CH 12.2

Chapter 12: The Man in the Carriage (2) Original translation is from tenderflower's blog.

“Master, it’s an ignorant little girl...” Wei Da couldn’t help but explain. Master was moody, don’t get angry!

Cheng Qingran smiled lightly and interrupted Wei Da’s words with his eyes, then looked at the little girl who was staring at him with interest. If others dared to peep like this, he would definitely be disgusted, but he still enjoyed it if an innocent child appreciated it.

“Little sister, where do you want to go if you take the carriage?” Cheng Qingran’s smile was as warm as a spring breeze.

Wei Da felt a chill in his heart. Master, you are already 23, yet you call a 10-year-old child a little sister? If you married early, the young master should be almost like her age!

Shu Lan didn’t see the corner of Wei Da’s twitching mouth, so she just stared at the man leaning in the carriage. Those peach blossom eyes were as charming as the stars on a winter night, so she couldn’t take her eyes away. Shu Lan had always thought her daddy was the most handsome man here, but now she realized there were people who were fairer, more handsome, and gentler than Daddy!

Cheng Qingran was accustomed to this kind of situation for a long time and was not in a hurry to rush. He looked at Shu Lan with a smile. His eyes flashed with surprise. Needless to say, a child’s skin was naturally delicate and lustrous, but this child was white and did not look like a farmer’s child. There was no trace of sun exposure on her face and neck, which made the already bright and moving facial features more delicate and inexplicable. A thought suddenly popped up in his mind. If there was such a delicate daughter, he would give her everything she wanted and spoil her as much as possible...

This idea only appeared, but Cheng Qingran noticed the little girl's ruddy face had faint tears, and her watery eyes were a little red. It was obvious she had just cried. He frowned unconsciously. Who would move their hands on such a child?

“Little sister, where are you going? Where is your mother?” Cheng Qingran asked again.

The word “mother” deeply stimulated Shu Lan and tears instantly filled up like fog. They stopped trembling in her eyes as she endured, which was pitiful.

“My mother doesn’t want me anymore. She said I was a child she picked up. Wuwu, I’m going to take the carriage to the town, to my uncle’s house!”

Wei Da almost fell from the carriage!

A child picked up, a child picked up would grow like this? A spoiled look that didn’t know the world!

Cheng Qingran resisted so much he didn’t let himself laugh, but asked solemnly, “Then does your mother know you are going to your uncle’s house?”

Shu Lan rubbed her eyes and muttered, “She’s not my mother. My mother won’t hit me!”

“Hit you? Where did she hit?” Cheng Qingran was a little angry. Even if a child was disobedient, you couldn’t use beating. Back then, he was beaten by the old man. Cheng Qingran, who knew the pain of being beaten, was extremely disgusted with parents who beat their children. Especially their well-behaved, sensible, good-looking, and lovely children. That must be painful!

Shu Lan turned around and pointed at her little buttocks: “Hit my butt, first with her hands, and then with a broom. It’s all swollen!” As she spoke, she was about to take off her trousers to prove it.

Cheng Qingran quickly leaned over to carry the person into the carriage and lowered the curtain just as Shu Lan took off her trousers, revealing her two thin white calves. The redness and swelling directly made Cheng Qingran’s eyes darken. For such an unreasonable mother, let her be anxious for a while!

Putting the trousers on for the little girl distressingly, Cheng Qingran moved to the low stool on one side, let Shu Lan lie on the soft couch, and asked her softly, “What’s your name? What does your daddy do? Who is your uncle?”

Shu Lan liked this handsome and gentle man very much. She rested her chin on her left hand, and gently shook the half-eaten branch of elm seeds with her right hand. She pouted: “My name is Shu Lan. I have an older brother and an older sister. My older brother was a scholar last year because he had to prepare... My older sister is gentle and lets me have anything delicious... My father’s name is Shu Maoting. He is a doctor and he is also very handsome. He is only a little bit worse than you... My grandfather’s house runs a cloth shop and makes me beautiful clothes every year. My two uncles love me very much and will buy me candied gourd to eat...” As she spoke, she didn’t know whether it was because she was too comfortable, or the faint fragrance in the carriage had a calming effect, she actually fell asleep again, and the branch of elm seeds in her hand fell on the black-colored blanket.

Cheng Qingran picked up the branch of elm seeds and turned it around in his hand.

How naive. Fortunately, she met him. If changed to someone else, he was afraid they couldn’t help but start, right?

Touching Shu Lan’s soft hair, Cheng Qingran whispered to Wei Da, “Let’s go, go back directly to the residence.”

Wei Da instinctively drove off, but he always felt like something was wrong, “Master, don’t you send her to the Qin family’s cloth shop?” He had lived in the town for 3 years because he usually ran errands to find out the news. He still knew the surrounding area very well. Although Shu Lan’s narrative was illogical, he still guessed her uncle’s identity. He believed his master should know too.

“No, let them be anxious for the night. However, after going back, send someone to guard the gate of the yamen. If they plan to report to the officials, stop them in time, and don’t make things worse.” Cheng Qingran’s voice was not in a hurry.

Wei Da quietly took a breath. The master was still so reckless. Fortunately, he still knew how to measure. Alas, the Shu family didn’t even think about sleeping tonight.

Original translation is from willkissonyou, tenderflower. If you're not reading from tenderflower then it'd been stolen and posted without the consent of tenderflower.