Chapter 553: Chapter 195: Couple Outfits

After two consecutive days of rain, the morning of the third day finally cleared up.

Under the leaves at the end of the alley, the fragrance of gardenias no longer lingered, only broken branches lay scattered on the ground. Duan Xiaoyan got up early in the morning and specially changed into a brand-new peacock green cross-collared brocade robe, hanging a brocade pouch with a playful mandarin duck at his waist, he happily went to look for Pei Yunmeng.

Today was the day of Renxin Medical Hall’s fiftieth anniversary banquet.

The Medical Hall had only sent an invitation to Pei Yunmeng and overlooked everyone else, so Duan Xiaoyan sneaked over to Renxin Medical Hall himself, brazenly asked Yin Zheng for an invitation.

Upon reaching Pei Mansion, Duan Xiaoyan greeted Qingfeng, and the moment he entered the house, he saw Pei Yunmeng walking out from inside.

He was dressed in a vermilion swallow-patterned round-necked large-sleeve brocade robe, cinched at the waist with a black rhino belt, which set off his rosy lips and white teeth, his handsome and bright demeanor was very striking at first glance.

However, Duan Xiaoyan frowned.

"Brother, your outfit looks too much like the official uniform. Anyone who doesn’t know better might think you are on duty again, ready to raid the Medical Hall."

As though reminded of the unpleasant memory of the raid on Renxin Medical Hall on an autumn night, Pei Yunmeng’s expression briefly paused, he glanced at him, and turned to go back inside.

Duan Xiaoyan hurriedly followed.

Pei Yunmeng went back inside, approached the purple sandalwood dark Eight Immortals cabinet behind the screen, opened the doors, and reached to take out a narrow-sleeved brocade robe with a soap-colored eagle pattern.

Duan Xiaoyan leaned in close and shook his head in disapproval, "No good, Doctor Lu usually likes to wear white, and you wearing black would make you look like an inauspicious harbinger, wouldn’t it?"

Pei Yunmeng: "..."

He then picked up a tea-white lan robe, which Duan Xiaoyan promptly cautioned against in alarm, "It’s a celebration banquet, wearing white would be inauspicious, totally inappropriate!"

With a "whoosh,"

Pei Yunmeng dropped the clothing in his hands and spoke calmly, "Duan Xiaoyan."

"Present!"

The young man jolted and quickly defended himself, "I’m telling the truth, if you don’t believe me, ask Qingfeng."

Qingfeng, who was just passing by the doorway, promptly turned his head to look skyward.

Duan Xiaoyan looked earnestly at him, "Brother, I’m helping you. Today at the Medical Hall’s banquet, that Young Master Ji from the Medical Officer Institute will be there."

"That young master is not bad-looking either. Once the banquet starts and the rivalry between the men begins, those who look plain will be embarrassed. What if Young Master Ji dresses extravagantly and wins Doctor Lu’s heart in one fell swoop? The taste of jealousy is very unpleasant."

Pei Yunmeng let out a cold chuckle, "What a joke. Why would I be jealous?"

"Because Deputy Envoy Xiao said women always care about their former husbands..."

The rest of the words gradually died out under Pei Yunmeng’s icy gaze.

Duan Xiaoyan coughed lightly and took the initiative to look through Pei Yunmeng’s wardrobe, "Brother, rest assured, with me here, I will not allow us from the Palace Front Office to be outdone by others. I will dress you up—"

He opened the wardrobe.

Pei Yunmeng had many clothes, most of which were made for him by Pei Yunshu. He was handsome and didn’t fuss over clothes, looking handsome even in a casual official uniform. Hence, most of his wardrobe was filled with black, white, and the vermillion color of official uniforms, with other colors also present but less frequently worn.

Duan Xiaoyan critically looked them over one by one, finally picking out a brocade robe from the very corner of the wardrobe.

It was a brand-new palace brocade lan robe in a clean, light blue color, embroidered with fine white cloud patterns, looking clean and cool at first glance.

"This one is good!" Duan Xiaoyan exclaimed.

Pei Yunmeng glanced at it, a slight frown on his brows.

This was tailored for him by Pei Yunshu’s orders.

He had always avoided wearing such softly delicate colors, so the robe had been stored in the wardrobe for a long time without ever being worn, but Duan Xiaoyan had managed to find it.

"The color of this one isn’t bad!" Holding up the robe with enthusiasm, Duan Xiaoyan said, "Brother, think about it, Doctor Lu usually wears blue besides white."

"You wear blue today, and if she wears blue too, the two of you will match unwittingly, showing perfect harmony. When Young Master Ji sees this, won’t he back off? Right, Qingfeng?"

Qingfeng, standing at the doorway, earnestly looked into the distance, pretending not to have heard Duan Xiaoyan’s words.

Pei Yunmeng glanced at the robe.

The light blue robe reminiscent of the sky after rain or a pale blue lake, its cool color indeed matched the temperament of another person.

His brother continued asking beside him, "Brother, how about this one?"

He looked away, snorting dismissively,

"I don’t want it."

...

"Crackle and pop——"

In front of Renxin Medical Hall, it was bustling.

The bright red firecrackers hanging from Li Zishu branches crackled and popped merrily, their shredded paper debris decorating the branches and leaves, adding bright touches of red to the vibrant green.

Du Changqing piled the straw-woven pots on the table outside the door, this was a cooling herbal tea meant as a free giveaway to those who came in to purchase medicine.

Ah Cheng and Yin Zheng stood at the Medical Officer Institute, distributing some stewed herbal tea to the passersby. As the celebration banquet began, some kind of spectacle was necessary. Renxin Medical Hall couldn’t afford to give away expensive items like those big restaurants on Qinghe Street, but it didn’t seem proper to just say "welcome back" to passing people, so instead they offered a red paper written by Yin Zheng with the words "strong body, long life" on it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read