Xia Zhen rolled his eyes, "Brat, don’t think I came here on my own accord.

If it weren’t for our parents’ orders, I wouldn’t have come to pick you up!

Humph, tell me, were you thinking of running away again if I didn’t come?

You’ve done plenty of passing by our door without entering, don’t think I don’t know. "

Xia Zheng was not to be outdone; he raised an eyebrow and gave him a skeptical look, "Spare me! You make it sound so grand, but don’t think I don’t know.

You just came because you heard I brought back Rice Flower Fragrance pastries, didn’t you?

Didn’t you eat all the pastries I brought back last time? You still..."

"What, what! What are you talking about, I can’t hear you!" Xia Zhen didn’t let Xia Zheng finish; he already loudly interrupted him, even cupping his right hand to his ear pretending he heard nothing, frustrating Xia Zheng to the point of almost twitching his mouth.

Seeing the disdainful look between the Xia Zheng brothers, Lin Yuan couldn’t help but smirk.

Tian Hui seemed to have grown accustomed to the brothers’ antics long ago and didn’t take it to heart.

Instead, she walked over to Lin Yuan with a smile, took her hand, and joyfully said, "You must be Yuanyuan, right? The princess hasn’t stopped talking about you since she came back.

Indeed, just as the princess said, you are smart and beautiful, and you have an aura about you. "

Tian Hui’s unabashed praise made Lin Yuan blush, and coupled with the sincere look in Tian Hui’s eyes, it was evident she genuinely liked Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan shyly smiled, "The princess is too kind. Sister, you are the truly smart and beautiful one."

This was not just politeness from Lin Yuan; from what she had seen, Tian Hui was indeed the most beautiful and gentle woman she had ever met—although Su Qiuyu was also beautiful, she seemed rather insincere, unlike the genuine warmth of Tian Hui.

It seemed Tian Hui truly saw her as a future sister-in-law already.

Compared to the fine silk on Tian Hui, the clothing on Lin Yuan and her colleagues, though the best Zhuma Town had to offer, still carried a rural air.

But Tian Hui didn’t care about these details; she warmly chatted and seeing Xiao Linshuang and the adorable Xiao Yongyan, her motherly love overflowed as she hugged them without letting go.

Lin Yuan, speechless, could only let Xiao Linshuang go with Tian Hui to her carriage.

Meanwhile, the Xia Zheng brothers, previously at odds, now joined forces to bicker in front of Lao Fan. Lao Fan hadn’t argued with these brats in a long time, and the commotion seemed to rejuvenate him, making him feel a decade younger.

Tian Hui, both amused and annoyed, couldn’t help but remind them, "The princess is already waiting at home. Let’s hurry back."

With that, Xia Zhen suddenly smacked his forehead and blurted out, "Oh man, how could I forget mom! Quick, quick, if we return late, she’ll definitely nag again!"

Lin Yuan chuckled and boarded the carriage.

As Xia Zhen and Tian Hui had come personally to pick them up, the gate soldiers naturally let them pass with ease.

As they passed through the gate, Lin Yuan’s vision momentarily darkened, giving her a fleeting feeling of entering a tunnel in a previous life. However, instead of emerging to see high mountains, this exit revealed the bustling, vibrant Capital city.

The wide roads, bustling crowds, and various noisy hawkers. Looking ahead, towering taverns and teahouses in more vivid colors challenged the grey and bright red monotony, incorporating red, green, and blue hues.

Gazing into the distance, the faint yellow sheen of the Glaze was dazzling. Lin Yuan knew that this was the center of the Capital, the residence of the Emperor, the Palace.

No wonder Xia Zheng heavily boasted about the Capital’s opulence; it indeed differed from any place Lin Yuan had seen.

Lin Wei and Xiao He were so excited that they were nearly hanging out of the carriage while up ahead, even from a distance, Xiao Linshuang’s voice reached the carriage behind.

"Wow, how beautiful, so many people! No wonder my brother-in-law insisted I come to the Capital. Haha, brother-in-law really didn’t lie!"

Hearing Xiao Linshuang’s voice, Xia Zheng couldn’t help but chuckle, "Silly girl, would I lie to her? Humph!"

Influenced by everyone’s excitement, Lin Yuan’s spirits were also lifted.

She lifted the curtain to look outside. Like in Zhuma Town and Yecheng, the bustling streets were lined with numerous small vendors, except here they weren’t just laid out on the ground but had actual stalls set up, even for the least valuable braided bracelets.

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