âBrother Yang!â
Xiao Yeyang had finally got rid of everyone else and was about to have Defu go find Daohua, but as soon as he entered the courtyard, he was blocked by Jiang Wanying.
âWhy arenât you with the other ladies?â
Jiang Wanying smiled, âWanying was specially waiting here for Brother Yang.â
Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang couldnât help furrowing his brow, took a deep breath to suppress the impatience in his heart, and said in a deep voice, âWhat is it?â
Jiang Wanying dipped her head and smiled, âLast time Brother Yang specially took time out to accompany Wanying to see the doctor, I have been very grateful. After taking the medicine, I feel much better.â
Xiao Yeyang, âThatâs good.â
Accompanying cousin Wanying to see the doctor was for two reasons, first, he remembered the affinity from their childhood years and hoped she would have good health; second, as the Jiang Family had just arrived in Zhongzhou and was unfamiliar with the local circumstances, and considering the Empress Dowagerâs position, he didnât feel it would be right to refuse.
âAnything else? If not, Iâll be leaving.â
With that, Xiao Yeyang lifted his foot to leave.
Jiang Wanying hastily called out to him, âBrother Yang, why are you still so impatient? I havenât finished speaking yet.â
âThen speak quickly, donât dawdle, I have other things to attend to!â Xiao Yeyang was truly getting impatient. It was almost time for dinner, and he still hadnât had the chance to exchange even a word with Daohua.
Sensing Xiao Yeyangâs brusque tone, Jiang Wanying felt somewhat displeased and a little wronged.
She also felt that Brother Yang had very little patience with her.
Seeing Jiang Wanying fall silent again, Xiao Yeyang was instantly speechless, too tired to ask further, and he turned to leave.
However, he hadnât taken many steps before he saw Yan Wenkai, Dong Yuanxuan, and a group of people coming over.
There went his chance to meet with Daohua.
âLittle Prince, so you are here!â
âAnd Miss Jiang is here too!â
Everyoneâs gazes swept over Xiao Yeyang and Jiang Wanying, then they bowed their heads and chuckled, with some ambiguous teasing among them.
Seeing their behavior, Xiao Yeyang felt extremely displeased. Already somewhat angry, his face turned cold, âWhat are you doing?â
Realizing that Xiao Yeyang was not happy, everyone quickly wiped the smiles off their faces.
Having fought bandits, provided disaster relief, and occasionally trained in the military camp, the Xiao Yeyang of today exuded an impressively formidable aura when angered.
In an instant, nobody dared to speak.
Jiang Wanying saw Xiao Yeyang like this, feeling somewhat startled and also a bit alienated.
At this moment, she couldnât reconcile the person before her with the memory of the little boy who had been bullied by the princes and princesses and could only hide and silently wipe away tears.
The atmosphere on the scene became somewhat chilled for a time.
Dong Yuanxuan made several attempts to speak and break the ice but, meeting the Little Princeâs indifferent gaze, swallowed his words back.
âYo, what game is everyone playing here?â
In the silence, a mocking voice rang out.
Everyone looked up to see several ladies laughing and looking over.
Jiang Wanying came back to her senses, turned her head, and saw it was Dong Yuanyao and the others.
At the sound of the voice, Xiao Yeyang immediately turned his head, his gaze straight away falling on Daohua. Watching her laugh behind her fan, his disgruntled mood instantly improved.
Dong Yuanxuan and the others also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Daohua and her companions.
Seeing Jiang Wanying was there, Daohua was not planning to come over at first, but her Fourth Brother kept giving her meaningful glances, asking her to come over and smooth things over. Considering today was, after all, Xiao Yeyangâs birthday, she didnât want to make a scene, so she walked over with a smile.
Dong Yuanyao, Zhou Jingwan, and Su Shiyu hurriedly followed along.
As they approached Xiao Yeyang, Daohua stopped and watched everyone with a smile, âAre you all playing a game of staring? It looks quite amusing.â
Dong Yuanyao took over the conversation, âIs this a new game you came up with after getting tired of reciting poetry?â
Su Shiyu chuckled, âThe game is fun, but everyone is just standing around, which seems a bit boring. Letâs think of something else to play.â
Zhou Jingwan saw that the other three had spoken, so she added, âHow about this? Since today is the Little Princeâs birthday, and everyone has prepared gifts, why donât we see whose gift is the best, okay?â
The four girls each said a line, directly breaking the previously chilly atmosphere.
Yan Wenkai immediately responded, âThatâs a good idea. I happen to know Su Hongxin is quite stingy. When it was my birthday, he just gave me a pen. This time I really want to see what gift heâs given the Little Prince.â
Su Hongxin was not having it, âMe, stingy? Iâm much more generous than you! Do you all know what he gave me for my birthday? A skewer of sugar-coated haws, as if to treat me like a little child!â
At this remark, everyone couldnât help but laugh.
Daohua and the others also couldnât contain their amusement.
Seeing Daohua laugh, Xiao Yeyang couldnât help but show a smile on his face as well.
Jiang Wanying stood quietly on the side, watching everyoneâs reactions, and suddenly realized she felt like an outsider. She couldnât help but speak up, âMiss Zhouâs suggestion is indeed good. Why donât we call the other ladies over too, to liven things up a bit.â
Having said that, and seeing Xiao Yeyang didnât object, she quickly gestured for the maid to go and call people over.
Soon, everyone gathered in the pavilion nearby.
Zhou Jingwan was the first to stand up, âSince it was my idea, Iâll go first,â she said, and placed a pen on the table.
Dong Yuanyao was the second, her gift was a piece of Songyan Ink.
Su Shiyu was third, with a stack of fine Xuan paper.
Everyone looked at these three gifts and couldnât help but find it amusing.
âThese brush, ink, and paper, now it seems weâre just missing an inkstone.â
Everyoneâs eyes turned to Daohua, and Xiao Yeyang also looked over.
Daohua thought of the pigâs head cake she had made and felt a bit hesitant to bring it out in front of everyone.
Jiang Wanying, seeing this, thought ally that Daohuaâs gift might be embarrassing and immediately said in kindness, âMiss Yan, a gift is merely a token of the heart, it doesnât have to be expensive.â
Daohua smiled sheepishly, âI think mine got messed upâ¦â
âIt hasnât gotten messed up, itâs not messed up at all, I brought it for you!â
Watching her eldest brother bring over the nearly two-foot in diameter pigâs head cake she had made, Daohua really felt an urge to cover her face.
âWhatâs this?â
Nobody had seen it before and all showed curious faces.
âI know, I know, this is a birthday cake.â Zhou Jingwan said loudly. âIâll tell you, itâs so delicious. Itâs so big, there will definitely be enough for us to share.â She finished her sentence, eagerly swallowing her saliva.
Seeing her like that, everyone immediately urged Yan Wenkai to open this so-called birthday cake.
Yan Wenkai looked at Xiao Yeyang, and seeing no objection from him, happily opened it.
Soon, a pink pigâs head appeared in everyoneâs sight.
The most eye-catching part was the three conspicuous characters written on the pigâs head â Xiao Yeyang.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Looking at the cake, Dong Yuanxuan and the others couldnât help but twitch the corners of their mouths, and Xiao Yeyang also stared dumbfoundedly at Daohua.
âHehe~â
Daohua smiled sheepishly, fanning herself with her round fan, âLook at my memory, I left out a few words.â Saying so, she earnestly explained to Xiao Yeyang, âMy original intention was to write âHappy Birthday Xiao Yeyang,â not to imply youâre a pigâs head.â