Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Giving a Gift
219 Giving Gifts
He was taken aback, then laughed heartily, saying, "This little girl is truly thinking far ahead." Then he stated firmly, "If the price of this peony flower does rise in the future, I will naturally increase what I pay you as well."
Only then did Zhao Zhitong give a sweet smile, saying, "Alright, thank you, Villa Master."
Sun Youcai was completely dumbfounded at this point.
By this time, the servants had brought over the silver note. Master Liu handed it to Sun Youcai. After confirming future sales with him, Master Liu left happily, cradling the pot of peonies.
After Younger Uncle received the silver note, he still felt like he was dreaming. His head was still buzzing even as he stepped out of the Liu Manor.
Watching Sun Youcai’s conspicuously cautious behavior, a servant beside Liu Baixue kindly reminded him, "Sir, if you walk down the street looking so furtive, anyone will be able to tell you’re carrying something valuable."
Upon hearing this, Sun Youcai immediately dropped the hand covering his chest and thanked the servant repeatedly.
At this time, Zhao Zhitong was pulling Liu Baixue’s hand, inviting her, "Bai Xue, we’re going to the temple fair in a bit. Why don’t you come with us?"
Liu Baixue’s eyes lit up, but they soon dimmed.
A servant reminded her, "Young Miss, your health hasn’t fully recovered. The Villa Master has forbidden you from going to crowded places."
Liu Baixue regretfully shook her head. "I won’t go then. Tongtong, you and the others go have fun."
Zhao Zhitong felt sorry for the frail Liu Baixue, then suddenly remembered something. "Ah! Right! Bai Xue, I brought you something good. Wait a moment for me."
After saying this, she ran off.
Not long after, the young girl came running back, carrying a small basket of cabbage and radishes.
She handed the basket to Liu Baixue and said cheerfully, "Bai Xue, these are vegetables we grew ourselves at home. They’re very healthy. I’m giving them all to you."
Upon seeing the basket of cabbage and radishes, Liu Baixue’s servants were all stunned. Giving someone cabbage and radishes as a gift? What kind of gesture is this? However, they soon rationalized it. After all, they were peasant folk and likely didn’t have many fine things. But then again, the Zhao Family has made quite a bit of money from the Liu Clan; surely, buying some pastries would have been a better gift than these vegetables!
Liu Baixue was clearly stunned for a moment as well, but she soon started laughing and accepted it happily. "Tongtong, are these the vegetables from your vegetable garden that you mentioned in your letter?"
Zhao Zhitong nodded. "Yes, they are. Our whole family planted them! They’re really sweet and delicious. I don’t give these to just anyone."
Liu Baixue chuckled and responded sincerely, "Thank you, Tongtong. I really, really like them."
Seeing Liu Baixue genuinely pleased, Zhao Zhitong beamed. "In the autumn, I’ll go with my older brother and older sister to pick fruits from the mountain. I’ll send you some then, too."
Liu Baixue nodded. "Alright."
After the two young friends said their goodbyes, Zhao Zhitong left the Liu Manor.
After Zhao Zhitong left, Liu Baixue also turned and went home.
A maid following Liu Baixue, seeing her Young Miss carrying the basket of cabbage and radishes, offered, "Young Miss, let me carry those."
Liu Baixue shook her head, refusing.
The maid opened her mouth, finally voicing her thoughts, "Young Miss, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but while you consider Miss Zhao a friend, she may not feel the same way about you."
Liu Baixue’s expression changed, but she didn’t respond.
Seeing that the Young Miss didn’t refute her, the maid continued, "Young Miss, look. The Zhao Family has sold herbs to us twice now, so they must have some money. Even if they can’t afford expensive gifts, surely buying some pastries would be better than these vegetables? Truly, this is... this is rather unpresentable."
She had never seen anyone give a basket of vegetables as a gift; it was truly unseemly.
The maid was in full flow with her complaints when Liu Baixue suddenly stopped. She turned, her face expressionless, and looked at the maid. "Since you know you’re speaking out of turn," she said coolly, "why do you insist on speaking?"
Instantly, the atmosphere around Liu Baixue chilled, and even her white cloak seemed to billow.
The frightened maid immediately knelt on the ground. "Y-Young Miss, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."
Liu Baixue remained expressionless, her cold voice devoid of emotion. "Since you know you were wrong, go and receive your punishment. Next time, I don’t want to hear you say things you shouldn’t."
With that, she turned and departed with an air of command.
The maid trembled on the ground. Another maid walked up to her and hissed, "Are you mad? Just because the Young Miss has been smiling more lately, have you forgotten her usual severity? You’re really courting death! Hurry up and go receive your punishment."
With that, she hurried to catch up with her Young Miss, who had already walked some distance away.
Meanwhile, Liu Baian had just finished listening to a servant’s report.
Liu Baian said approvingly, "Hmm, now that the Zhao Family’s background is confirmed to be respectable, and our Young Miss seems to smile more since befriending the young lady from the Zhao Family, let her be."
"Yes."
The servant had just rushed off when Liu Baian heard screams; it was the sound of servants being punished on the manor grounds.
Curious, he went over and saw one of his sister’s maids being punished, so he asked a few questions.
The maid, seeing it was the Young Master, tearfully recounted what had happened.
"It’s my fault, Young Master. I was merely worried the Young Miss would be deceived by the Zhao Family, so I spoke out of turn to remind her and ended up upsetting her."
Liu Baian furrowed his brows. "You mean, the young lady from the Zhao Family isn’t sincere in her friendship with Bai Xue, but is rather using her to sell their family’s things?"
The maid trembled. "Young Master, I... I was just guessing."
Recalling that the Zhao Family had previously come to their house to sell medicinal herbs and this time peony flowers, Liu Baian frowned and decided to go speak with Liu Baixue.
When he arrived, Liu Baixue had just asked a servant to cut her a small plate of radishes.
Zhao Zhitong had told her these vegetables were delicious, even when eaten raw, and could also be used to make an even more flavorful soup.
She was currently examining the vegetables.
Liu Baian hurried in. "Bai Xue, I have something to tell you."
Liu Baixue had no choice but to stop examining the vegetables. She sat down and looked at Liu Baian. "Brother, what is it?"
Liu Baian chose his words carefully before finally saying, "Bai Xue, I know you like that young lady from the Zhao Family, but... the Zhao Family are not good people. They... they might just be using you."
The smile on Liu Baixue’s face faded slightly. "Brother, where did you hear that from?"
Liu Baian said, "Oh, don’t worry about where I heard it from. Just listen to me, the Zhao Family people are truly not good."
Liu Baixue sighed. Her brother was wonderful in most respects, but he had one flaw: he was too easily swayed by gossip.
"Brother," Liu Baixue said, "I know very well in my heart who is sincere and who is feigning. Don’t you trust your sister?"
Liu Baian quickly waved his hand. "No, it’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just... I’m just..."
He stammered for a while, not knowing what to say. Then, his gaze fell on the vegetables, and it suddenly became clear to him. "These are the vegetables that young lady from the Zhao Family gave you, aren’t they?" he exclaimed. "Look, who gives cabbages and radishes as gifts? This is obviously a perfunctory gesture! They don’t care about you at all..."
Liu Baian patiently tried to reason with his sister for a long time.