Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Embarrassed Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Embarrassed Xiyun Pavilion
Shen Chuwei woke from her afternoon nap with a mighty hunger, “Chun Xi, I’m hungry.”
Chun Xi approached with a giggle, “Little mistress, what would you like to eat?
I’ll go make it.”
Shen Chuwei thought of the sweet potatoes that should be ripe in the backyard, “I want a baked sweet potato.”
“No problem, I’ll go dig them up right away,” Chun Xi said cheerfully as she went off to dig sweet potatoes.
Baking sweet potatoes was simple.
Shen Chuwei had previously taken out foil from her Space, and once Chun Xi washed the sweet potatoes clean, she explained the essentials of baking them.
Chun Xi was very clever, and caught on after just one lesson.
First, digging a pit in the sand, wrapping the sweet potatoes with foil before placing them in, and then burying them in the sand followed by starting a fire to bake them.
When Lady Tao Chenghui and Xu Liangyuan arrived, they saw the Xiyun Pavilion emitting smoke and thought it had sprung a leak.
The two had met on their way there, both intending to visit the Xiyun Pavilion, so they decided to come together.
“Is this a water leak?” Tao Chenghui said and instructed Ding Xiang, “Quick, go call someone, there’s a leak.”
Xu Liangyuan grabbed her hand, eager to see the show unfold, “Little sister Tao, what’s the hurry?
I think the smoke isn’t that serious, let’s go in and take a look first.”
“…But,”
“But what?”
Xu Liangyuan pulled Tao Chenghui inside with her, only to find a fire had been made in the courtyard, and there was no leak.
Tao Chenghui breathed a sigh of relief, “It’s a good thing it’s not a leak.”
She took a step forward and gave a curtsy, “Sister Shen.”
Xu Liangyuan adjusted her hairpin, she actually wished there had been a leak—too bad.
Seeing them arrive, Shen Chuwei stood up and curtsied towards Xu Liangyuan.
Scanning the fire pit with a hint of disdain, Xu Liangyuan asked, “Sister Shen, what are you doing here?”
Baking sweet potatoes,” Shen Chuwei replied as she sat back down on the small stool, cracking sunflower seeds and casually calling out, “Find your own places to sit.”
Tao Chenghui, having visited once, didn’t mind the small stool and sat down, grabbing a handful of sunflower seeds to join in.
Xu Liangyuan eyed the low stool with full disdain, wondering how it wouldn’t be uncomfortable to sit on such a low stool.
She swept her gaze around, finding nothing but small stools, resigned herself to sit down upon one.
When Chun Xi saw the visitors, she rose to make tea, and soon she was bringing over three steaming cups, placing one in front of each of them.
As Tao Chenghui popped sunflower seeds into her mouth, the taste grew increasingly delectable, prompting her to ask, “Sister Shen, these seeds taste pretty good, why aren’t the ones in the palace this tasty?”
Shen Chuwei replied indifferently, “Just a matter of different tastes.”
“Indeed, the flavor is different, your seeds here are truly delicious.”
Xu Liangyuan watched them both crack seeds and chat, her eyes turning to the bowl of seeds on the table—weren’t they just ordinary sunflower seeds?
Were they really that good?
Watching them eat with such gusto, she thought to try some for herself and just as her hand reached out, she saw Shen Chuwei’s hand stretch forward too.
She hastily grabbed her teacup instead, taking a sip to cover her embarrassment.
After cracking sunflower seeds for a good while, Shen Chuwei felt a bit thirsty, so she took a few sips of tea before continuing with her sunflower seeds.
Xu Liangyuan sipped her tea, her eyes fixed on the bowl of sunflower seeds, intent on setting her cup down to grab a few.
But as her hand reached out, just brushing the tips of the seeds, Tao Chenghui’s hand also reached forward and scooped up a handful, leaving Xu Liangyuan to hurriedly retract her own hand in embarrassment.
With a sharp eye, Tao Chenghui caught Xu Liangyuan’s movement and guessed that she wanted to try the seeds.
Smiling, she asked, “Big sister Xu, these seeds taste quite good, don’t you want to give them a try?”
Xu Liangyuan adjusted her hair, her face proud, “In the palace I have all kinds of flavors of sunflower seeds, I’m tired of them.
The flavor of these doesn’t seem anything special to me.”
“Of course, the stuff big sister eats and uses is all of the finest quality, something we can’t compare to,” Tao Chenghui cracked a seed and added, “My father travels far and wide, but he’s never brought back seeds as tasty as these.”
Tao Chenghui’s father was a well-known wealthy merchant.
What she had to eat and drink was in no way inferior to Xu Liangyuan—in fact, it was several times better given the financial support from her wealthy parents.
She didn’t lack a single tael to spend.
Thus, although Tao Chenghui’s status may not compare to Xu Liangyuan’s, money talked in the palace, and she led a very comfortable life.
Xu Liangyuan, being a general’s daughter, looked down on merchants and tradespeople as vulgar and lacking in refinement, save for their wealth.
Yet, as Tao Chenghui praised the taste of the seeds, Xu Liangyuan grew curious to taste and see if they were as good as Tao Chenghui had claimed.