Chapter 177: Warmth in the Building, But Hidden Arrows Are Still Hard to Guard Against
In a private room on the second floor of the guesthouse, the carved wooden windows were half-open. The evening breeze, carrying the bustle of the market below, mingled with the aroma of food on the table, creating a rare sense of comfort. Little Swallow rested on the window railing, watching the carriages pass by on the street, her turquoise skirt dangling over the carved wooden railing, swaying gently in the breeze.
"What are you looking at?" Yongqi came over with a bowl of lotus seed soup, with steam still coming out of the edge of the bowl. "It's freshly out of the pot, your favorite rock sugar lotus seeds." When he handed the bowl to her, his fingertips accidentally touched the back of her hand. Both of them blushed as if they were basking in the warm spring sun.
Xiaoyanzi took the bowl and scooped a spoonful with her silver spoon. "I'm looking for anyone suspicious." Her eyes rolled around, and she suddenly leaned closer to Yongqi, lowering her voice. "Do you think the people causing trouble today were sent by Concubine Gao? That pomegranate-red figure on the street corner is the exact same color as the palace dress that Nanny Li often wears."
Yongqi followed her gaze towards the street corner, his brows furrowed slightly. "That's most likely true. She hasn't been able to touch you in the palace lately, so she's set her sights on moving outside." He reached out and smoothed down her wind-torn hair. "From now on, you need to bring more guards with you when you enter and leave the guesthouse. We can't let anyone take advantage of you again."
"I know, Fifth Prince is even more nagging than my brothers." Xiaoyanzi complained, but she smiled and handed the lotus seed soup to his mouth, "You should try it too, Jinsuo's stewing skills are getting better and better." Yongqi opened his mouth to take it, the sweetness spread from the tip of his tongue to his heart, looking at her sparkling eyes, he suddenly felt that he was not afraid of any more trouble.
Ziwei, at the next table, was looking down at the poetry collection Erkang had handed her. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, catching the pearl earrings on her temples, refracting tiny glints of light. Erkang sat across from her, his eyes barely leaving her profile. He saw her pointing to the line "Red beans grow in the south" and reciting it softly, his Adam's apple moving unconsciously. "These red beans... symbolize longing."
Ziwei's cheeks flushed instantly, like petals dyed with rouge. She gently closed the book: "Brother Erkang, you..." Before she finished speaking, Jinsuo walked in with a plate of osmanthus cake. She said with a red face: "Princess, Uncle Fu, Brother Liu asked me to bring this over. He said it was freshly steamed." She put down the plate and hurried out, almost bumping into the door frame on the way out.
Xiaoyanzi watched carefully from the railing and giggled with her hands covering her mouth: "Jinsuo, that girl must have been infected by Liu Qing. She even walks with the wind." As she spoke, she saw Liu Qing walk in with the curtain lifted. The sleeves of his coarse cloth shorts were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms, and there was a little flour on his face.
"Everyone, enjoy your meal," Liu Qing scratched his head, his eyes unconsciously glancing out the door. "The soup is still simmering in the kitchen. I'll go check on the heat." Xiaoyanzi deliberately stretched out her tone, "Brother Liu, don't be in such a hurry to leave. When Jinsuo brought in the cake just now, her face was whiter than your flour. Did you bully her?"
Liu Qing's face turned red and he waved his hands, saying, "No, no! I just asked her... asked her not to leave after work tonight. I have something to say to her." Erkang smiled and raised his glass, "This is a good thing. Brother Liu, if you have something to say, just say it. We will all support you." Liu Qing felt even more embarrassed and scratched the back of his head and quickly retreated.
"Look at you, you scared me." Ziwei patted Xiaoyanzi's hand, her eyes full of smiles. Xiaoyanzi stuck out her tongue: "I'm just trying to give him courage! Jinsuo has been with me for so many years, it's time for him to find a good family to love him." She suddenly looked towards the door, "Speak of the devil, and here he comes! Look who's here?"
Everyone followed her gaze and saw Ertai walk in carrying a lunch box. A maple leaf stained his royal blue uniform. Seeing Liu Hong sitting in the corner drinking tea, his eyes lit up instantly. "Miss Liu Hong, I brought you some sugar paintings from the west of the city. They're the phoenix pattern you said you liked last time."
Liu Hong put down her teacup, feigning indifference. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she took the candy painting. "Who, who wants you to spend money?" Even so, she carefully touched the wings of the candy painting with her fingertips, fearing they would break. Ertai sat down beside her, looking at her profile, and said with a silly smile, "As long as you like it, I can buy it every day."
Xiaoyanzi was so amused by what she saw that she turned to Yongqi and said, "Your brother's infatuation is somewhat similar to yours." Yongqi coughed lightly, his ears slightly red, "Nonsense." But he quietly moved closer to her, and their shadows were stretched out long in the setting sun, almost overlapping.
Just as the place was bustling with activity, Xiaodengzi came running in with a cloth bag, revealing a half-finished storybook. He ran so fast that he almost tripped over the threshold as he entered. "Princess! Princess! I brought the storybook of Journey to the West. I just rented it from the bookstore. It's the newly released 'Three Borrowings of the Banana Fan'!"
Little Mosquito followed behind, holding a string of candied haws in his hand, muttering, "Wow, you're running so fast, the candied haws are about to fall off!" He handed the candied haws to Little Swallow and said, "Look, Gege, it's freshly dipped. It's so sweet!"
Xiaoyanzi took the candied haws and took a bite. The sour taste of the hawthorn mixed with the sweetness of the rock sugar exploded on her tongue. "Little Stool, tell me quickly, how did Sun Wukong borrow the fan? Did he have another fight with Princess Iron Fan?" Little Stool immediately cleared her throat, picked up the storybook, stood in the middle of the room, and imitated the storyteller, bowing and saying, "Listen carefully, my guests. It wasn't easy for Sun Wukong to borrow the fan—"
He told the story vividly, including the story of how Sun Wukong transformed into a small insect and slipped into Princess Iron Fan's stomach, the insect chirping along, making everyone laugh. Ziwei leaned on Erkang's shoulder, listening to the laughter in the room, and whispered, "Life like this is so wonderful." Erkang held her hand tightly and whispered, "It will always be wonderful."
As the sun gradually sank to the west, its golden afterglow filtered through the window lattices, filling the room and casting a warm glow on everyone's face. Little Swallow munched on a candied haws, taking in the scene before her, and suddenly felt a surge of happiness in her heart. With sisters by her side, a loved one by her side, and friends to support her, she felt like she could carry on through any storm with a smile.
At this moment, Liu Qing walked in with the last dish of soup, steam still rising from the bowl. "This is the last 'Family Portrait' dish, everyone have a taste!" He placed the soup on the table, looked at the smiling faces in the room, and suddenly sighed with emotion, "It's worth it to have a hotel like this and friends like you in my life!"
Xiaoyanzi raised her teacup: "For the guest house, for our friendship, cheers!" Yongqi immediately raised his teacup and clinked it with hers. Amid the crisp clinking sounds, Ziwei and Erkang smiled at each other. Ertai secretly picked up a piece of pork ribs for Liuhong. Xiaodengzi and Xiaowenzi were still arguing over Sun Wukong's magical powers.
The evening breeze blew through the private room, stirring the candlelight on the table and casting shadows on the wall like a flowing painting. No one noticed that the pomegranate-red figure on the street corner lingered for a long time. Nanny Li gazed at the lights on the second floor of the guesthouse, a sinister smile curling her lips as she turned and disappeared into the twilight. Meanwhile, the warmth and laughter upstairs grew richer and more lingering as the night deepened.
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