When the Fourth Prince came in from outside, Li Chenjiao was telling the Second Princess about her funny childhood stories, revealing her own secrets.
Li Chenjiao didn't move when she saw Fourth Master come in: "Master, why don't you warm yourself by the fire first, or you'll catch a cold..."
Actually, it was because the Fourth Master brought in a gust of cold wind from outside, and if the Fourth Master were to walk closer now, the cold wind would probably be brought in as well.
Fourth Master knew exactly what Li Chenjiao was thinking. He sat down on the armchair near the door, and Xiao Luzi, being perceptive, moved the charcoal brazier. There was a smoker on the brazier, so he wasn't worried about getting burned.
The cloak he was wearing had been taken off and placed aside by Su Peisheng: "You're sitting in the wind again?"
The only person who would sit in this armchair is Li Chenjiao.
Li Chenjiao sat cross-legged on the kang. When she heard Fourth Master's voice, she peeked out and chuckled twice: "I ate hot pot today and worked up a sweat, so I sat there for a while."
"Has Master had dinner yet?" Li Chenjiao asked again, while stroking the little girl's hair.
"Has Father had dinner yet?" The little girl peeked out, mimicking her mother.
Fourth Master sat in his armchair, and with a glance he could see the mother and daughter's matching little expressions. He couldn't maintain his coldness and unconsciously softened his expression: "It's already been used."
Li Chenjiao wasn't in a hurry to tell the little girl stories from her childhood. The mother and daughter quietly watched Fourth Master warm himself by the fire for a while.
"Why isn't Master coming in yet?" The tone sounded quite expectant.
"Father, come in quickly..." the little girl called out, lying on the large bolster.
Fourth Master's face was stern. "The child is still here." Why was Li Chenjiao's tone still so reckless?
"When you come in, could you please bring in that plate of dried persimmons? They were just made in the kitchen, coated with icing sugar and are very sweet. You'll need some too."
Well, so the reason they were urging him to come in was to ask him to bring the cakes. Fourth Master's face almost turned black.
But as they walked into the inner room, they still picked up the plate of dried persimmons.
When Li Chenjiao saw Fourth Master enter, or rather, when she saw the plate of persimmon cakes in Fourth Master's hand, her eyes lit up.
It was late at night, and the Second Princess couldn't eat too many sweets at night. Li Chenjiao didn't bring them in because she wanted to tempt the Second Princess; she just wanted to find an excuse for the Fourth Prince to come in so that he wouldn't be too abrupt.
The little girl was surrounded by her father and mother, looking left and right, and soon became sleepy.
Seeing the little girl yawning, Li Chenjiao called in Lüju and Chenshi. Since she was no longer able to carry the Second Princess, Chenshi carried the little girl back to the side room, leaving the Fourth Master alone in the main room.
Fourth Master: ?
Fourth Master and the plate of persimmons on the small table stared at each other.
After a while, Fourth Master raised his hand and picked up a persimmon cake. Sugar frosting clung to his fingertips as he took a bite.
As expected, it was Li Chenjiao's favorite flavor. The sweet taste was like snowflakes melting in one's heart, sticky and pleasant. Fourth Master ate a piece and clapped his hands, imitating Li Chenjiao's action.
With the child and Li Chenjiao's voices gone from the inner room, Fourth Master clapped his hands and stood up.
Su Peisheng had already been sent outside by the Fourth Master to wait. The Fourth Master stood up, walked around the screen, and went to the outer room.
Besides the persimmon cakes that Fourth Master had just picked up, there were also several plates of cakes and pastries that Li Chenjiao and the two children usually liked to eat on the octagonal table in the outer room.
Fourth Master walked around with his hands behind his back, and finally sat back down in the armchair where he had been warming himself by the fire earlier.
Why aren't they back yet?
When it gets cold, people tend to sleep more. After having dinner tonight, the Fourth Prince went to bed early. Oh, before going to bed, he and the Second Princess piled up those two things by the door. Oh, one is a frozen pear, and the other is... the Fourth Prince.
Fourth Master hadn't visited the two children for a few days, but the two children still missed him.
Li Chenjiao coaxed the little girl to sleep, then went to check on the Fourth Prince, who had been fast asleep for quite some time.
It was still a bit cold walking under the corridor, so Li Chenjiao turned back. Qiu Hu was ahead of her, preparing to lift the beaded curtain at the door.
Li Chenjiao waved her hand, and Qiu Hu stopped what she was doing.
Li Chenjiao tiptoed, and the grains of rice on her jade shoes drooped down, making a slight sound.
Qiu Hu silently turned her back, and Lü Mei, who was slower to react, also quickly turned her back.
Li Chenjiao then tiptoed to look inside, but after a while she couldn't figure out what it was, she peered through the latticed window on the side.
Looking through the latticed window, you can see that the Fourth Prince is not on the soft couch.
Alright, Li Chenjiao understood.
Li Chenjiao circled back to the door and waved to the two maids, indicating that they didn't need to follow her inside.
Li Chenjiao lifted the beaded curtain and then the inner door herself. As soon as she opened the inner door, a cold wind rushed in.
She took a step forward and closed the inner door as she did so.
As soon as she entered, she saw Fourth Master. Having already made her own plans, Li Chenjiao immediately fell into Fourth Master's arms.
Sitting in his armchair, Fourth Master could easily see Li Chenjiao's blatant little actions.
Seeing the situation, Li Chenjiao opened her hands, which were originally folded on her knees, and sat steadily in his lap, her soft hands resting on Fourth Master's arm.
"Your father is here today." The words that the Second Princess hadn't said earlier were now spoken by the Fourth Prince.
Li Chenjiao hummed in agreement, her eyes shining with a light brighter than a crystal lamp: "I have heard about it."
Fourth Master raised his hand and put his arm around Li Chenjiao's waist: "When you have time, have your mother send over the visiting card... In five days, it will be my day off."
Li Chenjiao sat obediently and stopped moving, her black hair hanging down slightly.
Today, the Fourth Master seems to be taking the initiative a bit too much. Before she had even said anything, he had already said this whole string of words.
The Fourth Prince said that he would have his mother deliver the visiting card when he took a break, so he wouldn't have to worry about his wife making things difficult for him.
She smiled unconsciously, her teeth showing.
When Fourth Master saw Li Chenjiao's smile, he was reminded of Li Chenjiao's father, and for some reason, he couldn't help but smile as well.
The Fourth Master's chest trembled slightly with laughter, clearly showing he was genuinely happy.
Li Chenjiao was smiling because she was happy to see her mother, but she wondered what made the Fourth Prince happy.
A pair of puzzled eyes looked at the Fourth Master.
Fourth Master didn't explain much; some things can be thought but not said.
He changed the subject: "Your brother did a good job in Yunnan. He's getting a promotion this time, but he might not be able to stay in Beijing..."
Li Chenjiao blinked and asked first, "May I listen?"
Upon hearing this, Fourth Master patted Li Chenjiao on the shoulder: "You're being so polite now."
"Keep it behind closed doors, this is a family matter."
Li Chenjiao pursed her lips; this was what the Fourth Prince himself said.
The pose is a bit ambiguous, though.
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