CHAPTER 421: CHAPTER 389: A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH SANYANG (7TH UPDATE)

Upon hearing Wen Wan nodding in agreement, Lin Xiaoyue curled up the corners of her mouth, chose an angle she thought was appropriate, and said to Wen Wan, "Ready? I’m going to start tossing now."

After she spoke, she tossed the copper coin in her hand.

The pigeon egg-sized copper coin hit the bronze turtle, making a "ding——" sound, then it fell straight down, sinking slowly to the bottom of the pool.

"This is too embarrassing, isn’t it?" Lin Xiaoyue said gloomily, giving Wen Wan a sidelong glance, "It’s your turn."

Wen Wan pulled out a copper coin, chose a different spot, aimed at the hole on the turtle’s back, and then tossed it.

The copper coin flew in an arc and landed just on the edge of the hole on the turtle’s back, half hanging outside and half pointing towards the hole, wobbling as if it might go in, or slide off the turtle’s back.

Lin Xiaoyue’s eyes were fixed on the coin, "Go in, go in!"

Wen Wan also watched intently, even though she hadn’t been interested in playing at first, it was hard not to be curious about the outcome in this situation, secretly hoping the coin would fall in.

But the result was—the coin didn’t go in, wobbling a few times before it ended up like Lin Xiaoyue’s previous one, sinking to the bottom of the pool.

Seeing Wen Wan didn’t get it in either, Lin Xiaoyue became determined against the Wish Turtle, "I refuse to believe I can’t toss it in."

As she said this, two more coins quickly followed, both missing, and then two more, with the same result.

Seeing she had only one last coin left, Lin Xiaoyue became particularly cautious, unwilling to toss it and hoping Wen Wan would succeed.

Wen Wan saw through her thoughts, "If you still want to toss, I’ll give you the rest."

"You’re not playing anymore?" Lin Xiaoyue asked.

"My hands are clumsy," Wen Wan replied, "It’s a waste of time if I keep playing."

After speaking, she handed her remaining five coins to Lin Xiaoyue.

Lin Xiaoyue reached out to take them, then thought of something and looked at the little guy beside Wen Wan, smiling and handed over two coins to him, "Jinbao, you have a go too, maybe all the skill your mother lacks is in you."

Jinbao took the coins, looked at the bronze turtle, being small in stature and strength, almost at eye-level with the turtle, making it nearly impossible for him to toss it in.

Jinbao shook his head, held the two coins in his hand, and tossed them directly into the water, then turned to Wen Wan, "Mom, we can make a wish now!"

Wen Wan: "..."

Lin Xiaoyue said, "That’s cheating, you’re cheating!"

Jinbao pouted, "There’s no rule saying you can’t toss them directly into the water."

"..." Lin Xiaoyue was stunned for a moment.

Wen Wan suddenly laughed, "Jinbao is right, since there’s no explicit rule that says you have to toss it in to make a wish, Granny Qi shouldn’t be so stubborn, you’re pregnant, if you keep this up and something happens, I’ll be to blame."

Hearing Wen Wan’s words, Lin Xiaoyue couldn’t help but give her a sideways glance, clearly agreeing with her deep down, as her hand relaxed, letting the remaining coins splash into the clear pool one after another, closing her eyes immediately to make a wish to the Wish Turtle.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and found Wen Wan still standing beside her, in the same posture as before.

She couldn’t help but be curious, "You didn’t make a wish?"

Wen Wan urged, "We’ve been out for so long, Ah Nuan should be awake, let’s head back!"

With that interruption from Wen Wan, Lin Xiaoyue quickly shifted focus to her own daughter, no longer dwelling on whether Wen Wan had made a wish.

The three of them returned to their resting spot, where Ah Nuan was already awake, squatting on the pebble path outside, playing with leaves, with Jin Zhi and Yun Cai watching over her, afraid she’d get hurt if she was careless.

Upon seeing her daughter, Lin Xiaoyue’s gloomy mood from the lot was completely dispelled, she crouched down, took out a handkerchief to wipe the little girl’s sweat, her eyes soft, her tone gentle, "Ah Nuan, did you miss Mom?"

The little girl, upon seeing Lin Xiaoyue, joyfully leapt into her arms.

Lin Xiaoyue patted her head and asked Jin Zhi, "When did she wake up?"

Jin Zhi answered truthfully, "A while ago, when she just woke up, she cried for Mom, it took a while for this maid to soothe her."

Lin Xiaoyue glanced at her daughter who was hugging her tightly, and instructed Jin Zhi, "Pack up, we’re heading down the mountain."

Jin Zhi quickly turned inside to pack up.

Yun Cai came over to Wen Wan, asking in a low voice, "Madam, are we heading back too?"

"Since we came together, we should naturally leave together." Wen Wan wasn’t planning to stay longer at Fahua Temple.

She likely wouldn’t have come today if it weren’t for Lin Xiaoyue’s invitation.

While standing beneath the Buddha statue earlier, she felt a clear sense of inner resistance.

Hearing they were going down the mountain, Jinbao didn’t forget his mother’s promise, "Meat."

Wen Wan nodded, "Alright, I’ll have someone make it for you when we get back."

After Yun Cai packed up, the group started on the path down the mountain.

Going down wasn’t as tiring as going up, Jinbao insisted on walking the whole way instead of being carried, while Ah Nuan lay on Jin Zhi’s back the entire time. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, seeing Jinbao exhale a long breath, she suddenly exclaimed, "Big brother is awesome~"

Hearing the praise, Jinbao lifted his eyes to look at Ah Nuan, seemingly encouraged by the little girl’s words, puffing out his chest.

Wen Wan remarked, "Being proud without reason, do you not understand what humility is?"

Jinbao fiddled with his fingers, showing no intention of changing his behavior around the little sister.

The drivers from both families brought the carriages over, and as Wen Wan was about to help Jinbao up, her peripheral vision caught sight of a group of people descending the bluestone steps leading to the mountain temple.

Leading the group was a noblewoman, wearing a mallow-colored long jacket, with Buddha Beads of purple sandalwood in her right hand, followed by a few maids in blue attire. To her left was a girl, her complexion unusually pale. Despite the hot weather, the girl was wearing a cloak, making her small face seem even more abnormal, appearing to be around five or six years old.

The noblewoman took a few steps, stopped to give the girl some relief, whispering something. The girl, upon hearing this, smiled and looked at the noblewoman with a gaze full of dependence.

From a distance, they looked like a mother and daughter with a deep bond.

Seeing Wen Wan standing there blankly, Lin Xiaoyue, who had already boarded the carriage, leaned out and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Wen Wan didn’t speak, her gaze still fixed on the mother and daughter, her emotions and expression equally complex.

Following her gaze, Lin Xiaoyue saw an acquaintance and had to lift the curtain to greet them, "Oh, it’s Lady Kang Ding, are you here to offer incense at the temple today as well?"

Lady Kang Ding, Mrs. Yao, upon seeing Lin Xiaoyue, warmly smiled, "Should I now address you as Dudu’s wife instead?"

Lin Xiaoyue laughed shyly, "You can call me whatever you feel like, I’m fine with it."

Noticing the young girl beside her, Lin Xiaoyue asked out of courtesy, "Is this one of your family’s daughters?"

Mrs. Yao replied, "She’s the fifth. She’s been sick lately, so I brought her to the temple to get a peace charm."

Lin Xiaoyue had met Lady Kang Ding at other people’s banquets and had never been to their mansion, so she didn’t know how many daughters there were or which ones were legitimate or fostered.

After Mrs. Yao spoke, she introduced her adopted daughter, "Ruru, this is the Wife of the Left Army Commander."

Li Huairu glanced at Lin Xiaoyue, stepped forward, slightly bowed, and in a voice tinged with sickness, respectfully said, "Huairu greets the Wife of the Army Commander."

Lin Xiaoyue hurriedly offered support, "Poor thing, so young and already so ill. Have you consulted with a doctor?"

Mrs. Yao sighed, "We’ve already consulted three or four doctors; each prescribed something different, but nothing seems to help."

"If things get really bad, you should consult with Doctor Li."

Wen Wan’s voice suddenly came from a short distance away, following her words, she approached.

Mrs. Yao only then noticed another young woman, presumably accompanying Lin Xiaoyue.

Mrs. Yao quickly assessed the woman and asked Lin Xiaoyue, "And this is...?"

Lin Xiaoyue deliberately maintained a bit of suspense, "Years ago, the Da Huan Mountain Coal Mine case in Ningzhou, have you heard of it?"

Mrs. Yao nodded, such a significant case was hard not to notice.

Lin Xiaoyue pointed to Wen Wan, saying with a smile, "This lady here is the wife of Hanlin Official Song Wei, who helped the Jinyi Guard solve the coal mine case back then."