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Ming Jing noticed her odd expression, looking slightly concerned as she asked, "What’s wrong with Master Lian?"

Lian Hua, her face red, lowered her eyes and shook her head ー how could she explain that she had used the restroom before even meeting the host at Human Palace? It was too embarrassing.

Xiao Jizi, following behind, knew his master was embarrassed due to her thin skin. He quickly handed the pumpkin to Xiao Qing and stepped forward to whisper a few words to Ming Jing, helping Lian Hua out of the awkward situation.

Ming Jing, now understanding, halted her steps and handed the box to Ming Xin, addressing the people at Huaying Hall, "You all go ahead and report to the master, please ask the master to wait a moment, Master Lian and I will be right back."

Lian Hua knew what Xiao Jizi had mentioned; her face began to burn hotly, wanting to crawl into a hole from embarrassment.

As the group left, she bit her lip and faced Ming Jing with great embarrassment, "Thank you, Auntie Ming Jing," she said, considering her dignity without blurting it out on the spot.

The more Ming Jing looked at Lian Hua before her, the more adorable she found her, both cute and charming. No wonder His Majesty talked about her so much.

She smiled and said, "Master Lian is too polite, it is our fault for not taking good care. Please don’t take it to heart."

After speaking, she turned to Xiao Jizi and the others, "Please wait here for a moment, this way please, Master Lian~"

She then made a inviting gesture to Lian Hua.

When Lian Hua returned, she saw Xu Zhaoyi standing with her back to her, waiting at the place Lian Hua had left earlier, with Xiao Jizi and the others bowing their heads nearby.

Lian Hua was startled, somewhat at a loss, her face flushing red.

Ming Jing was the first to call out, "Master."

Lian Hua regained her composure and bowed, "I greet Sister Zhaoyi... Consort." She almost let "sister" slip out, oh dear.

Xu Zhaoyi turned around and strode towards Lian Hua, "Since ’sister’ was already half spoken, why bother changing it to ’Consort’? Rise."

As she spoke, she reached Lian Hua and helped her up, "No need for such formalities in the future."

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Sister... Sister," Lian Hua said, standing up with Xu Zhaoyi’s help, avoiding eye contact, somewhat shyly.

Xu Zhaoyi laughed heartily, "I had just changed my sweaty clothes right before you came back; I hardly waited at all."

Her hand still holding Lian Hua, she looked her over, making Lian Hua’s face flush redder, causing her to lower her head even more shyly.

Xu Zhaoyi, having had a good look, let go and said, "Not bad, the dress looks very nice; the Emperor really spared no expense. Your complexion is also good; the Emperor has taken good care of you. How could he bear to let you out with the palace full of chaos?"

"Ah?" Lian Hua, puzzled, looked up, not understanding what Sister Zhaoyi was talking about or how it related to His Majesty.

Ming Jing helplessly reminded her, "Master..." speaking nonsense again.

Xu Zhaoyi, realizing she had spoken too freely, looked at the tender-faced young lady before her, unlike herself. She hoped not to have frightened her.

Xu Zhaoyi looked at Lian Hua and smiled again. The girl was truly adorably naive, with a shy expression, her cheeks red and her skin so soft it seemed water could be wrung from it; her baby fat cheeks seemed very nice to touch.

She couldn’t resist the urge to pinch them, but just as she raised her hand, worried she might frighten Lian Hua, she changed course from touching her face to touching her hair, causing the young lady to look up as well.

Towering over the shorter girl, it felt natural and easy for her to touch Lian Hua’s hair.

The hair felt soft and silky, very pleasant to the touch, like top-quality silk. Xu Zhaoyi, quite pleased, stroked her hair and asked, "Would you like to eat something?"

Lian Hua shook her head gently and softly said, "I just ate upon arriving." She felt that Sister Zhaoyi was very affectionate, and there was no sense of distance at all.

"Let’s go inside first," Xu Zhaoyi said as she led Lian Hua by the sleeve into the room, asking as they walked, "Do you like playing with marbles?"

Upon hearing the word "marbles," Lian Hua nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling as she looked towards Xu Zhaoyi.

Indeed, she liked them. After receiving Sister Zhaoyi’s marbles, she would touch them occasionally; it was just a pity she couldn’t play with them.

Seeing her like this, Xu Zhaoyi smiled and then asked, "What can you do with them?"

"I can play ’out of bounds’ and ’digging tunnels’!" Lian Hua said proudly. Even though she hadn’t played in a long time, she still remembered clearly.

Xu Zhaoyi nodded in approval and said, "Good, both games are fun."

During her boudoir days, she too played with marbles, but not those games; she played on a sandy ground, using a target with a small hole in the center, placing a net behind it, and would throw marbles through the hole to land in the net, thus training her eyesight and aim.

Lian Hua smiled shyly, feeling pleased and warm inside from Xu Zhaoyi’s affirmation.

In just a few sentences, they arrived inside the Main Hall, where Xu Zhaoyi invited Lian Hua to sit and rest for a while.

Ming Jing timely asked someone to serve tea and snacks and brought in the gifts Lian Hua had brought.

Lian Hua sat up straight, feeling somewhat nervous; she worried Xu Zhaoyi might not like the gift she had brought.

Xu Zhaoyi, soothingly smiling at her, stood up and personally started to open the items one at a time.

She first looked at several large bags, opened one, and grabbed a handful of items, asking, "Sunflower seeds?"

Even with her quick wit, she could not figure out the intention behind bringing sunflower seeds, probably a first in the palace.

Lian Hua stood up, walked to the front of the sunflower seeds bag, and explained somewhat awkwardly, "Sister Zhaoyi, these seeds are from Canglan Court; we roasted them ourselves. I wanted you to try them."

Xu Zhaoyi, looking surprised, said, "Then I must try them."

Without any hesitation or concern for decorum, she cracked a few seeds in her hand, her manner candid and natural, nodding as she did, "Hmm, very fragrant. You have done well, little sister."

After praising, she put the seeds back and proceeded to the next item, "Are these pumpkins and corn also from Canglan Court?"

Lian Hua, feeling joyful, nodded brightly at Xu Zhaoyi.

Xu Zhaoyi openly praised, "Little sister is truly talented; both the corn and pumpkins look great."

As military campaigns depend primarily on provisions, the importance of grain to an army is evident. Although she had grown up in the General’s Mansion, she was no stranger to grains.

Not everyone would have noticed, but she could see that Lian Hua had prepared everything with great care.

In fact, that was exactly the case. Lian Hua had gone through Canglan Court’s pumpkins and corn, selecting only the best.

As Xu Zhaoyi praised her, Lian Hua beamed with a radiant smile, showing her neat rows of small teeth, so delighted that she could barely keep her mouth closed, her eyes brimming with joy.

What could be more delightful than having a gift appreciated?

Seeing Lian Hua’s cheerful and adorable laughter, Xu Zhaoyi felt an itch to touch her but remembered she had just touched sunflower seeds and corn, which left her hands unclean, and regrettably decided against it.