Chapter 299: We Can Consider It an Acquaintance

Chapter 299: We Can Consider It an Acquaintance

Now that Xingxing had bought another identical bowl back, young mistress Wang Qianer couldn't help but think of the lost thirteen taels of silver, and her expression was anything but pleasant!

She gritted her teeth and took the brocade box, momentarily wanting to throw it to the ground.

But young mistress Li Lanzhu was quite satisfied with this outcome.

She said to Xingxing, "Earlier, when you and young master Yu Er teamed up to annoy me, I thought you were also a sly one. But now it seems you're actually quite polite."

Xingxing wiped the slight sweat from her face: "It's not really about being polite or not. The mistake was made by young master Si Ge'er, and since he's young, it's like I, who was supposed to look after him, also failed... When you mess up, you naturally have to fix it."

Young mistress Li Lanzhu admired Xingxing even more: "You are much better than that sly young master Yu Er!"

But Xingxing tightened her little face: "Sister Li, my second brother, young master Yu Er, is a good person. If you keep badmouthing him, I'll get mad."

The serious look on the delicate little girl's face as she threatened to get angry made young mistress Li Lanzhu pause.

A hidden thought surfaced in her heart.

Young master Yu Er is quite different from the usual young masters, and his sister is so adorable!

As this thought crossed her mind, young mistress Li Lanzhu blushed, realizing what she was thinking. To hide her embarrassment, she quickly turned her head away.

Young mistress Wang Qianer, however, was delighted.

She had initially thought young mistress Li Lanzhu seemed to know this little girl—since her family had requests from the Li family, she was trying to please young mistress Li Lanzhu. How could she possibly pick on the little girl in front of young mistress Li Lanzhu!

Now, seeing that young mistress Li Lanzhu didn't seem to be very familiar with the little girl, could she...

Before young mistress Wang Qianer could act, a voice exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? Is that Miss Yu?"

It was young master Tan Shaomeng, the young master of the prefect's family. He had also come for the opera and was just leaving the theater when he coincidentally saw Xingxing standing there talking to someone.

Young master Tan Shaomeng hurried over and only then noticed young mistress Li Lanzhu among the people Xingxing was talking to.

He didn't know young mistress Wang Qianer, so he ignored her.

Young master Tan Shaomeng greeted young mistress Li Lanzhu with a smile: "Sister Li is here too."

Young mistress Li Lanzhu, not angry to begin with, now completely forgot her earlier embarrassment and looked curiously at young master Tan Shaomeng and then at Xingxing: "Do you know each other?"

Xingxing nodded, then shook her head, carefully choosing her words: "We... can call it an acquaintance?"

"Call it?" Young master Tan Shaomeng seemed struck by something, let out an "ah," and was speechless for a while before finally shaking his head with a bitter smile.

Xingxing, feeling soft-hearted, thought for a moment and then cautiously corrected her words: "...Then let's remove the word 'call it'?"

Young master Tan Shaomeng: "...Thank you."

Young mistress Wang Qianer's face turned pale at this moment.

What... what is the background of this little girl?

Young mistress Li Lanzhu knows her, and even the young master of the prefect's family treats her with such special regard?

Young mistress Xingxing, having returned the bowl, had nothing else to do. She politely bid farewell to the group: "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." She then left with her maid.

Young master Tan Shaomeng had come specifically for Xingxing, and now that she had left, he also said goodbye to young mistress Li Lanzhu and departed.

Wang Qian'er quietly asked Li Lanzhu, "Which family does that little girl surnamed Yu belong to? I don't think I've seen her before."

Li Lanzhu coughed, "Didn't I just tell you? Her brother is Yu Yongbai."

Wang Qian'er was still confused, "Huh?"

Li Lanzhu raised her voice slightly, "That sly guy who stole a business deal from my brother! The second young master of Yujia, Yu Yongbai, who has been very prominent in recent years!"

At the mention of Yu Yongbai, Wang Qian'er's eyes widened.

That delicate and lovely little girl, dressed so casually, was actually Yu Yongbai's sister?!

"She, she's Yu Yongbai's sister?" Wang Qian'er's voice wavered.

Yu Yongbai was a rapidly rising wealthy merchant in recent years. Wang Qian'er was now filled with regret. If she had known earlier that the little girl was Yu Yongbai's sister, she would have gotten on her good side, which would have been much better than earning those thirteen taels of silver!

Seeing Wang Qian'er's frightened tone, Li Lanzhu felt a faint sense of pride—though she didn't know where it came from.

...

Xingxing returned to the Liu family. During dinner that evening, she honestly recounted the trouble Si Ge'er had caused that day.

Unsurprisingly, Si Ge'er's little behind received a slap from his father, "I've told you before, you must be careful when you're out. Are you ignoring what I say?"

Si Ge'er, covering his bottom, cried and clung to his grandmother.

He didn't dare go to his mother; he knew if he did, he might get another slap from her!

Wei Sanniang looked at her shy grandson, her eyes filled with amusement.

Liu Yuanfeng offered to pay Xingxing back for the porcelain bowl.

Xingxing said, "Uncle, you're being too polite. Earlier, when I was playing outside with Si Ge'er, I also share some blame for not keeping a better eye on him. This time, let's say we both made mistakes."

Xingxing blinked, "I'll handle replacing the bowl, and he'll deal with the spanking. That seems fair."

Liu Yuanfeng and Jiang Mengniang both laughed.

Wei Sanniang also chuckled.

Si Ge'er, covering his bottom, couldn't believe it. In this family, only he was getting spanked, while everyone else was laughing!

Xingxing enjoyed her two days with the Liu family. On the third day, as Bai Ge'er had mentioned earlier, he finished his investigation and came to pick up Xingxing.

Wei Sanniang and Si Ge'er were very reluctant to let Xingxing go.

Si Ge'er even cried his heart out, refusing to let Xingxing go.

Later, Si Ge'er cried until he fell asleep. Bai Ge'er bid farewell to Wei Sanniang and the others, quickly took Xingxing's hand and left.

The siblings sneaked out of the Liu family.

They looked at each other and then started laughing.

Seeing Bai Ge'er's relaxed expression, Xingxing knew that her second brother's investigation must have paid off.

Sure enough, Bai Ge'er nodded to Xingxing and said, "We've got something. We'll discuss it when we get home."

The siblings returned together to the small courtyard near the examination hall.

Xingxing glanced in the direction of the examination hall from afar: "...I wonder how Third Brother is doing inside."

Bai Ge'er comforted her: "You can rest assured, he’s sure to pass the exam."

Xingxing, however, shook her head, her face showing worry: "I'm not worried about Third Brother’s studies. I’m worried if he’s eating enough or getting enough sleep."

Her Third Brother had always seemed weaker in health compared to her other brothers since childhood.

Although she had her medicinal pills, Xingxing couldn’t stop worrying!

Seeing Xingxing so concerned about Liu Ge'er, Bai Ge'er felt pleased.

They, the brothers, had truly not doted on Xingxing in vain all these years!

They went inside, and Xingxing asked Bai Ge'er about the investigation.

Bai Ge'er's expression turned serious, his expression hard to read: "...Actually, this thing is pretty interesting."