Chapter 66 Crystal Soup Bun

Xiao Qi was totally uninterested in their chattering. She sipped her milk tea and turned a page of her book.

"They still sell ice jelly even though it's harmful to the body. It's true that businessmen are profit-driven. What's so good about their milk tea? It's just entertainment. You praise Wang Lai Ju so highly, and you don't mind the copper smell! Isn't it an elegant thing to drink tea and discuss philosophy?"

Amidst the whispers, someone suddenly sneered and said something that stunned everyone.

Xiao Qi looked up at Si Tang who was speaking, "I am happy to buy it. It's up to you whether you want to buy it or not. If you don't want to buy it, there's no need to flatter me."

"Atang." Lin Ying stood up carefully from An Yao's side, her expression somewhat similar to Sitang's delicate demeanor in the past, "Are you in a bad mood because Lingling is not here?"

An Yao pulled her aside and said, "She knows what she did. Why are you still trying to get in her way?"

The girls around him dispersed a little after hearing this and exchanged glances with each other. Si Tang's face was gloomy, "You should have a basis for what you say. I don't think I have failed you in any way. An Yao, what do you mean by this?"

"Where is Lingling? Don't you really know?" An Yao sneered and pulled Lin Ying to sit down. When asked, Si Tang pursed his lips tightly and his face turned pale, just like an apricot blossom shivering in the wind and rain.

"What are you doing?"

The teacher stepped into the school and asked in a deep voice. The girls who had different expressions just now sat down one after another. However, the eyes that fell on Si Tang who was sitting in front were quite strange. Everyone knew about the small circle around Si Tang. Now An Yao said this, obviously saying that there was something wrong with Si Tang. Si Tang's ugly expression fell into the eyes of everyone. Although they didn't know the cause and effect, they really didn't expect that Si Tang, who had always been cute and lovely, would also have such a side.

Xiao Qi glanced at Si Tang and remembered what Xiao Si had said before, that Liu Weiling didn't seem like someone who could do such a thing. Now that An Yao had brought Lin Ying and broke up with Si Tang, it was very clear who was behind the incident.

I don't know where such strong malice came from. Xiao Qi curled her lips and concentrated on listening to the class.

Si Tang, who was sitting in the best position in the dormitory, was not as carefree as her. She was distracted for half a day and couldn't stop the fear in her heart. It was only a few days, and she no longer had anyone to support her. How could this happen?

Everything originated from that small shop called Wanglai Ju. It had so many gimmicks and tricks that fooled so many people into following this shop with no foundation, which led to its unnoticed rise and her current nightmare-like life.

No, this cannot go on. Si Tang remembered the news about the tea party at Wuweilou that he had heard on the way to the academy, and secretly made up his mind.

It was getting dark, and students from the academy were pouring out. The servants and maids waiting near the academy came forward to take the school supplies from their young ladies. Si Tang was also taken to the carriage. Qinglian took the school supplies, and seeing Si Tang sitting steadily, she excitedly came forward and asked, "Miss, what are we going to eat today?"

When Si Tang saw her, he thought of Su Jin, the personal maid who had been locked up and beaten by his father and could not get up until now. Then he thought of his haggard mother, and felt very sad for a moment. After thinking for a while, he said, "Let's go to Wuweilou. Mother loves their soup dumplings. It would be nice to buy a basket and take it back."

The carriage did not move until Qinglian happily agreed, leaned out and ordered them to go to Wuwei Tower, then the driver took action.

The moment the curtain was raised, Qinglian's loud voice attracted all eyes, making Sitang very embarrassed. Originally, this was not a small matter that she would notice, but after changing the driver, he was not smart at all, and was so taciturn that he didn't even look at her eyes. Compared with the previous time when he went out, everything was not going well.

The car rolled forward and arrived at the door of Wuwei Tower. She didn't need to go to buy the buns herself, Qinglian had already run out. Si Tang looked outside and saw that the tea bags and cushions had been placed out, and the lanterns hanging in the house were also painted with leaf patterns, exuding exquisite elegance everywhere.

Not long after, Si Tang saw Qing Lian coming back with someone, and she looked a little strange. Calculating the time, it was far from enough to make a basket of crystal soup dumplings, and Si Tang became worried. It wasn't that she was startled, but too many things happened in the past few days, and the bad premonition was always lingering in her heart.

"Miss, they said it can't be put on the bill. I even mentioned my grandfather and uncle's names, but they still refused to give in. They insisted that I come back to get the money. What do you say to them?" Qinglian's complaint was the first to come out, and Si Tang was immediately startled.

Qinglian had met the restaurant manager behind Wu before, but they were not very familiar with each other. After all, she had dealt with Wu and other managers before, so she didn't take such a small figure seriously. The middle-aged man smiled humbly, "Miss Si, I'm not trying to embarrass you, but I just can't keep this account. The young master of the Jian family has said that you are not allowed to keep this account in the future. Do you think this bun should be put on the Si Mansion's account today, or do you pay for it now?"

The Jian family is not allowed to keep accounts? How is that possible?

Si Tang's first reaction was disbelief, but when he saw that the steward didn't look like he was being hypocritical, he became angry. Even the Jian family, who always said they would take care of her, treated her like this. It was too much! One day when she married into the palace, she would make these merchants return to being slaves!

Suppressing his anger, Si Tang said softly, "Xiao Lian, take the money and give it to him."

"Ah?" Qinglian was bewildered. "Where do I get the money?"

Si Tang was so angry that his heart ached. He took out his wallet and handed it over, "Please do it quickly."

The middle-aged steward took the money and turned away. There was nothing wrong with his manners, but Si Tang felt that he was making fun of her by turning his head and shaking his shoulders slightly, and her expression became uglier. Qinglian finally noticed that Si Tang looked unhappy, so she leaned forward and asked in a low voice, "Miss, did I say anything wrong?"

"Waste!" Si Tang said coldly. If she hadn't had anyone else to use, and this maid had defected from Si Li and had been very obedient over the years, she would never have used such a stupid person.

Crystal Tangbao was quickly delivered to the car, and Si Tang dropped the curtain, "Let's go home."

The carriage continued to move forward, and the outline of the pagoda of Huguo Temple was getting closer and closer. Si Tang soon realized something was wrong, "How can we get out from here? Go back home from the north city."

The driver slowly explained, "This is closer."

"Go through the north city!" Si Tang screamed. Going down this road, she would soon see people coming and going. She never wanted to stand in front of the door and be laughed at again.

The driver did not turn the horse around immediately. He walked forward for a dozen steps. When Si Tang saw the milk tea shop, he found an opportunity to turn the horse around, which made Si Tang feel relieved.

The end of the East Market, which used to have almost no visitors, is now crowded with people. Following the flow of people to the head of the East Market, Si Tang sat in the carriage. The sound of people talking nearby could be heard. Every three sentences they talked about the people around them, as if they were possessed.

"Alas, it's getting harder and harder to get this now, but I heard that there will be new dishes tomorrow, so I'll get up early to take a look and buy some sweet treats for my daughter at home."

"I didn't tell you what the dish was, why are you just being so sweet?"

"Well, it won't be bad anyway. My wife really likes the blue ice powder I brought back at noon. She was reluctant to eat it and wanted to wait for me to come back and eat it together."

Every word entered Si Tang's ears. She heard the voice of the Prince of Yue who was seen every day in the house. She was a little dazed for a moment, as if she had caught a driftwood. Yes, the Prince of Yue's mansion will hold a flower banquet soon. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always been fond of this cousin, and he will definitely come when the time comes.

Si Tang said, "Xiao Lian, go to the Weaving Girl's Pavilion and ask if the Moon-Snatching Silk that was mentioned earlier has arrived. If there is no Moon-Snatching Silk, Hundred Flowers Silk will also be fine. Tell them not to forget to leave one for me."

There are only two rolls of Moon-Snatching Satin each year, and Hundred Flowers Satin is the second, but it is also very rare. The last time she was at the Jian family, she went to the Weaving Girl's Pavilion to ask about this year's goods, but they have not been delivered yet. If she can successfully buy them, she will definitely make everyone envious at the flower banquet. It's not that the Jian family has never sent such dresses before, but most of them were dyed to be similar to Si Li's style. Si Tang didn't like it, and it was impossible for her to wear an outdated style dress at the flower banquet when she wanted to impress everyone.

"Today?" Qinglian lifted the window curtain. The carriage was already far away from East City and it was getting dark. She was obviously unwilling to get off the car and walk back. She didn't move at all and her reluctance was written on her face.

"Yes. Come back early." Si Tang saw that she was unwilling, but wasn't the maid's job to work for the master? Without Qinglian by her side, she still had the rough maid and the second-class maid who followed her out, so she wasn't worried about being alone and getting into trouble.

Seeing that Si Tang had not changed his mind, Qinglian's face fell and she moved out of the carriage step by step. Before she could stand firmly, she heard the second lady in the carriage telling the driver to go home. The carriage moving forward almost made her stagger. Qinglian steadied herself and looked at the carriage going farther and farther away. She rolled her eyes fiercely and was furious. Si Li would never treat her like this!

"Qinglian, right?" Just as she was complaining in her mind, someone grabbed her hand from behind and asked.

Qinglian turned her head suddenly and saw a young man in gray standing in the dark alley behind her. She shuddered with fear and said, "Who are you? I am Miss Si's personal maid. If you find out that I'm missing, you will suffer the consequences!"

"My master wants to see you, let's go."

The difference in physical strength made Qinglian completely unable to resist, and she could only follow the young man into the dark alley. After turning several corners, she entered the backyard of a house. When she was kicked to her knees, a familiar figure came out of the house. Qinglian's eyes widened in surprise, "Uncle?!"

Jian Bingde's face was filled with gloom. "Where is Ah Li?"

"I, I don't know!" Qinglian blurted out.

"Hmph!" Jian Bingde's face became even colder.

Before he could say anything, Qinglian felt something was wrong. She quickly crawled forward on her knees, hugged Jian Bingde's legs, and started to cry, "Wuwu, I don't know. The young lady recovered from her illness and asked me to come back to deliver a letter, but the lady kept me. I really don't know where the young lady went afterwards——"

Not many people in the Si Mansion knew about Si Li's disappearance, but Qinglian, as an "insider" who followed Si Li at the order of the Madam, naturally would not have missed the news. She was happy that she ran fast before, but now she was terrified. If she had known that she would suffer if Si Li disappeared, she would have kept a close watch on him no matter what!

The room was filled with howling and pig-slaughtering arguments, which made Jian Bingde's eyebrows tremble. The gray-clothed young man who brought Qinglian back came forward and pulled her away by the collar, put his hand on the back of her neck, and said threateningly, "Speak properly."

"I, I really don't know." Qinglian shrank and tried to avoid his hand. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind. "That's right, Qingyu! When I came back, Qingyu was still with the young lady. Uncle, you should go ask her!"