It was evening.
"Miaochun, my hand hurts. Blow on it for me, okay?" Yan Mingli leaned on Chen Miaochun's shoulder, feigning weakness.
Shen Baozhu was sitting on a chair, swinging her legs. She looked at Yan Mingli curiously with a full - face of curiosity: "Brother Mingli, didn't you say it didn't hurt and you didn't need medicine?"
Qiuqiu, sitting beside her, shook her head: "Baozhu is so silly. Brother Mingli doesn't need your medicine, but he needs Sister Miaochun's kiss!"
As she spoke, she leaned her body against Shen Baozhu until she was resting on Shen Baozhu's shoulder. She imitated Yan Mingli's tone: "Baozhu, my hand hurts. Blow on it for me, okay?"
Shen Baozhu understood what Qiuqiu meant. She reached out her arm and pulled Qiuqiu into her arms: "Qiuqiu doesn't hurt. I'll blow on it for you."
Then everyone's eyes turned to Yan Mingli, waiting for his next move.
Just as Yan Mingli was feeling a bit embarrassed, the Prince of Rui came back slowly, carrying a birdcage in his right hand and pastries in his left.
The Prince of Rui scanned the area. Seeing everyone there, he asked curiously, "What's going on? Why is everyone sitting here?"
Yan Mingli was just about to cover it up when the kind - hearted Shen Baozhu told the Prince of Rui voluntarily, "Brother Mingli took us home today. He got his palm beaten for causing trouble. Now Sister Miaochun is applying medicine to him."
"Just like this! Baozhu, my hand hurts. Blow on it for me, okay?" Qiuqiu acted it out again, making the Prince of Rui want to laugh.
But under Yan Mingli's threatening gaze, the Prince of Rui coughed lightly, suppressing his laughter. He pretended to scold, "Qiuqiu, you've gone too far. I'll punish you and Baozhu to eat the new pastries I bought."
Putting the pastries on the table, the Prince of Rui sighed, "It's been a long time since I last saw you getting your palm beaten. I really miss the old days!"
Shen Baozhu and Qiuqiu whispered to each other in a normal voice, "It turns out Brother Mingli often gets his palm beaten. It seems Third Brother is really nice to us. He only punishes us to stand!"
Qiuqiu thought it was wrong, "This shows that we're well - behaved. Unlike Brother Mingli who causes trouble. Brother Haiyan wouldn't bear to punish well - behaved kids."
After eating the pastries the Prince of Rui brought, Qiuqiu was going home.
She held Shen Baozhu's hand, reluctant to part, "Woohoo, Baozhu."
"Miss Qiuqiu, it's time for you to return to the Marquis's Mansion. His Highness is waiting for my reply!" Ping Hai, standing beside them, reminded her.
The Fourth Prince had just moved back to the palace and wasn't used to it yet. He often woke up in the middle of the night and then sat beside the bed waiting for dawn.
As soon as it was dawn, the Fourth Prince would take a carriage to the Princess's Mansion.
One early morning, the Fourth Prince came a bit too early and saw Qiuqiu sleeping in Shen Baozhu's bed. He endured it for the whole morning, but still cried aggrievedly during the noon nap.
He didn't understand why Qiuqiu could stay in the Princess's Mansion while he had to return to the palace.
Maybe it was the retribution for Qiuqiu's coaxing of the Fourth Prince. That day, in order to console the Fourth Prince, she said that she usually went home more often and stayed in the Princess's Mansion less.
After the Fourth Prince returned to the palace, he became a lot smarter. He specially sent Ping Hai out of the palace to keep an eye on Qiuqiu.
So every evening, Ping Hai would come to the Princess's Mansion to pick up Qiuqiu. After safely sending Qiuqiu back to the Marquis's Mansion, he would return to the palace to report.
Dragon King: [Isn't this eunuch annoying coming here every day? Tell him not to come tomorrow.]
Lin Yu: [The Fourth Prince would be sad then.]
After sending Qiuqiu away, Shen Baozhu looked up and asked, "Third Brother, when will Mother come back? I want to sleep with Mother tonight."
Shen Haiyan squatted down and poked Shen Baozhu's little face, discussing with her, "But Third Brother misses Grandpa so much. Can Baozhu help me? Next time Third Brother will take you to the military camp again, okay?"
Shen Baozhu stared at Shen Haiyan with her big round eyes without saying a word.
"I'll take you there twice, three times. I'll ask Wu Ming to bring his sister here. Wu Ming's sister is good at cooking and can make pastries. Baozhu will definitely like her." Shen Haiyan missed General Mu so much. He kept adding conditions and even didn't hesitate to sell out his brother, "I'll also treat Baozhu to pastries three times! No more!"
"A little girl shouldn't be too greedy. Greedy girls will get their butts spanked!"
Noticing the hidden meaning in Shen Haiyan's words, Shen Baozhu rolled her eyes and试探ed, "Four times of pastries?"
Shen Haiyan immediately agreed, "Okay! I'll treat Baozhu to pastries four times!"
Hearing Shen Haiyan's quick response, Shen Baozhu showed a look of regret in her eyes. She thought she had made a bad deal. She should have asked for five times.
Then she reached out her hand and held Shen Haiyan's, "Sister Yutang is going to meet her new family tomorrow. Won't Third Brother accompany her? I can fall asleep on Little Phoenix, but Mother and Big Brother can't. After we get to Xiangyun Country, Third Brother will need to catch up on sleep. The earliest he can come back is the day after tomorrow."
Shen Haiyan hesitated for a moment. Thinking of Xu Yutang's timid look, he suppressed his longing and changed the time, "Then tomorrow evening."
...
Early the next morning.
Xu Yutang was sitting in front of the dressing table. She nervously picked at her palm, with faint dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't slept all night because of her nervousness.
Due to her past experiences, Xu Yutang was used to dressing herself. Looking at herself in the mirror, she took a deep breath and began to comb her hair.
"Sister Yutang! Qiuqiu asked me to take good care of you." Shen Baozhu pushed the door open and pulled in the Princess Jingning.
She pushed her mother towards Xu Yutang, "Sister Yutang, don't worry. My mother can do hair really nicely. She will definitely make you look beautiful."
The Princess Jingning was smiling. The Shen family had been convicted and Shen Qingshan had been beheaded. She had been in a good mood these days and even asked the small kitchen to make a basket of shrimp dumplings every day to celebrate.
At this moment, she looked at Xu Yutang gently, "My skills aren't very good. I've only done Baozhu's hair. I don't know if you'd like me to do yours..."
"Yes, I'd like to!" Xu Yutang carefully handed the comb to the Princess Jingning.
The Princess Jingning took the comb and began to comb Xu Yutang's hair. The figures of the two were reflected in the mirror, making Xu Yutang even more nervous.
Although she wasn't familiar with the Princess Jingning, Xu Yutang admired her very much.
Xu Yutang had heard from Shen Haiyan and Shen Baozhu about the Princess Jingning. She was smart and decisive, able to get out safely among the wolves and tigers of the Shen family. When her husband showed signs of treachery, she didn't hesitate at all and directly chose to divorce... Most importantly, she had raised her daughter very well.
Shen Baozhu was sincere and lively. Xu Yutang had heard from her aunt that after Qiuqiu suffered from a fire, she was in a daze. It was Shen Baozhu who went to the Marquis's Mansion every day, talking and playing with Qiuqiu, helping her gradually get out of the shadow of that day.
Such a wonderful Shen Baozhu was raised by the Princess Jingning.
Xu Yutang stared at the mirror and gradually lost herself in thought. At first, Mrs. Xu loved her. She would give her a lot of dowries. When she knew that Xu Yutang was bullied by the stewardess, she deliberately transferred the stewardess away so that Xu Yutang could have a good sleep... But later, things changed. Mrs. Xu only had her son in her eyes. Xu Yutang was just an insignificant daughter.
"Why are you crying? Did I pull too hard?" the Princess Jingning asked softly. She lightened the force in her hand.
Xu Yutang pursed her lips and lowered her head slightly, "No. I'm just scared. What if Mrs. Xu doesn't like me? Where can I go?"
The Princess Jingning straightened Xu Yutang up and made her face herself in the mirror, "You're a wonderful child. Mrs. Xu will definitely like you. If she doesn't want you, you can come back to the Princess's Mansion and be Baozhu's exclusive pastry chef."
"If you learn to make shrimp dumplings, a certain greedy little girl will take you with her all the time."
Shen Baozhu lay on the dressing table. She felt slandered by her mother, "No way! If Sister Yutang can make shrimp dumplings, she won't be my exclusive pastry chef. She'll be my favorite person!"
Xu Yutang was amused by Shen Baozhu. She couldn't help asking, "What if I can't make shrimp dumplings or pastries?"
After serious thought, Shen Baozhu said, "Then Sister Yutang will be my favorite sister!"
The atmosphere became lively, and Xu Yutang relaxed.
Dragon King: [The idiot and Shen Haiyan always ask the little cutie who her favorite person is. Finally, we have the answer.]
Dragon King: [The little cutie likes people who can make pastries and shrimp dumplings.]