21. Chapter 21 Coax Her
Xiaoxiao's face turned red and she stood there without moving.
Pei Xiuhan, who always lacked patience, raised his brows slightly and asked, "Kid, why are you blushing?"
It would have been fine if he hadn't said it. As soon as he said it, Xiaoxiao's face turned even redder. The blush spread from her cheeks to behind her ears, and her slender white neck was faintly pink, more dazzling than the sunset in the sky.
She didn't know why she was blushing. She was afraid that her brother would think she was weird, so she walked up to him and stammered, "I, I feel a little hot."
Pei Xiuhan clicked his tongue, then stretched out his hand and flicked it. A small black bead bounced out and hit the window frame. The window frame shook slightly, and the eagle carved on it seemed to be about to fly up.
The next moment, the window was completely opened, and fresh air rushed in. The fiery red rays of light shot into the room unhindered, hitting the little girl's rosy snow-white skin.
Xiaoxiao stood awkwardly. Although she had grown taller, she still couldn't reach his chin. When she stood, she was only slightly taller than him when he sat on the couch.
Pei Xiuhan reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice lazy and with a hint of teasing, "Do I need to buy you some candied haws this time?"
Xiaoxiao wrinkled her nose. After today, she would be thirteen years old and no longer a child. She didn't need anyone to coax her.
Knowing that her brother was trying to liven up the atmosphere and make her feel less sad, Xiaoxiao sternly replied, "Not even one."
Pei Xiuhan sneered, a hint of disdain flashing across his face. "If she's so hard to please, just sell her. Who knows, maybe you can get a few dozen strings of candied haws."
Xiaoxiao couldn't help but curl her lips, thinking that her brother was reluctant to do so. The money he spent on her might be enough to buy all the candied haws in the whole of Dajin.
Her facial features are bright and charming, and her smile is particularly beautiful, showing the beauty of a young girl.
Seeing a smile finally on her face, Pei Xiuhan said, "There's nothing to be sad about. Even though your brother is far away in the frontier, doesn't he still have me by his side?"
He didn't know how to coax children. When Pei Jing was a child and secretly wiped away tears because she missed her father, he would ask the guards to buy her some delicious food. It was only because the little girl was well-behaved and sensible that he was more patient.
Xiaoxiao's heart was filled with anger. Just as she was about to say something, she heard footsteps. The maids and servants knelt on the ground. When they wanted to greet her, Pei Jing waved his hand impatiently, "Everyone, leave."
Although he was still young, he was very majestic when Pei Xiuhan was not around, and no one dared to disobey his orders.
Pei Jing then rushed in with Little Li Zi. He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a sapphire belt around his waist. He was handsome and elegant, and walked in with a menacing look on his face, stepping on the sunset glow.
After entering, he saw that the emperor's uncle was dressed in casual clothes, leaning lazily on the couch, and had no intention of entering the palace at all.
Xiaoxiao was standing beside the Arhat bed carved with cloud and dragon patterns. The little girl was looking at him curiously with her bright eyes.
Pei Jing paused for a moment, the anger on his face finally dissipating a little. He snorted and said to Pei Xiuhan, "It's okay that you didn't attend the palace banquet yesterday, but you didn't come to have New Year's Eve dinner with me today. Have you completely forgotten me now that there are more people in the mansion?"
When he met Xiaoxiao's friendly and smiling gaze, he was too embarrassed to say the word "little girl".
Pei Xiuhan remained seated, not even blinking, and simply replied, "Is your family having New Year's Eve dinner at noon?"
The sun had just set and the vast sunset glow had not yet completely dissipated. It was indeed not time for dinner yet.
Seeing that the emperor's uncle did not question him about leaving the palace without permission, Pei Jing retracted his fierce expression. He felt that this tactic of taking the initiative was really effective.
He managed to stay here.
After the maid served the meal, he sat down next to Xiaoxiao and Pei Xiuhan. Xiaoxiao wore a primrose-colored double-breasted jacket and a milky white moon-lit skirt. Her skin was as white as a lotus emerging from water. During this period, she had received enough nutrition, and her face was so tender that you could squeeze water out of it. She didn't look like a country girl at all.
Pei Jing had seen many noble ladies, but he felt that none of them could compare to her in beauty. He even had doubts about Xiaoxiao's identity. Could such a beautiful girl really be raised in the countryside?
Seeing him staring at Xiaoxiao, Pei Xiuhan tapped the back of his hand with his chopsticks and said, "If you don't eat, go back."
Pei Jing withdrew his gaze with a wronged look. His expression was so rich that Xiaoxiao couldn't help but smile secretly.
After meeting Pei Jing's resentful eyes, she quickly pursed her lips, picked up the serving chopsticks in a flattering manner, and picked up a braised chicken wing for him, "Little brother, eat quickly."
Her voice was soft and sweet, and her call of "little brother" was very pleasant to the ear. Even though she was not his little cousin, Pei Jing had decided that this little sister would be under his protection from now on!
He smiled and said, "Sister eats too."
Hearing him address Xiaoxiao, Pei Xiuhan paused holding his chopsticks. He raised his stern brows and said to Xiaoxiao, "He's only a few months younger than you. Why call me brother?"
Xiaoxiao screamed and her face turned red instantly.
Pei Jing glanced at Xiaoxiao suspiciously. He was almost a head taller than Xiaoxiao, but she was actually older than him? Pei Jing refused to believe it. Even if he refused to believe it, Xiaoxiao would not call him brother anymore. Pei Jing felt very depressed.
In order to coax him, Xiaoxiao plucked some grass and weaved a big grasshopper. Pei Jing became even more depressed. Did she really treat him as a child?
As the night gradually darkened and the lights came on, Pei Xiuhan cruelly drove him back to the palace, and the majestic grasshopper was also taken away by him.
Xiaoxiao did not leave. She planned to keep watch with Brother Pei and go back to her room to rest after midnight.
She simply sat on the carpet with a picture of a magpie on a plum tree, picked up the book she had read in the morning and continued reading. The book talked about the customs and habits of the remote areas of Dajin, and it was quite interesting.
There was a floor heater in the room and the carpet was very thick, so it was not cold. Pei Xiu Han ignored her and was also reading. Throughout the year, only New Year's Eve would bring him some relaxation, so he took out a military book. When he finished reading it, he found that the little girl had fallen asleep on the stool beside her without noticing.
Her little face was white and tender, and she looked even more adorable when she was sleeping. Pei Xiuhan wanted to wake her up and let her go to bed, but after seeing the dark circles under the little girl's eyes, he simply reached out and picked her up.
Xiaoxiao has been suffering from insomnia for the past two days. After she had no classes, she would always think of him going to the battlefield. Now that she was by his side, perhaps she felt at ease and slept soundly.
When Pei Xiuhan picked her up, she didn't wake up. She buried her little face in his arms. Her well-behaved appearance melted people's hearts.
Even though Pei Xiuhan has always been cold-blooded and heartless, at this moment, he felt that it was pretty good to have such a little girl by his side.
When he was about to get up and leave, he found that the little girl was grabbing his sleeve. Her little hands were clenched tightly. He didn't know what she was dreaming about. Her thick and curly eyelashes trembled uneasily for a few times, and she murmured softly, "Brother."
The girl has fair skin and fragrant cheeks, and her appearance is particularly endearing.
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