Mid-afternoon
Dongdong was taken home by Xiao Huaiwu and Xiao Huaiting, who finally had some free time to rest.
Three people of different heights walked out in the same posture at the same time. The young man in black put his hands behind his back, leaning his body slightly backward, swaying a little with his steps, revealing a hint of cynicism in his elegance.
The woman also had her hands behind her back, but she had a different kind of heroic posture.
While she was talking to the young man in black, she was also looking at her son on the other side of her with the corner of her eye. When she found that he was imitating the posture of her and her brother, a smile appeared in the corner of her eyes.
Dongdong is ignorant, but he tries hard to imitate adults. Although he is short, he walks in a very cute way.
The doorman saw them passing by and was amused while bowing. He lowered his head and laughed secretly for fear of being discovered.
Suddenly, among the three people, Xiao Huaiwu was the first to stop, sniffed, and asked, "What a strange smell!"
The sweet and milky flavor made her mind conjure up a bunch of delicious foods, which made her unable to walk.
Xiao Huaiting also quickly felt it and was about to explain.
Dongdong smelled it, and his first reaction was that his eyes lit up, and then he ran in one direction excitedly, shouting as he ran: "Sister Shu! What delicious food have you made again!!!"
The boy's clear and loud voice succeeded in frightening Xiao Huaiwu, who had remained calm even in the face of thieves and bandits. He trembled with fear and looked stunned: "Dongdong, what's wrong with you?"
As they were talking, the child had already turned the corner of the aisle and disappeared from their sight.
Xiao Huaiting was amused and smiled: "I told you a long time ago that the sister I brought back is an excellent cook. Dongdong likes to eat her cooking very much. Didn't you eat it too? You forgot it so quickly?"
Xiao Huaiwu has been going out early and coming back late recently, and occasionally he has to go on business trips. He only came back in a hurry to meet Yan Qiushu. Although he also received some food from Yan Qiushu afterwards and thought it was delicious, he didn't expect Dongdong to be so excited?
"Of course I remember. I never thought he would love it this much." She smiled helplessly. Her son's behavior just now was too exaggerated. Out of curiosity and the alluring aroma, she quickened her pace to keep up with her son's route. "I just happened to come back and ran into you by chance. I must try my stepsister's cooking."
Seeing this, Xiao Huaiting, who was also somewhat attracted by the fragrance, quickly followed.
It’s not a good idea for him to go alone, but it would be different if his fourth sister and nephew were together.
As they walked, they found that the closer they got to the yard, the stronger the fragrance became.
When I got to the door, I was dizzy from the smell.
Dongdong had already rushed over, hugging the girl in a light blue dress who was busy at the stove, jumping up and down to show her presence: "Sister Shu! What delicious food are you making this time?"
Yan Qiushu was trimming the edges of a cake roll, the silver blade neatly cutting through the slightly hard corners. Suddenly, she was hugged. She was startled for a moment, but quickly relaxed and said angrily, "Stay away from me! Didn't you say you can't touch me when I'm holding a knife?!"
"Oh~" Dongdong let go of her obediently, took two steps back, and then asked in a baby voice: "Sister Shu~ This smells so good, what is it?"
This well-behaved, obedient and clingy appearance made Xiao Huaiwu, who always felt that her son was a little unsociable, raise an eyebrow, but she kept silent and continued to watch.
"This is called a cake. I'm making a cake roll." Yan Qiushu said with a smile. She didn't notice anyone coming behind her, mainly because she didn't hear the footsteps. Instead, she casually stuffed a piece of the cut cake into Dongdong's mouth: "Try it first. Is it delicious?"
There is only pure cake, without the taste of jam, but it is also sweet and soft.
Currently, the pastries in the Great Zhou Dynasty come in both hard and soft varieties. The more expensive the pastry, the better the taste. However, there is no cake like this one yet, which is soft but not dense. Instead, it is as fluffy as steamed buns, a little more moist than steamed buns, and a little less loose than ordinary pastries. Even the leftovers are exceptionally sweet.
He ate with great relish, nodding his little head repeatedly: "Delicious, delicious!"
Yan Qiushu raised her eyebrows and said, "It must be delicious. I added a lot of sugar."
Sugar is very expensive. She was the first one to use so much sugar. When she saw Aunt Xu's distressed face, she casually asked about the price and felt distressed too. One tael of sugar is one tael of silver!
She whispered with lingering fear: "If it weren't for your house, I definitely wouldn't be able to afford it. Fortunately, here, I can eat whatever I want. Your uncle is really a good man."
Bring her to the Xiao family and verbally acknowledge her as your sister. She will have no worries about food and clothing for the time being and can even save money to buy a farm!
As she spoke, she shook her head and smiled, then picked up the other three scraps, handed one to Aunt Xu, gave one to herself, and kept one for the washbasin used to wash tools.
When giving it to Aunt Xu, the other person kept blinking, as if sand had entered his eyes.
Yan Qiushu didn't care. This kind of thing could be dealt with by just rubbing it.
Unexpectedly, just as she was about to put her portion into her mouth and reach for the peach jam, she turned her head and saw two figures standing behind her.
There were smiles in the eyes of both men, and they just looked at him with their arms crossed. They had similar faces with the same beautiful eyebrows and eyes, but one was more handsome and the other was a little softer.
They didn't look angry, and there was a teasing smile in their eyes.
But talking about people behind their backs, whether it's good or bad, is extremely embarrassing.
Still so caught off guard.
Yan Qiushu was stunned. Her face flushed red all the way to her forehead. Her mind went blank. Instinctively, she wanted to ease the awkwardness she was feeling. So, she subconsciously passed the cake to him and stammered, "W-Would you like to eat it?"
Because Xiao Huaiting was a little closer and it was more convenient for him, Yan Qiushu sent it directly in front of him.
But she didn't know that the two of them, who originally thought it was just fun, now felt a little embarrassed.
Yan Qiushu wanted to eat this cake herself, although she didn't actually eat it. Her action at this time was subconscious, but in this era, it was a little inappropriate.
After all, the two of them did not really recognize each other as sworn siblings. Even if they were, they were not blood relatives, so it still wouldn't work.
The atmosphere was slightly tense. Yan Qiushu didn't understand what was going on, but she panicked a little. Could it be that they were angry because her remarks seemed like she was trying to take advantage of the rich?
Her hand unconsciously began to withdraw.
Those big watery eyes were like a frightened deer. Against the backdrop of her slightly fleshy face, her agility made her look helpless, making people unable to bear to see her continue like this.
At this time, three hands reached out, accompanied by Dongdong's cheerful voice: "If uncle doesn't eat it, I will!"
But it was Xiao Huaiting who got it first. He put it directly into his mouth, his movements revealing a hint of panic in his elegant manner. He chewed the cake while chewing it and swallowed it. After eating, he pretended to be smug and said slyly: "Who said I don't want to eat it?! Mm, it tastes really good, sweet!"
Dongdong didn't get to eat it, but was shown off like this, which made him look very unhappy.
Xiao Huaiting laughed and went over to pinch her cheek to tease her.
Xiao Huaiwu looked at the two people playing around and smiled strangely. When she looked up and saw the little girl still looking at her nervously, she smiled normally again and said softly, "Dongdong, I'm sorry to bother you. This child is a bit naughty. If he gets too naughty, beat him up. Don't be soft-hearted. I've done this many times before."
"No, no, he's very cute, I like him very much!" Yan Qiushu shook her head and handed over the remaining cake: "Miss Fourth, would you like to try it? The cake roll will be ready soon."
"Okay." Xiao Huaiwu took it smoothly this time, tasted it, and saw that his brother and son were already playing aside.
Yan Qiushu returned to the stove and spread sauce on the cake.
The peach jam is a beautiful pink color. Spread it on the light yellow cake, then carefully roll up the cake and cut it into finger-width pieces with a knife.
Aunt Xu used tongs to place the pieces one by one on the plate, stacking six pieces to make a plate.
According to the rules, the whole house will definitely be divided, so it is better to divide it in advance.
After everything was done, Yan Qiushu washed her hands again. After wiping them clean, she took Dongdong, and invited Xiao Huaiting and Xiao Huaiwu to sit down at the stone table in the yard to enjoy the food.
The cake roll was served on a pretty pink round plate.
The light yellow color is mixed with delicate pink, and it is rolled three times to form a chubby circle, lying one next to the other on the plate. The shape alone is very beautiful.
Seeing that they were all staring at each other without moving, Yan Qiushu urged them, "Hurry up and eat! This is hot and delicious!"
As she spoke, one person took a piece.
Dongdong, who was very polite in this regard, waited for his mother to take it before he reached out his hand. Yan Qiushu took a piece last. The cake roll was still warm, and the sweet milky smell kept emanating from it, which smelled tempting. She took a big bite without hesitation and bit off a semicircular hole.
Except for the edges, the rest of the cake is soft and sweet. When your lips and teeth touch it, you can taste the squeezed peach jam on the tip of your tongue.
Taking the sweetness and taste into consideration, Yan Qiushu did not add too much sugar to the peach jam. However, even so, after high-temperature cooking, the sweetness was concentrated, and the sour and sweet taste was still very delicious. There was also the quite grainy flesh in it, and occasionally when you bit it with your teeth, it felt like eating a peach, which was extremely delicious.
She tried to eat it in a big bite, but because the cake roll was a little big, she couldn't eat it all. There was still a little peach jam on her lips. She quickly stretched out her tongue and rolled it, and the peach jam was in her mouth.
So sweet!
But it's also delicious.
Besides Yan Qiushu, Dongdong was also very satisfied with his meal. He finished one piece in just three or two bites, and even licked the peach jam on his hands clean. Then he blinked and said coquettishly, "Sister Shu, I want to eat another piece~"
"Eat it." Yan Qiushu nodded her chin. "This is the last piece. Don't eat the rest, or your teeth will get worms."
"Yeah!" Dongdong nodded quickly, took a piece and continued eating.
This one is sweet and he likes it even more than the double skin milk he had at noon today!
However, Xiao Huaiting and Xiao Huaiwu didn't like it that much. After eating one piece, they didn't take the second one. Yan Qiushu saw that it was a bit too sweet for them, so she quickly asked someone to pour tea: "Chill it."
"Thank you." Xiao Huaiwu was afraid that she would misunderstand, so she explained, "This is delicious, but I don't eat sweets often."
"Well, I know. General Xiao must be the same. Next time, I will give you a separate cake without the peach jam. It will taste better." Yan Qiushu understood very well and said with a smile.
When she smiled, her eyes curved, she looked very cute and lovable, and she spoke confidently while looking straight ahead.
At this moment, Xiao Huaiting looked at her and was also infected. He smiled faintly, but when he came to his senses, he quickly looked away and drank some tea.
Xiao Huaiwu didn't notice it at the moment, but when she heard that they would be given a separate, less sweet cake, her already cheerful mood became even better. "I was quite embarrassed at first, but Miss Yan is so skillful and the things she makes are very delicious, so I shamelessly agreed. I also happen to have some things that little girls can use, I'll have someone send them to you later..."
"No, no, I have everything I need in the house." Yan Qiushu quickly declined. Although she privately grumbled that cooking here not only provided food and accommodation, but also made it much easier to save money, but when she really took it in her hands, she only felt it was a burden, and what she paid was disproportionate to what she got.
"Yes!" Xiao Huaiwu insisted: "If you want to feel bad, make me more delicious food. The spicy chicken wings you had before were delicious!"
At this time, Dongdong, who had finished his second piece of cake roll, raised his hand excitedly and said cheerfully, "Sister Shu, I have a lot of good things for you too. I want to... have another piece..."
Noticing Yan Qiushu looking over, his tone softened: "You can eat it next time."
Yan Qiushu was amused.
Normally, when she cooks or makes snacks, she always adds more or less sugar. Medical technology was not well developed in ancient times, and teeth were difficult to treat, so one couldn't really eat too much. Cakes have too high a sugar content, so one should eat less.
Dongdong has been restricted several times and understands it, so he doesn't force it.
She smiled, her expression softening. Dongdong's courage returned, and hesitantly asked, "When will I eat next time? Tomorrow?"
"Hmm." Yan Qiushu thought for a moment and said, "I can let you eat as much as you want on your birthday."
But birthdays are a big deal and can be an exception. At the same time, in this way, he will definitely stay in the mansion to celebrate his birthday.
As expected, as soon as Yan Qiushu finished speaking, he couldn't wait to nod: "Okay!!!"
Instead, Xiao Huaiting and Xiao Huaiwu were both stunned for a moment, and asked in unison: "Are you celebrating your birthday at home?"
It's no wonder the two asked this question. Dongdong hasn't celebrated his birthday in the Xiao Mansion since he was two years old. For some reason, the Xiao family didn't seem to stop him forcibly, but they also didn't expect him to stay at home.
Dongdong nodded as a matter of course: "Yes! My classmates all want to come to my house to eat what Sister Shu cooks!"
He puffed out his chest with pride, feeling extremely proud.
Ever since he promised them that they could come to his house, their attitude towards him has improved. Although he didn't care before, he could do it alone anyway.
But the feeling is different.
Before, he could actually clearly feel that he was excluded because of the Xiao family's identity. Although he was sitting in the same classroom, he seemed to be in another space. But now it is not like that.
But Xiao Huaiwu thought more and asked, "Have you told your grandparents?"
In the past, on Dongdong’s birthday, the Jiang family always held a grand banquet and took the opportunity to build good relationships with some people. She saw it all, but this time they gave in so quickly?
After hearing this, Dongdong suddenly seemed to remember something, and his smile froze on his face. He said guiltily: "...No, I think I promised my grandma last time that Mu Xiu would go to her place this time."
Xiao Huaiwu just smiled at him without saying anything.
Dongdong nodded and asked expectantly, "Sister Shu, can you come to my grandma's house?"
Yan Qiushu shook her head decisively: "No."
"Ah?" Dongdong was completely disappointed. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "Then I'll go tell grandma that I'll go to her place next time I go on vacation."
Otherwise he would lose faith in his friends.
He often visits his grandmother, so he can postpone the visit a little.
Dongdong finished struggling and looked up at his mother: "Mom, take me to grandma's house. I want to tell her something."
The two parents remained silent throughout the entire process. It was only at this moment that Xiao Huaiwu hesitated and wanted to say something. She felt a weight on her shoulder. Xiao Huaiting patted her shoulder and chuckled, "Go ahead. Dongdong wants to celebrate his birthday at home by himself. What are you afraid of? Besides, I'll protect you, so nothing will happen."
Xiao Huaiwu pursed her lips, and under Dongdong's confused and uneasy gaze, she stood up and said, "Okay, let's go."
The mother and son said goodbye and left. Xiao Huaiting was a step slower and bowed to Yan Qiushu with his hands clasped together.
Yan Qiushu was startled and quickly stepped aside, asking in surprise, "What is General Xiao doing?"
The young man smiled slightly and said slowly, "Miss Yan, thank you for your trouble. I am very grateful to you."
Yan Qiushu's face flushed. Was she really that obvious? Her mouth was faster than her brain, and she subconsciously asked, "Since you all really wanted Dongdong to stay home, why didn't you do it before?"
Xiao Huaiting's starry eyes dimmed slightly, and he shook his head, not answering the question: "Thank you very much, Miss Yan. Speaking of which, the doctor who examined my mother the past two days said that she is much better and no longer as weak as before. It is all thanks to Miss Yan. I owe you a favor. If I can be of any use in the future, I will do my best."
Seeing this, Yan Qiushu stopped asking questions.
That's how it was settled.
Dongdong personally went to tell Mrs. Jiang that celebrating her birthday at the Xiao Mansion was perfectly normal and she couldn't stop it.
Even if she was angry, she didn't dare to be really angry with Dongdong, for fear that the child would become alienated from her. She could only grit her teeth and accept it, and changed the invitation to a flower viewing banquet, saying that the chrysanthemums and osmanthus flowers in the mansion were in full bloom and invited everyone to come and play.
As a result of this change, most of the posts were immediately rejected, leaving only some people whose family backgrounds were not as good as hers and who said they would definitely come.
Soon, the news that the Xiao family's young master's fifth birthday party was to be held spread to everyone in the capital who was concerned about the Xiao family.
After all, the Xiao family is extremely powerful, and any little movement will attract the attention of many people. They didn't hold a birthday party for their grandson in the past few years, so why did they hold one suddenly?
Especially Dongdong invited his classmates, and among those seven classmates, one was the eldest son of the third prince, and the remaining six were children of ministers from various families. This action seemed like he suddenly came to his senses. Could it be that he wanted to choose a good tree to live in?
Everyone was thinking about it, but as the day was approaching, the Xiao family did not take the initiative to send an invitation like the Jiang family did. They sighed in their hearts that the Xiao family was indeed arrogant, but they were not reserved either, and took the initiative to send an invitation to express their desire to visit.
The Xiao family doesn't need to maintain such relationships with each family. Those who should come will come, and those who shouldn't come can come or not.
They just planned to hold a simple birthday party for their child.
However, as the number of visiting cards increased, the Xiao family became busy.
Yan Qiushu originally volunteered to help with cooking, but was rejected by the Xiao family. They asked her to just cook for herself, as the Xiao family had enough manpower in that area.
Especially during this period, Yan Qiushu taught the Xiao family's chef how to cook a lot of food, and these alone were enough to satisfy the guests.
After all, nowadays when people come to visit, they will consciously eat their fill before coming, so as to avoid facing cold food and being unable to eat it when they are hungry, which would be even more uncomfortable.
So on Yan Qiushu's birthday, she made a big birthday cake and some snacks for the children.
The ancients initially had two meals a day, morning and evening, and later added lunch. However, dinners were generally held in the evening, so guests only arrived after mid-afternoon.
This time, Yan Qiushu saw with her own eyes how grand a family at the pinnacle of power was.
There were many seats prepared, and the guests were of higher social status than each other. They were all very warm and polite. The gifts they brought were very valuable, and they poured out baskets of praise for Dongdong, the little birthday boy.
Compared to the Yan family in the original owner’s memory, it is much more lively!
The Yan family has a very high title. In the early years, there was a powerful person in the family who made great contributions and was awarded the title of Duke of Anguo. When it was passed to Yan Qiushu's grandfather, the title was still retained. Therefore, the original owner's grandfather was already very old, but in order to avoid being demoted, he had not yet passed the title to her father.
Once it is passed down, the Duke of Anguo will be demoted to a marquis. In the past two generations, except for the original owner's father who still has some power, the other members of the Yan family have all held sinecures and are not worthy of being reused. That is why the original owner's father was so active in scheming and wanted to marry all his concubines to the prince.
As long as they get one right, the glory of the Anguo Mansion will continue.
According to the plot, Yan Qiushu suddenly thought that this glory was really maintained!
As she was thinking this, someone suddenly called her: "Girl."
The slightly familiar voice made her heart skip a beat and her grip tightened.
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