Chapter 126: A Courageous Woman

Chapter 126

A Courageous Woman

Song Ren quickened his steps towards the Hou’s quarters, where the atmosphere was lively and bustling. The three little children were playing with their toys, captivating the attention of the adults in the room. He quickly scanned the children—each one strikingly good-looking, sitting together like little celestial beings. No wonder both his parents adored them so much that they had moved to live with them in Huangjing.

He greeted his sister-in-law and asked about her well-being. After being away for more than two years, she had returned not only with healthy and adorable children but also as a prosperous tea merchant, ranking among the wealthiest in the Ye Region, rivaling her own father, Nie Ran. She was so capable that it was no surprise his older brother was smitten, abandoning his marriage with Chen Yuelan two years ago.

As Song Ren greeted the children, they all stared at him intently.

“Bao Bao, Bei Bei, Xiao Hua Hua, why are you all staring at your uncle like that?”

Nie Shuang chuckled.

“Perhaps they think you look a bit like Qilin, so they’re staring longer.”

Indeed, Song Ren bore some resemblance to his older brother, but he had a softer and more scholarly appearance. Once they realized he wasn’t their father, Bao Bao pouted.

“I heard Father talking about them since he came back last time. This little one who looks just like Eldest Brother must be Bao Bao, right?”

Song Ren looked at his eldest nephew with intrigue. Hearing his name, Bao Bao looked up.

“Call me, Uncle,”

Song Ren gently instructed his nephew. Bao Bao opened his mouth wide.

“Ah...ah...ah.”

Bao Bao was surprisingly obedient. Delighted to hear his nephew starting to speak, Song Ren leaned down excitedly to encourage him.

“Very good, Bao Bao. Uncle...Say Uncle now.”

“Ah...ah...ahh...ah-choo!”

Bao Bao suddenly sneezed, spraying saliva all over his young uncle’s face, who had been eagerly trying to teach him how to speak.

“Hahahahaha.”

The Hou laughed heartily, while the Elder Furen covered her mouth, laughing until tears streamed down her face. Nie Shuang found the situation amusing but stifled her laughter, worried Song Ren might be offended.

That little rascal. Up to his tricks again!

After sneezing, Da Ge simply turned back to his toys, entirely unconcerned.

Hmph! Why did you have to resemble Father? Making Bao Bao think about him for no reason.

Bao Bao’s demeanor left even the normally composed Song Ren clenching his teeth.

This behavior! This cheekiness! It was exactly like his older brother!

If not for the fact that Bao Bao was still a child, Song Ren would have thought it was his older brother in miniature form.

Holding back her smile, Nie Shuang quickly handed Song Ren a handkerchief. He accepted it, wiping his face while still glaring at his mischievous nephew with frustration.

“He really does resemble your brother, doesn’t he?”

Xu Shi asked after her laughter subsided. Song Ren smiled and nodded.

“He truly does, Mother. Even his personality is spot on.”

“He’s such a handful. Where did he learn to be this cheeky at such a young age? Bao Bao, hurry up and apologize to your uncle!”

Nie Shuang hurriedly spoke up, fearing that Second Brother might be upset. But Song Ren quickly raised his hand to stop her.

“He’s just a child. Besides, I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Sister-in-law, please don’t worry about it.”

Second Brother was still as kind as ever, Nie Shuang thought, admiring him. It was unfortunate that he was engaged to someone like Chen Yuelan. She brushed that thought aside and called Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua over to play with their uncle. Song Ren, who was close with his two younger brothers, happily played with the children. He covered his face, making funny expressions, which had Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua laughing gleefully. Bao Bao, who had just dealt with his uncle, put down his toy and turned to look.

"Bao Bao, come play with us,"

Song Ren called out to his little nephew, but Da Ge turned his back.

He’d rather wait for the pretty sister to come play... Bao Bao thought. Still, he couldn’t help but glance over occasionally. The laughter from Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua sounded like they were having a lot of fun.

Song Ren pulled out a fan, covering his face as he leaned toward Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua. He suddenly dropped the fan, making a goofy face, sticking out his tongue. The two siblings burst into fits of laughter, and even Bao Bao, who had been sneaking glances, chuckled along.

The young man considered asking Nie Shuang about the strange young woman he had encountered earlier, but as he thought about it, he decided it wouldn’t be appropriate. After all, he was engaged to Chen Yuelan, and inquiring about another woman didn’t seem proper. Coincidentally, everyone was so focused on the children that no one had mentioned Princess An Le yet. Song Ren played with his niece and nephews for a while before realizing he hadn’t given them a gift.

"Look at me, with my niece and nephews visiting, and I forgot to bring their gifts. Sister-in-law, you’re not leaving just yet, are you? Let me quickly go back to my quarters and fetch their gifts."

Da Ge, who had been sitting with his back turned, paused slightly. Even though he was still a child, he understood that adults often gave gifts when they met. Grandfathers, Grandmothers, and even the pretty sister earlier had brought gifts for Bao Bao and his siblings. Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua, noticing their uncle stop playing, looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. But instead, their uncle stood up and walked away.

"Uncle will be back with your gifts soon,"

Xu Shi gently assured the children, and that was when Bao Bao discreetly crawled back to join the group.

Song Ren left the Hou’s quarters and walked back to his quarters. On the way, he encountered that young woman again. She was leisurely wandering through the flower garden. He wasn’t sure why he had felt so flustered when she looked at him earlier. He intended to avoid her, but she noticed him first. Song Ren had no choice but to walk along the stone path until they met face to face.

"Aren’t you going to play with the children anymore, Second Young Master?"

An Le was the first to speak, her voice clear and cheerful, not the calm, reserved tone typical of other women. Her delicate face was lovely, with bright, lively features. Her big, round eyes sparkled when she saw something interesting, and right now, she was interested in the young man in front of her, who agreed to marry Chen Yuelan. She couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of man could agree to marry such a woman, knowing she was in love with his older brother?

"I’m going back to fetch some gifts for them,"

Song Ren replied politely, avoiding direct eye contact with those gleaming eyes. The princess found his manner amusing. How proper and composed he was—it made sense why the Hou had been able to push him into such an arrangement. Little did she know that her frank gaze and open conversation were, in the eyes of Song Ren and most men, signs that she was interested in him.

But An Le was a princess, and it wasn’t unusual for people to avoid making direct eye contact with her. If she chose to scrutinize someone closely, it wasn’t considered odd—she could even command someone to kneel and look up for her to scrutinize if she wished. Staring at Song Ren or engaging in conversation with him to her heart’s content wasn’t unusual for her. However, from Song Ren’s perspective, he felt as though this woman was devouring him with her gaze and words, as if she saw him as prey. She must have spent a lot of time with Nie Shuang to have acquired such boldness and determination, much like his sister-in-law.

If he weren’t already engaged, a woman as straightforward as this...would be rather intriguing.

"I’ll take my leave now. Please feel free to enjoy yourself, Miss."Song Ren nodded slightly before continuing his walk back to his quarters.