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墨書 Inktalez
Xia Rusi has a very good temperament. She is easygoing and quite lively.
Although several dishes were prepared in the kitchen to celebrate Qing Wu's return home, they were all chosen from the home-cooked meals that Qing Wu loves.
Xia Rusi praised these dishes endlessly.
Moreover, her compliments were not just flattery; they were sincere and earnest.
Qing Wu smiled and said, "So it seems your taste is similar to mine?"
"Even if it's not exactly the same, it might be close enough," Xia Rusi replied with a smile. "The food here is completely different from what I have at home. It tastes fresh and delicious. Oh, I need to eat another bowl of rice; don't mind me."
"I'm just happy you like it," Qing Wu laughed and asked Peach Silk to bring more rice. "Usually, I either eat with my mother or just by myself. Now that you're here with me, I'm really thrilled."
Hearing this, Xia Rusi suddenly remembered that in Liu Residence, Qing Wu was the only girl. She had three brothers, but after she turned seven or eight, she could no longer eat at the same table as her brothers.
So Qing Wu's words were indeed true.
Xia Rusi was straightforward herself and preferred not to beat around the bush.
Seeing how direct Qing Wu was in expressing her feelings, Xia Rusi felt no hesitation in speaking with her: "You're fine eating alone. In my house, I have to eat with my sisters. Although it's lively, it's never as comfortable as eating alone."
Qing Wu thought for a moment and sighed, "It seems there are pros and cons to both."
"Indeed," Xia Rusi sighed as well.
The two girls paused for a moment, exchanged smiles, and felt a greater sense of closeness with each other.
After their meal, they enjoyed some sesame cake.
Xia Rusi's snacks from the Liu Residence were different from those at her own home. The sweets from her family were a bit sweeter and stickier, while those from Qing Wu's side were lighter and more refreshing.
Qing Wu thought for a moment that it must be because the Liu Family had lived in the northwest for six years. Their tastes had changed somewhat compared to when they were in the capital.
The two girls agreed that when Qing Wu had some free time, she would visit Xia Rusi at the Summer Residence. At that time, Xia Rusi would have the kitchen prepare sesame cake so that Qing Wu could taste the difference.
Time passed unknowingly.
When Madam Wu left, she came to the West Courtyard to check on the girls.
Qing Wu wanted to spend a little more time with Sister Xia.
Xia Rusi also expressed her desire to chat a bit longer with Liu Mei Mei.
Madam Wu smiled and said to the He Family, "Look how close these sisters are. Very well, you can continue your conversation for now. Once you arrange for Rusi to return home, that will be fine. I have matters to attend to at home, so I must leave first."
Everyone bid farewell to Madam Wu.
Although they wished to stay a little longer, it wasn't long before it was time to part ways.
Qing Wu specifically had someone prepare her beautiful carriage so that Xia Rusi could ride back in it. She even wanted to personally see Xia Rusi off as she got into the carriage.
Xia Rusi did not decline further and smiled as she expressed her gratitude, "I remember how well you treat me, sister. If you ever need anything in the future, feel free to come to me."
Qing Wu replied, "Alright. Next time I visit your house, I want to eat double portions of sesame cake. You better not hold back."
"Hold back? Forget the double portions. I've had ten prepared just for you!"
The two laughed and walked out together.
As luck would have it, just as they reached the side of the carriage, they happened to encounter Qing Wu's brothers.
The three of them had heard that there were female guests at home and knew it was not the right time to disturb their mother and sister, so they went to Wu Manor to play with Wu Linxi for a while. They were just returning at that moment.
Qing Wu saw her brothers and naturally called out to greet them.
Xia Rusi recognized that they were the three young masters from Liu Residence and smiled slightly at them.
However, Xia Rusi was unfamiliar with the path to Liu Residence. Unbeknownst to her, just a few steps ahead along the path she had taken earlier was a roadside nursery surrounded by a row of raised stones. As she looked up into the distance while walking, she inadvertently stepped onto it and lost her balance, stumbling.
Qing Wu was alarmed and hurriedly helped Xia Rusi up, repeatedly asking, "Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"
Xia Rusi felt embarrassed for having made a fool of herself in front of everyone. Using Qing Wu's support to stand up, she softly said, "I'm fine."
Fortunately, she had a cheerful disposition. After catching her breath, she smiled and said, "This is quite embarrassing. I didn't pay attention to the road and ended up falling like this."
"It’s not that you weren't paying attention; it’s clearly our fault for leaving these stones here without reminding you."
As they were talking, Liu An Ting and Liu Anfeng also came over to inquire about Xia Rusi's condition.
Only Liu Anzhi did not immediately come over to greet her. Instead, he lingered nearby for quite a while. After a moment, he took out a pouch and handed it to Xia Rusi, saying, "Did you get hurt?"
Xia Rusi shook her head and smiled, "No. I just fell a bit. It's not that serious."
Liu Anzhi nodded, "That's good. Be more careful in the future."
When she took the pouch and looked at it, it was the one she had been wearing at her waist earlier. It must have fallen to the ground when she tripped, and she hadn't noticed.
She squeezed it and found that everything inside was still there.
Thinking of Liu Anzhi's appearance as he looked down and searched around, she understood.
—He must have picked it up and kept it safe for her.
Xia Rusi searched for the boy's figure. Seeing him standing behind his younger siblings, she looked over and thanked him.
Upon hearing this, Liu Anzhi nodded. He then said goodbye to his two younger brothers and the girls before heading inside.
Recalling the earlier situation, Qing Wu was worried that Xia Rusi might have a negative impression of Liu Anzhi.
So she lightly huffed and whispered to Xia Rusi, "My older brother is the most boring. Just now everyone was asking how you were doing, but he didn't say a word, just sulking like a mute. Don't take it to heart."
"Is he really that bad? I don't think so," Xia Rusi replied with a smile. "While everyone was trying to comfort me, he quietly helped me gather my things and returned them to me. I think he just isn't good at expressing himself. Actually, he's quite nice."
Qing Wu was somewhat surprised, "Really? My elder brother is that good?"
"Of course. Looking at him like this, he must usually take great care of his younger siblings."
Qing Wu nodded with a smile and said, "That's true. We are all prone to getting into trouble. Only my elder brother is steady and reliable, and he hardly ever finds himself in such situations. We often get scolded by him."
Xia Rusi listened to the girl's slightly complaining words and couldn't help but feel amused.
The two had a good rapport. After chatting and playing together earlier, they had become even more familiar with each other. When Xia Rusi spoke with Qing Wu, there was more sincerity and less formality.
"Naturally, the elder brother has to be like this. It's not easy for the eldest son to support a family. You all should try not to cause him trouble. He has to study and take care of you as well, which is no small task."
"Yes, yes, yes." Qing Wu smiled at Xia Rusi, "Since my elder brother is so good, I will try not to anger him as much in the future."
As they spoke, they had already reached the door.
Seeing that they were about to part ways, Xia Rusi thought for a moment and finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask but had not mentioned before.
"Qing Wu, now that you are working in the palace... are you getting used to it? Although I don't know exactly what your position entails, I heard that you have days off like ordinary officials, so you must be a civil servant?"
Qing Wu was caught off guard by this question and fell silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.
"I was being presumptuous. This is your private matter, and I shouldn't pry," Xia Rusi said. "It's just that when I attended the Floral Banquet, I saw His Majesty from afar. Since we have crossed paths today, I thought I should ask clearly so that I can feel at ease."
Hearing this, Qing Wu was surprised and asked, "Sister Xia, were you also at the Floral Banquet that day?"
"Yes," Xia Rusi smiled and said, "It's just that I'm not good at painting. That day, I was at the Needlework Competition Venue. It wasn't too far away, and when the commotion started, I looked over there. I could only see a vague figure because there were Imperial Forest Guards blocking the view."
Although the figure was blurry, it left a deep impression on her. Even after so many days, it remained clear in her mind.
—Cold. Proud. The eyes glanced around lightly, carrying an imposing aura that made one feel breathless in an instant.
Even without seeing his face clearly, just from that one glance, she knew this person was difficult to deal with.
Hearing about Qing Wu's situation...
She felt even more sympathy.
Having offended the Imperial Teacher and then being taken by that aloof emperor to serve as an official, how could things turn out well?
Seeing the unmasked concern and worry in Xia Rusi's eyes, Qing Wu felt warmth in her heart and held her hand, saying, "Sister Xia, you don't need to worry. His Majesty actually has a very good temperament. As long as I do my job well, there's no need to worry about anything else."
Xia Rusi absolutely did not believe her words about "His Majesty having a very good temperament." She thought Qing Wu was only trying to put on a brave face. So she sighed and held her hand back.
Looking around to ensure no one was close by, Xia Rusi leaned in and whispered to Qing Wu, "You must take care of yourself. Remember that accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger. You are the closest official to him, but also the most dangerous one. If something goes wrong, don't meddle in other matters; protecting yourself is the most important."
These words were clearly spoken with concern for Qing Wu.
They had only met twice in total. Although they got along well, their friendship was far from that of close friends. Yet Xia Rusi did not hold back and spoke her heartfelt thoughts.
This showed that Xia Rusi was genuinely kind-hearted. Concerned for her, she shared these thoughts openly.
Qing Wu expressed her gratitude to Xia Rusi for her heartfelt intentions, nodding vigorously and saying, "Sister, I will remember your words. You need not worry."
Xia Rusi then revealed a relieved and radiant smile.
After staying at home for a day, Qing Wu got up and hurried to the palace in the afternoon.
Upon arriving outside Zhaoyuan Hall, she had not yet stepped onto the stairs when she saw the troubled faces of Li Zi and Uncle Yu.
She quickly walked over and asked, "What happened? Have you encountered any issues?"
Seeing her, Li Zi immediately brightened up.
"The Emperor has been in a bad mood since yesterday. For some reason, he even smashed four tea cups," he said with a bitter smile. "We were hoping you would return to talk to the Emperor."
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