CHAPTER 140: CHAPTER 140: PROPER INSTRUCTIONS

Li Xingyuan was stunned for about three seconds after hearing this question, then smiled and asked back, "Do you think your sister is likable?"

Tang Xiaobai looked at him for a moment and said, "My brother and Ah Xiao have both gone to Hedong for disaster relief."

Li Xingyuan: "???"

Tang Xiaobai sighed, "You are several years older than Ah Xiao and about the same age as my brother. The two of them went for disaster relief, serving the country and its people, while you idle around all day and immaturely tease pretty girls. Don’t you feel ashamed?"

After saying that, Tang Xiaobai suddenly felt bold, scolding even the male lead.

But the male lead indeed needed some reprimanding.

My brother invited him here, surely not to flirt with his sisters.

Everyone’s busy with serious matters, except him, thinking about romance all day!

Li Xingyuan was choked until he couldn’t utter half a word.

Although he was indeed teasing pretty girls childishly, he was definitely not idling around!

The Crown Prince specifically left him behind, how could that be considered idling around?

"I—"

"You should just mind your own business!" The young girl didn’t let him defend himself further, shook her head, and walked away.

Li Xingyuan stood there dazed for a while, then shook his head with a laugh: "This young girl, her heart is truly full of thoughts!"

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly glimpsed a graceful and stunning red figure in the shadowed corridor, feeling a warmth in his heart, and instinctively walked towards it.

After taking two steps, he abruptly halted.

He stood there for a moment, then turned and left.

...

When the disaster relief team returned to the capital, it was already the end of the year.

On a misty morning in the deep winter, breath turned into frost.

Tang Xiaobai stood on the cart, holding a hand warmer, wrapped in a cloak, staring into the distance.

After waiting for more than two quarters of an hour, she finally saw figures gradually appearing through the morning mist.

Walking in the center was Prince Jin, Li Shu, with Tang Ziqian and another imperial guard officer leading soldiers to guard the sides.

On fine horses with carved saddles, draped in Xuan armor and brocade, the young generals were imposing.

However, that face alone had soft features, eyes moving darkly and lazily, handsome as if they were enchanted.

Tang Ziqian also spotted where his sisters were, raised his hand and waved, his smile forming a curve that made people scream.

Tang Xiaobai excitedly waved at him, and her gaze turned to search beside him.

The young man with the green jade mask was right behind Tang Ziqian, his form slightly obscured, but his gaze remained unobstructed, finding her in the crowd earlier than Tang Ziqian.

But when Tang Xiaobai looked towards him, the young man lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze.

Tang Xiaobai was slightly stunned.

She hoped this period apart would help him calm down, but this... would it turn into indifference?

...

Tang Xiaobai certainly didn’t mind this bit of coldness from the young master, only noticing that he seemed thinner.

Once home, she hurried to the kitchen to instruct, "The young master is entering the palace to report, we don’t know when he will be out, so first make some hot food to deliver outside the palace gate for Ah Xiao and Xin Yi to eat!"

"They’ll inevitably be cold waiting outside the palace gate, so prepare ginger soup, and deliver it as soon as they return!"

While speaking, she suddenly remembered something and ran back to the Bright Moon Building, opened a large chest in her bedroom, and pulled out a thickly packed bundle.

Hugging it in her arms, it felt thick and soft to the touch.

Inside was the Xuan Mink Cloak prepared for the young master.

The Xuan Mink Fur was personally selected by her from the West Market, with black mink fur lining inside, the outside made of Xuan satin with embroidered dark patterns and silver trim, appearing quite understated and luxurious.

It was originally prepared as a birthday gift for him.

But later, as she deliberately distanced herself from him, and he left for Hedong, this gift was put on hold.

Tang Xiaobai thought that since he hadn’t returned yet, she’d take the cloak to his place and check if there was anything to tidy up.

But halfway there, she felt it wasn’t quite appropriate.

Even though the young master hadn’t returned and wouldn’t see her care and affection, what if someone told him when he came back?

No, she couldn’t go herself!

"Tao Zi, you better—"

Just as she was about to instruct Tao Zi to deliver it, she turned around and was stunned.

On a path extending from one side of the corridor, the young man stood quietly, like Qing Zhu covered in frost, Mei Zhi dusted with snow, handsome and crisp.

The splendid pavilion in the distance, the desolate branches nearby, all became his backdrop.

The scene was so beautiful that Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but stare dazedly for a while before snapping back, somewhat awkwardly asking, "When did you return?"

"The young master ordered Xin Yi and me to return to the residence first," Li Mu said, his gaze falling on the large bundle she was holding, frowning slightly, and asked, "What is the Second Miss holding?"

Why was she, a young girl, holding such a big bundle? Was there no one to help her?

His gaze coldly swept over the accompanying maid, about to scold, but suddenly, a thought struck him, and he changed his tone: "Should I help Second Miss carry it?"

"No need, no need!" Tang Xiaobai, seeing him approaching, hurriedly retreated.

But he moved quicker; just as she stepped back, the bundle in her hand was taken away.

It felt weighty in hand, and Li Mu’s expression immediately turned dour, giving Tao Zi a cold glance: "Why let Second Miss carry such a heavy thing?"

Tao Zi, frightened by his look, timidly replied, "Second Miss wouldn’t let us take it..." Who could be like him, snatching the things right from Second Miss’s hands?

Tang Xiaobai also explained, "I think it’s soft and comfy to hold, so I wanted to carry it myself..."

Only then did Li Mu collect his anger and asked, "Where is Second Miss taking it?"

Tang Xiaobai’s eyes darted around, "I’m taking it back to the Bright Moon Building..."

Seeing that she seemed even more distant than before they parted, Li Mu didn’t feel like talking more, so he took the bundle and walked ahead.

At the entrance of the Bright Moon Building, Li Mu turned, thrusting the bundle back into her arms, and asked, "Does Second Miss have any other instructions?"

Tang Xiaobai shook her head.

Originally, she had no instructions; he insisted on taking on the task.

"Really nothing?" Li Mu couldn’t help but ask again.

Tang Xiaobai was puzzled, "What else?"

Li Mu looked at her for a moment, then said lightly, "If there’s nothing, I’ll go back and rest first."

Tang Xiaobai thought hard but couldn’t come up with any instructions, so she just nodded.

After the young master left, she turned to Tao Zi and asked, "Was I supposed to give any instructions?"

Of course, Tao Zi couldn’t answer either.

So this question puzzled Tang Xiaobai the entire day, occupying her thoughts even during meals and chores.

Until a maid came carrying a lamp, asking, "Does Second Miss want to rest?" only then did she break away from the question.

Dazedly, she felt as if waking from a great dream.

"Has the welcome banquet ended?" Tang Xiaobai asked.

Cheng Zi glanced outside, unsurely replying, "It should be almost over, right? The young master has been on the road, and Madam advised not to stay too late."

Tang Xiaobai jumped up from the seat-bed, grabbed a cloak, and draped it over her shoulders: "I’ll go have a look!"

Cheng Zi quickly followed, "Where is Second Miss going?"

No answer.

Tang Xiaobai went out the door, running straight south.

The main hall of the front courtyard to the south was where the homecoming banquet for Tang Ziqian was held tonight.

Along with Tang Ziqian, there were also the officers, personal soldiers, and attendants who went to Hedong.

Including Ah Xiao.