Chapter 56

 Liu Mama went to prepare breakfast, and Bao Ning took Qiu Lingyan into the house.

Pei Yuan played with Ah Huang in the yard for a while. When Liu Mama returned with the food box, he took his portion and ate it elsewhere, not entering the house.

"Yan'er, what's wrong today? You seem distracted," Bao Ning asked, placing a piece of cucumber on Qiu Lingyan's plate. "Is something on your mind?"

Qiu Lingyan forced a smile and looked out the window, "Isn't the Fourth Prince eating with us?"

"He has this habit of not liking to eat with others," Bao Ning reassured her, "It's nothing to do with you, don't take it to heart."

Qiu Lingyan smiled and nodded. She was preoccupied with what her sister had instructed her before leaving the house. Her mind was tense, and looking at Bao Ning's smiling face filled her with guilt. She mechanically put grains of rice into her mouth.

After seeing Pei Yuan and Bao Ning in the rain, Qiu Lingjun had become curious and asked Qiu Lingyan to tell her everything she knew. But Qiu Lingyan had never even met Pei Yuan before. Although she recounted everything truthfully, Qiu Lingjun was not satisfied. Taking advantage of Pei Yuan's presence at home this time, she had sent Qiu Lingyan to gather more information.

There was also another crucial task: she had to steal something Pei Yuan carried with him, preferably a conspicuous item like a waist pendant.

Qiu Lingyan didn’t know what her sister intended to do but instinctively felt it wasn’t something good. However, she couldn’t defy her. Remembering how her sister had glared at her and accused her of the sacrifices made to keep this 'jinx' around, Qiu Lingyan felt like crying.

Bao Ning called her, "Yan'er, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, sister," Qiu Lingyan replied, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Bao Ning looked at her with sympathy, thinking about Qiu Lingyan’s sensitivity and inferiority complex. She guessed that Pei Yuan’s avoidance had caused a misunderstanding. After all, she was just a child under ten years old.

Bao Ning sent Ah Huang to call Pei Yuan back.

Seeing that Qiu Lingyan had lost her appetite, Bao Ning asked Liu Mama to clear the dishes and sat with Qiu Lingyan for a chat.

Bao Ning remembered her re-cast bracelet and asked, "Is your sister still angry with you?" She gestured at her wrist, "About the bracelet."

Hearing her mention her sister, Qiu Lingyan froze as if she had been struck. "No, she's not angry anymore."

"That's good," Bao Ning smiled. "I heard your sixth sister is betrothed to the Second Prince. When is the wedding? Once it's done, we'll be sisters-in-law."

"I don't know..." Qiu Lingyan shook her head, "The betrothal gifts haven't arrived yet."

She swallowed nervously and cautiously said to Bao Ning, "Sister, do you know that the Second Prince, Pei Shu, has a problem here?" Qiu Lingyan pointed to her forehead.

Bao Ning's smile instantly faded. "Who taught you these things? It's disrespectful to use the prince's name directly like that. And you said..."

Bao Ning lowered her voice, "Yan'er, don't say such things in the future. If someone with ill intentions hears it, your family could be implicated."

Qiu Lingyan's eyes slowly reddened.

Bao Ning realized she had been too harsh. She sighed and went to fetch a box of candied dates for her, smiling, "Have some sweets to calm your nerves."

By the time Pei Yuan returned, the atmosphere in the room had naturally relaxed. After eating, he couldn't sit still and wandered around the mansion to aid digestion. Ah Huang was panting heavily from following him around. Qiu Lingyan respectfully stood up to greet Pei Yuan and then sat back down. Summoning her courage, she asked, "Fourth Prince, do you remember my sixth sister, Qiu Lingjun?"

Bao Ning looked at her strangely, not understanding why she would ask such a question.

But since Qiu Lingjun was to marry the Second Prince Pei Shu, and Qiu Lingyan was still a child, Bao Ning didn't take offense at the question. She looked at Pei Yuan, waiting for his answer.

"I don't know her," Pei Yuan answered indifferently, walking towards the inner chamber with his hands behind his back.

It was at Bao Ning's insistence that he had returned. Pei Yuan had no interest in indulging children, so he merely went through the motions before intending to retire to his bed.

Qiu Lingyan felt even more uncomfortable. She felt embarrassed and apologetic towards Bao Ning. After hesitating for a moment, she stood up to take her leave. However, Liu Mama entered with a box, interrupting her.

"Madam, this was delivered from outside the mansion, said to be a token of apology," Liu Mama placed the box on the table for Bao Ning and added, "It's from someone named Meng Fan."

Bao Ning accepted it with surprise. It was a very exquisite and beautiful sandalwood box, about the size of two palms. She was about to open the clasp to see what was inside when Pei Yuan came out of the inner room with a cold expression.

He heard the commotion and his face darkened. He repeated, "Meng Fan?"

Meng Fan was the assistant shopkeeper at Lian Heng Xuan during the casting of the tiger tally, known for his skilled craftsmanship in gold casting.

Bao Ning remembered him and nodded, "Perhaps he felt he had offended us during that time and sent this as an apology." Bao Ning smiled, "He's quite thoughtful."

She wanted to open it to see what was inside.

Pei Yuan snorted and snatched it away, "What's so special about it? Just a mundane item."

With that, he turned and walked back, shaking the box so that its contents rattled loudly, as if venting his frustration.

Bao Ning sighed. She didn't understand why he was making such a fuss, but with others present, she refrained from arguing with him.

Qiu Lingyan watched the scene uncomfortably.

"It's alright," Bao Ning patted her back. "Don't be afraid."

"Sister, then I'll leave first," Qiu Lingyan smiled shyly, "I'll come and play with you again in a few days."

Bao Ning saw her off, comforting her with a few words. She originally intended to escort her to the gate of the courtyard, but as they approached, they heard noises coming from the inner room where Pei Yuan was causing a commotion. Not knowing what he was upset about, Bao Ning's anger suddenly flared.

Qiu Lingyan said, "Sister, you don't need to send me off. I know the way. You go ahead and attend to your matters."

Bao Ning hesitated for a moment. "Alright, take care. Come over whenever you feel like it."

Qiu Lingyan nodded in agreement. Bao Ning waved to her and turned back towards the inner room. She held back her frustration and didn't look back, unaware that Qiu Lingyan had secretly returned and taken a jade button from the table. It belonged to Pei Yuan and showed signs of wear. Bao Ning had intended to replace it for him but had left it unfinished on the table.

Qiu Lingyan glanced apologetically at Bao Ning's back and hurriedly left.

...

The small box brought by Meng Fan lay lonely in the corner. Pei Yuan lay on his back in bed, hearing Bao Ning enter, he rolled over, facing the bed and pretending to sleep.

Bao Ning picked up the box, opened it, and inside was an exquisite set of jewelry. It was meticulously crafted in a fashionable style, extravagantly adorned with red coral, incredibly beautiful.

Pei Yuan sat up and moved to snatch it away, "Throw it away!"

"Why?" Bao Ning glanced at him calmly, closing the box, "Someone sent this to me. Why should I throw it away just because you say so?"

"It's just a set of jewelry. If you like it, I can buy you a hundred sets," Pei Yuan threatened, pursing his lips. "You're not allowed to accept gifts from random men."

He deliberately emphasized the words "random men."

Bao Ning became angry and threw the box towards him, hitting Pei Yuan's shoulder. It rolled off the bed onto the edge, "Why are you so unreasonable!"

Pei Yuan didn't say a word and silently picked up the box.

He went to the small cabinet beside the bed, took out a new lock, snapped it shut with a click, and then tossed the key under the bed.

With fluid movements, Pei Yuan seemed satisfied, "Now let's see how you wear it."

"Extremely childish!" Bao Ning couldn't muster any more anger. She punched the cotton on the bed with a forceful release.

Deciding to let go of the matter, Bao Ning fetched her own small box and sat on a cushion.

As she rummaged through the miscellaneous items inside, Bao Ning pondered how Pei Yuan's subordinates endured him. What kind of person was he?

Ah Huang and Ah Mian couldn't understand what had happened. The atmosphere in the room had been tense as if a fight was about to break out, but now it was peaceful again. The two small animals bumped heads for a moment and then trotted off to play in the courtyard.

The little lamb wasn't tall enough to reach Bao Ning's knees, so it could still play with Ah Huang.

As Ah Huang ran and jumped around, it used its rear end to bump into the lamb's rear. Finally, it leaped onto the lamb and refused to let go of its fur.

Watching them play, Pei Yuan clapped his hands and laughed heartily.

Bao Ning glanced at him, noticing how much more he laughed now compared to before, and how much thicker his skin had become. He had changed from being annoying to being annoying yet somewhat endearing.

Although "endearing" was just a tiny bit.

Bao Ning took out the small wooden horse she had made and placed it on the ground.

The little horse was carved from wood, with slender limbs and a proud head, crafted in the style of Sai Feng. Suddenly, Bao Ning remembered that she hadn't visited Sai Feng in a long time.

The tail of the wooden horse could move, like the wheel of a watermill. Inside its belly, tightly wound steel bars and gears clicked. After winding the tail a few times, the sound of the tightly wound steel bars could be heard, creaking. When released, the little horse wobbled and walked on the ground, its tail spinning like a small windmill.

Bao Ning stared at it. She had tried many times, and this was the first successful attempt, but it still had flaws.

Pei Yuan was intrigued and asked, "What's this?"

"My little craft," Bao Ning held the small horse in her hand, contemplating how to improve it.

Suddenly, Pei Yuan remembered Bao Ning had mentioned something in the morning that she wanted to tell him about. Interested, he asked, "Did you have something to tell me?"

"Did I?" Bao Ning lowered her eyes, pondering for a moment before remembering, she looked up and smiled, "Yes, indeed."

Pei Yuan sat next to her, "Go ahead."

"I like children," Bao Ning rested her chin on her hand, "And I like playing."

"In a couple of years, you're too young now. It's dangerous to have children," Pei Yuan thought he understood, touched Bao Ning's hair gently and smiled softly, "In a couple of years, we'll have a child."

"What are you saying!" Bao Ning blushed at his talk of children. "I mean, I want to make toys, to sell to children. Things like kites, lanterns, clay figurines, they're too boring. Look at this little horse, isn't it interesting?"

Bao Ning thought about the future, "I want to have a little shop, making things like this every day. Moving little horses, little donkeys... I want to have the biggest toy shop in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty!"

Pei Yuan's face darkened gradually. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

...

Qiu Lingjun sat at the table, playing with the jade button in her hand, looking indifferent. "He really doesn't remember me?"

Qiu Lingyan hung her head and nodded.

"We used to play together when we were young. It's only been a few years. How could he forget..." Qiu Lingjun muttered to herself, lost in thought for a moment. "Forget it."

She gently touched Qiu Lingyan's face and smiled, "Yan Zi, you did well today. Sister will remember the good things you've done."

Qiu Lingyan couldn't cheer up. She still hung her head, fingers fidgeting.

Qiu Lingjun asked, "The person who sent the box, his name is Meng Fan, right?"

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