The next day, according to plan, An Jing and Xiao Changyi arrived in the county to inspect the rice shop.
The rice shop, managed by Meng Lanqing, was still in good shape. An Jing and Xiao Changyi casually checked the place and looked over the account books for the past two months. After giving Meng Lanqing a few reminders, An Jing went to talk to Shi Xiaolan.
Shi Xiaolan’s belly had grown quite large, and An Jing, looking at it, urged her to take extra care.
Shi Xiaolan laughed, "An Jing, you don’t need to worry. It’s not like I haven’t had children before. Yu Yu was also born to me, wasn’t she? I know what to be careful of."
"That’s good," An Jing said and stopped nagging Shi Xiaolan about what she should pay attention to.
"By the way, An Jing," Shi Xiaolan suddenly remembered something, "the day before yesterday, my in-laws came to visit Fu Zi and me. They mentioned that they seemed to have seen two beautiful girls going to your house... What’s that all about? They weren’t there to cause trouble for you, were they?"
"They weren’t there to cause trouble," An Jing lied. "Those two girls are from the Imperial Capital. They were just visiting our area, and I happened to run into them in Sixteen Town. We had a nice chat, and then they came to my house to visit me. Now, one of them has even taken me as her mentor."
"An Jing, you have a disciple now?!" Shi Xiaolan was extremely surprised.
"Yes, I learned some martial skills from my husband, and since I acquired them quite well, one of the girls, not feeling comfortable learning from my husband as he is a man, took me as her mentor and started learning from me," An Jing explained.
Shi Xiaolan looked envious, "An Jing, you’re amazing."
"What’s so amazing about me, it’s all thanks to my husband’s good teaching," An Jing said as she affectionately glanced at Xiao Changyi.
Xiao Changyi looked back at her and tightened the fingers that were interlocked with hers.
"Brother Xiao is even more impressive for having returned from the battlefield," Shi Xiaolan sincerely praised.
Shi Xiaolan hesitated, "I also heard something from my in-laws, but I’m not sure whether I should tell you about it..."
"What’s the matter that has you so troubled?" An Jing was curious.
"It’s just that..." Shi Xiaolan started to speak but hesitated, glancing at Xiao Changyi. It was obvious that she wanted Xiao Changyi to step away first so they could talk privately.
However, Xiao Changyi, as if he didn’t notice, continued to hold his wife’s hand, standing by her side.
An Jing smiled, unbothered by the emotionless expression of her husband, and then said to Shi Xiaolan, "Xiao Lan, just speak your mind. There are no secrets between my husband and me. Even if you talk to me alone, I will still tell my husband afterward."
Shi Xiaolan was really envious of the intimacy between An Jing and Xiao Changyi. With a slight purse of her lips, she eventually said, "It’s that Pan Shuangquan’s newlywed wife is pregnant."
After Pan Shuangquan divorced Lin Luye, he didn’t remarry immediately but only took a new bride in the last month of the previous year.
This was something Shi Xiaolan had mentioned to An Jing before.
"What does his new wife’s pregnancy have to do with me?" An Jing couldn’t help but laugh.
Shi Xiaolan replied softly, "I’m not saying it’s related, just felt I should let you know..."
An Jing laughed even harder, "Why should you tell me? He called off our marriage so many years ago, and I’ve been married to my husband for over a year. Why have I long let go, yet you all haven’t?"
"I was just worried that you hadn’t let go..." Shi Xiaolan’s voice became even quieter, and she lowered her head, twisting her hands like a child who had done something wrong.
An Jing sighed, "Now I’ll make it clear to you, I’ve long since moved on. Don’t bring up that Pan Shuangquan to me again. If you keep doing this and make my husband think I still hold Pan Shuangquan in my heart, how would that be good?"