"I made this myself!"
"I'm sorry..." Wei Zhao, like a child who had done something wrong, hurriedly knelt down to pick up the pieces, explaining in a flustered manner, "I didn't, I didn't mean to."
Wei Xuan frowned as he watched this scene and spoke to Jiang Jiyao: "Jiyao's hands were splattered with oil and blistered while making these plum blossom cakes for you. If you don't want to eat them, fine, but why throw them on the ground?"
"Big brother, I really didn't mean to." Wei Zhao's voice trailed off. "Cousin Ji Yao suddenly leaned in, I...I..."
"I'm not used to physical contact with other people."
Wei Xuan was stunned.
He recalled Wei Zhao's past experiences and suddenly realized what was going on. Only one thought remained in his mind: I deserve to die.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, then squatted down to help him pick it up. He immediately turned against Jiang Jiyao, saying, "Jiyao, you too! A-Zhao already said he'd just drunk a lot of tea and should eat later. Why did you insist on feeding him and forcing him to eat?"
"cousin--"
“It’s not my cousin’s fault!” Wei Zhao said innocently. “It was my fault. I offended her and accidentally spilled the snacks.”
"It's understandable that she's angry with me and takes it out on me."
Wei Xuan: "It wasn't intentional, why is she throwing a tantrum!"
Wei Zhao continued, seemingly oblivious, "Cousin Jiyao, don't be upset, I... I'll eat it."
As he spoke, he picked up a piece and was about to put it in his mouth.
But Wei Xuan stopped him, saying, "Hey! These are all on the ground, they'll get dirty."
“It’s not dirty.” Wei Zhao smiled slightly. “It’s clean. When I was little, I would eat it even if it got dirty, otherwise I would go hungry.”
"Besides, this was made with great effort by my cousin. If it were lost, wouldn't it be a waste of her good intentions?"
He finished speaking and was about to continue eating.
Wei Xuan tried to stop him again.
This time, however, he didn't say anything. Instead, he snatched the pastry from Wei Zhao's hand, gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Then he said to Jiang Jiyao, "I ate it, so it's not like you did it for nothing."
Not only that, he also reminded Jiang Jiyao, "And next time you talk to Azhao, keep your voice down. Look how scared you were just now!"
Jiang Jiyao was completely bewildered: "Cousin, have you been cursed? Didn't you clearly hate him before? Why are you siding with him today?"
"I don't really like him that much now..." Wei Xuan started to say, but after inadvertently meeting Wei Zhao's pitiful eyes, he immediately changed his words: "Don't talk nonsense! When did I hate him?"
"You clearly..."
"The past is the past; you can't generalize!"
He admitted that he had some misunderstandings about Wei Zhao before, but he had listened to his mother's words that day.
Over time, his opinion of the other person has gradually changed.
Since he is his aunt's child, he is his younger brother just like Ah Heng. How could he not love and protect him!
Thinking of something, Wei Xuan's gaze towards Jiang Jiyao suddenly filled with doubt: "You're one to talk, aren't you?"
"I used to dislike A-Zhao no matter what, so why am I so interested in him lately?"
They made snacks and gave her handkerchiefs.
Hey!
A thought suddenly popped into Wei Xuan's mind: "You don't mean you've taken a fancy to A-Zhao, do you?"
"Cousin! What nonsense are you talking about..." Jiang Jiyao stomped her foot and ran away.
Shen Qiyin watched silently, her eyes deep.
She didn't know if Jiang Jiyao had really fallen for Wei Zhao, but she was certain that Wei Zhao didn't like Jiang Jiyao.
While she was thinking, Old Madam Wei returned from changing her clothes at the back and said to Wei Zhao, "New Year's Eve is just around the corner. Please invite your senior brother and those two children to come to our house to celebrate the New Year."
"No need, Grandmother, my senior brothers have their own arrangements."
My senior brother and Sister Chu have already agreed to get married next spring, so they definitely won't be inviting her alone for the New Year this year.
Moreover, when his senior brother was buying New Year's goods that day, he seemed to hear his senior sister say that she would also celebrate the New Year with them.
Actually, Shen Qiyin didn't really care whether she celebrated the New Year, who she celebrated it with, or where she celebrated it. But that day, Chunsheng kept asking her, so she agreed to go with them.
As for the Shen family...
unimportant.
After the uproar on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Madam Shen fell ill again. Shen Cang was so busy taking care of her that he had no time to think about whether or not to celebrate the New Year.
Li Zhenzhu did not exert any effort whatsoever.
Shen Mengyin usually cooks all the meals at home.
Therefore, on New Year's Eve, Shen Qiyin took Xianglan out early in the morning to Guangrentang.
The night before winter, Ren Dong was busy interrogating prisoners at Qi Ying Pavilion. It was so late that he stayed there to rest and did not return.
When Shen Qiyin arrived at Guangrentang, she didn't see her and thought she was still in Qiying Pavilion. It wasn't until Chunsheng pointed to the backyard that she realized she was taking a nap inside.
Da Zhuang and Chu Tao Ning were busy picking and washing vegetables.
Chen Xi wrote a couplet.
Chunsheng and Xianglan were in charge of pasting.
Chu Tao Ning didn't say much, but when Shen Qi Yin mentioned the spice shop, she spoke up: "Ever since His Highness sent back to the capital the birthday gifts that he prepared for the Empress Dowager, the spices in our shop have become hot commodities."
At first, no one came to buy incense, and the shop lost money every day, which worried her terribly.
Fortunately, the clouds have parted and the sun is shining through.
Shen Qiyin chuckled: "After the New Year, we'll hire two more helpers."
"No need, don't waste that money." Chu Tao Ning said softly, "Although there are many people coming to buy incense, I can manage and won't lose business."
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