Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Little Mushroom’s face was just about to show a smug expression when she met Ji Yan’an’s gaze.

Little Mushroom immediately retracted her look of triumph.

“It’s just that… they look so chubby.”

Jiang Yunsui picked at her fingers, her voice soft and weak.

“Heiwa likes them too.”

Ji Yan’an turned his head to look at Heiwa.

Heiwa: ……

He was really just bullying the dog because it couldn’t speak.

Ji Yan’an was about to say something when a report came from outside that Commander Wang had sent over an invitation.

Ji Yan’an paused, his fingers slowly tapping twice on the tabletop.

This was a characteristic gesture he made whenever he was deep in thought.

“Bring him in.”

His voice was flat, betraying no emotion.

He glanced at Jiang Yunsui and the two puppies at her feet. “Come here. Stand to the side.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Yunsui walked over to his side and hid behind the desk.

It wasn’t that she intended to hide; it was mainly that the desk was a bit tall compared to her, making her almost impossible to notice if one wasn’t looking closely.

Jiang Yunsui crouched down and pinched the muzzles of the two puppies.

“Don’t make any noise, okay?”

The person from outside had already entered-a tall, burly servant.

His face bore the same arrogance as Wang Hu.

After giving Ji Yan’an a perfunctory bow, he said in a gruff voice, “Young Master Ji, our Master says he is taking a concubine. He asks that the Young Master show him some face and come to the manor to add to the festive atmosphere…”

“Absurd!”

Nanshu turned toward the servant, his face flushed with anger as he began to scold him.

“You really are just a bunch of ruffians who got promoted. You get a minor official post and suddenly think you’re someone important! You have no sense of rules, etiquette, or shame. Commander Wang is merely taking a concubine, yet he’s making such a grand display of it?

“And he wants my Young Master to show him face? If word of this spreads, people will laugh their heads off.

“As for you-those who know you would say you’re a servant, but those who don’t would think you’re the master of some household. Looking around with no discipline… is my Young Master someone you can look at directly?

“Stick a few pheasant feathers in your tail and you think you’re a phoenix? You’re just holding up a chicken feather as a command token…”

Nanshu’s mouth moved like a rapid-fire cannon, his words hitting so fast that the servant’s face turned ashen, and he couldn’t find a single gap to interject.

Finally, the man grew so humiliated and angry that he tried to strike Nanshu.

Ji Yi appeared and gave him a blow, knocking him out cold.

Once the man was unconscious, Nanshu naturally stopped his scolding.

“Young Master, how should we handle this?”

Ji Yan’an leaned back against the chair. “Take him away. Beat the gongs and drums to help Commander Wang publicize the deep affection he has for his concubine.”

Nanshu understood immediately. “Don’t worry, Young Master. Leave it to me.”

After the man was dragged away, the room fell silent again.

A few seconds later, Jiang Yunsui spoke up weakly.

“Young Master, I… I have something to say.”

She looked at Ji Yan’an expectantly, her large, bright eyes filled with a hint of excitement.

“I know things. I eavesdropped.”

Ji Yan’an tilted his head slightly. His handsome face, which usually looked cold and sickly, appeared inexplicably cute in that moment.

Like a noble cat.

“But, I have a tiny request.”

Ji Yan’an raised an eyebrow slightly. “Let’s hear it.”

Jiang Yunsui tried her best to recount everything she had heard at the tavern.

Uncle Li was absolutely furious.

Ji Yan’an himself remained calm. After all, he had already guessed that there was no such thing as a friendly banquet with these people.

He just hadn’t expected Wang Hu to be so despicable.

Jiang Yunsui continued, “They also said that some girl from the Spring Breeze Pavilion has huge breasts and looks so- mmmph!”

Ji Yan’an covered her mouth, preventing her from finishing the sentence.

His lips twitched. This little maid really dared to say anything!

But looking into her eyes, which were excessively clear and naive, Ji Yan’an knew the girl probably didn’t understand what she was saying.

Well, she was still so young.

Uncle Li was also choked up by her final words.
The people here in Mobei lived rough and weren’t particularly refined. When a group of grown men gathered to chat, nine times out of ten, the conversation would veer toward *those* kinds of things.

“Cough… Don’t listen to all that. It’ll dirty your ears.”

Jiang Yunsui whimpered, “Wuuu…”

Ji Yan’an released his hand, and Jiang Yunsui rubbed her ears.

“It’s not dirty.”

Ji Yan’an: “…”

He immediately changed the subject. “Consider this a service rendered. Tell me, what do you want?”

Jiang Yunsui said instantly, “I want to raise puppies.”

“Two of them!”

Ji Yan’an replied, “Granted.”

Jiang Yunsui was suddenly overjoyed. She clenched her small fists and hopped in place, spinning around twice.

Influenced by her happiness, Ji Yan’an felt himself relax considerably.

“Oh, right! I brought things back for everyone too.”

“They’re with Aunt Chen. I’ll go get them.”

She skipped off to find Cook Chen and soon returned carrying a small basket.

“A handful for Uncle Li, and some for Nanny Zhou too…”

“Do you want some?”

Jiang Yunsui called out toward a certain spot on the roof beams.

Ji Lu: “…”

How did she find him again?

Their concealment skills weren’t *that* bad, were they?

Operating on the principle that silence meant refusal, Jiang Yunsui trotted over to Ji Yan’an with small, quick steps.

“Here, Young Master, you get more.”

Ji Yan’an looked at the mulberries placed on the table, then at Jiang Yunsui’s small, black hands.

They were stained dark by the mulberry juice.

“Can you tell where Ji Yi and the others are hiding?” Ji Yan’an asked, shifting his gaze away.

Jiang Yunsui nodded. “I can. Why are they hiding, anyway?”

Ji Yan’an didn’t answer, only telling her, “Go back. Report for duty tomorrow.”

At the end, he added, “Wash your hands clean.”

Jiang Yunsui’s eyes widened. “So soon? Didn’t I ask for a few days off?”

She hadn’t played enough yet.

After a moment, she seemed to remember something. Right under Ji Yan’an’s nose, she walked a few steps with a pronounced limp, then looked at him pitifully.

“Look, my foot hasn’t healed yet.”

Ji Yan’an remained expressionless. “I’m not blind.”

The Little Mushroom was vexed. How could she have gotten so happy earlier that she forgot about her foot?

In truth, there were still bruises, but they didn’t hurt anymore.

It was the first time she felt a mushroom’s healing abilities were a bit too fast.

“Fine, fine.”

Her response was reluctant.

*Wuuu… my mulberries were given away for nothing!*

Watching the little maid leave dejectedly, Ji Yan’an glanced at the mulberries on the table.

Uncle Li asked, “Young Master, shall I help you wash these?”

Ji Yan’an gave a hum of affirmation.

Once washed and placed on a white porcelain plate, they looked much more appetizing. Ji Yan’an ate one, then, under Uncle Li’s expectant gaze, ate a second.

It seemed… not bad?

However, he stopped after eating five.

Even so, this made Uncle Li happy. Today, the Young Master had only eaten a little porridge-and threw it up once-while the rest of his intake had been medicine.

So bitter…

After leaving, Jiang Yunsui went to find Shen Qingzhu. She gave him a handful of mulberries in exchange for deworming medicine for the two puppies.

As soon as she got back, she applied it to the two pups. Cook Chen also mixed some medicinal powder with water and sprinkled it inside and outside the room.

Then, she helped Jiang Yunsui wash her hair, change her clothes, and take a bath.

This was the first time Jiang Yunsui had taken a proper bath.

After all that bustling, night soon fell.

In the evening, Cook Chen was making clothes for Jiang Yunsui while a maid from next door came over to visit.

Jiang Yunsui picked up a freshly fallen pomegranate flower and tucked it into her hair. She watched the two chubby puppies frolicking in the courtyard while she absorbed the moonlight.

The moon was obscured by clouds today, so it wasn’t very effective.

But every little bit counted.

The Little Mushroom was very hardworking.

While absorbing the thin moonlight, her ears were pricked up, listening intently to the gossip from the people inside the house.