Hearing his words, An Shuyi felt a little strange, but she didn't think much of it. "You flatter me. Young Master Xiao is as charming as ever."
"We can't compare to Madam An. How long has Madam An been in the capital? How many days will she stay this time?" For the past ten years, he hasn't had the opportunity to go to the capital and can only learn about her from his subordinates.
But she was too formidable, especially the woman beside her, who was even more agile than her. Her subordinates dared not get too close, and they always ended up embarrassing themselves.
"I have a month to live, and I'm leaving tomorrow." Although she didn't know why he was asking, she still told him.
"So soon, Madam An, why don't you stay a little longer? The Dragon Boat Festival is just over a month away, and the capital will be very lively with lots of fun places to visit." He had just returned from the frontier and hadn't even had time to deal with his business before rushing to the capital. He hadn't expected her to leave so soon.
"I have something to do and need to go back to the village. I'll come back in May!" There will be a big show in the palace then, how could she miss it? For now, she's just going back to the village.
There's still over a month left, it's so boring staying here.
Xiao Yubai was relieved to know that she had come again. "Madam, is there something you need to do this time?"
"My son is taking the imperial examination, and I came with him!" Of course, besides his son, there was also his nephew.
"Then the lady's son must be exceptionally talented, a top-ranking scholar, right?" He saw her throwing flowers down yesterday, but she threw too many, so he didn't know which one was her son, and he didn't send anyone to investigate.
An Shuyi nodded, "This year's top scholar is my son." The third-place scholar is her nephew, and the second and third-place scholars are also her nephews. Haha, just thinking about it makes me happy.
Seeing her beaming smile, I knew she was very happy. "Madam is truly remarkable to have raised such a son. The top scholar can stay in the capital to serve, so I imagine Madam will also stay in the capital in the future?"
“No, I’m so busy every day, I don’t have time. Besides, I don’t only have this one son, I also need to go back to the village.” Thinking about keeping her son in Beijing is overthinking it; she’s not that stupid to create trouble for herself.
Hearing that she wasn't staying in the capital, Xiao Yubai was somewhat disappointed, but then he remembered what his subordinates had reported: she often traveled around with a woman and had even toured the entire Yichen Kingdom, so he could understand.
"How many children does the lady have?" He really didn't know, and didn't ask his subordinates to find out.
“Six, and one daughter,” An Shuyi said, seeing that he kept asking her questions. “Young Master Xiao, how many years have you been married? How many wives do you have? How many children do you have? And how old are you this year?”
When Xiao Yubai heard her ask this, he laughed and said, "Madam has quite a few children. I am thirty-six years old this year and I am still unmarried. Madam has none, and of course, I have no concubines either, so I have no children."
After hearing what he said, An Shuyi forgot all about the opera and stared at him in surprise. Then her gaze moved down, but it was blocked by the table. Could this man be impotent? He's thirty-four and still not married.
“There’s a doctor in our village. Although he’s not as skilled as Doctor Yi Guan, he’s an expert in treating difficult and complicated cases. Maybe he can help you.”
Xiao Yubai had been watching her the whole time, and naturally saw the ambiguous look in her eyes. Combined with what she said about being a doctor, he naturally knew what she meant. He didn't expect that just because he wasn't married, she would misunderstand him like this, but he also found her very cute.
"I have no health problems. I'm not married because I haven't met anyone I like. I'd rather have none than someone bad. If someone isn't the one I like, I won't even take a fairy from heaven. If someone is the one I like, even if she's a wife or a mother, I'll still snatch her away."
"Your idea is good, it's great." Great my foot! To put it bluntly, she just wants to be a mistress.
"Madam also thinks it's good."
"Not bad, pretty good." An Shuyi replied perfunctorily, unaware that this casual reply would cost her dearly.
Seeing that she was still watching the play, Xiao Yubai didn't say anything more. Instead, he took the food box handed to him by his subordinate, took out the snacks inside, placed them on the table, picked up a piece with his chopsticks, and placed it in front of An Shuyi. "Madam, have some snacks."
Seeing the snacks that suddenly appeared in front of her, An Shuyi took them with her hands, then took a bite. They were so delicious.
She wanted to eat lotus flower pastries, which she hadn't had for ten years. Although there was a recipe for lotus flower pastries in the trading system, and Hua Hua had made them a few times, the taste was never right. She even asked the maids in the pastry shop to make them, but they couldn't make them either.
She thought she would never get to eat authentic lotus flower pastries in her life, but they appeared right in front of her. Although Hua Hua said that she shouldn't eat other people's food, Xiao Yubai had no reason to harm her.
Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Xiao Yubai said, "There's still some left in the food box, but not much. It'll be enough for you for a few days. When you come to the capital next time, I'll have the chef make more for you."
An Shuyi shook her head, "No need for that trouble, this little bit of food is enough for me, thank you, Young Master Xiao."
"Okay, I'll have the chef make it whenever you want to eat it. Have another piece." After she finished eating, he picked up another piece and handed it to her.
"Thank you!" Looking at the lotus-shaped pastry in front of him, he didn't stand on ceremony and took it to eat.
"Have some tea, don't choke." Actually, he was worried that it was too sweet, so he specifically instructed the chef to make the lotus flower pastry a little sweeter.
"Okay, thank you!" He took the tea and drank it all in one gulp.
"Is it tasty?"
"Delicious!" Suddenly sensing something was off about the voice, An Shuyi abruptly turned around, startled so much that she dropped the pastry. Luckily, she caught it and popped it into her mouth. "Huahua, if I told you he insisted on giving it to me, would you believe me?"
Xia Hua retorted, "Do you think I'd believe that? Your words are just like those of a cheating man. It was all her who seduced me, An Shushu. You've forgotten what I told you."
She had just finished checking the shop's accounts and, thinking that she was here, came over to check on her. She never expected that she would dare to eat something given to her by someone else.
"I was wrong." Regardless of right or wrong, if you don't want to be criticized, the best attitude is to admit your mistake.
Xia Hua sat down in the chair and said slowly, "Where did you go wrong?"
An Shuyi glanced at Xiao Yubai beside her, "Can we talk about this at home?" It's not good to talk about it here. Hua Hua is too cruel, but she didn't dare to resist.
"Who is this? How long have you known her? She doesn't look like a good person." Shushu spends every day with her, how did she get to know someone like this?
"His name is Xiao Yubai, Lotus Flower Pastry!" Well, ten years have passed, and Hua Hua has forgotten him again, or perhaps he was never remembered at all.
Upon hearing this, Xia Hua suddenly realized, "Oh, it's the one whose cook makes lotus flower pastries. No wonder you would eat other people's food if it were just ordinary stuff. It turns out it's lotus flower pastries."
This silly woman, for ten years, ever since the lotus flower pastry recipe appeared in the trading system, has been constantly pestering her to make lotus flower pastries. But she has tried many times and still can't make them right. She clearly follows the recipe, but it just doesn't turn out the way it is.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
