“It’s made from cow’s milk. Mother says it’s called yogurt.”
“You can eat this by itself. It’s delicious, but it has to be made and eaten on the same day.”
“Otherwise, it’ll spoil!” Yingniang said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“I think it tastes really good, so I added some.”
Yingniang only wanted to bring her favorite food for Duoduo to try.
“Mmm, I think it’s delicious too!” Duoduo nodded.
She looked at Xu Jinxin. “Aunt Xu, how do you know how to make so many things?”
“You’re amazing!” Admiration shone in Duoduo’s eyes.
Xu Jinxin, who had been talking to Su Xian, froze for a moment before smiling.
“Don’t worry. From now on, Aunt Xu will make sure you can eat as much as you want!”
“However, this is cold, so you can’t eat too much of it, or your stomach will hurt.”
Xu Jinxin explained this very seriously.
Duoduo blinked. “Aunt Xu, I wasn’t praising you just because I wanted to eat more.”
Xu Jinxin glanced at Su Xian. “Su Xian, pinch me.”
Su Xian pressed her lips together to hide her smile. She knew her best friend was only teasing her daughter to make her happy.
Su Xian lifted her head and actually pinched Xu Jinxin’s cheek.
“Wow! Su Xian, Prince of Pingyang has corrupted you!”
Xu Jinxin hadn’t expected Su Xian to really pinch her. She covered her cheek and cried out in surprise.
Su Xian’s face flushed, and she awkwardly gave Xu Jinxin a push.
“The children are still here! What are you saying?”
Looking at Su Xian’s uncomfortable expression, Xu Jinxin immediately sensed that something was wrong.
“Aha!”
“Su Xian, you’ve got something going on!”
“Come on, tell me the truth. What are you hiding from me?”
Laughing, Xu Jinxin reached out to tickle Su Xian.
Su Xian hurriedly caught her hand.
“You may all leave,” she told the servants in the room.
Lianxin and Baihe bowed to their mistress before leading the other servants out.
“Quick, tell me! What’s going on?”
Xu Jinxin’s face was full of curiosity.
Su Xian opened her mouth, but in the end, she swallowed the words she had been about to say.
Nothing had even begun yet!
What could she say?
Su Xian’s gaze fell on Yingniang and Duoduo, who were happily eating the ice dessert together, taking turns scooping it up.
“Look how happy the children are.”
Xu Jinxin’s eyes shifted.
She could keenly sense that Su Xian had wanted to say something but had changed her mind.
“Are you unhappy?” Xu Jinxin deliberately changed the subject.
Su Xian smiled with her lips pressed together. “I’m happy.”
“What about you? Are you happy?” Su Xian asked.
“Of course I am! These days, I wake up laughing every morning.” Xu Jinxin exaggerated shamelessly.
“In the past, Li Jin wouldn’t let me open a shop.”
“But ever since I suggested opening one together with Duoduo, he hasn’t objected even once.”
“Duoduo really is my lucky star!”
Su Xian nodded emphatically. “I think so too.”
“Oh? I praise Duoduo, and you don’t even pretend to be modest?” Xu Jinxin teased her deliberately.
“It’s a fact. There’s no need to be modest.” Su Xian beamed.
Xu Jinxin burst out laughing.
Only after she had laughed enough did she bring up something else.
“I heard that your mother and your two nieces were forcibly sent back to Xianyang by the prince?”
At the mention of her mother, the smile on Su Xian’s face faded considerably.
“She told Duoduo all sorts of things, and Duoduo took them to heart.”
“When the prince found out, he was furious.”
“He immediately had carriages arranged and sent them back.”
Xu Jinxin smacked her lips.
“The prince is truly formidable!” she said, giving a thumbs-up.
Su Xian picked up the tea beside her and took a sip.
When it came to her mother, she truly didn’t know what to say.
No matter how one looked at it, she was still her elder.
“By the way, His Majesty has been unconscious for so long. Is he still not better?”
“His birthday passed several days ago. Is the prince going back to Xianyang?”
That was the main reason Xu Jinxin had come today: to sound out the situation.
If Xiao Yi returned to Xianyang, Xu Jinxin didn’t really want to go with him.
However, she was also worried that Li Jin wouldn’t agree.
Su Xian was taken aback.
“I don’t know either. I haven’t heard the prince say anything.”
Duoduo, who had been eating the ice dessert nearby, raised her head.
“Aunt Xu, don’t worry. We won’t be leaving the capital for the time being.”
Xu Jinxin’s eyes lit up, and she focused intently on Duoduo.
“Duoduo, are you sure?”
Duoduo swallowed the food in her mouth.
“Mhm!”
“Grandfather is unconscious, so the princes can remain in the capital to attend to him.”
“Given the current situation, no one should be leaving the capital.”
“Father won’t be leaving either,” Duoduo added.
“With Duoduo’s word, Aunt Xu can finally relax!” Xu Jinxin said, her face bright with delight.
It wasn’t that she was unwilling to return to Xianyang with Su Xian and the others.
She simply couldn’t bear to leave the few shops she had only just managed to get running.
Nor could she bear to give up this busy life.
It made her feel as if she were still living in her original world.
That kept her from feeling unmoored.
“Is Aunt Xu worried about something?” A sly glimmer flashed through Duoduo’s eyes.
Xu Jinxin froze.
“Worried? What could I possibly be worried about?”
Duoduo tilted her little head to one side.
“Aunt Xu, are you worried about my father?”
A flicker of guilt flashed rapidly through Xu Jinxin’s eyes.
“Why would I worry about the prince?”
“He’s such a capable man. How could an ordinary commoner like me possibly have any reason to worry about him?”
Duoduo gave her a cunning smile.
“Aunt Xu, you looked guilty just now!”
Su Xian looked at Xu Jinxin with a face full of curiosity.
Xu Jinxin had felt guilty?
How had she not noticed?
And why was her best friend worried about the prince?
Out of the corner of her eye, Xu Jinxin saw the confusion on Su Xian’s face.
She hurriedly explained, “Su Xian, you mustn’t misunderstand!”
“I’m only worried about you, and that’s why I’m worried about the prince.”
“You’re the important one!”
“The prince is just an afterthought!”
Xu Jinxin had heard bits and pieces about the current political situation from Li Jin.
She had discussed it with him as well.
They both believed that if Xiao Yi could ascend the throne, it would bring the greatest benefit to the common people—and to them.
However, Li Jin had pointed out that now was not the best time.
Only after the several princes had fought each other to the death would Xiao Yi have the greatest chance.
Xiao Yi was waiting.
“He’s like a leopard lying in wait among the grass, watching its prey in the distance and waiting for the right moment to strike.”
That was how Li Jin had described Xiao Yi.
Both Xu Jinxin and Li Jin were worried for him.
Xu Jinxin had only let a little of her concern show, yet Duoduo had caught it immediately.
Su Xian was amused by her best friend’s words.
“Would you dare say that to the prince’s face?”
Xu Jinxin pulled a miserable expression. “Su Xian, you really have been corrupted.”
“I just want to use the prince’s influence to earn a little more money.”
“When I’ve saved enough, I’ll buy the house next door and live right beside you. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good to me!” Su Xian agreed.
“Aunt Xu, I have money! I’ll lend it to you to buy the house!” Duoduo raised her right hand.
