Chapter 16 was recognized? Impossible!

"Quickly, quickly, give this to me," Hua Niang urged anxiously, "Go and urge Fatty Wu to hurry up and work on the stove!"

"Ninth Miss is waiting for her meal, tell him to hurry up and finish it for me!"

The waiter carrying the dishes ran off in a hurry.

The maidservant personally served the dish, carrying a plate: "This is the new Rouge Drunken Shrimp from the Flower Garden Ode. The guests who have come here all say it's delicious. Miss, you should try it too."

Si Niannian obligingly picked one up, took only one bite, and then put it down without moving.

"generally."

The flower lady quickly moved the plate away, saying with a wry smile, "You've always had a picky palate."

"Even the most delicate cat cannot be as particular about its food as you."

Si Niannian's taste encompasses both northern and southern flavors, and she doesn't favor any particular style.

However, when it comes to being particular about ingredients, cooking time, and seasoning, if Si Niannian humbly considers herself second, then there is no one more picky than her.

Si Niannian nodded twice in agreement, indicating that you were right.

Hua Niang couldn't help but ask curiously, "Logically speaking, the Song family should have a cook, but the cook's skills don't suit your taste, Miss?"

Si Niannian's expression was complicated.

Hua Niang, being understanding, said, "How about this, I'll find a way to get Fatty Wu into the Song family's inner kitchen?"

Si Niannian pouted, took a sip of refreshing tea, and said, "Never mind."

The Song family is unworthy; why bury such a good cook?

Hua Niang wanted to ask more, but Si Niannian wasn't in the mood for conversation and abruptly changed the subject: "Have you arranged everything I asked you to prepare?"

“Everything is ready,” Hua Niang said, listing the fabrics. “They are all the kinds of fabrics you are used to wearing, and there are plenty of them.”

She just didn't understand why they only prepared clothes that were close to the skin.

as well as……

Hua Niannian looked at Si Niannian's obviously old clothes, then changed the subject, pointing to her own coarse cloth outfit that she had specially changed into, and said jokingly, "I'm all dressed up."

"Don't worry, young lady. I know how to speak when I deliver things to the Song family."

As long as Si Niannian doesn't want to mention it, she will never let the Song family suspect her background.

“And this,” Hua Niang said, handing an envelope to Si Niannian. “This is Song Mo’s answer sheet from Qingyang Academy.”

Si Niannian's trip to the Song family was not entirely unprepared.

However, news related to Song Mo arrived the fastest.

Si Niannian opened the envelope and glanced at it briefly. Her originally dull expression gradually turned into a subtle smile.

That's it?

Si Niannian asked in surprise, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"How could it be wrong?"

Hua Niang suppressed a laugh and said, "I received your message and investigated overnight; there's absolutely no mistake."

Si Niannian threw the paper on the ground as if it were dirty to her eyes, and said quietly, "I was obviously overthinking it."

If it were based on genuine talent and learning, Song Mo would definitely not have been able to get into Qingyang Academy.

The closest he ever came to Qingyang Academy in his life was when he brought back Qingyang pastries for Song Qinghan from afar.

The flower girl lowered her head, suppressing a laugh.

After eating and drinking her fill, Si Niannian felt a little lazy. She yawned and said, "I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me up in an hour. Also, prepare some snacks for me to take with me."

An hour later, Si Niannian came downstairs carrying her things.

But as soon as she stepped out of the private room, she heard a sharp shout: "Stop! What are you doing here?!"

Si Niannian raised her hand to adjust her veil without making a sound.

The speaker was furious: "My young master has booked the entire third floor, and you..."

"Manager Tian has misunderstood," Old Ding, the owner of Huajianfu, jogged out and explained with a smile, "These are our kitchen helpers, they were just tidying things upstairs."

Old Ding glared at Si Niannian: "Aren't you leaving yet?"

Si Niannian nodded meekly, but under Steward Tian's glare, she didn't have time to turn around and go through the side door, so she could only quicken her pace down the stairs.

Seeing Si Niannian rolling around, Steward Tian turned and glared at Old Ding: "My young master is hosting a distinguished guest from the Duke's mansion today! There can't be the slightest mistake!"

"You all better keep your guard up, or don't blame us if you neglect our distinguished guests..."

"arrive!"

The messenger outside shouted urgently, "Master Xie Jiu has arrived!"

Manager Tian rushed downstairs in a flurry of activity to greet the distinguished guest.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the entourage, well-trained, took their positions, conveniently blocking Si Niannian inside the doorway.

Si Niannian rolled her eyes discreetly behind her gauze hat, pretending to be afraid of offending a noble person, and very tactfully shrank to the side where it wouldn't be in the way.

Tian Ye, who was hosting the dinner, dismounted first and eagerly extended his hand: "Uncle Jiu, let me help you?"

Jie Ge'an didn't even look up at him, and strode inside on his own.

Undeterred, Tianye approached with a forced smile and said, "Uncle Jiu, before I came here, my father specifically told me to make sure I accompanied you properly to fulfill my filial duties and to make up for the lack of brotherly affection he had with you over the years."

Tian Ye was three years older than Jie Ge'an. He had a rugged face, a fat head and big ears. Standing next to the handsome Jie Ge'an, he looked more like an older elder.

But he kept calling him "Uncle Nine" so enthusiastically that Si Niannian found it almost unbearable to watch.

What's the difference between this and watching a wild boar yelling at people?

Jie Ge'an clearly wasn't buying it.

Jie Ge'an gave him a half-smile and said, "Your father is very thoughtful."

Tianye became even more enthusiastic: "Of course! My father has been thinking about you, Uncle Jiu, all these years!"

"My father wants me to return to Yujing so that I can always be filial to my Ninth Uncle and serve him faithfully. I will do anything for him, even risk my life!"

Jie Ge'an gave a curt "hmm" that was hard to decipher, paused silently as he entered the room, and suddenly turned to look in Si Niannian's direction.

Tianye asked nervously, "Uncle Jiu?"

Jie Ge'an's gaze fell on Si Niannian's veil, and he casually remarked, "It smells quite nice."

Si Niannian: "???"

Tianye looked around blankly, staring at Si Niannian, whose upper body was covered by a veil. He had a shrewd look on his face, as if he had finally figured things out, and he couldn't wait to interject: "This woman has a slender figure, so the face under the veil must be..."

“I’m talking about what she’s holding,” Jie Ge’an glanced at him, speaking lightly amidst the changing colors of the fields, “What is it? It smells so good?”

Si Niannian's lips twitched violently, and she simply raised her hand, mumbling a few indistinct "uh-huh" sounds.

Jie Ge'an slowly narrowed his eyes.

Old Ding quickly explained, "In reply to your question, sir, she is carrying some pastries from the shop, but this girl is mute and cannot speak."

Si Niannian nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice.

Yes, that's right, I'm mute!

Jie Ge paused for a moment, then looked somewhat annoyed: "I'm sorry."

"Is the young lady going out?"

Si Niannian quickly shook her head and then nodded, thinking to herself, "You better get in here and make way for me."

Unexpectedly, Jie Ge'an stepped aside and gave way!

Jie Ge'an gestured for her to go first, displaying the gentle and refined demeanor of a young master from a prominent family: "Please go first, young lady."

Si Niannian: "..."

Were you recognized?

impossible!

Si Niannian quickly dismissed the thought in her mind.

With that veil on her, Jie Ge'an couldn't even tell if she was human or ghost, so how could he possibly recognize her?

But Xie Ge'an is like this...

Si Niannian sensed something subtly amiss, but didn't have time to ponder it further.

She bowed repeatedly to Jie Ge'an in a panic, then quickly brushed past him and ran away with the food box in her arms.

Jie Ge'an made a gesture without making a sound, and the moment someone chased after him outside the door, a faint dark light flashed in his eyes.

He had only ever smelled this peculiar fragrance on one other person...

Unaware of anything amiss, Tianye excitedly exclaimed, "Uncle Jiu, let's go upstairs!"

He finally got to see Jiegean today, and he was determined to get things done no matter what!

Jie Ge'an smiled and walked ahead.

Soon after, Si Niannian noticed the extra tail behind her and gritted her teeth in anger.

Is Jie Ge'an mentally unstable?!

If you want some snacks, can't you just go buy them yourself?

Sending people to follow her? Are they planning to rob her right under the emperor's nose?!