Chapter 18 - Petty Tricks
Nan Hua followed Nan Luo into the backyard. There were many children who were already there and played around. Children below the age of 10 were commonly seen to be running around here and there.
They might have learned some etiquette, but upon seeing other children, they naturally wanted to play together.
"Brother Feng Ao Si, how about if we have a spar?" Nan Luo's eyes immediately noticed the wooden swords that were placed there. As Long Family was a family of generals, it was not weird to see some weapon for training at the backyard.
Feng Ao Si's eyes shone when he heard Nan Luo's suggestion. "Sure! I'll show you what I got after practicing at the frontline!"
"In that case, I'll be waiting for your performance." Nan Luo was also confident in himself.
Feng Ao Kuai looked at his brother before pointing to the table and chairs. "Brother, Luo, I'll watch with Nan Hua there."
"Sure!"
"Nan Hua, watch properly as your brother beat up Brother Feng Ao Si!"
"What? Do you really think that you can defeat me? Dream on!"
The two of them took the wooden swords and other children tactfully moved away. Looking at their difference in built, many people thought that it was quite the unfair fight. Feng Ao Si was around five years older than Nan Luo, which naturally contributed to their difference in height for around one head or slightly more.
It looked like a teenager bullying a child.
Though, Nan Luo was not one to let himself be bullied.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
As the two of them traded blows, Nan Hua sat down on the chair calmly in accordance to the etiquette. After getting intense training with her aunt, Nan Si Qiao, Nan Hua had already restored the elegance that was worthy of her name. In fact, many other children couldn't imitate her as their movements were somewhat rougher and less elegant.
"Little Nan Hua, are you bored?" Feng Ao Kuai asked after some time watching. His dark eyes were carefully watching his surroundings but he was mostly watching his first brother.
Nan Hua's eyes flickered. "No, I'm not bored, Brother Feng Ao Kuai."
"That's good."
At the other side, several girls were also playing around and Nan Hua noticed a familiar face among them. At some unknown point of time, Long Xu Nian had come out and gathered her friends.
Her eyes also landed on Nan Hua and a flash of hatred appeared for a moment. For some reasons, she got into trouble with her grandmother, thus she wouldn't be able to use her usual method to deal with Nan Hua today.
The herbs she had always used were confiscated and the servants were punished heavily.
There were not many servants around her whom she could trust. However, not many didn't mean none.
"It's rare for these children to come out. How about if we play a game?" Long Xu Nian suggested with a faint smile.
"What game, Sister Long?" a younger girl asked in curiosity.
"Have you play a game of tag with your eyes closed? I heard from my brother that it can also increase your senses sharpness." Long Xu Nian smiled, yet there was a trace of coldness in her eyes when she mentioned her brother.
The other ladies around her froze for a moment.
A girl around the same age as Long Xu Nian looked at the other party with questioning gaze. "I don't think it'll be appropriate for us to play such game. We're no longer children."
"That's true." Long Xu Nian let out a laugh. "But it's not the same for the younger ones, right? They must be bored if they have to listen to our conversation."
"I see."
The girls naturally knew what Long Xu Nian wanted. One of them stood up and smiled. "I'll suggest for my sister to play a game then. It would be a waste if she chose to sleep when we're all talking."
"That's a good idea."
While the girls were all gathering more children to play, a young girl also walked over to Nan Hua and Feng Ao Kuai's position. She was around the same age as Nan Hua or perhaps a year younger since she still exuded the innocent aura around her.
"Sister Nan Hua, would you like to play?" the girl asked while wriggling her hands, looking nervous.
Nan Hua glanced at the young girl but she could not remember the girl's name. "Who are you?"
The girl froze for a moment while Feng Ao Kuai nearly spat out the tea he was drinking. It was impolite for one to deliberately asked other people's name by asking 'who are you?' in front of their face.
However, a girl from noble family naturally had learned etiquette and methods to deal with the situation appropriately. She smiled. "This one is Su Ai Yuan, Sister Nan Hua."
Su Ai Yuan.
An unfamiliar name…
Nan Hua had long expected that she would not be able to use the information from the book, so she had asked for some information about the nobles' family from her grandfather. Thanks to him, she naturally knew that Su Family was one of the few noble' family in the Capital City.
But Su Ai Yuan's name was not amongst the main children.
Nan Hua nodded then turned to look at Feng Ao Kuai, who was staring at her. "Cousin Feng Ao Kuai, I would like to play first."
"Be careful, Little Hua."
"En."
Su Ai Yuan smiled happily when she heard that Nan Hua will play together. "Come on, I'll show you together with the others!"
"Okay." Nan Hua nodded and when Su Ai Yuan turned around, her lowered eyes had somehow turned even more indifferent.. She wanted to see just what these children were planning in store for her.