Chapter 3: Old Tales

Chapter 3: Catching Up

◎What Kind of Cousin Is This?◎

Under Li Ci’s eager gaze, Xie Zhenchuan remained seated on the wooden couch, merely offering a polite, slight curl of his lips. "Miss Li."

Hearing him address her by name, Li Ci’s lips unconsciously curved upward, a flash of pleasant surprise dancing in her round, bright eyes.

Since Brother Xie Zheng still remembered her, surely if she maintained proper decorum and sweetened her words, getting him to give her the remaining Jade Cakes wouldn't be too difficult?

Nan Xuan, standing nearby, observed every nuance of the young lady’s expression.

He was all too familiar with this routine—the noblewomen in the capital would also light up at the sight of the heir, trying every trick to entangle him, only to often return home in tears. If they were foolish enough to annoy the heir, they’d even bring trouble upon their families. Over time, no noblewoman dared approach anymore.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the capital. The young master needed to keep a low profile, so it was best to send this young lady away before she overstepped further and complicated matters.

Just as he was thinking this, Xie Zhenchuan lowered his eyes and made a move to rise. "I am somewhat fatigued; pardon my discourtesy, Miss Li. Please wait briefly behind the screen."

...The sacrifices the young master was making to maintain his persona were truly immense!

Not wanting to hinder him, Nan Xuan quickly mustered a welcoming smile and guided the young lady to her seat.

Xie Zhenchuan’s pale face still bore signs of weariness. Noticing the long, thick lashes casting shadows under his eyes and the slight bluish mark from lack of rest, Li Ci decided not to press the issue for now and took her seat as directed by the servant.

After the faint rustle of clothing, Xie Zhenchuan finally emerged from behind the screen.

He was tall and erect, more imposing than the lush bamboo in the courtyard. Only when he was fully dressed did Li Ci notice that the shoulders of his guest robe were slightly tight, making them seem broader; a jade-green belt cinched his narrow waist—though it was a scholar’s long gown, it conveyed the vigor of martial attire.

The faded fabric, ill-fitting clothes, and clashing accessories might have gone unnoticed by ordinary people, but in the eyes of those from literary and noble families, they stood out glaringly.

Though the Li Family couldn’t compare to the great clans, they were at least wealthy. Li Ci could easily spot these shortcomings. She recalled her grandmother mentioning that his family was merely a distant branch of the Chenliu Xie clan, with some estrangement from the main family, and she began to dimly perceive the hardships he faced.

Xie Zhenchuan showed no trace of embarrassment, standing tall and relaxed as he walked over slowly. He sat opposite Li Ci and greeted her again, "Miss Li."

His crisp, elegant voice was like ice striking jade, carrying an innate sense of distance.

Had he taken the initiative to reminisce, it might have been different, but this deliberate boundary-setting only made him seem more of noble character.

Li Ci waved her hand easily, invoking their childhood bond. "Brother Xie Zheng, there’s no need to be so formal with me. Just call me Ah Ci like you used to—everyone in the household does."

This was the third time she had called him "Brother Xie Zheng."

Her voice was sweet and soft, and though it was merely a familial address, the way she said it felt excessively familiar, even overly intimate, causing Xie Zhenchuan to frown unconsciously.

Though he had already assumed Xie Zheng’s identity and greeted everyone at the Earl of Guangcheng’s residence, facing an old acquaintance inexplicably stirred a hint of annoyance within him.

"We were young back then," Xie Zhenchuan replied, the earlier hint of warmth in his eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by a cool detachment. "Now that we’re older, we must observe the boundaries between genders."

"I haven’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet! We used to play together all the time when we were young. Brother Xie Zheng even gave me birthday gifts every year. Have you forgotten how old I am now?"

Completely oblivious to his intentional distance, Li Ci refuted his words in one breath, then added a touch of fond complaint. "You used to even give me the last roasted peanut. Even when I snatched your candied hawthorn, you never got angry. Now you’ve come all the way to Yingtian without telling me, and the Jade Cakes you sent didn’t include any for me."

...Most of what she said revolved around food.

Xie Zhenchuan had no interest in these dull old matters. He simply waited for her to grow bored and leave on her own.

Unfortunately, he had yet to understand the obsession with food harbored by someone long confined by illness and dietary restrictions.

Seeing that her attempts to act cute and spoiled had no effect on Brother Xie Zheng, Li Ci resorted to petulance. Biting her lip, she said indignantly, "Brother Xie Zheng, you’ve changed! You’re not like how you used to be. You’ve forgotten everything from our childhood and don’t want to play with me anymore."

It was as if her words had accidentally triggered some mechanism.

Xie Zhenchuan finally let out a soft sigh, like an elder brother tolerating a younger sister’s tantrums, and replied with a helpless, light laugh, "How could I forget? The 29th day of the eighth month, in the seventh year of Shengchang."

He had reviewed the records of the Earl of Guangcheng’s household and recalled it perfectly.

Li Ci immediately looked up, her eyes curving into smiles again. "I knew Brother Xie Zheng wouldn’t forget me."

Counting off on her fingers, she earnestly reminisced, "Do you remember? On my eighth birthday, we climbed a tree together and hid up there eating jujube cakes. Then you accidentally fell and bled so much from your face. I was so scared I cried loudly, but you quickly dusted yourself off, stood up, and comforted me. Later, you even had a deep scar on your temple."

Her clear gaze wandered over Xie Zhenchuan’s face, as if searching for something.

Xie Zhenchuan allowed her to scrutinize him without flinching, smiling faintly. "Fortunately, as I grew older, the scar faded away."

Li Ci widened her eyes and looked carefully. The face before her was without a blemish—not a scar in sight, not even a mole. Every feature was perfectly proportioned, and she found herself gazing, entranced.

Xie Zhenchuan, in turn, watched the subtle shifts in her expression. But contrary to his expectations, Li Ci showed no sign of suspicion. After staring dazedly for a while, she happily agreed, "That’s good to hear. I heard Brother Xie Zheng has been admitted to Lianquan Academy. Even Grandfather praised your essays. I’m sure you’ll become a great official who benefits the people, just like Grandfather Xie!"

That Xie grandfather—wasn’t he just an ordinary eighth-rank county magistrate with mediocre evaluations every year before his retirement?

A faint smile touched Xie Zhenchuan’s lips as he replied with false modesty, "You flatter me, Ah Ci."

Pleased he took the hint, Li Ci spoke like an elder, earnestly and confidentially. "I know Brother Xie Zheng came to the Earl of Guangcheng’s residence just to study, and you don’t want people to misunderstand you as someone who acts obsequiously. That’s why you pretended not to know me earlier. But I’m different from them."

Tilting her head, she followed her grandmother’s earlier explanation. "You’re the... nephew of the grandson of my grandmother’s... uncle. Grandmother even told me to call you ‘cousin’."

That connection stretched three thousand miles away—they wouldn’t even be on the same family registry in case of a family execution. What kind of cousin was that?

Xie Zhenchuan had no desire to prolong this topic and spoke bluntly. "What brings you here today, Ah Ci?"

Li Ci calculated that she had already done enough sweet-talking. Now it was time for etiquette.

She placed the food box she was carrying on the table and said diligently, "I heard Brother Xie Zheng is new to Yingtian and suffering from acclimation issues. I specially had some Harmonious Fragrance Powder brewed for you. Would you like to try some?"

As she spoke, she opened the food box, revealing a bowl of steaming medicinal soup that emitted a bitter herbal scent.

Xie Zhenchuan never consumed food from outside, let alone an unidentifiable, dark concoction like this.

"Thank you, but I’ve already taken medicine."

He waved his hand casually, inadvertently revealing the faded, worn cuffs of his sleeves.

"Alright."

Li Ci didn’t press further, but the sight of the faded fabric made what she hadn’t yet said even harder to voice.

If the Xie family was already this poor, would it be inappropriate for her to take his things?

Her movements slowed, almost as if saying "I’m troubled" across her face.

Xie Zhenchuan lifted his eyes lazily. "Is there something else?"

Li Ci’s mind was still tangled, but her body nodded honestly. "I still want to eat Jade Cake."

...

Most people wouldn’t expect her "important matter" to be about Jade Cakes. Even Xie Zhenchuan hesitated briefly before instructing, "Nan Xuan, bring a box of Jade Cakes for Miss Li."

Nan Xuan looked awkward. "Young Master, the Jade Cakes are fragile. After the long journey, there weren’t many boxes left to begin with. We’ve already given some to the Old Lady, and now there are none left."

"Ah?" Li Ci was somewhat dejected, but quickly pressed on, "But I really like it. Which shop did Brother Xie Zheng buy it from?"

This was made by the princess residence's chef following a recipe personally improved by the young master, something money couldn't buy.

Nan Xuan quickly shook his head, covering for his particular young master, "This isn't available outside. My young master found the recipe and ingredients and specially had someone make it."

Li Ci let out a slightly disappointed "Oh." She knew such recipes were mostly kept secret, so she didn't ask further, just gazed at Xie Zhenchuan with watery eyes, looking pitiful.

Xie Zhenchuan averted his eyes and quickly listed a string of ingredients and steps: "Peanuts, sesame seeds, southern apricot kernels, stir-fried in clarified butter, then seasoned with rock sugar and powdered tea before pressing into shape."

When Li Ci heard "southern apricot kernels," she had already lost track and could only nod blankly.

Though she loved snacks, she was someone who couldn't tell sugar from salt to save her life, let alone distinguish between southern and northern apricot kernels or powdered tea and tea cakes.

Xie Zhenchuan could naturally see her distraction.

This was interesting—this "cousin" had been trying to claim kinship all this time, supposedly for a box of pastries, yet when he revealed the secret recipe, she didn't seem to care.

He picked up the sweet white-glazed three-handled teapot in front of him, a faintly mocking smile curling his lips. "My apologies for the neglect. Would Ah Ci like to stay for a cup of tea?"

Li Ci had been about to take her leave, but hearing this, she glanced down at the refreshments on the small table—common mung bean cakes, yet they looked soft and fluffy, different from the usual Suzhou-Hangzhou style.

She immediately found herself unable to leave, settling back into her chair.