The first watch, asking for pink.
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Nian Garden is located to the south of the Consort Palace, with a door connecting it to the Consort Temple. However, to reach Nian Garden, you don’t necessarily have to pass through the Consort Temple. It’s a newly constructed mountain road that goes westwards around the Consort Temple, outside its wall. This mountain road is very wide and flat, allowing two three-horse carriages to pass side by side. On both sides of the road are two rows of tall pine and cypress trees, like rows of guards, protecting the road.
The climate in Liaodong Prefecture has distinct seasons, only the pines and cypresses remain green all year round.
Lian Manman’s sedan chair was about an arrow’s shot away from the west gate of Nian Garden when the gate automatically opened. A person, surrounded by many servants and maidservants, ca out from inside the gate.
"It’s Brother Xiao Jiu, Brother Xiao Jiu is here to welco us." Lian Manman, sitting in the sedan chair, naturally couldn’t see this. Xiao Qi, sitting on the back of the mule, saw it and imdiately smiled.
Lian Manman, inside the sedan chair, heard Xiao Qi speak and smiled slightly. It had been a while since she had seen Fatty Shen, and now that they were about to et, and Fatty even personally ca outside to welco them, it was evident that he valued their friendship, which made Lian Manman quite happy.
Originally, she thought that as they grew older, they would naturally beco distant, but that didn’t happen. On the contrary, she and Shen Jiu were eting even more often than before, and their friendship seed to have beco even closer.
Upon reaching the west gate of Nian Garden, Xiao Qi was helped down from the mule by Han Zhong, and exchanged greetings with Shen Jiu warmly.
"Don’t stop Miss Lian’s sedan chair, carry it straight in." Shen Jiu instructed.
Lian Manman couldn’t speak much inside the sedan chair, so she quietly lifted the curtain slightly to take a look outside. She happened to see Shen Qian.
Today, Shen Qian was wearing a lake-blue brocade robe with floral patterns and arrow sleeves, with a jade belt around his waist. His face seed thinner than the last ti they t, and he appeared taller, standing next to Xiao Qi, he was already a head taller. Moreover, although he had beco thinner, he looked spirited and even more composed in his movents.
It seed that Shen Qian had undoubtedly gone through so experiences during this trip to the Capital City. Lian Manman glanced at him, then let the sedan curtain fall back in place. Fatty Shen’s baby fat was completely gone. Alas, Lian Manman rested her chin in her hand and sighed softly. She was happy for the current Shen Qian, but she also missed that baby-faced Fatty Shen a little.
In fact, when she thought about it, it wasn’t just Fatty Shen; she, Xiao Qi, and Wu Lang were all growing up.
The sedan chair bearers carried Lian Manman’s chair straight through the west gate, with Aunt Luo leading the maidservants in front, and Xiao Qing and Xiao Xi walking alongside the chair. Shen Qian accompanied Xiao Qi, walking behind the chair.
As the two walked, they chatted about the situation at ho, what books they had been reading, what articles they had written recently, and finally asked about how far Wu Lang and Mr. Loo had traveled and when they might return.
Shen Qian and Xiao Qi’s friendship was good, even better than with Wu Lang. Therefore, their conversation wasn’t the kind of courteous small talk but rather warm, everyday chatting.
Lian Manman was invited to the Nian Garden, and because it was her first ti visiting the Shen family’s ladies, she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. But listening to Xiao Qi and Shen Qian’s casual chat behind her, she imdiately felt at ease, and the little bit of nervousness and unease naturally disappeared.
After walking for a while, Lian Manman couldn’t see the scenery outside from inside the sedan chair. However, every ti they passed a place, Shen Qian would ntion it in his conversation with Xiao Qi. Lian Manman and Shen Qian had played in the garden before, so even if she wasn’t very familiar with the scenery, it was not unfamiliar, and Shen Qian knew this.
Xiao Qi, being outside, could see everything, so there was no need for Shen Qian to tell him. Shen Qian seed to do this specifically for Lian Manman inside the sedan chair. However, he did it so unobtrusively that Lian Manman felt touched, only thinking that Shen Fatty was really nice, without wondering if Shen Qian was intentionally saying it for her to hear.
Nian Garden covered a vast area, and Lian Manman’s sedan chair walked for quite a while before stopping in front of a flower hall. Xiao Xi and Xiao Qing lifted the sedan curtain and helped Lian Manman down from the chair.
Once Lian Manman stood still, Shen Qian and Xiao Qi both ca forward, and thus, Lian Manman truly t Shen Qian.
Lian Manman quickly curtsied to Shen Qian, who sidestepped slightly and clasped his hands in return.
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