Eight Treasures Trousseau

28

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Beauty's Anger

The soup dumplings of Yi'an Marquis Fu were fresh and fragrant. They were what Hua Xi Wan liked to eat the most before her marriage, so early in the morning of the seventh, Lu shi had arranged for the servants to make the porridge that Hua Xi Wan liked to drink, the soup dumplings she liked to eat, and all kinds of little dishes.

Yan Jin Qiu accompanied Hua Xi Wan to the main yard to greet the parents before the entire family moved to the meal hall. Together, they ate this morning meal that was more than an hour later than usual.

After washing his hands and waiting for Hua He Sheng and Lu shi to move their chopsticks first, Yan Jin Qiu picked up his chopsticks to grip a crystal little soup dumpling to put into Hua Xi Wan's plate. Then with a natural movement, he poured a small bowl of almond milk to place next to her left hand. After doing all this, he started to serve himself what he liked to eat.

Lu shi noticed his movements and there was a content expression in her eyes. Even the candied fruits that she usually ate were much more delicious than usual.

She had been thirsty when she got up, so Hua Xi Wan quickly drank the half bowl of almond milk. Putting it down, she pushed the bowl in Yan Jin Qiu's direction and then smiled. Lu shi saw this and originally wanted to order a servant beside her to pour for her daughter. But when she saw Bai Xia and the other personal servant girls did not move at all, she thought about it again and then she pretended to not see this.

Hua Yi Liu's movements slowed after she saw the two interact. She looked at Xian Junwang's considerate actions, and her hand gripped the spoon tighter. She found that Hua Chu Yu was looking at her. She looked back coldly at the other and bent her head to drink the porridge in her bowl that had become tasteless.

Sun shi's gaze seemed to accidentally sweep over the two, and then she moved her eyes away with a slight smile.

After the meal, Hua Xi Wan was going back with Yan Jin Qiu to the junwang fu. Before she got onto the carriage, she turned to face her father and two brothers behind her. A moment later, she said, "Do not miss me, take care."

Hua He Sheng watched as his daughter got on the carriage. A curtain blocked off his eyesight. As the carriage moved away, his gaze moved away with it. Only when the carriage disappeared did he turn and say to his sons, "Return."

Just now when she left, Xi Wan had said only six words, but he could hear the deep meaning contained in these words.

Xian Junwang was of a deep mind, and very ambitious. However, he was one who could act. Xi Wan was not willing for the marquis fu to be pulled into this, so she had said "Take care."

Hua Chang Bao followed his father with a serious expression. Thinking about his sister who had been taken away in that grand carriage, he sighed inwardly.

On the carriage, Yan Jin Qiu played with two carved pits[i]. He tilted his head and smiled at Hua Xi Wan, saying, "Does Xi Wan know the trumpet vine[ii]? This kind of flower is beautiful when it blooms, but in truth, even the proudest flower can only bloom when relying on the support of others."

"A flower like the trumpet flower sounds proud, but it is not like that." The corner of Hua Xi Wan's mouth rose as she said sardonically, "Flowers are just a decoration. We can just look at them. Why do we have to study how they grow?"

Yan Jin Qiu examined her with a faint smile. A moment later, he threw the carved pits back into a beautiful box. "You are right."

Hua Xi Wan curled the corners of her lips but did not speak.