Li Wanming always thought that Pei Yanqi wasn't quite right in the head.
As an ex with a complicated past with her, following the father of her colleague to celebrate the birthday of his former fiancée's grandmother, didn't he feel embarrassed?
Moreover, since it was a birthday celebration, one surely couldn't go empty - handed and would have to prepare a birthday gift.
What was he after with this act of losing face and not gaining any benefits?
Li Wanming couldn't figure it out.
In the end, she could only conclude that perhaps only someone abnormal could become a top scholar...
Li Wanming bought a solid - gold bracelet with a pattern of blooming flowers and prosperity for her mother at the Jewelry Pavilion. It was bright yellow, shiny, and heavy. It was so heavy that one could hardly lift their wrist when wearing it, which perfectly suited her mother's taste.
This bracelet cost her a full thirty taels of silver. A quarter of the money she won in the afternoon was gone in an instant... Li Wanming felt heart - pained.
Actually, she didn't really want to spend this money on her mother.
But she had no choice.
This year was her mother's sixtieth birthday, a major milestone. By then, her father's colleagues, the elders of the Li family, all kinds of relatives, friends, and former students would all be present.
She couldn't disgrace the Li family on such an occasion.
She had to act filial, obedient, and understanding of the overall situation, and be well - behaved, so as to earn some good reputation for her father.
After returning to the Cheng Mansion, Li Wanming didn't go back to the Falling Snow Studio. Instead, she first carried two small paper bags and went to the Radiant Clear Hall.
Once before, she met Qingchuan in the kitchen. The latter was holding a stewing pot in her hand. When she saw Li Wanming come in, she was so startled that she almost dropped the pot.
Li Wanming was very curious and asked, "What are you doing in the kitchen so late? What's in it?"
Qingchuan evaded the question and stammered, unable to explain clearly for a long time.
After Li Wanming's repeated questioning, she finally had to tell the truth: There was bird's nest in it, stewed for the Princess of Ning.
Li Wanming gasped in surprise at that time.
Bird's nest cost eight qian of silver per tael, which was enough for the whole family's food for half a month!
Seeing Li Wanming's expression, Qingchuan was so frightened that she quickly explained, "Cousin - in - law, this is all broken bird's nest... old stock that no one wants... it's not that expensive..."
Li Wanming lowered her eyes and said nothing.
She knew that her mother - in - law's health had always been poor.
She suffered from a deficiency of qi and blood, a root cause of illness left from giving birth to Cheng Liqing.
Bird's nest was good for nourishing qi and blood, so it was really suitable for her to nourish her body.
Even Qinglan, a distant niece, knew to care about the elder's health, but she, as a daughter - in - law, didn't think of it at all. It was really her dereliction of duty.
Moreover, look how scared Qinglan was...
Li Wanming couldn't help but reflect. Was she really that fierce?
"Stew it during the day in the future. It's too dark at night. Be careful not to burn yourself."
After Li Wanming said that, she turned around and left, leaving Qinglan standing there in a daze.
The Princess of the Heir Apparent didn't scold her? Didn't complain about her wasting money?
Was she just lucky? Or had the Princess of the Heir Apparent changed?
In the Radiant Clear Hall, the Princess of Ning was eating a bowl of fresh - meat and water - chestnut wontons in small mouthfuls. When she heard Li Wanming come in, she quickly told Nanny Yu to put away the bowl on the table and swallowed the whole wonton in her mouth!
It was so hot...
Tears welled up in the Princess of Ning's eyes.
She had no other choice.
During this period when she was living in Pingkangfang, she had to eat the communal meals with everyone every day. She really couldn't stand it!
Chef Liu wasn't in charge of the kitchen when in the Li family.
Now she was forced into the job - there was no one else who could do it.
She was impatient, and even more impatient when cooking. She would put the ingredients into the pot as soon as it was hot and stir - fry them quickly on high heat. As long as it was cooked, it was fine.
It was completely lacking in color, aroma, and taste...
Sometimes, the food was so rough that it scratched the throat...
Out of desperation, the Princess of Ning could only secretly cook a small meal for herself when Li Wanming was out and have a couple of mouthfuls quietly, or she really couldn't hold on.
When Li Wanming came in, she saw her mother - in - law pounding her chest and stretching her neck hard, looking like a goose that had been choked.
"Mother - in - law, are you okay?"
"No, no problem... Wanming, why are you here?"
Li Wanming took out the bird's nest in her hand. "I bought two taels of top - quality bird's nest for you today. Mother - in - law, stew it and eat it."
"You actually agree for me to eat bird's nest?" The Princess of Ning was shocked, and finally swallowed the wonton in her throat.
Li Wanming: ...
What kind of image did she have in the eyes of the Cheng family? A stingy person?
"From now on, if you want to eat bird's nest, just ask Caiwei and Qinglan to come to me for the silver to buy it. Don't buy those broken bird's nests anymore... there's too much sand in them, and it's gritty when you eat it."
She put the paper bag in her hand on the table and left after saying that.
When she returned to the Falling Snow Studio, Chuntao was preparing the clothes for her to wear at the birthday banquet.
Xiao Jingnan had already changed into a new outfit.
He was wearing a long indigo robe with silver - threaded cloud patterns and a rhinoceros - horn belt around his waist. Instead of hanging a jade pendant, he had a moon - white ribbon, which made his tall figure even more prominent and his appearance as elegant as jade.
When he saw Li Wanming come in, he immediately spun around. "Wife, do I look good?"
Li Wanming had to admit that he was peerless in appearance.
But she couldn't say so, lest he get too proud.
"Not bad."
Xiao Jingnan asked again, "Didn't you say you were going to buy a birthday gift for grandmother? Why did it take you so long?"
"Buying a birthday gift requires money. Of course, I went to earn money first!"
Li Wanming smiled, threw the heavy purse on the table, poured herself a glass of water, and gulped it down. "I've been busy all afternoon. I'm so tired!"
Chuntao opened the purse and exclaimed in surprise, "So much? Miss, you're still so amazing!"
"Where, where. I'm far from what I used to be."
Li Wanming waved her hand modestly.
Xiao Jingnan walked over and saw that the purse was filled with shiny silver.
"Where did you get so much money?"
Li Wanming replied, "I won it!"
She briefly told him about how she had dominated the gambling house this afternoon.
"You know how to play pai gow?"
Xiao Jingnan was even more surprised.
"Not only pai gow? Dice, liubo, shuanglu, madiao, shaking the cup... there's nothing our miss can't do!" Chuntao said proudly, "Back then, our miss was known as the female gambling god in Fujian!"
Xiao Jingnan opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he was stunned for a long time and said nothing.
Li Wanming sighed, "It's a pity I can't always earn money this way. If my mother knew I was back to my old ways, she'd probably break my legs..."
Madam Yuan had a strong personality. On the one hand, she was very protective of her three daughters, but on the other hand, if they made a mistake, she would never spare them!
So from childhood to adulthood, Li Wanming was much more afraid of her mother than her father.
Before coming to the capital, her mother had repeatedly told her that the capital was different from Fujian. There were many people and prying eyes. If she dared to bring her Fujian - style habits to the capital, she'd make her know what it meant to be a toad falling into a hot oil pan - seeking her own death!
If it weren't for the fact that the Cheng family's financial situation was really dire and they were almost out of food, she would never have dared to take this risk to earn money.
After hearing this, Xiao Jingnan felt a bit guilty. "Wife, you've worked hard."
If they hadn't deliberately concealed the truth, Li Wanming wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble.
He paused for a moment and then said, "Wife, don't worry. At grandmother's birthday banquet, I'll also help you solve a big problem."
"What problem?"
Xiao Jingnan blinked and smiled slightly. "Of course, it's the problem that you've always been concerned about."