When Han Li heard Qin Yan's words, he put on an outward show of surprise, though inwardly he remained quite unmoved. He figured that this was, nine times out of ten, yet another poor woman who had been thoroughly poisoned by the likes of "Biographies of Chaste and Virtuous Women."
As soon as the young masters in the hall heard that the eldest miss was about to arrive, their faces lit up with glee and they began whispering to each other endlessly, their eyes brimming with anticipation. This made Han Li pause for a moment, but he quickly realized what was going on — this eldest miss was probably a stunning beauty.
Just as Han Li was mulling this over, a young maidservant walked in from outside the reception hall, followed by a young woman dressed in simple, unadorned clothing.
Though this woman had delicate, refined features and an air of extraordinary gentleness, her entire being radiated an indescribable, fiery charm. That enchanting, heart-rending allure made most of the men in the hall feel an overwhelming urge to pull her into their arms and shower her with tender affection.
As for those half-grown lads who hadn't even lost the milk scent off their lips, they had their eyes wide open, staring without restraint.
It seemed these young masters of the Qin family had long since been captivated by this eldest miss!
But when Han Li got a clear look at the woman's face, a flash of shock passed through his eyes. The vacant, dull expression on his face suddenly vanished. Fortunately, in the next instant, Han Li forced himself to rein in his emotions and restore his previous demeanor.
All of this had happened in a single heartbeat. Moreover, everyone's gaze was fixed on the young woman who had just entered the hall — otherwise, he would have nearly given himself away.
Yet at this moment, Han Li's heart was churning like storm-tossed waves.
This "eldest miss," though her appearance had changed somewhat from before and carried a few extra touches of a married woman's allure — with those lively, spirited eyes and that oval, delicate face — he recognized her at a single glance. This so-called "eldest miss" was none other than the second young lady of the Mo household, whom he had only met a handful of times years ago — the gentle, scholarly girl who loved studying medicine: Mo Fengwu.
The moment Mo Fengwu entered the room, all the staring made her blush. She lowered her head naturally and, as a result, did not see Han Li sitting right below Qin Yan.
Seeing how utterly useless these juniors of his were, Qin Yan felt a deep wave of vexation!
"Ahem! Ahem!"
His face darkened and he gave a few forceful coughs. Only then did the young men, who had been completely mesmerized by Mo Fengwu's beauty, snap out of their daze and withdraw their gazes, each one hastily assuming the posture of a proper gentleman. None of them dared offend the head of the household!
"Ping'er! Come sit by your aunt." The Third Wife, ever perceptive, was the first to speak up, beckoning Mo Fengwu to come sit beside her.
"Thank you, Third Aunt."
Mo Fengwu replied in a soft, gentle voice, then walked over to the Third Wife with that same delicate grace and sat down properly.
"Ping'er, you shouldn't always stay cooped up inside. It'll drive you mad with boredom. You should come out for a walk more often!"
Qin Yan clearly held deep sympathy for Mo Fengwu, and his tone was very mild.
"Thank you, Uncle. Ping'er understands." Mo Fengwu still kept her head lowered, wearing a meek and obedient expression.
"Mm."
Qin Yan let out a soft sigh at this.
His niece always agreed obediently like this, yet afterward she would simply go back to her old ways. There was nothing he could do about it. But then he remembered the matter at hand and pointed toward Han Li as he made the introduction: "Ping'er, let me introduce you! This is Han Li, a young man who is the descendant of an elder to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. You should come and meet him! From now on, address him as sworn brother!"
Han Li had been carefully observing Mo Fengwu's every reaction. When he saw her body give a slight tremble the instant she heard the name "Han Li," he immediately understood.
After a long pause, Mo Fengwu slowly raised her head, revealing that moonlike, flower-like face. At this moment, that impossibly lovely countenance was perfectly composed. Her lips parted slightly, and a cool, even voice came forth: "Greetings, Sworn Brother Han."
Mo Fengwu seemed to truly not remember Han Li.
Hearing her greeting, Han Li appeared stunned by the breathtaking beauty so close at hand. He stammered and fumbled for a while before managing, with great difficulty, to squeeze out the words, "Greetings, Sworted Sister."
This spectacle, witnessed by the young men and women nearby, sent some of them into barely suppressed giggles.
Qin Yan swept a cold glance over the crowd, and immediately silence fell below. Han Li, meanwhile, simply scratched his head in a dazed, bewildered manner, playing the part of a helpless, clumsy fool perfectly.
What followed was far simpler.
Qin Yan coldly announced before the entire household that from this day forward, Han Li would be staying at the Qin Manor for a period of time. During this period, he was to be treated as one of the young masters of the household, and no one was permitted to slight him in any way — otherwise, severe punishment would follow.
These few words, once spoken, caused the entire Qin household to look upon Han Li with entirely new eyes. At this point, it was no longer just the Third Wife wondering about the true nature of the relationship between Han Li and Qin Yan.