Li Jin heard the craftsman’s relentless praise and came over to take a look.
The moment he saw it, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
“Princess, how did you come up with this?”
The painting before him was a simple landscape scene, but when paired with the colors of the multicolored jade, it transformed into a natural, vibrant piece of art.
It was far more stunning than any ink painting!
Duoduo tilted her little head. “I just thought of it like that!”
Li Jin touched the tip of his nose, guessing that Duoduo probably had someone specific in mind for this gift.
Such an exquisite jade painting must be intended for the Emperor!
With this thought, Li Jin patted the craftsman on the shoulder.
“Are you confident in this? This is something the Princess plans to give as a gift!”
The craftsman nodded firmly.
“I will give it my all! If I can’t carve it well, I’ll never work in this trade again!”
The craftsman spoke with absolute certainty.
After all, for a craftsman, mastering a skill is no easy feat.
Many spend their entire lives learning just one craft, relying on it to support their families.
The promise he made carried great weight!
Of course, for a craftsman, encountering fine jade and a brilliant concept was a rare opportunity they cherished.
Carving a masterpiece was a dream that few artisans ever dared to reach for.
Li Jin nodded.
“This stone is extremely precious.”
“You will work on it here, in my place. If you need anything, just bring it over.”
“Later, I’ll assign someone to stand guard until the piece is finished!”
The craftsman nodded and went to prepare his carving tools.
Duoduo bowed to Li Jin.
She knew the Master had likely guessed who the carving was meant for.
“Thank you, Master!”
Li Jin waved his hand. “No need for formality. It’s my honor to witness a fine work come to life.”
Duoduo gestured for Lüdou to bring out the stone she had purchased.
Li Jin saw a stone the size of a palm and looked at Duoduo.
She nodded.
“I bought it, Master. Have the craftsman see how many bracelets can be made from it.”
“If there’s any leftover, he can turn it into other items.”
“I’m giving them all as gifts!” Duoduo emphasized.
Li Jin studied the ordinary-looking stone, envy flickering in his eyes.
If only he had X-ray vision like hers!
“Who are you planning to give these to, Princess? Let me know so I can instruct the craftsman on the layout,” Li Jin said, turning the stone over in his hands, estimating how to best use the material.
Duoduo casually pointed at Lüdou.
“Make them to fit someone like her wrist size!”
Lüdou looked up in surprise at Duoduo.
Li Jin glanced at Lüdou’s wrist and nodded.
“This stone is small. At most, it can yield four bracelets.”
“As for the rest, the craftsman will assess it when the time comes.” Li Jin spoke from experience.
Duoduo nodded. “Alright. When it’s done, tell me how much the work costs.”
“Of course. This is the Prince’s shop, after all!” Li Jin joked with Duoduo.
Duoduo suddenly remembered the stones she had given everyone during their journey to the capital.
“Master, what about the stones I gave you before?”
Li Jin was momentarily confused, then recalled what Duoduo was referring to.
Right! How could he have forgotten?
Duoduo had said back then that those stones also had colors!
“Do those contain jade too?” Li Jin asked uncertainly.
“I don’t know, but they’re colorful, just like this one!” Duoduo explained.
Li Jin grinned and stroked his chin.
“Then I’ll have to think carefully about what to turn them into!”
Duoduo nodded.
“Master, you can take one stone and make bracelets, one pair for Aunt Xu and one for Sister.”
Li Jin nodded approvingly.
“Right, Duoduo. You’ve reminded me.”
“Aunt Xu’s birthday is coming soon.”
“I was just wondering what gift to give her. You’re my little lucky star!”
Li Jin was overjoyed.
Duoduo tilted her head. “Aunt Xu’s birthday is coming? When?”
Li Jin calculated. “In fifteen days. There’s still time.”
“Too bad there’s no place to order a birthday cake here.”
A look of regret crossed his face.
“Birthday cake?” Duoduo asked, full of curiosity.
Li Jin snapped back to the present and explained to Duoduo.
“It’s something from my hometown. Everyone there eats a kind of cake on their birthday.”
“It’s sweet, soft, and loved by people of all ages.”
Li Jin couldn’t help but say more, recalling the long-missed taste.
“Back home, adults and children alike order a cake for birthdays and other important occasions as a way to express blessings.”
Duoduo turned and saw Lüdou listening intently.
“Master, can you tell me how to make a cake?”
Duoduo was very interested.
Li Jin had never made a cake himself, but in the era he came from, he’d seen everything.
“First, you use flour to bake a base...”
He thought hard and carefully recounted the steps to Duoduo.
Duoduo committed it all to memory.
“Master, when I get back, Lüdou and I will try to make one.”
“If it works, it’ll be my gift to Aunt Xu!”
“Don’t let it slip in advance!” Duoduo warned Li Jin.
Li Jin nodded happily.
“Of course! Your Aunt Xu will be so moved when she sees it!”
He could already picture the scene.
In this era, seeing food from another world would be a shock in itself—especially on her birthday.
Li Jin began plotting privately how best to celebrate Xu Jinxin’s birthday.
With an idea in mind, Duoduo took Lüdou and Qingliu back to the Prince’s residence.
First, she went to pay respects to Su Xian, and saw that her Grandmother and two cousins were also there.
Yunxi spotted Duoduo and bowed.
“Princess, have you finished your lessons?”
Duoduo happily returned a half-bow. “Third cousin!”
Beside her, Yunmeng bent slightly and then straightened up, but Duoduo pretended not to notice.
Madam Su looked at Duoduo kindly. “Your mother told me you only had half a day of school today. Why are you only back now?”
“As a woman, you should be cautious in your words and actions. Don’t wander around outside and risk bringing shame to the Prince’s residence.”
“The Prince and Princess have graciously adopted you as their daughter. You must be grateful and not stoop to petty behavior!”
Yunmeng, sitting close to Madam Su, chimed in with a giggle.
“Grandmother, she probably went off to steal and cause trouble since she didn’t come home!”
Su Xian’s face darkened.
“Yunmeng, how dare you speak like that?”
Yunmeng pouted and hid behind Madam Su.
Madam Su defended her. “Her words may be harsh, but shouldn’t you discipline the Princess?”
“What if she does something improper, and you’re the one left disgraced?”
Su Xian’s face flushed red with anger.
One was her mother, the other her niece—why were they so hostile toward Duoduo?
