Chapter 135: Hard to Put Into Words (Part Two)

Tao Ming murmured the names "Ying'er" and "Rao Rao," her mind flashing back to the conversation she had overheard between Su Nanxing and Su Fang. No wonder Su Nanxing had praised them so lavishly; it turned out they were his own people.

At this thought, Tao Ming couldn't help but glance at Su Nanxing. He immediately understood the depth of her gaze. "Wife, I told you, I was just bragging that day! How could I ever go to a place like that?"

Yaomei giggled coquettishly. "Young Mistress, I can testify that the Young Master has always met with Ying'er and Rao Rao right here."

Tao Ming gave Su Nanxing a quick peck and tilted her chin toward Yaomei. "Your attempts to stir up trouble are useless. I know his every trick."

Su Nanxing was in high spirits after the kiss, but his face fell when he heard her follow-up. "Are you looking down on me?"

"No, no, I just mean I know you well enough that I haven't discovered any new tricks." Tao Ming blinked, thinking to herself that it was always the same old routine, and she knew it by heart.

"This is unbearable!" Su Nanxing swept Tao Ming into his arms, laid her sideways across his lap, and playfully patted her bottom.

Tao Ming quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and teased, "Husband, I was wrong. I will be sure to learn well from Yaomei and make sure you are served comfortably."

Yaomei gasped. "In front of everyone, you are truly bold!"

Longjuan said softly, "The Young Mistress’s behavior the day she entered the city was bolder still."

Intrigued, Yaomei pestered Longjuan for details, prompting Tao Ming to interject, "I didn't do anything that day!"

Longjuan weighed his words carefully before replying, "Young Mistress, you simply handle things in a way that is quite different from ordinary people."

"For instance?" Tao Ming didn't feel she was particularly special.

"Take the day you entered the city, for example."

Yaomei’s interest piqued even further. "Little Juan, hurry up and tell me."

Longjuan shuddered. "I’ll tell you, just stop calling me that!" He then recounted how Tao Ming had fiercely confronted Yao Pianpian.

As Yaomei listened to the account of Tao Ming’s performance, her eyes gleamed as she stared at her.

Tao Ming said nonchalantly, "Basic operation, don't be surprised, everyone sit down."

Su Nanxing pinched her cheek. "Are you playing games again?"

"It’s better than gossiping with men, isn't it?" Tao Ming had plenty of ways to deal with Su Nanxing. He immediately fell silent.

After hearing Longjuan’s story, Yaomei asked with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Young Mistress, if what Yao Pianpian said were true, what would you do?"

Tao Ming imagined the scenario, a twinge of bitterness surfacing. If that really happened, what should she do? Should she step aside for their love or break up the pair?

Longjuan chimed in at the right moment, "That day, the Young Mistress said that if it were true, she would draw a line between herself and the Young Master, never to have any contact again."

Yaomei praised, "That is how it should be. You can't indulge those stinky men."

Tao Ming thought to herself, *Aren't you a man too?*

Su Nanxing looked at the group. "Wife, I have always kept myself clean. If you don't believe me, you can ask them."

Qingliu smiled, his eyes gentle. "Young Mistress, the Young Master can be considered the most honest man in the entire Imperial City. Previously, he only had two or three chambermaids."

Longjuan thought that was a great assist and added, "The Young Mistress is right. Many unmarried women in the Imperial City have tried to throw themselves at him, but the Young Master refused them all."

Qingliu asked in surprise, "Even the Dong sisters? What a pity."

"What's a pity? If they are brought into the Su mansion as concubines later, they will be the Young Master's eventually."

You'an listened to them bickering back and forth, thinking they were playing with fire.

Tao Ming watched with interest as Su Nanxing’s face grew darker. She laughed, "They were all picked up by you, weren't they?"

Qingliu and Longjuan asked in unison, "How did the Young Mistress know?"

"Uh, so they really were picked up?" Tao Ming had just meant to joke with Su Nanxing and was surprised to be right.

Seeing that Tao Ming didn't take their teasing seriously, Su Nanxing laughed, "Back then, when I had just left the mansion, everything felt fresh. I was traveling around on my own and saved them. Who knew they would latch onto me, eating my food and drinking my wine, only to gossip about me in front of my wife?"

Yaomei sat up straight, her expression serious. "Young Mistress, don't listen to their nonsense. The Young Master shoulders heavy responsibilities; he spends his days either cultivating or handling official business, and never lets himself be distracted by women."

Tao Ming felt Yaomei was just buttering him up. Since she had known Su Nanxing, he had never done anything serious!

Su Nanxing seemed to guess her thoughts. "Wife, think back carefully. When we were on Earth, didn't I work overtime for a few days every so often?"

Tao Ming had a sudden epiphany. She had always assumed programmer overtime was common, never realizing Su Nanxing was actually sneaking back to Weishui. Besides, whenever Su Nanxing wasn't home, Tao Ming was free to play games to her heart's content, so she naturally hadn't cared whether he was working overtime or not. As for the question of infidelity, Tao Ming had never cared; if he cheated, they would simply part ways amicably.

"We all thought the Young Master would be lonely for life. Who knew he would even end up having a daughter?" Yaomei looked at Su Nanxing like an old father looking at his son. "When Longjuan sent the message back, we all thought he had lost his mind. Then we thought the Young Master was just desperate and settling for someone, and eventually, we just became curious about you."

"Curious about what?" Tao Ming shifted her position to get more comfortable.

Yaomei’s expression turned vivid again. "You have no idea how envious all the women in the Imperial City are of you. After today, I expect all the women in Weishui will be envious of you too."

Tao Ming raised an eyebrow. "Hearing you say that, I suddenly feel a bit lightheaded."

Su Nanxing chuckled, touching the ring on Tao Ming’s ring finger. "I will strive to make them envy you forever."

Tao Ming thought, *I certainly hope so; feelings are such unpredictable things.*

Seeing that Tao Ming didn't respond, Su Nanxing continued, "Wife, I had originally planned for Qingliu, Shachen, and Longjuan to go help you in a few days. Now that you’ve met them, you can go to them if you need anything in the future."

"Help? Help with what?" Tao Ming asked, puzzled.

"After we get married, the construction of the shopping mall will begin. You can't do it all by yourself, can you?"

Tao Ming had intended to hire people, but she hadn't taken action yet. "I was planning to hire on-site. After all, I used to manage a project."

Su Nanxing patted her hand. "Different trades are worlds apart; your experience might not be enough. Qingliu knows how to make money, Shachen knows how to spend it, and Longjuan can gather intelligence. The three of them work together seamlessly and will be more than capable as your assistants."

Tao Ming immediately stood up and bowed. "Then I will have to trouble the three of you."

Qingliu, Shachen, and Longjuan returned the bow, their impression of Tao Ming improving even further.

Seeing that Tao Ming looked weary, Su Nanxing stood up and put an arm around her. "Mingming has had a long day; it’s time to rest. You'an, keep following her."

Tao Ming glanced at the flickering form of You'an and asked softly, "Husband, has he been by my side the whole time?"

Su Nanxing saw no issue with it. "He is responsible for your protection."

"Then last night..."

Su Nanxing chuckled lightly. "He was hiding on the rafters."

"I... you... that’s so embarrassing!" Tao Ming buried her face in Su Nanxing’s chest, feeling mortified.

Su Nanxing laughed, "He was hiding on the rafters in the living room."