Chapter 426 If Line-Meeting Gift
Zhizhi, who was born in Lingnan, has lived here for six years and lives a fulfilling life every day.
He can do everything, including hunting birds and catching fish, climbing trees and picking fruits.
Although she had been punished many times by her parents for being naughty and getting into trouble, she just couldn't calm down.
Wu Yingniang often took Zhizhi to play in Heifei Mountain.
Zhizhi likes the villagers on Black Bandit Mountain very much. Every time he goes there, he listens to the villagers’ stories and watches them practice martial arts.
Zhizhi is popular and has many friends to play with in Heifei Mountain and the county town.
They can play various games such as hide-and-seek, treasure hunt, and generals' war.
Zhizhi likes to play hide-and-seek and war. She can hide very secretly or play the role of a general and fight.
But she didn't like the game of chance called treasure hunting because she always found nothing.
Other children would sometimes pick up a coin or two on the road, but Zhizhi had never picked up any.
Zhizhi is not a lucky child.
She had tripped over stones and fallen while walking, encountered rainy days without an umbrella, and even dropped her newly bought purse on the road and couldn't find it.
But she is a child who loves to laugh and is very good at making herself happy.
When she fell, she would pick up the stone that tripped her and take it home, saying that the stone appeared on her path because it wanted to be her friend.
When it rained and she didn't bring an umbrella, Zhizhi would play crazily in the rain and puddles, because she thought that since she was already wet, it was the best opportunity to play in the water.
Zhizhi was not sad when he lost his new purse. He just said, "My new purse is very powerful. It has gone to find a new owner."
When Zhizhi was six years old, Pei Lingyun was transferred back to the capital by the emperor to take up a post.
Wu Yingniang and Zhizhi followed them back to the capital.
On the way to the capital, Zhizhi had many questions about Chang'an:
"Dad, how big is the capital? Is it as big as two or three Baiyun counties?"
"Dad, can we still climb mountains in the capital? Are there so many fish in the streams in the capital?"
"Dad, where are you going to send me to study? Can you find a college that only takes half a day to go?"
"Also, will there be many people in the capital who will play with me?"
Pei Lingyun could only try his best to answer his daughter:
"The capital city has more than two or three Baiyun counties. It's even bigger than this, with 108 wards."
"There are no mountains in the capital, but there are many outside the city. After you go there, your parents will take you to climb the mountains in the suburbs of Beijing in their free time."
"Dad has never heard of that academy in Chang'an that only takes half a day. However, Dad doesn't plan to send you there. Your uncle has already invited a teacher to come back home to teach your cousins. Dad will discuss it with your uncle and have the teacher teach your cousins in the morning and you in the afternoon."
"As for playmates," Pei Lingyun paused, "Your cousins are four or five years older than you, so they might not be able to play with you. But the young master from the Xue Mansion next door is the same age as you, but a few months younger, so he might be able to be your playmate."
Zhizhi's eyes lit up:
"Lives next door? Then I can hang out with him every day. What's his name?"
Pei Lingyun recalled Xue Yucheng's letter: "Xue Che."
Wu Yingniang rubbed her daughter's face:
"I heard that Xue Che is a quiet kid who loves studying. He might not have time to play with you every day."
Zhizhi, however, is already thinking about what gift to give to her new friend.
Pei Lingyun and his group arrived in the capital and returned to the Pei Mansion.
Pei Lingfeng and his wife, as well as Pei Xuan, had already stretched their necks to wait for them.
As soon as they met, both sides were very happy.
"Zixin, you've worked hard in Lingnan these years."
"Is this your sister-in-law and Zhizhi? Come in, have some tea and rest first. Your yard has been cleaned."
"Yuan'er, Han'er, come meet your second uncle, second aunt, and younger sister."
Pei Lingfeng and his wife smiled warmly, and the two children beside them behaved politely.
"Yingniang, we finally meet again!" Pei Xuan held Wu Yingniang's hand and had a lot to say.
Zhizhi looked up and said loudly:
"Hello, uncle, aunt, and auntie, hello, brother and sister, I'm Zhizhi!"
She introduced herself seriously, her cheeks flushed.
It looks very lovely.
Yan Yu and Pei Xuan couldn't help but bend down and touch the child's head.
As soon as Pei Xuan saw her little niece, she knew she was a tough child.
She picked up Zhizhi and pinched the flesh on Zhizhi's hand:
"Has Zhizhi practiced martial arts?"
When it comes to martial arts, Zhizhi gets really excited: "I can do horse stance and I can crack a whip!"
Pei Xuan raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard this:
"whip?"
Wu Yingniang explained: "When she was in Lingnan, Zhizhi liked to go up the mountain with some other children to pick fruit. She often used a whip to hit the fruit, and gradually she got used to it, without learning any techniques."
Zhizhi: "My mother said that my aunt is the best at using a whip. I want to see her use a whip."
Pei Xuan couldn't suppress the smile on her face because of the praise:
"Just watching is useless. Eat well and gain strength. Auntie will teach you whip techniques herself!"
Zhizhi's two small hands hooked Pei Xuan's neck: "Auntie, I eat a lot every day, so I'm very strong."
Pei Lingyun saw that Pei Xuan and Zhizhi were very close when they met, so he couldn't help but act as an older brother to urge them to get married:
"Xuan'er, if you like children so much, you should get married. How long do you want to wait?"
Pei Xuan's marriage has not been settled yet, and everyone in the Pei family sighs when they think about it.
Pei Xuan herself was not in a hurry at all:
"Second brother, please don't wrongly accuse me. I didn't delay, it's just that those guys are really not to my liking. Why should I give in?"
Pei Xuan said confidently: "Besides, I'm very busy in the army now and don't have the time to think about this."
After Pei Xuan graduated from the martial arts school, she and several other female students joined the Imperial Guard and became the first group of female soldiers in Dayu.
It’s not easy to be one of the first female soldiers, as so many eyes are watching you.
Pei Xuan is much busier than before, but she is happy to be busy.
After Pei Lingyun returned to Beijing, the Pei family did not hold a big banquet.
People in Beijing were no longer so surprised that Pei Lingyun brought his wife and daughter back from Lingnan.
After all, he had seen Xue Yucheng bring Shangguan Ru back before, and he had been scolded by the Xue family, so he couldn't gossip behind her back.
The Pei family only invited a few families in Beijing with whom they had close relations to dine at their mansion, such as the Yan family and the Xue family.
As soon as Xue Yucheng and Pei Lingyun met, they hugged each other, arms around each other's shoulders, as if they had returned to their youth.
The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, so they sat next to each other, drinking and talking non-stop.
Wu Yingniang and Shangguan Ru met and chatted casually, talking about business matters.
When Wu Yingniang heard that Shangguan Ru opened a rouge and jewelry shop in Chang'an, she mentioned:
"I also plan to do business in Chang'an. I want to open a restaurant."
Shangguan Ru is most interested in business:
"Opening a restaurant is great! But first you need a good chef and a good location. I know a good spot. I'll take you there someday..."
The adults sat together and chatted, and the children had a special table.
There were several children sitting around a small table.
Zhizhi and Xue Che were the youngest, so they were arranged to sit together.
The two little men were so short that their feet couldn't even reach the ground when they sat on the chairs.
Zhizhi asked Xue Che, "Are you Ache? My name is Zhizhi, and I'm from Lingnan."
Xue Che nodded: "My father told me that you are the daughter of Uncle Pei."
Zhizhi pinched her small purse and said mysteriously:
"Ache, I've prepared a gift for you."
Xue Che was slightly stunned. He didn't expect that Zhizhi, who came from Lingnan, paid so much attention to etiquette and specially prepared a meeting gift at such a young age.
On the other hand, he himself had not prepared anything.
Xue Che felt a little embarrassed for a moment, especially when he saw Zhizhi carefully handing over the purse in her hand. He felt that he had to prepare a return gift for Zhizhi.
"Thank you." Xue Che took the small purse with both hands.
Zhizhi was still staring at him.
Xue Che: "What's wrong?"
Zhizhi: "Aren't you going to open it and take a look?"
Xue Che: "How can you open someone's gift in front of them? You have to wait until you get home to see it."
"Well, that's fine too," Su Zhizhi reminded, "but you have to keep it very carefully and don't squeeze or press it."
Xue Che didn't know what valuable things Zhizhi had stuffed in her purse, but when he heard Zhizhi say that, he nodded carefully.
That night, when he and his parents returned home, he held the small purse carefully in his hand.
When I returned to my room, I opened it out of curiosity.
The rope buckle loosened.
The cute little purse opened.
Xue Che opened his purse and saw a dark shadow inside.
Strip-shaped, twisting.
The shadow climbed onto Xue Che's hand.
It is a fat and round worm.
Pop.
The purse fell to the ground.
Xue Che shook his fingers in disbelief, trying to shake off the bugs on his hands.
It’s a bug! It’s actually a bug!
Zhizhi deliberately scared him with insects and lied to him that it was a gift for meeting him.
How outrageous!
"Mom——!" Xue Che hurried out to complain.
He wants to tell his parents that Zhizhi is a bad guy!
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