Chapter 269: Guest House Gathering, Full of Laughter
It was past noon when we left Fu Mansion. As the carriage turned the corner, Xiaoyanzi pried through the window and called out, "Yongqi, Yongqi, let's go to the guesthouse! I want to eat Liu Qing's beggar's chicken!"
Yongqi rubbed her hair helplessly, and his fingertips brushed the crabapple hairpin in her hair: "You are just greedy." Before he finished speaking, he told the coachman to go to the guesthouse instead.
The red lanterns at the guesthouse's entrance were still hanging, their red silk silk fluttering cheerfully in the wind. As he reached the bottom of the steps, he saw Liu Qing, dressed in navy blue shorts, directing the waiters to move newly arrived wine jars, the veins on his arms bulging slightly. Jinsuo stood nearby, account book in hand, occasionally looking up at him with a stern, scornful glance. The sunlight fell on the pearl flowers in her hair, glaring brightly.
"Brother Liu! Jinsuo!" Xiaoyanzi jumped out of the car, and the straps of her cloak swept across the moss on the steps.
Liu Qing turned around, put the wine jar on the ground, and laughed: "Princess Huanzhu is here! Please come in quickly, the beggar's chicken is freshly stewed and waiting for you!"
Jinsuo came forward with a smile and bowed to Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi, "Your Highness, Princess. The private rooms upstairs are ready. Liuhong and Ertai are here too."
Xiaoyanzi grabbed Jinsuo and rushed inside, her voice so loud it could lift the roof off the room: "Where's Liuhong? Ask her to come out and fight with me!"
"Who wants to fight with you?" Liu Hong poked her head out from the stairs. She was wearing a neat lake blue short jacket and clutching a half-embroidered purse. "I'm not like some people who run out and have fun the day after their wedding."
"You're still blaming me?" Xiaoyanzi scurried up the stairs, reaching out to tickle Liuhong. "Who was it yesterday who got drunk and hugged the pillar, yelling, 'Ertai is a big idiot'?"
Liu Hong's face flushed red, and she reached out to push Xiao Yanzi away: "You're talking nonsense! I didn't do that!"
Ertai walked out of the private room, playing with a jade pendant in his hand, and smiled mischievously: "Oh? Why do I remember someone said they would embroider a mandarin duck purse for me?"
"Forte, shut up!" Liu Hong grabbed the melon seed shells on the table and threw them at him, but he dodged them nimbly, and the two of them started a fight.
Yongqi and Erkang walked up the stairs side by side, looking at the bustle before them and smiling at each other. Erkang said, "It's still good this way, so lively and bustling."
"Yeah." Yongqi nodded, his eyes falling on Xiaoyanzi - she was just about to snatch the purse from Liu Hong's hand, holding it high to show off, the red pompom on her braid bouncing with her movements. "As long as she's happy."
The private room was warm and cozy, the charcoal fire burning brightly. On the wall hung Liu Qing's newly acquired calligraphy and paintings, and on the table lay the freshly served dishes: glistening beggar's chicken, steaming squirrel mandarin fish, crystal-clear shrimp dumplings, and a jar of opened daughter's red wine. The aroma of wine mingled with the fragrance of the food, making one's appetite whet.
Xiaoyanzi sat down without hesitation and tore open the beggar's chicken with her bare hands. The golden oil dripped onto the table. She sniffed and said, "It smells so good! Brother Liu, your cooking skills are getting better and better!"
"That's right!" Liu Qing patted his chest proudly and poured wine for everyone. "You don't even look at whose apprentice he is! Back in the slum, I..."
"Stop, stop!" Xiaoyanzi waved her hand and stuffed a chicken drumstick into his mouth. "Talk about those days again! The wild vegetable soup you cooked back then almost sent me away!"
Everyone burst into laughter. Jinsuo blushed and handed Liu Qing a handkerchief. Liu Qing hummed while holding the chicken leg in his mouth, which made everyone laugh even more.
Liu Hong raised her wine glass towards Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi. "Honestly, congratulations." Her eyes were red. "Thinking back to when we first met, who could have imagined we'd be where we are today?"
Ertai held her hand and whispered, "Everything will get better."
Ziwei picked up the teapot and refilled everyone's cups. "Yeah, it's great like this now." She looked at Xiaoyanzi, her eyes full of tenderness. "I still remember when I first came to Beijing, I was all alone. If I hadn't met you..."
"Why are you saying this?" Xiaoyanzi interrupted her and gave her a piece of fish belly. "We are sisters! We still have a long life ahead of us, and there are plenty of good times to come!"
Yongqi raised his glass and stood up, his voice clear and bright: "Come, for our gathering today, and for the days to come, cheers!"
"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses. The crisp sound of the glasses clinking together, mixed with the sound of the wind outside the window and the waiters' shouts, sounded like a lively song.
After three rounds of drinks, Xiaoyanzi felt bored sitting still and dragged Liuhong to the backyard for a fight. They stood in the open space. Xiaoyanzi took off her cloak, revealing her moon-white shorts underneath. With a twist of her waist, she rushed forward, her fists whirling in the wind, but stopped just inches from Liuhong.
"Why aren't you moving?" Liu Hong raised her eyebrows and grabbed her wrist with her backhand.
The little swallow dodged like a nimble swallow, tapping its toes on the stone slab and lightly leaping up, landing on a pomegranate tree not far away. It swung its legs and laughed, "Come and catch me if you dare!"
Liu Hong put her hands on her hips and cursed, "You're cheating! Come down if you dare!"
Everyone upstairs leaned out to look. Erkang smiled and said to Yongqi, "Princess Huanzhu's Qinggong skills are really getting more and more powerful."
Yongqi looked at the figure on the tree, the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowing: "She is never quiet." He complained, but quietly instructed the small table: "Go get the mattress pad and put it under the tree, and be careful not to fall."
Liu Qing was a little tipsy and patted Erkang on the shoulder: "Uncle Fu, you have to keep an eye on Princess Mingzhu and don't let Xiaoyanzi lead her astray."
Ziwei smiled and shook her head: "I am happy to be led astray by her."
Just as they were arguing, Little Mosquito came running in breathlessly, holding an oil-paper bag in his hand. "Good grief! Madam Fang sent some snacks over! She said they're for the princess and the princesses!"
"My mother sent it?" Little Swallow hopped down from the tree, her movements as light as a leaf. She rushed to Little Mosquito, opened the paper package, and her eyes lit up. "It's plum blossom cake! Quick, save two for Ziwei!"
Everyone gathered around the plum blossom cake, taking a piece from each other, their mouths filled with sweetness. The heat blurred the window glass, blocking the cold wind outside and leaving only warmth in the room.
As the sun set, the lanterns in the guesthouse lit up one after another, their warm yellow light filtering through the window lattices, illuminating the smiles on everyone's faces. Little Swallow leaned on Yongqi's shoulder, watching the bustle unfold before her, and suddenly sighed softly.
"What's wrong?" Yongqi asked her with his head down.
"Nothing." Xiaoyanzi shook her head and rubbed against his arms, her voice as soft as a dream, "I just feel really good."
It's wonderful. I have family, friends, a loved one, hot meals, and lots of conversation and laughter. This fulfilling life is like the plum blossom cakes in the guesthouse, perfectly sweet and heartwarming.
The bell tower in the distance struck the evening drum, again and again, as if gently blessing this peaceful and prosperous era and this world of fireworks.
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