In fact, Qingying felt that God had been very kind to her. Although he had given her a naturally weak body, he had compensated her with a wealthy life, the love of her family, and the favoritism of the person she loved.
She already felt very content.
Afterwards, Ayan didn't stand on ceremony with her and tasted every dish on the table. She ate two bowls of rice and two bowls of chicken soup, and finally, she held her stomach and let out a long burp.
"That feels great, I haven't eaten this much in ages."
Qingying was surprised to see her eat so much, and even felt a little envious.
She was taught from a young age to eat until she was only 70% full, so she never had a chance to eat heartily. Moreover, she often had a poor appetite due to illness, so she found it difficult to be interested in even the most sumptuous delicacies.
Ayan craned her neck to look at her bowl, where there was still a piece of chicken left. She asked in confusion, "You're full after drinking just this little bit of soup?"
Qingying nodded.
"Seriously? What good can such a small amount of water do?"
Qingying said helplessly, "It's really bland and hard to swallow."
After a moment's thought, Ayan nodded understandingly, "Brother Liu said you fell into the water and took two whole months to recover, so it's normal that you don't have much of an appetite right now."
Qingying smiled and said, "Although I can't eat much, I'm happy to see Sister Ayan eating so happily. If you don't mind, please come and dine with me for the next few days."
“Okay, anyway, I get bored eating alone.” After a moment’s thought, Ayan said, “Maybe you’re just used to eating these things and that’s why you don’t find them appetizing. How about this, I happen to know how to cook. You tell me what you can’t eat, and then I’ll make some dishes for you to try according to your preferences. Maybe you’ll be able to eat them if you change the flavor.”
Qingying nodded in agreement without hesitation.
She dictated several dishes that she didn't usually eat, and after Ayan wrote them down, she waved her sleeve and said, "I'll study them when I get back."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Sister Yan."
"No need to be polite, after all, you're obligated to help someone who's paid for your meal."
After Ayan left, Qingying had the maids tidy up the table.
She sat in front of her dressing table, and Yu Yue combed her long hair from behind with a wooden comb, saying, "I met Miss Ayan today, and I think she is a good person with a cheerful personality, but her words and actions are a little... a bit crude."
"This kind of person is truly genuine. They speak and act directly, which is much better than those who beat around the bush and say one thing to your face and another behind your back."
"Yes, if the eldest young master can marry her in the future, it will avoid a lot of conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law."
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Qingying slowly said, "How easy is it for a woman from the martial world to marry into a noble family?"
She was born and raised in the capital, yet she still couldn't fully adapt to the falsehoods of the city. How much more so for a woman without a family to support her and who had never been bound by the etiquette of aristocratic families? If Ayan were to marry into the Liu family, it would be like a wild beast running freely in the forest being locked in an iron cage, which might not be a good thing for her.
Unfortunately, from Qingying's perspective, it wasn't very convenient to use these words to advise her.
...
The next day, Qingying got up very early.
It wasn't that she was particularly diligent, but rather that today marked the start of the autumn hunt, and the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine were both heading to the hunting grounds early, so how could she dare to slack off or act presumptuously?
She went there with Liu Chengfeng, and when they arrived, they saw that Wei Dongchen had already arrived.
Upon seeing them, Wei Dongchen came over to greet them, showing no embarrassment or resentment whatsoever because of the rejection he had received a few days earlier.
"It's unusual for Er Ya to get up so early today," he joked with a smile.
Being exposed for her laziness made her feel a little embarrassed. "Well... I don't usually sleep in..."
"Oh? Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow, his smile wicked.
Liu Chengfeng immediately stood up to defend her, saying, "Shushu likes to sleep because she's not feeling well. Don't make fun of her for that."
Wei Dongchen then stopped talking about Qingying and turned to Liu Chengfeng.
"How many are you planning to hunt this year?" he asked jokingly, putting his arm around Liu Chengfeng's shoulder.
"No matter how many I hunt, I can't compare to you," Liu Chengfeng said.
"What you say is true, but the Emperor said that my achievements will not be considered in the same category as yours, so don't worry, this year's champion will definitely be you."
Liu Chengfeng rubbed his forehead. "You said the same thing last year, and in the end, the championship still fell into the hands of Song Jiasanlang. Can you be a little more discreet and not make me a laughingstock again?"
"Huh? You're afraid of losing face?"
"Nonsense, it's me who's losing face, of course you're not afraid!"
"Don't be like that, Chengfeng. I was just saying those harsh words to motivate you. Why don't you appreciate it?"
"Go away, do I need your encouragement? I am already an expert archer."
"Oh dear, what did I just say? Are you already putting on airs?"
When these two get together, they tend to talk without thinking. Qingying quietly moved to the side to avoid being affected by their silliness.
Seeing this, Ayan stood beside her and asked with a smile, "Sister Qingying, would you like to participate in the competition for the championship of the autumn hunt?"
The autumn hunt is open to both men and women, but since men and women are physically different, each side designates a leader, and the one who hunts the most prey wins. Usually, a large prey is counted as two or three, while a small prey is counted as one (for example, hunting a black bear counts as three, while hunting a rabbit counts as one). The final leader can ask the emperor or the imperial concubine for one item.
"No," Qingying shook her head. "I can't ride a horse, and I'm not good at archery. I'd only be a hindrance if I went."
"Oh, that's a real shame."
She shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I don't think there's anything to regret."
Ayan smiled faintly, "You seem to have a very open-minded attitude towards things. Your personality is somewhat similar to mine."
Qingying turned to look at her and suddenly noticed that her eyes were very beautiful. Compared to Shuoyue's face, which was so small that it would take some effort to find her in a crowd, it made people feel a little sorry for her.
Ah Yan must have been a beauty.
That's what she thought.
"Sister Qingying, how about I win the championship for you today?"
Qingying was stunned for a moment, then belatedly realized: "Sister Ayan, are you also going to participate in the autumn hunt?"
"Yes, I asked Brother Liu to register me."
Although the autumn hunt was a game among noble families, there was never a written rule that maids and servants could not participate.
Thinking of this, Qingying was genuinely happy: "I've heard from my brother that Sister Ayan is quite skilled in riding and archery. Today I can finally witness it with my own eyes."
"Hahaha... Is that so? Then you'd better watch closely. I'm not like those delicate young ladies in your capital. I'll definitely give you a feast for the eyes." She wasn't modest at all and didn't even bother to say a word of flattery.
Qingying covered her mouth and laughed out loud, finding her extremely amusing.
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