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Thinking of her possibly heading to the snack street, he spoke in a voice tinged with helplessness, "Can’t even wait a day?"

Xiao Jinyan took his people straight to the snack street.

It was only a journey as long as it takes to finish a cup of tea before they arrived quickly.

At the entrance of snack street, Xiao Jinyan looked at the bustling scene and instructed, "She loves to eat, don’t overlook any food stall."

"Your subordinate obeys."

Weichi and Qin Xiao said in unison, then split up to search for people.

Xiao Jinyan had been with Shen Chuwei for quite some time and had a good grasp of her preferences. Looking at the stalls on both sides, there were many delicacies, but that didn’t mean she loved all of them.

He walked further inside, and as the crowd around the stalls thickened, the likelihood of her appearance increased.

At this moment, Shen Chuwei was unaware that Xiao Jinyan had already come out looking for her. Having finished her Spicy Soup, she spotted a candied haw seller.

She picked out two skewers and, after pondering for a moment, grabbed another one.

Chun Xi shook her head helplessly, pulled out her purse, and handed over ten copper coins to the boss.

Shen Chuwei handed a skewer of candied haw to Chun Xi, "This is sour and sweet, especially delicious."

Chun Xi, having never seen candied haw in the Imperial Palace, found the red and round treat quite novel.

Holding the candied haw, Chun Xi examined it closely, "This is my first time seeing candied haw, it looks delicious."

"Of course." Shen Chuwei couldn’t wait to take a bite, sour and sweet.

"Master, what are you looking at?" Chu Zhao curiously asked his master.

Jun Wuxian, staring at the boy eating the candied haw, said, "That person looks somewhat like Xiao Jiu."

"Really?" Chu Zhao followed his master’s gaze and saw a youth in moon-white garments, his delicate face the size of a palm, intricate like a finely crafted porcelain doll, happily eating a candied haw.

Disregarding gender, indeed the brows and eyes somewhat resembled Xiao Jiu.

When Chu Zhao turned back to his master, he found him striding away and hurried after him, "Master, where are you going?"

Shen Chuwei, eating her candied haw, took a few steps and found someone blocking her path. She looked up at the person obstructing her, a man with bold and uninhibited features, his height almost the same as Xiao Jinyan’s.

And those attractive eyes were gazing at her, audaciously unimpeded.

She kindly reminded, "Young Master, you’re blocking my way."

Seeing someone harbor bad intentions toward her young master, Chun Xi stepped forward, arms spread in front of her, and looked up at the man, "Young Master, you are being rude. How can you stare at my master like that?"

Jun Wuxian glanced at Chun Xi and then turned back to Shen Chuwei, who was busily stuffing candied haw into her mouth, "I just wanted to remind this young master that eating too much sugar can cause toothaches."

Shen Chuwei, cheeks bulging, spoke indistinctly, "Thank you for your kindness, but could you step aside now?"

Jun Wuxian stood still, watching her non-stop munching, much like Xiao Jiu, fond and greedy for food.

"Can I ask the young master a question?"

Shen Chuwei asked, "Do we know each other?"

Jun Wuxian shook his head, "First encounter."

Shen Chuwei then said, "Then why should I answer your question?"

Jun Wuxian couldn’t help but laugh, "You make a good point."

Shen Chuwei couldn’t help but roll her eyes. What was so funny about that? "...Can you let me pass now?"

Jun Wuxian’s gaze fell on the unopened candied haw in Shen Chuwei’s hand, and suddenly he became interested, "I’ve never tried that thing you’re holding. Can I have a taste?"

Shen Chuwei clenched the candied haw in her hand, her refusal crisp, "No."

Listening to Jun Wuxian shamelessly ask for candied haw, Chun Xi immediately became furious. She shot back haughtily, "For a grown man to shamelessly ask my master for candied haw. Can’t you buy your own?"

Jun Wuxian spread his hands, "Was just robbed by bandits on my way here, left penniless."

Chu Zhao looked up at his master with eyes full of confusion—they hadn’t encountered any bandits!

Chun Xi eyed Jun Wuxian up and down, nearly responding before swallowing her words. Everyone faces tough times.

Undecided, Chun Xi turned back to Shen Chuwei and asked in a low voice, "Young master, perhaps we should give him two taels of silver?"

Shen Chuwei, nibbling on her candied haw, said, "You decide."

"Oh." Chun Xi withdrew her gaze, fumbled in her purse, and pulled out two taels of silver, handing them to Jun Wuxian, "Here."

Jun Wuxian looked down at the two tales of silver in Chun Xi’s hand, thought for a moment, graciously accepted them, and said with a smile, "Consider this a loan from you. I will repay it tenfold in the future."

But Chun Xi shook her head, "Once given, I never thought of having it returned. Everyone faces tough times."

Jun Wuxian replied, "How can that be? I’m not one to ignore kindness. Leave a name or address, and once I have money, I’ll personally come to express my gratitude."

Seeing him so insistent, Shen Chuwei casually made up a name, "I’m called Bai Xiaofei. Just ask anyone about my name, it’s quite famous."

Chun Xi knew Shen Chuwei was blabbering nonsense the moment she heard it. She tugged on Shen Chuwei’s sleeve and whispered a warning, "Young master, we really should head back now. If the master finds out, we’re done for."

"Remember, I’m Bai Xiaofei." Before leaving, Shen Chuwei reminded Jun Wuxian once more, then she and Chun Xi departed.

Chu Zhao asked in confusion, "Bai Xiaofei? Is this person famous?"

Watching Shen Chuwei’s retreating figure, Jun Wuxian smiled, "Bai Xiaofei, just listening to it, you know it’s a fake name."

Chu Zhao finally understood, "So it was a fake name. No wonder I never heard of this Bai Xiaofei."

*

Shen Chuwei hadn’t left the snack street yet when she saw from afar Xiao Jinyan approaching her. She paused in her candied haw eating, thinking to herself it’s over, caught red-handed sneaking out to eat again.

Chun Xi was terrified. She tugged on Shen Chuwei’s sleeve, "Young master, look, we’ve been caught by Your Highness."

Shen Chuwei quickly swallowed the candied haw in her mouth, ran up with the candied haw in hand, and handed the still-wrapped candied haw to Xiao Jinyan, hoping to bribe him.

"Master, I bought this especially for you."

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the candied haw in front of him and took it directly, "Do you think that buying candied haw for me will make up for your running around?"

Shen Chuwei instantly admitted her fault, "Master, I won’t dare do it again."

Xiao Jinyan coldly huffed, "We’ll settle accounts when we get back."

Because of Xiao Jinyan’s words, Shen Chuwei spent the journey back to the county estate, and even after bathing, in a state of unease.

Until Xiao Jinyan came out directly after his bath, wrapped in a bath towel, Shen Chuwei temporarily forgot all about settling accounts.

She couldn’t help but steal a few glances because Xiao Jinyan’s physique was too good, without an ounce of excess fat, the muscular lines exceptionally perfect.

The bath towel was snug right at the line of his hips.