Lin Yuan lowered her eyes and finally understood why Xia Zheng was so fond of visiting her family. It wasn’t because her home was so wonderful, but because there, he could truly experience the warmth of a family.
Although Xia Zheng also had a very happy family, it was, after all, different from ordinary people’s, with too many rules and regulations that easily bound everyone’s feelings. He too had hoped that his father would hug him when he came home and play with him just as Lin Jiaxin did with his three daughters. However, his father was the Great General renowned throughout the lands, who, aside from leading troops in battle, only knew how to train him and his brother like soldiers in the army. That’s why he so mischievously ran away from home to do the things he liked.
Feeling Xia Zheng’s thoughts, Lin Yuan could appreciate his longing for home and warmth even more. No wonder a man like him had never been in contact with women before, because what he sought was consistent affection, not fleeting passion.
"I don’t like fatty meat either," Lin Yuan said as she picked out the fatty meat from her bowl and placed it into Xia Zheng’s, puckering her lips and saying it on purpose.
In fact, the meat wasn’t fatty at all; how could beef have as much fat as pork? Moreover, having spent so much time with Lin Yuan, Xia Zheng was well aware of her eating habits and knew exactly what she was thinking at that moment.
Xia Zheng smiled slightly and moved some lean meat into her bowl, "Then eat more of the lean."
The two exchanged glances and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Everyone had a great time that night and slept soundly. Xiao Linshuang was so tired from playing that she fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed, snoring like a little pig. Xia Zheng escorted Lin Yuan back home, and even from the doorway, he could hear Xiao Linshuang’s snoring and couldn’t resist teasing, "I really should give my ’little fatty pig’ to the younger sister. Just listen to her snoring, haha."
Lin Yuan turned and could just make out her younger sister’s blissfully sleeping face through the slight opening of the door. She retorted, "You better be careful. Her poison technique is now fiercer than her medical skills. If she hears you calling her a little pig, she’ll definitely poison you into a real fat pig!"
Especially the face — a pig’s face!
Xia Zheng’s eyes twinkled as he thought of those young masters in the Capital City clamoring to become Lao Fan’s disciples. It seemed he hadn’t misjudged the situation. In a couple of years, when this little girl arrived in the Capital City, she would surely vent his frustrations and poison all those brats for him. Humph, let them laugh at him then!
When he said laugh, it was actually Xia Zheng who brought it upon himself. To drug the Second Prince, he had conspired with Little White Rabbit to steal Lao Fan’s croton beans, which resulted in Lao Fan being scolded by the Emperor. Unable to take his anger out on the Emperor, Lao Fan vented all his fury on Xia Zheng and Little White Rabbit, making their faces swell up like pig heads. Unaware, Xia Zheng paraded around with a swollen face first at his residence and then in the palace, before he realized that he had been disfigured.
Watching Lin Yuan enter her room with reluctance, Xia Zheng then returned alone to his room, carrying the ’little fatty pig.’
Lin Yuan placed the large tiger on the table and propped her chin on her hands, lost in thought.
Lin Wei had not yet fallen asleep. She turned her head to peek at her elder sister, chuckled, rolled over, and fell into a sweet slumber. Oh Mother, no need to worry about the elder sister anymore. Better to hurry up and prepare everything, for a grown daughter doesn’t stay home forever!
Everyone was so tired from the day before that they didn’t get up very early the next day, even Lin Yuan, who usually rose with the dawn, slept until the sun was three poles high.