Yun Jinnian held a book and looked outside the window.
"Miss!" Mrs. Yuan called softly.
"I made Yuanxiao, with sesame seeds, walnut kernels, and sugarcane, fragrant, sweet, and delicious!"
Yun Jinnian stretched out her hand to receive it, and began to eat with a spoon, "This is so tasty!"
"Tasty, isn’t it? Then I’ll go prepare some more. I’ll cook it for you again tomorrow!"
After Mrs. Yuan left, Yun Jinnian slowly savored the Yuanxiao.
When Chu Yu came in, Yun Jinnian was surprised for a moment.
"What are you eating? It looks good," Chu Yu asked.
"Yuanxiao, made by my nurse!"
Yun Jinnian had barely finished speaking when Chu Yu already took the bowl from her hand, scooped up a spoonful, and put it into his mouth, "Hmm, indeed, it’s good!"
Yun Jinnian was speechless, her eyes wide in astonishment.
She had already eaten that!
Chu Yu finished off the Yuanxiao in a few bites, drank the soup as well, and set the bowl on the table, "Is there more? Bring another bowl!"
"There’s none left!" Yun Jinnian shook her head.
Chu Yu looked at Yun Jinnian for a moment before saying, "When are you going to Yingci’an?"
"Early tomorrow morning!"
Chu Yu nodded, "Do you want to see the lantern festival?"
"The lantern festival?" Yun Jinnian hesitated.
"Yes, do you want to go? If you do, I can take you to see it. I heard this year’s lantern festival is particularly good, with many interesting things!" Chu Yu tempted her.
Interesting and peculiar things— he thought that’s what girls would like.
Yun Jinnian shook her head slightly, "I don’t want to go!"
He thought she was sitting there sadly because she hadn’t been able to go to the festival.
"If you don’t want to go, then never mind, I’ll be on my way!" Chu Yu said, and turned to leave.
As soon as Chu Yu left, Mrs. Yuan came in, looking at the clean bowl, she was extremely pleased.
Yun Jinnian just smiled without saying a word.
The fifteenth of the first lunar month
It was extraordinarily lively.
The street was bustling with people coming and going.
The Yun Family’s girls, usually kept under tight control, were a bit out of sorts on their outing today.
Yun Zhen laughed indulgently and looked after them.
Along the way, they played lantern riddles and won quite a few prizes.
Yun Muyou, who was rarely casual, pulled her younger sisters along to buy, buy, buy, treating Xu Xinmo very well and buying her quite a lot too.
The group walked and played, followed by several manservants and guards.
But when the crowd surged forward, they still got separated.
Yun Muyou kept trying to go back to find Yun Zhen and the others, but someone pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground, getting stepped on her hand and waist.
Yun Muyou screamed, the pain so intense she could barely keep herself together.
Fortunately, someone helped her up.
"Big sister, are you okay?" Yun Xuan’s concerned voice reached her.
Yun Muyou quickly grabbed Yun Xuan, "Third brother, I was so scared, so terrified!"
"Big sister, it’s all right now, let’s hurry back and find big brother and the others!" Yun Xuan pulled Yun Muyou out of the crowd, and asked with concern, "Big sister, are you okay?"
"Nothing serious, just got stepped on a few times. Third brother, where are they, where did everyone go?" Yun Muyou asked worriedly.
"Suddenly, a lot of people came, and we were separated. Big brother and second brother are looking for everyone; we’ll have everyone back together soon. Big sister, don’t be afraid!"
Yun Muyou nodded, terrified in her heart.
Everything was fine, so how could so many people swarm in all at once?
At that end, Xu Xinmo also got separated from the group. No matter how much she screamed, it was no use; the crowd kept pushing her forward, their voices drowning out hers...