Chapter 4765 — Passing the Cup
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
On the dock's landing, Wei Zhao was taking his leave of Shangguan Lan'er and the others. Though he had been appointed Northern Island envoy by Shangguan Tianxia himself, he now bore another identity besides—that of the Western Island's prospective consort. Before carrying out Ning Shanghe's instructions to escort Ning Xuefei to the Eastern Continent Academy, he could not simply take his leave and return to the Northern Island alone.
"Don't you worry, Junior Brother—I'll take good care of Jingjing and wait for your return. You just keep Feifei company and set your mind at ease!" Shangguan Lan'er pledged, patting her chest. Though Wei Zhao would not be returning to the Northern Island this time, she would have Han Jingyi at her side.
After all, before long Wei Zhao would be accompanying Ning Xuefei to the Eastern Continent Academy, which would leave Han Jingyi here all by herself. With her reclusive researcher's temperament, Wei Zhao could not rest easy leaving her alone, so he had simply proposed that she go to the Northern Island with Shangguan Lan'er first—the two of them could keep each other company.
Han Jingyi had no objection to this. Staying on the Western Island by herself really was rather pointless, and her research and experiments could be done just as well on the Northern Island. Anything Ning Xuefei could have custom-made here, Shangguan Lan'er could likewise arrange there.
Even though Si Haitao had once been publicly beaten into a fool by Shangguan Tianxia's men, so long as Shangguan Lan'er gave the word, this branch manager of the Central Chamber of Commerce would not dare defy her in the slightest. Unless the Central Chamber meant to abandon the Northern Island for good, they had no choice but to curry favor with Shangguan Tianxia by any means—such was the lot of those dwelling under another's roof.
"That part doesn't worry me. But Lan'er, once you're back, you'll have your hands full—if you don't get a research room set up in a hurry, Jingjing certainly won't sit still," Wei Zhao said with a smile.
"How many times have I told you—call me Senior Sister!" Shangguan Lan'er gave Wei Zhao a solemn thump on the head, then turned to look at Han Jingyi. Her eyes darted. "As for the research room, how about I have a word with Grandfather and just convert his study? It's plenty big anyway!"
"Pfft!" Wei Zhao burst out laughing, staring at her speechlessly. "If you really go through with that, I expect Lord Shangguan will forget all about his dignity and challenge you to a real fight!"
"That's not my problem. If he wants me to leave his study alone, then he'd better be responsible for getting us a nice big research room. Isn't that right, Jingjing?" Shangguan Lan'er laughed smugly, and beside her the little curly-furred bear postured and swaggered along, looking for all the world as though it had Shangguan Tianxia cornered—leaving Wei Zhao quite speechless.
Han Jingyi smiled with pursed lips and came over to give Wei Zhao a sweet hug, breathing softly at his ear, "Brother Wei Zhao, you have to come back soon, all right? Jingjing will be waiting for you on the Northern Island. Hee hee."
"Don't worry, once I've delivered Feifei I'll come back to find you all." Wei Zhao smiled and hugged her. Truth be told, the girl seemed to have grown a little plumper of late—soft and round, quite comfortable to hold.
At this, Han Jingyi thought nothing of it—it was Shangguan Lan'er whose face went red. Drawing Han Jingyi aside, she grumbled in a low voice, "Jingjing, you're awful! If you hug Junior Brother like that, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to hug him too? With all these people watching, how awkward!"
"It's just a hug, what does it matter?" Han Jingyi giggled.
"I... I wouldn't dare..." Shangguan Lan'er was not, after all, from the mortal world. For all her usual carefree bluster, at a moment like this she was still quite shy. With no one around it would hardly matter, but with so many eyes upon them...