So that’s how it is. Lin Yuan only then noticed carefully that the charcoal stove was placed in the center of the lecture desk, and the desks around it were arranged surrounding the stove, allowing all the children taking lessons to warm themselves.
However, this meant that the teacher lecturing would be farther away from the stove.
Although it was just a small detail, it was enough to reveal Old Mr. Cheng’s consideration for the children. No wonder Shopkeeper Liu was so full of admiration whenever he mentioned him.
"Madam, the snow is getting heavier; we should head back soon," Lin Yi said as he entered from the outside. Without his words, Lin Yuan wouldn’t have noticed that this fellow had stopped following her at some point.
Still, Lin Yuan felt some annoyance with Lin Yi’s incessant address of ’Madam.’ Don’t think she was unaware of the little scheme in his heart; wasn’t it just to deliberately let Ma Junying hear it?
Lin Yuan silently rolled her eyes at him and looked out the window. In just a short while, the snow had already covered the ground above the soles of shoes. The children who had been playing outside had been called back in by their elders. It had been bustling just a moment ago, and now it suddenly quieted down, making it seem rather desolate.
"Indeed, auspicious snow promises a prosperous year; it has grown so heavy in just a while," Lin Yuan said with a curved lip, bidding farewell to Ma Junying.
Ma Junying glanced at the snow and advised, "The roads are slippery; Miss Lin, please be careful on your way back."
Lin Yi pursed his lips. Did this Ma surname not believe in his driving skills? That was a real insult to him! One day, he definitely had to show off his carriage driving prowess.
He raised his hand and touched his chin, suddenly recalling the night he went to fetch the midwife. He wondered if this guy could endure it, or if he would end up like that old woman, vomiting tremendously?
Staring at Ma Junying’s handsome and delicate face, Lin Yi maliciously imagined him clinging to the carriage hands, vomiting with a pained and embarrassed expression, and let out a low chuckle.
After greeting Old Mr. Cheng and setting an appointment for Shopkeeper Liu to come and sign a contract the next day, Lin Yuan prepared to leave.
As she got on the carriage, perhaps because her shoes had picked up some snowflakes, the usually agile Lin Yuan slipped on the carriage shaft, instinctively bracing with her hands. Just as she was about to fall, a pair of warm hands firmly gripped her arms.
Lin Yi’s eyes suddenly darkened. Wasn’t it just a moment of distraction? How had this silly girl managed to fall? And this Ma surname, actually daring to help the Second Young Lady of his household, those hands seemed more and more irritating to the eye!
"Miss Lin, be careful!"
Lin Yuan steadied her spirits and quickly withdrew her arms from that person’s grasp, tightened the slightly slipping cloak around her, and smilingly said, "Thank you, Young Master Ma."
After that, she carefully climbed into the carriage and crawled into the compartment.
Ma Junying, observing her straightforward smile and feeling the residual warmth on his hands, was somewhat dazed, only coming back to his senses when that little head poked out from the carriage window once more.
"The weather is bad, Young Master Ma should also head back early. Oh, and please convey my regards to Miss Ma," Lin Yuan nodded, then told Lin Yi they could leave.
Ma Junying hadn’t even gotten out a word when Lin Yuan’s carriage had already traveled a good distance away.
Lin Yi curled the corner of his mouth; he hadn’t even been given the chance to continue speaking.
"She is a good girl indeed," the voice of Old Mr. Cheng suddenly rose from behind, startling Ma Junying so much that his body involuntarily shivered. Had he just zoned out again?
Old Mr. Cheng patted Ma Junying’s shoulder, with a look of amusement in his eyes: "Put in more effort, ha ha."
Ma Junying’s mouth twitched; it was hard to imagine the typically stern and sober Old Mr. Cheng actually saying something like that. But was this really something he could achieve if he just put in more effort?
Lin Yuan’s carriage had many hidden compartments, all personally designed by Xia Zheng. After entering the carriage, she took a hand warmer out from one of the compartments and clutched it tight. She had also planned to take out the brocade blanket, but now with Xia Zheng’s cloak, the blanket naturally took a back seat.
"Eh, Lin Yi, where are we going?"
She had intended to lift the curtain and see how heavy the snow was, but what she saw was a completely unfamiliar scene. This was definitely not the way back to Fuman Building.
If it weren’t for her trust in Lin Yi, who was assigned by Xia Zheng, Lin Yuan might have thought this guy was planning to abduct her.