Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 279 - 31: Four Little Ones (First Update)

Susu returned to the inner courtyard, came to the main room and entered to see a large screen made of black ebony carved with auspicious patterns inlaid with colored glass. Around the screen, the inside was the living room and dining area.

On the west side was the bedroom, with a jade blue fringed door curtain hanging on a brass hook.

Inside, there was a bed engraved with characters on polished bamboo, hanging with a landscape silk canopy in West Lake colors, covered with a blue and white floral quilt, hosting two harmonious plum blossom pillows, folded with two large orchid blankets in white and blue color.

Under the south window was a brick bed, with a large red stripe blanket placed with a hibiscus mat on top. Against the eastern board wall stood a lock brocade backrest and a large gardenia embroidered pillow in autumn fragrance color.

To the west was a yellow rosewood brick cabinet, on top was a striking beauty hand-clock. In the middle, a small yellow rosewood table held a treasure box with assorted nuts, walnuts, pine nuts, and other dried fruit preserves inside.

Elsewhere in the room were a dressing table and a wardrobe, with a green gauze cabinet carved with lotus carved glass for changing clothes.

The entrance had twelve white bronze embroidered flower basket lamps, illuminating the entire inner room like daylight.

Susu entered the inner room, Qi Qiao and Linglong helped her change clothes, and Fen Dai brought up the dishes Susu had brought back.

Susu leaned on the lock brocade backrest, her body was evidently tired, but her spirit was highly excited, her face even flushed unusually red.

Nowadays, Susu had no appetite, her mind was consumed with ideas of how to meet her brother. Surely, he must have recognized her, and there’s Brother Lin, who is clever.

"Mistress, you’ve been tired all day, have some food! There’s water boiling on the stove, you can soak in a bath later to relieve fatigue!"

The dish Susu brought back was left from cooking for the guests in the front hall, she pointed to the stir-fried bamboo shoots and yellow mustard greens and the chicken skin shrimp ball soup, saying, "I’m not very hungry, leave these two, from home what pastries were brought, pick non-greasy ones, just a couple will do."

Looking at the rest of the dishes, oil-braised wild chicken strips, sesame oil fried shrimp, steamed meat with lotus leaves, clear bamboo mushroom soup, Susu said, "Move the table here, dine in this room as well!"

Fen Dai brought over a large carrying box, with plenty of pastries from home originally meant for neighbors.

Unexpectedly, though there were several small courtyards around, none had female inhabitants.

Further away, some people were there, but they were of different status, and without an invitation, it wasn’t proper to call on them.

Fortunately, although it was hot, there was plenty of ice from the mountains, and kept good for a day or two.

Susu glanced over, picking bird’s nest lotus seed sponge cake, mushroom vegetarian dumplings, seeing the remaining ones were those her brother loved, pursed her lips, and summoned Chang Sheng and Bai Yue inside. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"In your lord’s camp, there are also two kids, very adorable, in the future, interact more, you’ll have companions."

Susu intentionally glanced at Chang Sheng, though young in age, he had a shrewd mind, she said, "Everyone outside seems to want to see your lord’s embarrassment, you two being young, some won’t mind in speaking around you, stay mindful, if you hear anything, remember it to inform your sister when you return!"

The two children were clever, hearing this, felt both excited and uneasy, could they accomplish their master’s task as entrusted spies?

Susu saw their unease, quickly reassured them, "It’s not specifically assigned work, but something to do in play, listening as you go. You’re young, enjoy bustle, going out won’t seem abrupt. You haven’t had a meal yet, it’s lively at the camp, find Brother Leng in the front courtyard, ask him to take you for a look."

Susu directed Fen Dai, "Pack two boxes of pastries for them, say I gifted them to Ruan Nine and Tie Dan. Find Aunt Lin at the camp, eat dinner, meet little companions, and return."

Packed with pastries, the youngsters departed. Susu now sat by the brick bed, relaxed, eating leisurely.

Linlang brought over a small rosewood Bai Ling round table and five nanmu small stools as five maids sat on the floor.

In the front courtyard, Leng Xiao was midway through his meal, when he spotted two children coming over with two rather large food boxes.

"Brother Leng, our mistress asked you to take us to the kitchen. This is the pastry given to Ruan Nine and Tie Dan, two kitchen soldiers." Chang Sheng spoke earnestly.

Bai Yue eyed the half-eaten roast pig on the side, drooling with desire.

Qu Qi noticed, laughed, sliced a thin piece of wild boar meat, cooled it, halved it, offered it to Chang Sheng and Bai Yue, and asked, "Is it tasty?"

Chewing on the pork, they couldn’t speak, but eagerly nodded, the flavor was overwhelmingly good!

Leng Xiao put down his chopsticks, knowing he couldn’t compete with these hungry wolves here, thought that over there, he might eat smaller meals, told them, "Let’s go, guessing you haven’t eaten yet, if late, there won’t be anything left."

As they arrived, not to mention meat, not even a drop of soup was left.

Fortunately, Mrs. Lin had kept some, set aside for the kitchen soldiers as dinner.

Aunt Lin, hearing Susu’s instructions, smiled, "Mistress is genuinely kind!" she spoke, beckoning Ruan Nine and Tie Dan to meet Chang Sheng and Bai Yue.

"This is Chang Sheng, and this is Bai Yue they’re in the second gate as errand boys, their sisters being our mistress’s senior maids. Though errand boys, they only earn a stipend, spending days eating and playing, such errand boys elsewhere are unheard of, truly speaks of mistress’s kindness."

She continued to Chang Sheng and Bai Yue, "This is Ruan Nine, and this is Tie Dan, such young kids entering a military camp, mistress liked them immediately, surely to look after them well!"

After the four kids met, Aunt Lin added, "Play together, but don’t be naughty, don’t trouble mistress."

Four children of similar age nodded in agreement, ate with everyone else.

The smart duo Chang Sheng and Bai Yue filled with gratefulness handed over the two boxes of pastries.

Chang Sheng said, "Our mistress sent us with these, they’re for you two."

Bai Yue opened the box, pointed out each delicacy, explaining what each one was, "These are famous pastries from Beijing, made at home by Mrs. Lin and brought over, surely you haven’t tried them, I also brought candied fruit mistress previously gifted me, for you two to taste."

Chang Sheng never knew when Bai Yue packed the candied fruit, such slyness, promptly said, "In my room I have milk peanut candy mistress gifted yesterday, if free tomorrow, I’ll bring some for you to sample!"

Brother Lin observed these two innocent "errand boys," looked at Uncle Nine feigning indifference but clearly envious, deep waves of resentment surged within him, one day... one day...