Shen Ji blushed, holding the bundle of things awkwardly, and could only look at Shen Miao for help.
Shen Miao bit her lip in frustration, wondering how she could repay this kindness.
A box of egg yolk pastries seemed too little.
But Xie Qi seemed to understand her thoughts, turning to her with a smile and saying,
“There’s no need for words. To me, this is a very small matter, not worth mentioning. Shen Miss and Shen Ge’er don’t need to worry or feel uneasy about repaying.”
“I do this because I’ve received help from many people in my life. Even that time on the boat, it was thanks to you, Shen Miss—when that bowl of hot soup dumplings warmed our stomachs, we were able to survive those days with nothing but dry bread.”
“So, please don’t worry, and let Shen Ge’er focus on his studies.”
Shen Miao listened, puzzled by his words: “What does he mean by having received help to live?”
But before she could think further, Xie Qi stepped forward and lightly patted Shen Ji on the shoulder: “We’ll meet again at Biyong Academy.”
His words were casual, but they struck Shen Ji deeply, and he nodded vigorously.
Just as those words left Xie Qi’s mouth, a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old servant with a delicate appearance came running in, his cap askew, panting as he leaned against the doorframe: “Ninth Brother, how did you end up here? I’ve been searching everywhere…”
Yan Shu turned around in surprise: “Qiu Hao? What are you doing here?”
He quickly explained, “I came to find you. Lord Xie is looking for you. It seems he needs to go out again. The Inspector’s Assistant from the Yushi Tai has organized a rain banquet by the Jinming Pond at the East Wind Tower, and he invited Lord Xie to attend.”
Yan Shu glanced out the door at the torrential rain and pointed, incredulously: “In weather like this, a rain banquet? Why doesn’t he just call it a ‘Drenched Chicken Feast’? Lord Xie should just go alone. Why drag Ninth Brother along…”
Qiu Hao finally caught his breath, waving his hand dismissively: “There’s no time for complaints. Lord Xie is in a hurry, and I’ve prepared some extra clothes and had Zhou Er ready a more reliable carriage. It should be enough. Ninth Brother, let’s go.”
Xie Qi sighed helplessly but quickly masked his dissatisfaction, turning to Shen Miao and her brother, his expression relaxed and his eyes still smiling lightly: “I apologize for not being more hospitable today. Shen Miss, I’ll take my leave now…”
Shen Miao suddenly remembered the egg yolk pastries and clapped her hands: “Ninth Brother, please wait!”
Xie Qi was surprised, but Shen Miao had already turned around swiftly and ran to the kitchen.
She quickly brought out the already baked and neatly packed egg yolk pastries, nearly breaking into a sweat as she handed the box to Xie Qi.
Xie Qi was momentarily stunned and didn’t take it.
“I don’t have many things to offer, and I imagine Ninth Brother doesn’t care much for these. After much thought, the only way I can show my gratitude is by offering you some food,”
Shen Miao said, pulling Xie Qi’s sleeve and forcing him to take the box by the handle.
She then relaxed, her eyes smiling up at him, “This may be little, but thank you, Ninth Brother, for your care these past days. I hope you enjoy the pastries.”
Xie Qi lowered his head slightly, and as Shen Miao released his sleeve, his hand dropped, and when he looked up again, he saw Shen Miao’s smile.
Her eyes were soft, like water, her face not overly delicate, but when she moved, it seemed as though a warm, powerful soul awakened in her body.
Every gesture, every smile, brought a sense of comfort and peace to others.
Xie Qi’s heart stirred lightly, and as he looked at the box in his hand, his smile became soft:
“The spring break is almost over. I’ll be leaving the city for school in two days, and I won’t have another break for ten days. If I want to taste Shen Miss’s cooking again, it may be a while… Thank you, I’ll gladly accept this.”
He paused, then remembered that today was the last day of the memorial service.
Shen Miao might not come to the Xie family again.
He added softly, “Shen Miss, until we meet again.”
It was already dusk, the sound of rain falling, and the scent of fresh grass filled the air.
Xie Qi’s large white sleeves swayed gently in the evening breeze, like ripples on water.
Shen Miao looked at him, feeling warmth in her heart.
She tilted her face up and smiled sincerely:”Yes, may Ninth Brother’s studies go smoothly. May we meet again.”
Since returning from the Xie family, life at the Shen household had returned to its usual calm.
Shen Miao still woke up early every day to sell her flatbread and red bean buns, which had attracted a steady stream of regular customers.
She sold with much more ease than before.
Through the daily hustle, she made a few new friends besides Mei Sannv.
Originally, her stand was next to Mei Sannv’s fragrant drink stall, and on the other side was an old man selling shoes.
But after three days of absence, when she returned, a young girl selling wooden hairpins and headpieces had set up on the left.
The girl was probably only around fifteen or sixteen years old.
Mei Sannv said the girl was from a family in Yushu Alley.
Her father was a woodcarver, and since childhood, she had been learning the craft.
The girl was so skilled that her father had passed on all his knowledge to her, regardless of the tradition that woodcarving was only passed down to male heirs.
Shen Miao saw her talent and bought three pieces: a butterfly-patterned hairpin for Sister Xiang, a peach double happiness pin for herself, and a dragonfly-patterned one for Ji Ge’er.
In the Song Dynasty, both men and women wore flower hairpins, especially during festivals like the Shangsi or Lantern Festival.
The emperor would even present flower hairpins to officials, and the quality of the flowers varied depending on their rank.
During big festivals, the streets were always full of people, and no matter their gender, everyone adorned themselves with flowers.
These flowers were sometimes real blooms, other times made of silk, cotton, or wood.
In Bianjing, the market for headpieces never dwindled, though competition was fierce.
At first, Shen Miao didn’t have much chance to interact with the girl, but one day, after seeing her doing well, another stall selling silk flowers opened up next to hers.
This was run by a fashionable woman who wore many eye-catching hairpins and often shouted, “Flower headpieces for sale! Peonies, roses, all kinds—”
Soon, she attracted many customers.
The next day, however, the girl began shouting too: “I’m selling headpieces too!”
Shen Miao burst out laughing.
The girl looked at her innocently, and Shen Miao quickly stifled her laughter, handing her a red bean bun.
The girl shyly took it and murmured her thanks.
They became friends.
The next unusual friend came in the form of a large tabby cat.
This cat, with its striking patterns and proud walk, looked like a little tiger.
One day, it started circling Shen Miao’s stall, rubbing against her legs.
Shen Miao, moved by the gesture, cracked an egg, cooked it, and fed it to the cat.
She also petted it, feeling its fur.
The cat purred happily, raising its rear for Shen Miao to pat.
“Well, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself,” Shen Miao said, her words teasing but her hands already pampering the cat.
After a while, Mei Sannv, having finished serving customers, saw the cat and laughed: “Ah, Shen Miss, you’re done for! This cat is famous for being a beggar in the area. Once you feed it, it will never leave. I know someone, a young man named Gui, who used to fish under the bridge. This cat would sit with him every day and eat all his fish!”
Shen Miao finally understood. No wonder the cat’s fur was so shiny!
As Mei Sannv predicted, the cat kept coming back every day, and Shen Miao, not wanting to feed it fried meat, began cooking it some boiled chicken instead.
Sometimes when the stall got too busy, she would turn around and see Sister Xiang napping with the cat.
The sunlight grew stronger, and the child and the cat both lay sprawled in the sun, glowing, their fur fluffy and shining.
Shen Miao quietly watched, feeling the fatigue leave her body.
This day passed similarly.
After selling out her flatbread and buns, she and Sister Xiang walked back into the alley, but before they could enter, they overheard some women gossiping.
They mentioned her name.
Shen Miao raised an eyebrow.
It seemed her peaceful life now had some increasingly complex and strange stories, all born from the mouths of the local women.
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