Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 796

Looking at the lush green forest in front of him, Chen Xuan was dumbfounded. Where was my home? Where did my Taoyuan Residence, which I personally designed and supervised, go?

Oh, the Taoyuanju gate plaque with Xiao Gao's handwritten inscription is still there, on the gate above the path leading into the woods, but that's not right.

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan thought to himself that if he remembered correctly, he had only been away from home for a few months, not years or decades. How could he have become like this?

The surrounding neighborhood buildings have disappeared, replaced by a large forest. Through the gaps, one can vaguely see pavilions and towers nestled among them, but most of the buildings are not yet clearly visible. It is clearly a courtyard with a very large area, surrounded by trees, only without a wall.

Feeling a bit confused, Chen Xuan tried to recall, but couldn't remember doing anything or making any arrangements before leaving.

So where does the problem lie?

Suddenly remembering something, he turned around and leaned half his body into the carriage, asking, "Wife, Sister Juan, our family has changed drastically. Do you know what happened?"

"I don't know," the little girl said blankly, staring blankly out of the car.

Du Juan and the others shook their heads, indicating they didn't know either.

The little princess covered her mouth and smiled, her eyelashes curving as she looked at Chen Xuan with a playful wink: "Husband, guess?"

I won't guess.

After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively asked, "Wife, this wasn't something you and Wanqian discussed behind my back, was it?"

Upon hearing this, the little princess was taken aback. She had been planning to surprise her husband, but he had seen through her plan in one sentence. She couldn't help but say helplessly, "I knew I couldn't hide it from my husband. How did you guess?"

A procession of carriages had already passed through the gate with the plaque of Peach Blossom Abode hanging above it and headed into the depths of the woods. Chen Xuan looked back and surveyed his surroundings, laughing, "Is there any need to guess? With your influence and mobilization abilities, my wife, plus Wanqian's wealth, it wouldn't be difficult for you to secretly expand our family's fortune more than tenfold in just a few months, would it? I can't think of any other possibility."

It couldn't have been anyone else. If it were an outsider, they would have notified Chen Xuan no matter what.

Now that the truth had been revealed, the little princess no longer concealed it, and instead said with great interest, "Husband, are you surprised? Our house used to be small and couldn't accommodate many people. Now, several of my younger sisters are not yet married and will be living here permanently. We can't let them squeeze in, can we? So before I parted ways with Sister Wanqian last time, I discussed with her about secretly expanding the house. Actually, it was Sister Wanqian who suggested it. I thought it was indeed necessary to expand, so I finalized the plan with her."

Chen Xuan opened his mouth, then said with a wry smile, "My wives, you are so kind. It's my fault for being so careless and not thinking things through. But isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Having slept in the same bed for so long, she knew what he meant. The little princess explained, "Husband, don't worry. Sister Wanqian isn't officially married yet, so we didn't spend her money, but she did contribute a lot, providing design plans, hiring craftsmen, purchasing everything needed, and sending people to supervise and inspect the work. Her family is well-connected in business, so it's easier and clearer for them in these matters. Besides, all expenses were covered by our family's accounts."

Knowing her husband's personality—he's usually easygoing but wouldn't let his family suffer—she added, "After all, this will be Wanxi's home from now on."

With that said, Chen Xuan said no more. He didn't intend to ask how much it cost, as long as everyone was happy. Instead, he looked around the new house with great interest.

Although the area has increased more than tenfold, his original design intention has not changed. To put it simply, it is an expansion on his original style, without any abrupt changes. In summary, it is located in the city, surrounded by trees, and is a quiet place in the midst of the hustle and bustle.

The forest seems to have grown here for many years, with almost no trace of transplantation. But it was indeed transplanted, with its roots and a large clump of soil. To bring it here like this must have been done by a master craftsman. I wonder how much manpower and resources were used in the process. With the help of a skilled craftsman, it seems as if this forest was naturally there.

Pavilions and towers nestled among the trees, bridges over flowing streams, artificial hills and ponds, winding corridors—every step reveals a new scene, each place showcasing ingenuity.

After passing through the woods, Chen Xuan and his group soon returned to the original two-story building. Nothing had changed; it remained exactly as it was, without any damage. It had simply been expanded outwards from this central location.

As the family grows larger, more people are needed to manage it. Chen Xuan doesn't need to worry about that; there are plenty of people in the capital and the little princess's fiefdom. He can just transfer a batch over. Giving some instructions won't disturb the peace he used to have.

Back in familiar surroundings, Chen Xuan didn't immediately inquire about the details. He jumped off the carriage, stretched, and said, "Finally back. Home is so comfortable."

"Master, please rest for a bit. I'll go get you a reclining chair and make you some tea," the little maid said, jumping off the carriage, pulling out her keys, and skipping hopped straight towards the small building.

Once home, Chen Xuan was completely relaxed, casually waving his hand and saying, "Okay, help me move the gazebo to the pavilion."

As he spoke, he turned around and helped the little princess down, asking, "You must be tired from the long journey, would you like to rest for a bit, my lady?"

"No, husband, you go and have fun. I'll go look around the new house and think about how to arrange things in the future," the little princess said with great interest, then walked to the side with Yunlan and Yunxin by her side.

After walking a few steps, she turned back and winked playfully at Chen Xuan, saying, "For now, the small building in the center has enough rooms. We'll give Sister Juan and Xiaoxue a separate room each. Husband, you don't want to be separated from your sisters, do you? Even though we're still at home and not far apart, it's settled then."

"I...I'll go take a look too," Guo Qingxue said, blushing, and followed the little princess and the others.

The little princess's words were quite straightforward. Now that the family is so big, the girls who marry Chen Xuan will all need to have their own place to live. But given Chen Xuan's personality, he naturally hopes to live together. There's no conflict. He can't expect to find a wife in the future and treat it like visiting someone's neighbor.

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan followed them.

Xia Mei was directing the others to put away the things they had brought back, and Du Juan went inside to help the little girl. Chen Xuan had nothing to do, so he lazily strolled over to look at the peach tree planted next to the small building.

The peach tree that grew from the peach pit that came to this world with Chen Xuan is still the same as it was when they left a few months ago. It is about three feet tall, with a gnarled trunk and lush foliage. The long drought has not affected it in the slightest.

Chen Xuan had originally just been casually looking around and was about to lie down and be a couch potato when he suddenly made a discovery. He leaned closer to the small peach tree, his eyes widened, and he reached out to part the branches and leaves, where a pink hue appeared in his vision.

From the time it was planted from a peach pit, it took about fifteen years, and it actually blossomed!

Only one solitary blossom, hidden among the branches and leaves, is barely noticeable unless you look closely. Its pink and red color is vibrant, and the peach blossom, which has fully bloomed, looks like it was not something that happened just a day or two ago, yet it shows no signs of withering.

"Blooming? Is this the season for peach trees to bloom?" After looking around, Chen Xuan couldn't help but scratch his head as he glanced at the sky.

Coming home with such a surprise is always a good thing. Since the peach pit came into this world with him, Chen Xuan naturally wouldn't treat it as an ordinary peach tree, nor would he dwell on it. He reached out and gently touched the peach blossom, saying happily, "You can actually bloom! It wasn't for nothing that I've cultivated you for so many years. It seems that being able to eat your peaches isn't a once-in-a-lifetime event. Speaking of which, you've only bloomed after so many years, I hope I won't have to wait many more years for the fruit to ripen?" Muttering to himself, Chen Xuan carefully examined it again. It really was just a lone peach blossom. In that case, he didn't really have high hopes for pollination or fruit. But this change was still a happy thing.

"Master, what are you looking at? The couch has been set up, and the tea is placed beside it," the little maid asked Chen Xuan curiously as she approached him.

Before Chen Xuan could answer, she saw the peach blossom and exclaimed, "Wow, it's actually blooming!"

"Don't make a fuss. I'm going to lie down for a while. Call me when the food is ready," Chen Xuan smiled and strolled away.

Even though this peach tree held a very special meaning for him, he didn't give any special instructions. As long as it wasn't maliciously destroyed, he would just let nature take its course.

"Huh? Shouldn't this peach tree be the master's lifeblood? Why is it so calm?" The little girl blinked, somewhat puzzled, then happily looked at the peach tree and blossoms, planning to tell Madam and Sister Juan to take a look too.

As Chen Xuan was leaving, he glanced at the two small, white saplings growing quietly not far away. They were propagated from the branches of the white cloud tree he had brought back, and they were still thriving, thanks to the careful care of the little girls.

Arriving at the pavilion, Chen Xuan lay down on the soft couch as if his body were boneless. He closed his eyes and squirmed a couple of times like a maggot, thinking to himself how comfortable it was to lie flat. He had been traveling for several months, enjoying the scenery, and he had really worked hard.

A wife, kids, a warm bed—life is wonderful, what more could I ask for?

Chen Xuan slept soundly and felt refreshed. When he opened his eyes, the sun was already setting.

Du Juan, who had been watching him closely, immediately came over gracefully and gently straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes, asking, "Master, the food is ready. Would you like to eat?"

"Why didn't you call me sooner? You guys should have eaten as soon as it was ready," Chen Xuan said helplessly, patting her plump buttocks.

Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away instinctively before lowering her head shyly, saying, "Master is sleeping soundly, so I didn't want to disturb you. I'll go and make the arrangements right away."

The little princesses had already explored their new home, and now the women were chattering amongst themselves around a blooming peach tree, but in Chen Xuan's eyes, the women were more beautiful than the flowers.

He stood up and said, "Let's go, we'll go hungry if we wait any longer. By the way, has the woman in red arrived yet?"

"Not yet, shall I go and ask?" Dujuan shook her head.

Glancing towards the entrance, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "No need, she's already here."

At that moment, a bright red figure appeared, so striking that it was impossible not to notice her; her red attire was exceptionally elegant.

It was He Hongyi. She had clearly dressed up carefully, but her signature style remained unchanged. Carrying two wine jars in each hand, she walked with light steps. When she met Chen Xuan's gaze from afar, her eyes couldn't hide her joy, and her pace quickened. She raised the wine jars in her hands and said, "Xuan, I've come to mooch a meal. You don't mind, do you? I brought two jars of wine. I don't know if they suit your taste."

Waving and greeting him, Chen Xuan said with a smile, "Hongyi, what are you saying? We were just about to start eating, and if you hadn't come soon, we would have had to come and urge you."

With a bright smile, she nodded and walked over to the little princesses, greeting them one by one: "Sister Qianning, did you have a good time playing outside? Xiaolan and Xiaoxin, you've both become even more beautiful! Aunt Mei, it's been so long! Roujia, did you miss me? What are you looking at? Oh, Xiaoxue, you're here too?"

"Hello, Sister in Red! You're still so beautiful. I ran into Brother Chen and the others in Jade City of your Jade Flower Kingdom, so I came along with them. How about that? Surprised?" Guo Qingxue walked happily towards He Hongyi and hugged her, sharing her joy. After all, they had come together to find Chen Xuan and met unexpectedly, and Guo Qingxue had already gotten what she wanted.

He Hongyi, carrying the wine jars in both hands, couldn't hug her, so she could only laugh and say, "Little Xue, you really gave me a big surprise. I didn't even notice you before; you were hiding!"

As she spoke, He Hongyi glanced resentfully at Chen Xuan, as if to say, "I came to Jing Kingdom to find you, but you went to the country where I grew up and brought her back."

However, what she saw was Chen Xuan's slightly shifty gaze, as if he was embarrassed, so she chose to forgive him.

Little did Chen Xuan know that he was watching the two of them hugging each other, their full breasts pressing against each other.

"Sister in red, please come in quickly, we've been waiting for you to start the meal," the little princess turned around and greeted her gracefully.

After Guo Qingxue released her, He Hongyi looked at the little princess and immediately noticed something amiss. A hint of envy and anticipation flashed in her eyes, and she sincerely congratulated her, saying, "Congratulations, little sister Qianning! You must be more careful in the future and not be careless."

With a happy smile, she subconsciously stroked her lower abdomen and nodded, saying, "Thank you."

"Sister in red, of course I missed you! Come and see, the peach tree that Master planted for so many years has finally blossomed! There's only one blossom so far, but there will definitely be more in the future. Give me the wine jar!" The little maid stepped forward with a joyful expression, not forgetting to remind her that the flower had bloomed.

They were all stunningly beautiful, with varying figures, and Chen Xuan, the only man not far away, was almost dazzled by their beauty.

After they exchanged a few pleasantries, Chen Xuan clapped his hands and reminded them, "Let's take our seats and eat first. We'll have plenty of time to chat later."

Then everyone moved to the dining room, and after taking their seats, they all looked at Chen Xuan. Facing their gazes, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Why are you all looking at me like that? Start eating! Aren't you hungry? It's not like it's the first time we've eaten together. Make yourself at home."

Knowing his personality, everyone exchanged smiles. He Hongyi raised her glass and said, "Ah Xuan, this is your first meal back after being away for several months. I thought you were going to say something, but you've had a long journey. Let me toast you first, as a way of welcoming you back."

"You're too kind, Red Dress. We won't stand on ceremony here."

Everyone raised their glasses together; those who could drink alcohol did so, while those who couldn't had tea instead.

After putting down her wine glass, He Hongyi, the only one who hadn't gone out with them, asked curiously, "Ah Xuan, where did you all go this time...?" (End of Chapter)