Chapter 313 - 280: On Appropriateness
Chapter 313: Chapter 280: On Appropriateness
By the time they reached the greenhouse, a group of seven or eight people had tagged along behind them. They were mostly girls, with only two boys, both of whom Xiao Man recognized. One was Zhao Teng, who was around Jun Rui’s age and was likely his good friend. The other was the Bai family’s second grandson, Bai Junjie. The boy looked to be about the same age as Tang Haocheng, only eleven or twelve, yet he preferred to hang around the sixteen- and seventeen-year-old Jun Rui and Zhao Teng, a clear sign that he was mature for his age.
’Is it really appropriate for so many people to rush into the greenhouse together? The Tang family has a greenhouse too, and whenever I go in with Grandpa Tang, he warns me to be careful even if I just casually touch an orchid leaf. He dotes on them as if they were delicate little babies. Right now, those young girls behind us are sulking because Jun Rui isn’t looking back at them, and they haven’t spared a single potted plant along the path. They’ve been pinching flowers and plucking leaves without a second thought, as if they’re practicing to use them as concealed weapons. It would be terrible if they were just as destructive inside the Jun family’s greenhouse and carelessly damaged some rare flower or exotic plant. After all, they followed me here to see the peonies. Even though Jun Rui invited me, I’ll be the one to take most of the blame. There’s really no reason to give our hosts a reason to complain.’
Xiao Man stopped and said to Jun Rui with a smile, "I’ve also heard my grandfather mention that Grandpa Jun’s meticulously cultivated peonies are among the best in all of Beijing. Since you’re hosting a banquet today and the peonies have bloomed, you’ll probably bring them out for everyone to admire together, right?"
Jun Rui smiled and nodded. "Of course. But we have to wait until after the banquet to bring the peonies out for everyone to admire for a little while. The weather is still very dry and cold, and it’s windy outside. The newly bloomed peonies can’t handle it, so they can’t be left out for too long. And we can’t have them in a crowded room indoors, either. Peonies are delicate. The stale air from smoke and alcohol would ruin them."
"Oh, so that’s how it is," Xiao Man said, her face a mask of understanding. Inwardly, however, she thought, ’It seems this peony-raising Old Man Jun is even more of a flower fanatic than my orchid-raising Grandpa Tang. He treasures his peonies this much—there’s no way I can bring these people into his greenhouse.’
"Many of the distinguished guests today must have come for the peonies and are full of anticipation. It wouldn’t be very appropriate for us to get a sneak peek ahead of everyone else. Why don’t we just wait? When the peonies are moved to the front courtyard after the banquet, we can all admire and discuss them together. That would be more fun."
Jun Rui was actually starting to regret his invitation. He had only wanted to bring Xiao Man to see the flowers in the greenhouse alone, never expecting so many people to tag along. The greenhouse was a place his grandfather cherished, and those peonies were the culmination of many years of his hard work. If anything went wrong, he would surely be blamed. But with so many people already at the door, turning them away now would make him seem petty. So, he said,
"About a dozen peony plants have bloomed in two batches. One batch opened yesterday, and another bloomed early this morning. They’re incredibly fresh and lovely. I’m sure you’ll like them, Manman. We aren’t like the adults, who are busy talking and socializing. It’s no big deal for us to go in and get a sneak peek."
Xiao Man shook her head and gave him a subtle wink. "Let’s just wait and see them later! I think your family’s courtyard has a very unique design; it seems different from other houses. Why don’t you take us over there for a look instead?"
Seeing Xiao Man’s blatant hint, Jun Rui couldn’t help but laugh. ’This girl gets more and more interesting,’ he thought. He gladly took the out she was offering, leading the dozen or so teenagers away from the greenhouse and toward a small side courtyard on the right.
The side courtyard had an exquisite layout. The decorations on the portico and windowsills were rustic and charming. The yard also contained numerous animal-shaped stone and wood carvings. They were lifelike, smooth, and clean, showing obvious signs of being frequently climbed on by children. Sure enough, Jun Rui smiled and told everyone, "You could call this our family’s kindergarten. For generations, all the children have played and learned to read and write here."
It was cold, so no one was particularly interested in playing on the animal sculptures. They simply walked a lap around the courtyard, exited through a vase-shaped doorway on the other side, and followed a covered walkway back to the front courtyard.
Xiao Man saw that the Gu family had arrived—Grandpa Gu and Granny Gu, Gu Qiming and his wife, Gu Qiyuan and his wife, and several grandchildren, including the brothers Shaolian and Shao Jin. The Gu family alone, she noted, was large enough to fill an entire table.
Old Sir Jun, Mr. and Mrs. Jun, and Jun Ran were exchanging pleasantries with the Gu family. Jun Ran attentively supported Granny Gu by the arm, turning her head slightly to chat with Zhou Hui Lan and Tian Xueqin. Her smile was radiant and sweet. She wore a light, silk-padded jacket of pink, embroidered satin that not only made her delicate skin look as lovely as a flower and accentuated her slender figure, but also gave her a warm and festive appearance. She had the perfect charm of a well-bred young lady—exactly the kind that grandmothers and aunts adored.