âDid I say something wrong?â Daohua asked Xiao Yeyang in a low voice.
Xiao Yeyang gave her a somewhat speechless look and replied quietly, âYour elder brother was right, you should really read fewer idle books in the future and not always talk about beauties.â
Coming to a sudden realization, Daohua said, âSo that was the reason. But I quickly grew dissatisfied, âWhatâs wrong with talking about beauties? Everyone has a love for beauty. I donât believe that you guys wouldnât take a second look if you saw a beauty.â
As she spoke, she reflected on her previous comment, âI didnât say anything inappropriate, is there a need to make such a fuss over it!â
Now it was Xiao Yeyangâs turn to open his mouth and not know what to say. He was silent for a while before responding, âAnyway, just try to speak less of such things in front of others.â
Daohua pouted, aware that this was ancient times. Some words that seemed fine to her were not seen the same way by the ancient people. She murmured unhappily, âIâll be careful in the future.â
Seeing Daohua quiet down, Xiao Yeyang thought for a moment before saying, âOf course, I donât mind these things. You can say whatever you want to me.â
Hearing this, De Fu glanced at his master and suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed, so he straightened his neck and started stargazing again.
He found that whenever the Miss of the Yan Family was around, he seemed to look at the sky quite a bit more!
Seeing Xiao Yeyang comforting her, Daohua smiled, tilted her head, and said in a low voice, âMy elder brother is just like that, old-fashioned and serious, always talking about propriety and etiquette. I donât even dare joke around in front of him.â
Xiao Yeyang nodded in agreement, âIndeed, your elder brother isnât as fun as your fourth brother.â
Zhou Chengye, seeing the atmosphere getting a bit dull, immediately stood up to liven up the mood, âThis acting troupe is currently the most popular Shuangxi Troupe in Zhongzhou Province, deeply adored by everyone. Iâve heard that itâs very hard to get a seat at their performances.â
âWe went to great lengths to invite this troupe to perform for my grandfatherâs birthday celebration.â
Daohua was curious, âAre acting troupes really that popular?â
Xiao Yeyang answered, âItâs like that for troupes with famous actors. This Shuangxi Troupe has two celebrated actors, one is that beauty you just pointed out⦠I believe her name is An Xi, and the other one is Ning Xi.â
âThey both have great singing abilities, and their figures⦠and appearances are also appealing, so theyâre very popular!â
Daohua wondered, âHow do you know so much about it?â
Xiao Yeyang explained, âDuring the Mid-Autumn Festival, my uncle hosted a banquet for Zhongzhou Province officials and invited this Shuangxi Troupe. I listened in for a while.â
Daohua nodded, not asking any more questions.
At that moment, Zhou Jingwan arrived with the servants carrying refreshments.
âWhat is this?â Daohua curiously looked at the Zhou Familyâs pastries, which smelled quite fragrant.
Xiao Yeyang pushed a plate toward her, âThis is birdâs nest cake; go ahead and try it.â
Daohuaâs face lit up, âBirdâs nest, is it? Then I must give it a good taste.â Saying this, she picked up a piece and started eating, âHmm⦠not bad, you should have some too!â
Xiao Yeyang, seeing Daohua enjoying it, also took a piece and chewed slowly, and seeing her take another piece, he asked, âDo you like this?â
He felt that the taste was not even as good as the pastries he had at Daohuaâs home last time.
Daohua nodded, âMainly because Iâve never had birdâs nest.â
Xiao Yeyang was silent, âIf you like it, Iâll send you some. I still have some top-quality blood birdâs nest, I donât like it, so you can have it.â
Daohua hesitated, âThat doesnât seem right, I feel like Iâm always taking your things.â As she spoke, she touched the pocket watch in her breast pocket, she had taken this gift and had yet to reciprocate.
De Fu: Be confident, itâs not just a feeling, itâs definitely like that.
Xiao Yeyang didnât really care, âAnyway, I donât eat it, itâs just a waste to keep it there.â
De Fu: It wouldnât be a waste, he has been keeping everything in good condition.
Daohua fell silent for a moment, knowing that the blood birdâs nest that Xiao Yeyang had was not something one could buy outside. It would be great for her grandmother and motherâs health.
But to just take someoneâs belongingsâ¦
After thinking it over, Daohua asked Xiao Yeyang in a low voice, âDo you want ginseng?â The medicinal plants she grew in her space included ginseng, which was quite precious.
âHm?â Xiao Yeyang immediately looked at her, and even De Fu looked down at Daohua.
âItâs the same kind that I gave you last time. I still haveâ¦â Daohua raised her index finger on her right hand, and considering the pocket watch that she hadnât reciprocated, she raised her middle finger too.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIâve got two more, Iâll give them both to you!â
Xiao Yeyang looked at Daohua in silence for a while, âAre they still fresh?â
Daohua shook her head, âNo, Iâve processed it before.â Last time I gave Xiao Yeyang the fresh ones because there wasnât enough time, but if I do that again, he would start to suspect the source of the ginseng.â
Xiao Yeyang frowned, âDo you know how to process it?â
Daohua immediately sat up straight, âOf course, Iâve read a lot of medical books.â
Xiao Yeyang was speechless, how many medical books could a ten-year-old girl have read? He was convinced that Daohua must be messing around again, and he wondered if the ginseng had been ruined by her.
Speaking of ginseng, he remembered the medicinal bath packets, so he asked, âThe medicinal bath packets you provided for Yan Wentao and the others, did you make them yourself?â
âOf course, arenât they very effective?â Daohua looked at Xiao Yeyang with a proud face, thinking to herself, even if youâre from the imperial family, the medicinal bath recipe is from the future, improved several times over, and the medicines I used are all from my space, their effects are absolutely top-notch.
Thinking this way, she felt a lot better in her heart, she hadnât just been takingâshe had given Xiao Yeyang quite a few good things as well.
Xiao Yeyang hesitated for a moment, âDo you have the recipe?â After saying that, he hastily added, âIâll buy it!â
Daohua was stunned, then magnanimously waved her hand, âThe recipe? You donât need to buy it, Iâll give it to you, itâs not a big deal!â As a master of traditional Chinese medicine, she was not short of various formulas.
Seeing that Xiao Yeyang and De Fu were staring straight at her without speaking, Daohua smiled modestly, âWhatâs the matter, dazzled by my magnanimity?â
At her words, Xiao Yeyang and De Fu simultaneously looked away.
Daohua pursed her lips in disappointment.
âI can finally take a break!â
After serving tea and snacks to everyone, Zhou Jingwan came to sit next to Daohua.
Daohua immediately pushed the birdâs nest cake towards her, âYouâve been working hard, eat something.â
Zhou Jingwan nodded, âI am a bit hungry.â
At this point, the company was no longer looking over as they had been when Xiao Yeyang first arrived, but the number of women near the stage was increasing.
Daohua thought for a moment, turned to Xiao Yeyang, and asked curiously, âArenât you going to meet other people at the front?â
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yeyangâs expression became somewhat indifferent, âNo need.â
Originally, he thought Daohua would be like everyone else, advising him to temper his temper and to do something obedient and modest. But after waiting a while, there was no sign of it, and when he turned his head, he saw her eyes shining brightly at him.
âWhat are you doing?â Xiao Yeyang was puzzled.
Daohua looked at him enviously, âYouâre really lucky, you can do whatever you want, without having to cater to others.â
Xiao Yeyangâs expression shifted slightly, âDonât you think Iâm too arrogant?â
Daohua shook her head, âNot at all, if you have the status and the confidence, why lower yourself to do things you donât like?â
If she were a prestigious princess or something, she certainly wouldnât do things she didnât like. She would be a happy freeloader, watching the drama from the sidelinesâwhy struggle for power and rights?
Xiao Yeyang nodded in agreement, âExactly.â Why bother courting officials, and doing things like being modest to the virtuous? Why should he do those things?
He didnât need them, nor was he a prince who needed to make allies. He really didnât understand why his uncle always made him meet with those nonsensical officials.
So what if his father didnât pass the throne to him? Couldnât he carve out a future for himself?
âBut this way, surely people will talk behind your back.â In Beijing, his reputation wasnât very good.
Daohua said in surprise, âI donât see you as someone who cares about what others think. As long as you live comfortably, why bother with other people?â
As she spoke, she winked playfully, âDonât you think itâs quite enjoyable to see others get angry but feel helpless about it?â
At that, Xiao Yeyang was genuinely stunned.
From the first time he met Daohua, he knew she was not easy to deal with, and that if anyone provoked her, she would definitely fight back.
But at that time, she was disguised as a boy, and itâs normal for boys to be wild. But now, sheâs a delicate boudoir girl; arenât young girls supposed to be gentle and quiet?
Seeing Xiao Yeyang dumbfounded, Daohua didnât continue. She smiled, turned her head, and started talking to Zhou Jingwan.
Life is just a few decades short, and if one has the ability to live more comfortably, why seek out hardship?
Xiao Yeyang composed himself and couldnât help but look over at Daohua, who was whispering with Zhou Jingwan. His lips slowly curved into a smile.
This person⦠really had ideas similar to his own.