“Mom, the layering of the flowers and leaves is not right. Proper overlapping will create a more intuitive sense of three-dimensionality, like this…”
Eight-year-old Fu Meili stood on tiptoe, holding Jiang Shan's hand, carefully arranging a peony decorated on the cake.
Jiang Shan held his breath and followed his daughter's little hand to bring out the layers of the flower.
After a moment, she let out a long sigh and exclaimed from the bottom of her heart, "As expected! My Huahua is still the best!"
Fu Meili's face flushed slightly. "Mother, you're teasing me again!"
Jiang Shan cupped her daughter's delicate face in her hands and pouted, saying, "When others praise you, it's a compliment, but when I praise you, it's a joke. You don't believe me, and that makes me so sad!"
Fu Meili paused for a moment, then reached out and hooked her arm around Jiang Shan's neck, saying in a serious tone, "Everything Hua Hua has learned is thanks to her mother. You are the most amazing mother in the world!"
Jiang Shan couldn't help but smile, his smile so wide that his eyes disappeared from his mouth.
In Hua Hua's eyes, the country is the god in her heart.
She vaguely knew that her mother was different from them!
My mother came from another world; she was like a goddess.
Just how powerful is my mother?
Mother knows many things they don't, and has many skills they've never seen. Mother's knowledge is even greater than Grandpa's!
My mother can speak Japanese and many other foreign languages. She is very clever and inherited her mother's intelligence. When it comes to calculations, she has never met anyone other than her mother!
Every time her mother said she was smart, she was overjoyed. Being praised by her mother was the most prestigious thing she could ever be!
She loves being with her mother.
But her mother was too busy and didn't have time to spend with her, so she told her to go play with her friends.
Those friends... sigh, let's not talk about them!
She doesn't know anything about this or that, and she can't get along with them.
Her brother is busy too, riding his little white bike around all day long. She's a lady, she can't let her brother lead her astray!
As for my uncles, it's a long story. They all work in Beijing, but they love to travel around, calling it "business trips"!
Looking around Huangshan Garden and the Grand Tutor's Mansion, the only ones truly retired at home were her and her maternal grandmother.
My maternal grandmother was invited out for tea, flower viewing, and gatherings every day, but it was really inconvenient for her, being two generations removed, to participate.
She was so lonely and isolated!
With no other option, she went to the store to look at the account books, which was one of the few and only hobbies that she, at eight years old, could freely control.
Walking down the street, the maid Huajiao followed closely behind, her small but sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any people or things that might be a source of danger.
As they walked, Fu Meili took out two candied hawthorns from her backpack and handed one to Huajiao.
Huajiao's eyes flickered slightly, his fingers twitched, but he didn't take it.
"Eat up! It's just a candied hawthorn, it won't eat me up! These are the last two that Mom made!"
Fu Meili's words were filled with irresistible allure, something that twelve-year-old Huajiao could not easily resist.
Because when Jiangshan makes a move, it is always something extraordinary.
The secretions in his mouth were beyond Huajiao's control. When Fu Meili stuffed the candied hawthorn into Huajiao's mouth, Huajiao's mouth was the first to disobey its master's wishes.
"Isn't it delicious? It's made with wild pears and crystal grapes, coated with honey. You can't buy this anywhere else, even if you have money!"
Huajiao took small bites of the soft, sweet and sour candied hawthorn and muttered to himself, "Qingcheng Mountain also has wild pears and grapes."
Fu Meili glanced at her sideways and said, "Missing home? Your brother said he'll personally escort the New Year's gifts to the mountain this year. Why don't you go back with him to see your parents and brothers?"
Huajiao shook his head vigorously and said earnestly, "The patriarch ordered me to stay by Miss's side as a guard. Wherever Miss goes, I will go! If Young Master doesn't take Miss with him, Huajiao won't go either!"
Fu Meili pressed down her lips and sighed, "But I promised Aunt Liyang that I would stay in the capital for the New Year this year, and I also want to visit the Princess's residence to pay her a New Year's visit, and I also want to give a birthday gift to Brother Yue's child!"
Huajiao's eyes dimmed.
Fu Meili suddenly added, "Your brother can bring your parents and brothers to the capital to see you! Anyway, your great-grandfather is going to send someone to escort your brother back to the capital, so why don't you have your family come along?"
Huajiao's eyes suddenly lit up!
"Is it okay? Is it really okay?"
"Yes, that's great! I'll tell my brother tonight."
Sichuan peppercorns nodded vigorously with delight.
"Then remember to ask the housekeeper to redecorate your yard and have them live with you. You can also use my small kitchen; just tell the housekeeper if you need anything. Make sure to treat your family well!"
"Yes, I'll remember that, thank you, Miss!"
As the master and servant were talking, they turned into Yunlan Street.
A carriage approached and stopped beside the master and servant.
"beauty!"
"Flower!"
Two voices rang out at the same time, and a head popped out from inside the carriage.
Fu Meili stopped, looked at the other gentle and smiling handsome face inside the carriage, and gracefully bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince, greetings, Second Prince."
Li Yu waved his hand dismissively and said, "Hua Hua, how many times have I told you not to be so formal? He is Brother Huan, and I am Brother Yu. Don't keep calling him 'Your Highness,' it sounds too distant!"
Fu Meili puffed out her cheeks, quickly swallowed the last candied hawthorn in her mouth, and then said unhurriedly, "Etiquette cannot be disregarded, otherwise my grandfather will scold me!"
The carriage curtain was pulled open, and Li Huan got off the carriage and stood in front of Fu Meili.
Looking at the little girl who barely reached his chest, Li Huan took a deep breath and smiled faintly, "Why don't you bring more people with you? This month, foreign envoys will be coming to pay tribute, and recently there have been quite a few unfamiliar outsiders in the capital. You should be more careful."
Fu Meili opened her eyes wide, wanting to say something, but then held back and gave Li Huan a curtsy to express her gratitude.
Li Huan sighed almost imperceptibly.
This girl always seemed a little reserved in his presence, as if she were somewhat afraid of him.
But when he spoke to her, he was even gentler than when he spoke to his mother!
She was more natural when talking to her second brother; he even saw her bite him last year!
"Hua Hua, where are you going? Let me and your brother take you there!" Li Yu said enthusiastically from the side.
"Miss is going to the shop!" Huajiao blurted out.
Jiang's shop is right ahead; there's really no need to make a special trip there.
After a moment's thought, Li Huan said, "Let's go together. I'll bring back a plate of stir-fried pork intestines with chili peppers for my grandfather; he's been craving it for ages!"
Huajiao's eyes widened. "The Supreme Lord... likes to eat that stuff?"
Fu Meili glanced at Huajiao indifferently.
"Your Highness, please don't be offended. This girl is ignorant and thinks the best thing in the world is braised pork. Alright, let's go to the shop together then!"
Li Huan breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as the group was about to get into the car, a clear and melodious voice rang out.
"Wait!"
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