Chapter 17
Aunt Shen was quite skilled at throwing a tantrum, but Huo Yanci remained unmoved and calm. When the woman was tired of shouting and took a breather, Huo Yanci said in a tone that was sure to infuriate people, "You can stay in the capital if you want, but without Miss Ning's wages, you'll probably have a hard time."
After pondering for a long time, Aunt Shen finally took the money and left. Before leaving, she glared at Ning Qingxi resentfully, which made people feel quite uncomfortable.
Ning Qingxi sighed and said, "I spent money to make myself unhappy."
Huo Yanci said, "In this time, we might as well go and see if anything is missing."
Ning Qingxi: "..."
Fortunately, Aunt Shen was not frivolous and did not take anything with her. After inspecting the house, Huo Yanci went back and called the wet nurse. After meeting the two children, the matter was settled.
After a busy day, Huo Yanci weighed the heavy silver in her hand and said, "No need to trouble you to cook. I'll treat you to a meal out."
Ning Qingxi said without any hesitation, "Treat me to a good meal."
Huo Yanci retorted, "Do you think the meals I treat you to are really bad?"
Ning Qingxi thought for a moment and nodded.
"..." Huo Yanci was furious. "Stop eating! This meal isn't good either. Go home and eat your golden steamed buns!"
“Look at you, always so impatient,” Ning Qingxi patted him a couple of times. “Don’t get angry in the middle of the night. It’s not worth it if you get sick from it.”
Huo Yanci strode out of the courtyard. Ning Qingxi felt something was wrong. This person wasn't saying anything now; he was probably too angry to think straight.
Ning Qingxi was clumsy with words, and the more anxious she became, the more trouble she caused. Huo Yanci, who was in a bad mood at the time, overheard her and said, "Is it really necessary to be this angry? Are you being so petty?"
Huo Yanci: "..."
Ning Qingxi, having been provoking her all the way, didn't notice that they had already arrived at Zuixianlou. Huo Yanci squinted and smiled, "How about this, if you want to apologize, then you should be sincere. You'll drink with me tonight until we're both drunk, and I won't hold it against you, okay?"
Ning Qingxi: "..."
She turned her head and glanced at Zuixianlou. One of the buildings had its doors and windows wide open, and she could smell the wine and hear laughter from afar.
Ning Qingxi suddenly became alert: "You're not going to take advantage of me while I'm drunk..."
Huo Yanci gave her a cold look, and Ning Qingxi immediately swallowed the rest of her words, cleverly changing her tone: "How about you put a sack over my head and beat me up?"
"What are you thinking about? I'll treat you to a nice meal," Huo Yanci said, stepping inside. "I'm leaving."
Huo Yanci was clearly a regular here. As soon as he entered, the person who had been fiddling with an abacus behind the counter immediately looked up and came over with a fawning smile: "Oh, a distinguished guest has arrived. Shall we go to the private room in the back again today?"
Huo Yanci nodded with an air of aloofness, seemingly a flower unattainable on a high mountain. The man immediately understood and led them through the door towards the building at the back: "As luck would have it, a new batch of wine arrived today. It's said to be made from grapes, without adding a drop of water, with a rich flavor and crystal-clear color..."
As he spoke, the man's eyes darted to Ning Qingxi, and then his smile widened: "However, we don't know how much your guest can drink, so how about we save it for you and let you come back another day?"
Huo Yanci turned her head and saw Ning Qingxi, who looked completely innocent. She sneered inwardly: I don't know how much Ning Qingxi can drink, but she definitely won't refuse.
He could tell what this person was thinking even with his eyes closed.
Huo Yanci said, "No need, just come up today. Please save two extra jars for me."
"Alright, we've arrived at the private room. Please wait a moment while the dishes are served."
Ning Qingxi listened from behind, and the more she listened, the more something seemed off. She interrupted, "We haven't ordered yet."
"..." Huo Yanci waved her hand to indicate that he understood, then turned to Ning Qingxi and said, "The dishes and portions in the private rooms here are fixed, so there's no need to order."
Ning Qingxi: "..."
Once everyone left, she dropped all pretense and glared fiercely at Huo Yanci: "Were you deliberately trying to embarrass me?"
Huo Yanci spread her hands innocently and said, "How would I know you didn't know?"
Ning Qingxi: "..."
She took a sip of tea, having no reason to lash out at Huo Yanci, and went off to fuss on her own. But when she turned around, she saw Huo Yanci with his head down, his shoulders shrugging.
"..." Ning Qingxi: "What are you laughing at?"
Huo Yanci waved her hand: "I thought of something funny."
However, he was laughing while speaking, which showed a complete lack of sincerity.
Ning Qingxi felt a wave of dizziness. She realized she probably hadn't checked the almanac before going out today, or rather, she hadn't checked it for the past few days.
If you read it, it should say: Avoid hiring a nanny, avoid eating with her, and avoid Huo Yanci.
Huo Yanci thought she was angry, so she quickly suppressed her smile and comforted her, "Don't worry, you are my guest. I still have some face to give you. Once you leave this door, no one will know."
Ning Qingxi grabbed her hair in frustration.
Huo Yanci's words made her seem like a petty and narrow-minded person.
“I’m not angry,” Ning Qingxi said, “I’m just embarrassed, you know that?”
Huo Yanci said in surprise, "What's so shameful about it? When I was little, my nanny put a fire in the yard to roast sweet potatoes. Nobody told me that the skin couldn't be eaten, and I ended up with a mouthful of black rotten skin. How embarrassing! But you wouldn't do that. You're much better than me in this respect. I don't feel ashamed at all."
Surprisingly, his words were like a clear spring, gently extinguishing Ning Qingxi's irritability. Ning Qingxi immediately went along with him, saying, "Really? Don't you think the outer layer is dirty?"
Just as the dishes were being served, Ning Qingxi wisely shut up when she saw someone arrive, saving face for Huo Yanci. However, Huo Yanci herself continued the conversation: "How could I be that smart? There were so many things I hadn't seen when I was young. I became a bookworm from studying so much. I don't know anything that's not written in books."
Ning Qingxi imagined little Huo Yanci holding a roasted sweet potato, his mouth blackened with a silly look, which was really hilarious.
The room light reflected in Huo Yanci's eyes, making them appear infinitely gentle. He said, "How about it? Don't you feel ashamed now?"
Ning Qingxi went down the slope and said, "I feel much better. Thank you, Huo Yanci."
"Why are you thanking me?" Huo Yanci smiled and poured herself a glass of wine. "You would have adjusted yourself even without me."
Ning Qingxi smiled without saying a word, silently saying in her heart, "Thank you."
Huo Yanci handed the wine to her: "Try it, I heard it's something very novel."
These days, ordinary families have to compare prices and make a firm decision before even buying grapes. Making wine from grapes is even more impossible. First, the cost is too high, and a low selling price won't cover the cost. Second, even if the selling price is high, no one will buy it. Therefore, it's a very rare commodity.
Ning Qingxi didn't refuse and took a small sip. The astringent taste of alcohol exploded in her mouth instantly. Then, the alcohol seemed to vaporize and envelop her, and her breath seemed to be filled with the smell of alcohol.
Caught off guard, a pungent smell of alcohol rushed into her throat, causing her to erupt in a violent cough. In her haste, she managed to push away Huo Yanci's hand that was patting her back, saying, "This wine is good."
The wine was clear and had a crisp taste; even Ning Qingxi, who had only just begun to appreciate wine, could tell it was quite good.
Huo Yanci said, "Of course, when wine arrives from anywhere, it is first served here, and then other places can pick up the less desirable wines."
In short, you need to have money.
After a round of drinks, Ning Qingxi felt dizzy and hot all over. Suddenly, she heard someone call her name. She couldn't hear it clearly, but she knew who it was. She quickly waved her hand and said, "I can't drink anymore. I have something to do tomorrow. Let's drink another day."
Seeing that she really couldn't drink anymore, Huo Yanci gave up, sat back down, and laughed, "Miss Ning always wants to drink when she eats. I thought you had a high tolerance for alcohol, so I specially ordered a few extra jars for you. But you passed out after only a few bowls?"
Ning Qingxi waved her hand: "A little wine is good for the mood, but a hangover is bad for your health. I've already risked my life to keep you company today."
Huo Yanci smiled and shook her head, then turned to look out the window.
I don't know which family is celebrating a wedding, but they also set off fireworks to celebrate on ordinary days. You can almost hear the drums and gongs from a distance, and the fireworks seem to be exploding right in front of you. The dazzling fireworks flatten people into silhouettes.
Huo Yanci was drinking alone when she suddenly felt a bit bored. There was nothing to talk about with a drunkard.
Just as he bent down to pour himself a drink, the drunkard, who had somehow gotten up, crept up behind him and chuckled, "Huo Yanci, you like me?"
Huo Yanci was startled and turned to see Ning Qingxi's eyes were glazed over. Unsure if she was awake or not, she held up a finger and asked tentatively, "Ning Qingxi? What's wrong with you? Come on, look at me, how many is this?"
Ning Qingxi grabbed his finger, frowned and said impatiently, "Don't change the subject, it's not your turn to ask questions yet."
"I think you're quite drunk," Huo Yanci said, tugging at her fingers but failing to pull them out, and frowning as well.
How can a drunkard have such a strong kick?
"I'm standing here perfectly fine, and I can still jump."
As Ning Qingxi spoke, she released his fingers and turned to leave.
Huo Yanci was afraid that she would really go out and go crazy on the stairs, so she grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, saying like she was coaxing a child, "Alright, alright, I know you're not drunk, sit down and eat your food."
Ning Qingxi flicked his forehead with her other hand: "Speak quickly."
"..." Huo Yanci: "What did you say?"
Ning Qingxi, who was drunk, was a little slow to react. As she listened to Huo Yanci's words, she couldn't help but think along with his words.
say what?
What did she say again?
Suddenly someone nearby asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Ning Qingxi slapped her forehead, suddenly realizing: Oh right! She wanted to order a plate of lotus root sandwiches!
So she slurred, "I want a plate of stir-fried pork."
Huo Yanci placed a piece of cabbage in her bowl with her chopsticks: "Here, eat."
The drunkard, who was looking for trouble, thought for a long time but couldn't find a reason, so he sat down and started eating peacefully.
Watching her quietly chew cabbage, Huo Yanci's lingering sorrow was instantly shattered and could never be rekindled.
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