At this time, Gu Sui’er pushed the door open and came in holding a mahogany tray in her hand. On it was placed an egg with toon leaf buds.
Seeing him, she smiled. The light in her eyes seemed to overshadow the bright sunshine outside.
“Third Master, you haven’t eaten yet, have you? Your meal has been prepared, it’s in the kitchen.” Seeing Xiao Heng, Gu Sui’er inquired with a soft smile. In the morning, he had said that he would return at noon so she had let his meals be prepared in the kitchen. However, because he hadn’t returned till now, she asked the servants to keep them warm
“No.” Xiao Heng’s words were concise.
“Then, please wait.” While talking, Gu Sui’er instructed: “Bring all the dishes prepared in the kitchen and serve them to third Master.”
The servants promptly dispersed to carry out her orders– some dishes could be brought as they were, some needed to be warmed up, and ones which needed to be freshly prepared like bass fish were put in the wok. Fortunately, there were many people, and it was only for one person, so the food was placed on the table in no time.
Following the rules, four main dishes, four plates of fruits and four delicious side dishes were served. In addition to those, there was also a plate of freshly steamed bass fish, a pot of black feathered chicken soup, and a plate of duck stewed in wine.
“Third Master, please begin.” Gu Sui’er grabbed a pair of chopsticks and handed it to him after attentively filling a bowl of steaming rice for him.
Xiao Heng took the chopsticks and looked at the toon leaf buds spread on the fried eggs in front of Gu Sui’er.
It was a little far from him.
However, Gu Sui’er didn’t realize this at all. She quickly ladled a bowl with the black-boned chicken soup and gave him a piece of steamed bass fish: “Try this fish, third Master. I heard it was sent by the manor just today. It is very tender. I had it kept in the water so that it can be cooked as soon as you come back and you can enjoy it fresh.”
Seeing that he just stared at the rice in his bowl without making a sound, she thought he did not like it very much. She hurriedly fetched the duck stewed in wine from the side: “Third Master, would you like to try this?”
However, Xiao Heng still didn’t move.
Seeing this, Gu Sui’er felt a little strange, and asked in confusion, “Third Master, do you not have much appetite today?”
Xiao Heng pursed his lips and shook his head: “No.”
As he spoke, he gripped the chopsticks and began eating.
He ate slowly.
Gu Sui’er finally felt relieved. Because of her parents’ presence, she had inevitably ignored him these days.
After her worries were alleviated, she picked her own chopsticks and concentrated on enjoying the egg with toon leaf buds.
In fact, toon leaf buds were not uncommon in this season. There were many toon trees in Ruiding mansion’s courtyards to pluck from. The main kitchen also specially delivered some toon leaf buds to the kitchen in their yard. The vegetable dish for breakfast also had some toon leaf buds. As for eggs, they are not unusual items. Why would a dignified Marquis residence lack something as common as eggs?
However, it was indeed a rarity for Gu Sui’er. The eggs were brought by her mother from the village and she had personally cooked them in the kitchen. Every bite of the fragrant toon leaf buds and soft fried egg satisfied her.
While savoring the food, she suddenly felt a little weird. Looking up, her eyes met with Xiao Heng’s eyes that were fixed on herself.
She was a little embarrassed. She bowed her head and said: “Third Master, I haven’t eaten this for a long time, so I wanted to try it.”
After saying this, she added: “Although it is just a simple dish, it was very difficult to eat this when I was a child. I only ate it once when I was sick.”
At that time, the eggs at home had to be saved for sale in the market for some copper coins. How could it be possible for them to eat the eggs randomly?
It was only when she was sick that her mother was willing to fry an egg with just a little oil in the pan.
Xiao Heng nodded: “En.”
After she finished explaining, Gu Sui’er noticed that his expression was still amiss. She tilted her head and looked up and down at him, and ultimately couldn’t help asking: “Is something the matter?”
Xiao Heng: “Nothing.”
She glanced at him a few more times to no avail. Then, she lowered her head and resumed eating her own food.
The fried egg with toon leaf buds was really delicious. The toon buds were young and tender while the fried egg was soft. Once cooked in hot oil, the freshness of the toon buds was integrated into the fried egg. Anyone who took a bite wouldn’t be able to stop themselves from going on and on.
Just when Gu Sui’er was enjoying her meal, Xiao Heng stood up.
She was a little surprised. Eh, what’s going on?
Unexpectedly, Xiao Heng directly sat beside Gu Sui’er and fixed his gaze on her.
His eyes were like deep pools. With just one look, it could sink anyone in and make them unable to extricate themselves.
…But it was mealtime now.
She didn’t comprehend what he wanted. So she bit her lips slightly: “Third Master?”
Xiao Heng suddenly bent down, and approached her lips.
The handsome face suddenly approached so close that their breaths intermingled and her eyelashes could even touch his.
Even though they shared the same bed every day, Gu Sui’er was still a little dazed by this sudden intimacy: “Th-third Master…?”
Xiao Heng pressed her lips gently, and then slowly sucked as if they were the most delicious oyster.
……
He let go after a long time.
Her lips were already bright red and glossy.
Her face was slightly hot. Glancing at him, she reproached softly, “Third Master, what are you doing…”
She was eating now.
“I’m hungry.” He said it quite righteously.
“Lunch has been prepared ah…” She looked at the scrumptious meal on the table.
“But I only want to eat what you are eating.” He said.
Gu Sui’er was startled. When she looked up, she saw his deep and serene eyes staring at her fixedly, much like a stubborn puppy.
He said he just wanted to eat what she ate.
There was even a trace of grievance in his tone.
Gu Sui’er looked down at what she was having in disbelief. She looked up at him again: “You… like this too?”
Xiao Heng’s jade-like face was still expressionless, but the base of the ears had turned suspiciously red.
“En.”
His light tone was aloof and cold as if he was disdainful in answering.
But Gu Sui’er felt that his current gluttonous behavior was very similar to little Ah Chen’s.
A smile spread in her clear eyes like dandelions blown by the wind as the corners of her lips gradually curled up. Looking at him, she tried her best to suppress her laughter.
“What? You don’t want to?” His tone became colder, but Gu Sui’er could perceive the childishness hidden within it even more.
She almost laughed out loudly, but for his sake, she restrained herself with all her might and turned her face away, pretending to look outside the window.
“Since third Master likes to eat…” Her tone was relaxed and filled with amusement as she said with a soft smile: “Then Sui’er will go and make another egg for you.”
If he wanted to eat another steamed bass fish, she might not have been able to prepare one for him right away. But a mere fried egg with toon leaf buds wasn’t much of an issue. She could make as many as he wanted.
She was about to get up while speaking.
She intended to run to the kitchen quickly and have a hearty laugh lest she fails to suppress it any longer and bursts out laughing in his presence.
Unexpectedly, the man beside her stretched out his hand and grabbed her hand.
“No.” He pursed his lips and said stubbornly, “I’ll eat your portion.”
“I’ve almost finished my one.” She restrained her laughter and explained.
“I want to eat.” He repeated his stubborn request in a calm tone again.
The corners of her lips twitched a little from laughter. She blinked, looking at his deadpan but handsome face. He was obviously so solemn and meticulous, but the words he said were even more childish than that of her little Ah Chen.
She finally couldn’t help it. She burst out rocking back and forth in laughter.
Xiao Heng sat there calmly, like an immortal not bothered by anything, and looked at Gu Sui’er quietly.
Finally, after Gu Sui’er finished laughing, she wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and picked up the chopsticks. She moved toward him and flattered in a soft voice, “Third Master, here. Your favorite fried eggs with toon sprouts.”
Xiao Heng ordered coldly, “Feed me.”
Gu Sui’er was very patient: “Okay, I’ll feed you.”
But Xiao Heng began fussing: “I want you to use that pair of chopsticks.”
Gu Sui’er nodded repeatedly: “En, I’ll use this one.”
The one he wanted her to use was the one she had used just now. But since he insisted on it, she could only follow his wishes.
Xiao Heng readily ate the bite Gu Sui’er fed.
After eating, he had another demand: “I want to eat that part.”
Gu Sui’er glanced at the part he was pointing. That seemed to be sprinkled with more toon buds.
She pursed her lips to suppress another laugh, and quickly fed him again.
Presently, she listened to his every word. She was more patient with him than she was with little Ah Chen.
After feeding a plate of fried eggs with toon leaf buds, she asked him softly: “Third Master, do you want to eat more? Shall I prepare another one for you?”
Xiao Heng glanced at her.
Naturally, he knew that her current tone was practically the tone used for coaxing her children.
He licked his lips, “I want.”
She cracked a few eggs and made some fried eggs with toon leaf buds. His expression finally relaxed after he ate those.
Just at this time, little Ah Chen woke up and started crying for his mother.
When Guizhi brought him over, Gu Sui’er abandoned the father and resignedly picked up her son to breastfeed.
She sat on the low stool beside the bed holding little Ah Chen diagonally in her embrace. The lapel of her dress was slightly opened for feeding the child but everything above was covered with gauze.
Xiao Heng didn’t have anything to do that afternoon, so he sat by the side and watched her breastfeed.
For a while, he gazed at the movement of the gauze following little Ah Chen’s actions, and then looked away, focusing on his son instead.
Ah Chen was not a well-behaved child while feeding. Now that he was gulping down the milk happily, his two little hands were busy pulling his little feet to play with.
Seeing this, Gu Sui’er grabbed his chubby hands and released the little feet.
Even after Ah Chen’s little feet were released, the two little fat legs remained stuck up in the air, bouncing back and forth. At first, he tried to put them in his mother’s arms, but after a few attempts, he seemed to discover that they wouldn’t reach at all. So, he gave up and hung them, swinging forward and backward.
Gu Sui’er had to look out for the little baby swinging his chubby legs while breastfeeding, so she simply raised her hands and put his legs on her lap.
Little Ah Chen swallowed the milk in big mouthfuls and looked at his mother with a naughty smile in his wide eyes. Then, he hung his legs again.
Seeing this, Gu Sui’er reached out to pick up that little foot again.
It was not easy holding such a chubby child by his upper body and letting his legs dangle freely.
Little Ah Chen’s big, bright eyes sparkled with even more mischief. He seemed to think that this was a fun game, so he deliberately put his legs down again.
Gu Sui’er lifted his legs again.
After doing this several times, Gu Sui’er couldn’t stand it anymore and lightly spanked the baby’s buttocks.
She pretended to hit him a few times and scared in a low voice: “No more milk for you.”
Little Ah Chen seemed to understand these words. When he heard that he wouldn’t be able to eat milk anymore, his little brows knitted in grievance. He whimpered a few times and quickly grabbed Gu Sui’er’s lapel in a defensive stance as if he was afraid that his delicious food would be snatched away by others.
This time, he finally concentrated on eating and no longer made trouble with his legs.
Seeing this, Gu Sui’er couldn’t help stroking Little Ah Chen’s little buttocks lovingly. His buttocks were really soft, round and bulging, making it hard for one to stop rubbing.
The afternoon sunshine entered through the windows and sprinkled all over Gu Sui’er like pieces of gold, enveloping her warmly.
The gentle and soft woman sat there with a faint smile between her beautiful and delicate brows, holding a fair and chubby little baby In her arms to feed. Her ink-like black hair was strewn over her slender shoulders like gauze. The baby was clasping her lapel with his chubby hands while his two fat lotus root-like legs rested leisurely on her lap as he gulped milk happily.
Xiao Heng gazed at the mother and son in a daze.
He suddenly remembered how he sat alone at the doorstep when he was a child, waiting for his mother to return.
At that time, did he also yearn for such a scene in his heart?
Moments passed, and the suckling baby fell asleep with contentment.
Gu Sui’er picked up little Ah Chen and gently placed him on the bed.
Being placed on the bed, Ah Chen turned over, stuck out his little buttocks and continued sleeping soundly on his stomach.
Gu Sui’er saw her son’s adorable yet silly posture and smiled with a sigh. She whispered to Xiao Heng: “He likes to sleep on his stomach. Don’t know who he takes after.”
Xiao Heng: “After me.”
Gu Sui’er: “Uh…”
…So Xiao Heng actually liked to sleep on his stomach when he was a child? Did he also like to stick out his little butt like little Ah Chen?
Looking at his cold face, Gu Sui’er was unable to imagine him sleeping with his butt sticking up.
Xiao Heng stared at his son and suddenly had the urge to speak.
“Sui’er.” He muttered to himself for a while and finally spoke out.
“En?” Gu Sui’er perceived the tension in his tone.
In fact, he seldom called her name, but when he did, she liked to hear it very much.
His faint “Sui’er” was like a feather tugging at her heartstrings.
“I like to eat fried eggs with toon buds.”
Just when Gu Sui’er was captivated, he suddenly said this.
“I see.”
At noon today, he ate up a few fried eggs with toon sprouts in one go.
“Did you think that it was just an ordinary meal for me and that I wouldn’t care at all?” Xiao Heng looked at the woman beside him.
The woman’s clear eyes were some doubtful. She thought for a while, shook her head, and then nodded.
“When I was young, it was quite difficult for me to eat this.” Xiao Heng rarely mentioned his past, but now he brought it up, he didn’t know where to start.
“Ah…” Gu Sui’er’s mouth opened slightly in surprise.
How could such a noble person like him have any difficulty eating this dish?
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