After thirty minutes.
On the brightly lit palace road, Qingmei was carrying a lantern, followed by four little palace Servants.
She stood behind Bai Zhi’er and said with a smile, "Princess, we’ve been waiting for quite a while. That flower cat must have gone out to play somewhere. The wind is strong here; why not head back for today?"
Bai Zhi’er puffed her cheeks, her large watery eyes full of confusion.
Her soft voice puzzled, "Dahua loves to eat the most and will meow angrily if it misses a meal."
"Plus, it’s always the first one here, and it fights with Bun and Tang yuan over food. It’s so strange it didn’t show up today!"
Unwilling to give up, Bai Zhi’er shook the bowl back and forth with her little hands.
Her soft voice rose, echoing down the palace road: "Dahua~ come eat~ fragrant and soft meat is here!"
Yet, after waiting for so long, she still didn’t see the familiar round silhouette.
Bai Zhi’er’s little face showed a hint of disappointment: "Oh well, looks like we won’t see it today."
Qingmei comforted her with a smile: "The Princess can come back tomorrow. The cat must have been hungry all day today and will surely come for food then."
Bai Zhi’er walked ahead, her steps light and joyful.
Her tone was both cute and fierce: "Hm! It better be catching mice and losing track of time. If it’s found a new owner and taken a liking to someone else’s meat, I’ll break up with it!"
Early the next morning.
Bai Zhi’er rode a carriage out of the palace, heading straight to Prince Kang’s Mansion.
However, it was unfortunate that today, Princess Consort Kang, along with the Third Young Master Bai Yaoyu and Fifth Heir Bai Fengqing, went to visit Prince Rui and were not at the mansion.
The little girl obediently asked the gatekeeper, "So, is Fourth Brother here?"
Faced with the adorable little figure, the gatekeeper bent down, smiling, "In response to the Princess, the Fourth Young Master went to his shop today."
"Oh~ then I will go look for him later. Gatekeeper Uncle, can I wander around the Imperial Mansion myself?"
The gatekeeper quickly stepped aside, "Prince and Princess sent word that this is the Princess’s second home. You can roam freely and explore as you wish. I’ll have the kitchen prepare pastries and place them in the main hall for when the Princess gets hungry."
Bai Zhi’er nodded, her face round and cute, eyes large and lively: "Thank you, Gatekeeper Uncle!"
She told Qingmei not to follow and slipped off alone to Bai Yaoyu’s courtyard.
The little one pushed open the door of the side pavilion, her voice sweet and cute: "Uncle, Zhi’er is here to see you!"
Bai Zhi’er hugged the door frame with her little hands, her big eyes scanning inside, but she didn’t see anyone.
She had just stepped her little foot in.
A person dropped down from the beam with a "swish."
The little one jumped up for fear!
Xu Lianzhou quickly said, "Zhi’er, it’s me!"
Feeling a bit guilty for scaring the little one.
"I was worried that maids or servants might come in, and seeing a stranger here might cause trouble for the Third Young Master. So when I heard the noise, I went ahead and hid."
Bai Zhi’er’s eyes sparkled with surprise as she looked up at the beam.
"Uncle, you can get up so high, how about your injury..." Her long lashes fluttered.
Xu Lianzhou had cut his hair short for convenience in healing, from its previous bloody mess.
He now looked spirited and healthy, with bright eyes, gain a little weight, no longer the previously skeletal figure.
Xu Lianzhou smiled, his handsome face openly cheerful: "Thanks to Zhi’er’s care, and the Third Young Master’s help, I’m much better now. Although my martial arts were once abolished, now I’ve re-learnt them, having some foundation isn’t too difficult."