Chapter 285
Chapter 285
Brother Zhao and his wife and daughter soon returned.
This time, all three had changed their clothes.
Their previous outfits had been ordinary enough, roughly the sort of thing common folk or poor families wore in period dramas. There had been nothing strange about them. Now, however, all three were dressed in long robes and skirts, looking as though they came from wealthy households. Brother Zhao looked passable once he put on a hat, but although Mrs. Zhao and the Zhao girl were well dressed, neither wore a single ornament in her hair. Something about them looked distinctly odd.
More importantly, all three members of the family were dressed head to toe in bright red.
This…
Qin Nan had only ever seen the Groom and Bride wear red. Did the guests at a wedding banquet have to wear red too?
Besides, for some reason, those crimson clothes looked downright eerie beneath the dim moonlight.
“Brother Zhao, is it customary in your town for all the guests to wear red?” Qin Nan asked outright, though he made sure to sound merely curious. He followed up with another question. “Will it be inappropriate for us to go dressed like this?”
Brother Zhao smiled. “We don’t have that custom in our town. These clothes were gifts from Squire Xie. Everyone in town has to wear the red clothes he gave us to attend the wedding banquet. Since you don’t have any, you don’t need to wear them. If you’re lucky, there might be some spare outfits at the Xie Residence. Perhaps Squire Xie will give each of you a set too.”
No, thank you.
You can keep those clothes for yourselves.
Qin Nan silently replied in his heart.
Brother Zhao paid them little attention.
Once the three were ready, Brother Zhao called out to Qin Nan and the others. “It’s about time. Let’s go. I’ll take you to the banquet.”
Qin Nan and the others rose to their feet.
Brother Zhao and his family led the way, with Qin Nan’s group following behind.
They all stepped outside.
After leaving the house, Brother Zhao did not set off immediately. Instead, he stopped by the door. At some point, two red lanterns had appeared outside and were now sitting in the corner by the wall.
Brother Zhao picked up the two lanterns and hung them on either side of his doorway.
Qin Nan glanced down the street, and the sight made him suck in a sharp breath.
Good grief.
Leqing Town, which had previously been so silent that not even the faintest sound could be heard, was now bustling with activity. Two red lanterns hung outside every home, creating an intensely festive scene. The townspeople emerged from their houses in groups, chatting and laughing as they walked down the street.
Some of them greeted Brother Zhao and his family as well.
Naturally, the townspeople also noticed Qin Nan’s group.
They did not seem surprised. Instead, one of them smiled at Brother Zhao and said, “Well, look at that. The guests came to your house this time? Brother Zhao, you’re about to strike it big!”
“You’re exaggerating. We don’t even know if anything will come of it yet,” Brother Zhao replied with a cheerful laugh.
Jian Fan’s brow furrowed slightly when he heard that.
Having guests in the house meant striking it big?
That had definitely not been an offhand remark. There was more to it. But Jian Fan was also puzzled. How could their presence bring Brother Zhao’s family any kind of fortune?
And why were they discussing it openly without the slightest attempt to hide it? Did they think Qin Nan’s group was too stupid to notice something was wrong? Or was there another, far more frightening possibility–that they had no way to leave anymore and could only let Brother Zhao and the others do whatever they pleased with them?
That was not good news.
Although Jian Fan’s brow quickly smoothed out, a hint of grimness settled over his expressionless face.
This world…
And then there was the scream Lu Jing thought he had heard earlier.
Jian Fan had no choice but to remain on the highest possible alert.
As Brother Zhao chatted with the other townsfolk, the group soon arrived before a grand residence.
A plaque bearing the words “Xie Residence” hung above the entrance. This had to be the home of Squire Xie, whom Brother Zhao had mentioned.
The outside of the Xie Residence was festooned with red lanterns and red silk ribbons. Quite a few servants and maids dressed in red stood at the entrance welcoming guests. Among them was a portly middle-aged man, also clad entirely in red. Even in a crowd where everyone wore the same color, he stood out conspicuously. Presumably, he was Squire Xie.
Many townsfolk were filing into the residence. As they passed Squire Xie, they all greeted him with a smile.
“The one welcoming the guests is our Squire Xie,” Brother Zhao explained to Qin Nan.
Qin Nan had already guessed as much. Brother Zhao’s words merely confirmed it.
“I’ll take you over,” Brother Zhao said.
He led Qin Nan and the others toward the entrance.
As soon as they reached Squire Xie, Brother Zhao put on a broad smile. “Congratulations on this joyous occasion, Squire Xie. This humble one offers his felicitations and wishes you a chubby grandson very soon.”
“You’re too kind, too kind.” Squire Xie smiled like the laughing Buddha.
Squire Xie had a daughter, which meant he was taking in a live-in son-in-law?
Qin Nan’s thoughts wandered briefly.
After Squire Xie finished speaking with Brother Zhao, his gaze naturally fell upon Qin Nan’s group.
There were eleven of them in all. With so many people standing at the entrance, it was impossible not to attract attention. More importantly, everyone else was dressed in red, while theirs was the only group that wasn’t, making them stand out all the more.
Seeing Squire Xie look their way, Brother Zhao hurriedly introduced them. “Squire Xie, these guests arrived unexpectedly at this humble one’s home today, so I brought them along to share in the joyous occasion.”
“Good, good, good, good!” Squire Xie’s smile widened until his eyes narrowed into slits.
His eyes might have been small, but they were remarkably shrewd. Squire Xie swept his gaze over the group before settling on Jian Fan. He nodded. “You are quite handsome, but your constitution is a little too weak. No, no.” He shook his head as he spoke.
Jian Fan: “?”
Squire Xie then turned his attention to Lin Junruo, and his eyes lit up. “Now, this young lady is a beauty. Her future children are sure to be beautiful too. Not bad, not bad.”
Lin Junruo: “?”
She almost began to wonder whether it was actually Squire Xie getting married today rather than his daughter, and whether he intended to choose a bride on the spot.
After looking everyone over, Squire Xie seemed most satisfied with Lin Junruo.
His manner became exceptionally warm as he addressed her. “You have all come from afar, and it must be fate that brought us together. Be sure to eat and drink your fill today. Don’t stand on ceremony with me. Young lady, if there is anything you need, you need only ask.”
Everyone: “…”
Qin Nan felt there was no need to offer Squire Xie any festive congratulations at all. All one needed was a pretty face. Squire Xie clearly judged people by their looks!
Of their group, Jian Fan was the handsome one, while Lin Junruo was the beauty. Squire Xie’s eyes were sharp indeed.
“Come, come. Please head inside, and make yourselves at home.” Squire Xie continued welcoming them with a cheerful smile. Only when he noticed more guests arriving behind them did he reluctantly let Jian Fan and the others go.
Brother Zhao knew how to take a hint. After offering Squire Xie a few more auspicious words, he led Qin Nan and the others into the residence.