strictlysupreme In Chapter 178, Qin Jiu's eyes involuntarily stung slightly.
In Chapter 178, Qin Jiu's eyes involuntarily stung slightly.
The Lady of the Marquis has already made most of the arrangements for the birthday banquet.
However, there were still many minor details that she needed to arrange.
These past two days she's been as busy as a spinning top, focusing all her attention on preparing for the birthday banquet.
From the dishes for the birthday banquet to the decorations in the mansion and the seating arrangements for the guests, everything had to be inspected one by one.
We're simply overwhelmed with work.
Xu Liuer tasted the dish and thought it was delicious, so she placed the order immediately.
After finishing one matter, another maid came over.
"Second Young Madam, this is the guest list for this banquet. Please take a look. If there are no problems, the butler will go and send out the invitations."
Xu Liuer took it and glanced at it, her brows immediately furrowing.
Who are these people?
Xu Liuer was new to the capital and had no idea who these wealthy and powerful families were.
"Has the lady seen it?" she asked.
"Reporting to Second Young Madam, Madam has already reviewed it."
Xu Liuer nodded slightly. Since her mother-in-law had already checked and found no problems, then there probably wouldn't be anything serious.
She instructed, "Then send out the invitations according to this list."
Just as Xu Liuer finished giving her instructions, another maid came over.
"Second Young Madam, something terrible has happened! The large vase by the door was knocked over by the servant and it's broken now..."
Xu Liuer sighed, feeling a throbbing pain in her temple. "Take me there to see."
Teahouse.
Jiang Yunzhu was sitting in a private seat by the window. When she saw Qin Jiuwei arrive, her eyes lit up instantly.
He quickly approached her and affectionately took her hand. "Cousin, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for so long."
Qin Jiuwei sat down next to Jiang Yunzhu, her gaze sweeping over the exquisite tea and snacks on the table, and chuckled, "Why did you order so much?"
"Not much, just some random stuff."
Jiang Yunzhu poured Qin Jiuwei a cup of fragrant tea. After taking a small sip, a hint of unease flashed across her face.
Qin Jiuwei immediately noticed and asked, "Yunzhu, you asked me to come here today, is there something on your mind?"
At noon today, Yunzhu sent someone to the Hou residence to invite her for tea.
She didn't think too much about it at the time, but when they met, she realized that Yunzhu seemed a little off today.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunzhu bit her lower lip lightly.
Oh dear, she said she wasn't suited for this job.
She simply couldn't lie to her cousin.
However, Shen Xingjian insisted that she find a way to keep her cousin occupied until evening, preventing her from returning to the Marquis's residence, claiming it was an order from the young master Xie.
I have no idea what they're trying to do.
But she could tell that Xie Shizi still liked her cousin very much, so she was willing to help him with this favor.
Jiang Yunzhu lowered her eyes and stammered, "Cousin, I just want to spend more time with you. Shen Xingjian is too busy, and I don't even have anyone to talk to when I'm alone in the Shen residence."
When Qin Jiuwei saw her like this, her heart immediately softened.
He took her hand and said gently, "If you want to chat with someone in the future, you can call me anytime."
"Mmm." Jiang Yunzhu nodded vigorously.
She genuinely wanted to help Xie Shizi, and she also genuinely wanted to talk and chat with her cousin.
After saying that, Jiang Yunzhu started talking non-stop.
She vividly recounted the funny incident her maid had caused a few days ago, and then talked about the new hairpin she had recently bought.
Qin Jiuwei listened intently, occasionally chuckling softly while covering her mouth, amused by Jiang Yunzhu.
As the sun outside the window gradually began to set in the west, Qin Jiuwei caught a glimpse of it and frowned slightly.
She turned her head and said gently, "Yunzhu, it's getting late, I should go back to the manor, otherwise the people there will worry."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunzhu's expression instantly tensed up.
Without hesitation, she reached out and grabbed Qin Jiuwei's wrist. "Cousin, let's sit a little longer. It's rare for us to get together in peace and quiet like this."
A hint of doubt flashed across Qin Jiuwei's face, but she didn't think much of it.
I just assumed that Jiang Yunzhu was too lonely.
Qin Jiuwei sat down again and patted her hand affectionately.
"Alright, alright, then I'll stay with you for another half an hour."
Qin Jiuwei stayed until the sun set in the west before returning to her residence, by which time it was completely dark.
Hou House.
Qin Jiuwei sensed something was wrong as soon as she stepped into Qinglan Courtyard.
Why... does it smell like food?
When she entered the main house and saw what was on the square table, she was instantly stunned.
A table was laden with exquisite dishes; five plates of dishes, each with its own unique color, aroma, and flavor, were arranged in an orderly fashion, gleaming enticingly in the candlelight.
Sweet and sour pork ribs, Kung Pao chicken, braised pork belly, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables—each dish is a feast for the eyes and the palate, making them incredibly appetizing.
There was also a lotus root and pork rib soup on the side, with a rich aroma and thick broth.
Qin Jiuwei shifted her gaze from the dishes to Xie Yanli, who was standing to the side.
Xie Yanli stood tall and straight, his eyes filled with tenderness and doting as he quietly looked at her.
Qin Jiu paused for a moment, pointed at the dishes, and then looked at Xie Yanli.
Her voice was filled with disbelief, "This, this couldn't all have been done by you, my husband, could it?"
"These are just some home-style dishes," Xie Yanli chuckled. "The others are too difficult. I spent the whole afternoon learning, and these are all I've learned."
What do you mean by "that's all you've learned"?!
Qin Jiuwei smiled helplessly.
Sure enough, Xie Yanli's standards for doing things were different from theirs.
Even if he were to learn how to make hairpins, he would only learn the best techniques from the most outstanding masters.
If Xie Yanli hadn't told her yesterday, she would have really thought that he bought it from the Treasure Pavilion.
Even when cooking, I always strive to do my best within my capabilities.
Qin Jiuwei approached Xie Yanli step by step, teasingly saying in a light and cheerful voice, "You gave me a hairpin the day before yesterday, and you cooked for me today. Are you planning to resign from your official post and support yourself with your own hands, my husband?"
Xie Yanli curved his lips slightly, "That's not necessarily a bad thing."
Qin Jiuwei looked at his handsome and outstanding face, and her eyes involuntarily stung with tears.
"You don't need to do these things."
She took Xie Yanli's hand, which had distinct knuckles.
These hands should have been used to wield brushes and ink, to command the landscape.
Now, however, he cooks for her himself, getting covered in cooking fumes.
Xie Yanli stared at her intently, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
“You have no shortage of gold and silver treasures, and I have given you my entire private treasury. I don’t know what else I can do for you, so I thought I’d cook for you myself.”
He genuinely wanted Qin Jiuwei to like him just a little bit more.