Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 648: His Indescribable Protective Affection (1)_1

Chapter 648: Chapter 648: His Indescribable Protective Affection (1)_1

Cousins who supported each other for so many years, Chu Heng knew exactly what kind of person his cousin was. Put nicely, he was dignified and composed; put bluntly, he was cold-hearted and emotionless, fated to a solitary life. When had he ever seen him with such a look of embarrassment and annoyance?

In Jing City, which young master from a prominent family wasn’t surrounded by wives and concubines, children running all over the place by the age of twenty-three? Yet his cousin didn’t even have a woman to attend to him in his chambers, let alone children. At one point, he had suspected his cousin of having some hidden ailment; otherwise, how could he have endured these years with only stiff male attendants by his side?

Miss Mo had not yet married into the family when his cousin began to defend her, obviously having formed a deep attachment. Given his stubborn nature, once set on something, not even ten horses could drag him back, it was unlikely he would transfer his affections elsewhere, nor could anyone force him to accept another woman.

With a silent sigh, Chu Heng thought to himself, "It’s really ’hard to keep a good man down’!"

Although Miss Mo was of low birth, so low that she wouldn’t even qualify to be his cousin’s concubine, she had, after all, saved his own life. Even if he was unsatisfied, he couldn’t bring himself to break them apart.

Moreover, she had saved his cousin’s life as well and was clearly a kindhearted and virtuous young lady, not without her merits. And since his cousin didn’t care about the social status of his future wife, who was he, as an older cousin, to say anything?

Thinking this, Chu Heng’s expression relaxed as he looked at his cousin, noticing the hidden tension in his eyes, and said helplessly, "Do you really see your cousin as the kind of person who can’t tell right from wrong, one who would repay kindness with ingratitude? That woman, even if she is Miss Mo’s birth mother, ceased to bear any relation to Miss Mo from the day she eloped with Mr. Chen! Moreover, since Miss Mo’s last name is Mo and she stood up for your cousin today, I will remember this favor!"

Xiao Ruiyuan, hearing this, gradually smoothed the slight frown between his brows and a faint smile graced his cool lips, dazzling amidst the room’s glow, "Thank you, cousin!"

Even though Chu Heng had long known that this cousin of his possessed an unparalleled beauty, rarely seen in this world, he was still bedazzled by this seldom-seen smile. After a momentary daze, he couldn’t help but joke, "From now on, I will never stand with you again; otherwise, as the Crown Prince of a Country, to be reduced to merely a backdrop for your brilliance would certainly make people laugh their heads off!"

Xiao Ruiyuan did not understand his cousin’s words at first, but when he did, he couldn’t help but grimace. In his eyes, physical appearance was just a shell, something he had never paid much attention to. Now being teased by his cousin, a grown man compared to a delicate flower, it was no wonder his mood soured!

Yet, in his mind, an image involuntarily formed.

He vaguely remembered that whenever he unconsciously smiled in her presence, she would always gaze intently at him, that innocent and clumsy expression firmly etched in his mind. It seemed that with each time, her eyes revealed different emotions...

Chu Heng certainly wouldn’t have guessed that his words would stir up his cousin’s longing. At this moment, as his cousin looked at him but his gaze wandered off to who knows where, his lips curved into the same stunning smile he had shown earlier. To the unknowing, this smile was breathtaking, but to him, it was almost frightful!

Could his cousin have gone mad? Normally, a smile from him was rare in a year, and yet here he was, smiling twice within a few moments?

Xiao Ruiyuan snapped out of his reverie only to see his cousin staring at him as if he had seen a ghost. Shifting uneasily, he cleverly diverted the topic, "The Lin family has been quite active lately, all pointing to this year’s autumn examinations. Cousin, what are your plans?"