Xiang Yuanyuan was taken aback, but she reacted without thinking and strode forth with stout steps to catch up to Qiao Mu.
Not long after the two exited Blue Mountain Courtyard, Qiao Mu pulled Xiang Yuanyuan behind the shrubbery nearby. She gazed fixedly at her, stating, “You’re very hungry.”
Xiang Yuanyuan was just about to shake her head when her stomach failed to live up to expectations and let out a growl.
Ah…
Actually, Qiao Mu could hear Xiang Yuanyuan’s stomach’s hungry protests even from where she stood earlier, which was quite far away.
Xiang Yuanyuan’s large face was veiled in a rosy flush.
She was standing before a little lady more than 10 years younger than herself, yet her stomach was so hungry that it was growling. Xiang Yuanyuan’s face burned bright red while feeling abashed internally.
Qiao Mu had Qiuqiu bring out the steaming cabbage pot, and she stuffed it towards Xiang Yuanyuan. “I’ll give this to you. But I ate some of it earlier, if you mind then…”
How would she mind!
The cabbage pot’s aroma stimulated Xiang Yuanyuan’s large belly into releasing persistent growls. She practically snatched over that pot into her arms.
When she raised her head, she found it embarrassing and stammered, red-faced, “I-I… I’ll spoon some into a bowl.”
“No need, you can have all of it.” Qiao Mu shook her head as she glanced at Xiang Yuanyuan’s round belly.
“You’re really giving all of it to me?” Xiang Yuanyuan’s jet-black and bright, round eyes were filled with pleasant surprise.
Afterwards, while scratching her head in slight embarrassment, she said, “I-I didn’t go to the cafeteria that late last night, but I don’t know why I was only given a small half-bowl of porridge…”
She was so hungry that her belly was growling in the middle of the night, causing her to toss and turn sleeplessly.
“It’s a bit bland, do you want to add some salt?”
“No need, no need! It’s okay as is!” Holding the cabbage pot in her arms, Xiang Yuanyuan felt as if she were holding the whole world in her arms instead, and her face glowed in happiness.
Qiao Mu was a bit dumbfounded. It was only a pot of cabbage and meat slice stew, yet that face of happiness was so effusive that it made her a bit low-spirited.
The little stoic’s gaze softened slightly before she glanced at the large lady and said with a nod, “Then you should hide it.”
Xiang Yuanyuan was only a normal person with slightly greater strength, so she didn’t have an inner world. Who knew how many people would covet her cabbage pot if she just carried it back openly.
Qiao Mu gave her a kind reminder as she didn’t hope for this incident to attract trouble for Xiang Yuanyuan. Xiang Yuanyuan instantly understood and nodded repeatedly.
Xiang Yuanyuan wasn’t dumb, and she immediately took off her outer garment to cover the pot upon hearing the reminder. After thanking Qiao Mu for the third time, she excitedly left to look for a place to eat.
When Qiao Mu turned her head, she saw the second young master standing under a fully blossoming plum tree in the snow. He had fixated on her with an obscure expression for an indefinite period of time now.
He was dressed in a blue brocade gown, and his head of black hair swayed gently. This young master’s demeanor really was as peerless as jade.
Those jadeite-green eyes were brimming with an indescribable and aberrant emotion as they gazed at her.
She strutted over slowly.
Second Qin just gazed fixedly at her as she walked to his side, and he suddenly had a strange feeling, as if he was once acquainted with her.
“Have we… met before?” He asked softly, almost in a murmur.
Hearing this, Qiao Mu was beside herself in alarm on the inside, but her face remained stoic and she went around him expressionlessly.
She didn’t leave him a word in reply.
Of course, Second Qin didn’t need her to reply either. He only passed it off as an unwarranted lapse of schizophrenia. Besides, she might not have heard his low delirious murmur.
The two people ambled on a small path to return to Crane Garden.
That night, Qiao Mu snuck out from her window and slipped into Second Qin’s study to browse for any useful information.
From her observations these past few days, the Qin Estate was an elixirs patrician family that was engrossed in the research and development of pills and elixirs.
