Meng Ruyi and Lianqiao walked side by side towards the Meng Mansion, but their steps grew slower and slower. She realized that she was avoiding going back and trying to delay the time. She couldn't help but sigh softly in her heart. The street was bustling with people. It was noon, and the scorching sun was shining brightly in the sky. The sunlight was like fire, making the skin burn.
Forget it.
Meng Ruyi felt dizzy from the sun, so she had to abandon the idea of walking back slowly and quickened her pace.
When she returned to the mansion, Meng Ruyi happened to see Li Ergou waiting at the door of Song Huaizhi's courtyard.
Seeing Meng Ruyi, Li Ergou showed respect on his face. He lowered his head slightly and said seriously, "Miss Meng, the master asked you to go back to your place and rest for a while. He will be back in the mansion soon."
"Okay, thank you."
"You're welcome, Miss Meng."
Song Huaizhi hadn't come back yet.
Meng Ruyi inexplicably felt relieved. Thinking that she didn't know when she would have the courage to confess her feelings to Song Huaizhi, she couldn't help but sigh again and again, feeling vexed in her heart.
After returning to the room, seeing this, Baizhi, who was guarding the mansion, immediately took a letter and handed it to Meng Ruyi, who was sitting in front of the desk. She said softly, "Miss, this is a letter from Young Master Gu."
"Put it here." Meng Ruyi was surprised. Calculating the time, Gu Ling had only been away for less than a month, yet he had already sent a letter?
No way! Didn't this letter mean that he had written and sent it half a month after he set off, so it could arrive today?
Meng Ruyi was extremely shocked. She couldn't figure out at all how Gu Ling had managed to persuade General Gu and Mrs. Gu to let him send a letter just after he had walked a short distance.
General Gu and Mrs. Gu were not the kind of parents who indulged their children. How could they let Gu Ling keep looking back?
Meng Ruyi couldn't tell what she was feeling. With a half - amused, half - exasperated expression, she took the small knife that Lianqiao handed over and cut open the letter, revealing several long stacks of paper inside.
Meng Ruyi: "..."
She slowly spread out the letter paper and saw Gu Ling's handwriting was wild, as if it was about to pounce on her.
It started with a long string of complaints. He said that the food on the road was unpalatable, that he had to travel every day, which made his butt hurt. As a result, he could only write the letter huddled in the carriage instead of on a table. The conditions were really bad.
Having said this, he suddenly changed the subject and said, "However, I, Gu Ling, a real man, will naturally not be troubled by these little things."
Meng Ruyi wanted to laugh. The corners of her lips twitched slightly. It felt as if Gu Ling had suddenly run in front of her and started talking.
After Gu Ling finished speaking, he said that he was about to transfer to a water route. So this letter might be the first and also the last letter in the next six months. He had also sent a letter to Song Huaizhi and hoped that they wouldn't miss him.
At the end of the letter, Gu Ling reluctantly asked Meng Ruyi why he had been kept in the dark again. He didn't know about their deal with General Gu until after he set off. General Gu seemed to suddenly remember and tell him about it.
Meng Ruyi: "..." Cough. Actually, she hadn't known about it much earlier than Gu Ling, right?
At the end of the letter, Meng Ruyi's eyes fell on the last sentence -
May Sister Ruyi be in good health, safe and well, and we'll meet in the capital soon.
Gu Ling was really...
It was hard for Meng Ruyi to dislike him. He was too honest. Although he had his own little schemes, he was loyal and always protected the three of them, Meng Ruyi, Song Huaizhi and Zhang Yunyun, behind him.
Seeing that Gu Ling seemed to be doing well and still had the energy to chatter, Meng Ruyi was happy for him. After thinking for a while, she decided to write a reply, although she didn't know if he could receive it.
Thinking like this, Meng Ruyi started to grind the ink by herself. She quietly watched the ink stick dissolve into thick, fine ink before putting down the tools and planning to wash the brush.
"Miss, Young Master Song is here."
Lianqiao, who was guarding the door, saw Song Huaizhi and shouted into the room.
"Let him in quickly." Hearing this, Meng Ruyi immediately put down the brush in her hand and looked towards the door.
Creak -
The door was pushed open. A pair of long, fair hands rested on the door. Song Huaizhi stepped into the study. In his other hand, he was holding an oil - paper bag. Meng Ruyi guessed that there were pastries inside.
Sure enough, the next moment, Meng Ruyi saw Song Huaizhi smiling. He walked to the table, put the oil - paper bag on it, and slowly untied the red string that fixed it. "Try it. I passed by your favorite shop. They have a new lotus - leaf cake."
The pastries in the oil - paper bag were delicate, with a fresh light green color. They were shaped like lotus leaves, but they looked chubby. The leaf veins were deeper and more exquisite than those of natural leaves.
They looked very appetizing.
Meng Ruyi thanked Song Huaizhi. She picked up a piece with two fingers and took a small bite. The pastry skin made of glutinous rice was slightly sweet when it entered her mouth, with the rice fragrance that Meng Ruyi liked very much. Taking another bite, the sweet and soft red - bean filling was exposed, making the sweetness of the lotus - leaf cake overflow instantly.
"Delicious!" Meng Ruyi exclaimed and said to Song Huaizhi, "Brother Xiaosong, try it quickly!"
Song Huaizhi smiled and nodded slightly. He also picked up a piece.
After Meng Ruyi finished the pastry and came to her senses, she realized that the restraint in her heart had completely disappeared. She didn't know when a natural smile had appeared on her face.
[Hehe, I just like this kind of daily life. It's so sweet!]
[Where can I buy this lotus - leaf cake? I'm so anxious. I want to eat it too!]
[Laughing out loud. Sure enough, delicious food is the best medicine to heal everything! After eating a few pastries, Yu Yu's smile is back.]
"Brother Xiaosong."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Meng Ruyi wiped her hands, then took out what she had written last night and handed it to Song Huaizhi. She said, "Take a look. This is what I thought of last night."
Song Huaizhi took it, pulled over a chair, and sat not far from Meng Ruyi. He slowly and carefully looked through the stack of papers written by Meng Ruyi herself.
Looking at them, Song Huaizhi said, "Not bad. I think these ideas are feasible."
"Really?" Meng Ruyi was surprised. Looking at him, she said, "Then I'll go and try them out tomorrow. Then I'll ask the steward to find out about the appointments and removals of the shopkeepers of each store over the years."
"It's not necessary to be so troublesome." Seeing the excitement in Meng Ruyi's eyes, Song Huaizhi smiled and said, "I'll have someone send it to you later. I just had someone sort this out a few days ago."
Meng Ruyi was stunned.
She didn't expect things to go so smoothly. Even if she went to tell the steward now, it would take some time. She didn't expect that Song Huaizhi had already dealt with this at some point.
Good luck!
This was Meng Ruyi's first reaction. But when she saw the gentle and tolerant look in Song Huaizhi's eyes, she was a little unsure.
Is this really a coincidence?
The uneasiness that had been driven away by the lotus - leaf cake came back double at this moment. Meng Ruyi was worried that she was overthinking and being self - indulgent. So she had to suppress her desire to ask and fell silent for a moment.