he saw Ran Yan approaching, his old face turned slightly red as he coughed and said, “Seventeen Ah!
coming in such a rush, do you have something to discuss with me?”
“Divine Doctor Wu, just now…” Shao Ming was afraid Ran Yan would think he was lying, so he hurried to explain but was silenced by a sharp glare from Wu Xiuhe.
Ran Yan let out a sigh and said, “As long as you’re alright, I have guests waiting for me, so I’ll head back first.”
Wu Xiuhe waved his hand and said, “Go ahead, it’s all this boy’s making a fuss over nothing; I’m fine.”
Ran Yan gestured for Shao Ming to leave with her.
As they exited the gate, she asked, “What happened?”
“Earlier, when you told me to inform Divine Doctor Wu that you would visit him in the evening, I headed back.
When I arrived at the door, I saw Divine Doctor Wu clutching a piece of braised pork.
As soon as he caught sight of me, he stuffed a big chunk into his mouth and then couldn’t swallow it.
When I saw him choking and in discomfort, I went over to help pat his back, but Divine Doctor Wu stubbornly refused to spit it out and insisted on swallowing.
I realized the situation was dire, so I rushed to find you.” Shao Ming felt wronged, and the image of Wu Xiuhe as an ethereal immortal crumbled in his mind.
Ran Yan couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.
Her cheap master was too amusing.
He was obviously rough around the edges, pretending to be all saintly and dignified, and now his cover was blown!
At Ran Yan’s laughter, as if spring blossoms were blooming, she was stunningly beautiful.
Shao Ming felt dazzled, with only her smirking eyes remaining clear in his sight, everything else around her instantly faded.
Yin Miaomiao stood on the porch admiring the flowers.
Seeing Ran Yan come in, she smiled lightly and said, “Ayan, all the other peonies have wilted, but yours is still in full bloom!”
“Yes, perhaps it’s a different variety,” Ran Yan replied, uncertain how to interact with Yin Miaomiao.
Though Ran Yan appeared serious and cold, in private she was quite casual with friends and could talk about anything: clothes, men, perfumes.
However, her relationship with Yin Miaomiao seemed far from intimate confidantes, which made her feel constrained.
After a short pause, Yin Miaomiao said, “For Qixi, we’ll be cruising on Pingjiang River and admiring the lanterns; you should come along too, everyone is very curious about you.”
Ran Yan’s reputation soared overnight, surpassing even Suzhou’s number one beauty, Qi Liuniang.
Whether it was out of curiosity or with the intention to make friends, numerous Noble Ladies asked Yin Miaomiao to invite Ran Yan to the boat ride.
Yin Miaomiao came down from the porch and gestured for Ran Yan to walk towards the pavilion, and they walked side by side.
With a gentle voice, Yin Miaomiao said, “You probably aren’t aware, but this morning, eleven families visited the Ran residence with marriage proposals.
These eleven families all have some background, including the Yan family.
Half of Suzhou City’s prominent families wish to marry you, a situation not even Qi Liuniang ever faced.
Naturally, they are curious about you.
Plus, with your medical skills, you’re an unparalleled sensation for a time.
Some people might be unhappy and cause you trouble, so if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
Yin Miaomiao was straightforward, unlike other Noble Ladies who beat around the bush.
Ran Yan appreciated her frankness and thus spoke with more sincerity, “I don’t want to go in my heart, but, maybe I have to, regardless of my preferences.”
That’s how it was for daughters of prominent families: even if they didn’t want to attend certain invitations, for family interests or some other reason, they had to go and even appear happy.
“That’s true,” Yin Miaomiao remarked with a smile.
With some candidness shared between them, the conversation became less stiff.
Yin Miaomiao pulled Ran Yan to sit in a gazebo covered in honeysuckle and whispered, “This morning, the Yan family hired Suzhou City’s most famous matchmaker for the proposal.
Guess who they talked about?”
Ran Yan thought it over.
Yan Fangfei was the legitimate daughter of the Yan Family; setting aside the concubines and collateral branches, Yan Fangfei had a younger brother below her, and two older brothers.
One married a legitimate daughter of the Wang family and already had a son and daughter, while the other served as Secretary in Wucheng County and was said to be promising, “Is it Second Master Yan?”
You guessed it right!” Yin Miaomiao’s eyes curved in amusement, “Could it be that you’ve been thinking about Second Master Yan?”
Ran Yan felt slightly relieved; with this, Ran Wen would surely cancel the engagement.
Secretary Shao’s family was far inferior to the Yan family.
Ran Yan was sure that Ran Wen cared more about power and wealth than empty fame; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so fixated on the high dowry spent on marrying a legitimate daughter of the Zheng family.