allonlinenovel Chapter 28 Shopping Together
Chapter 28 Shopping Together
Upon hearing this, a thought suddenly flashed through Qin Yaoyao's mind. She turned to look at He Yanxi and said sweetly, "Brother Yanxi, I just remembered something. In my dream, He Mingwen hid a huge gold mine in Nancheng! Later, he used this gold mine to win over many people and even trained a large number of private soldiers and assassins. So, we must find a way to seize this gold mine."
He Yanxi nodded slightly in agreement, then replied, "Okay, leave this to me. Oh, by the way, those who offended you before will probably start coming to apologize with gifts starting tomorrow." Qin Yaoyao hugged He Yanxi tightly, saying coquettishly, "I don't care what they give me, I only like the things you give me, Brother Yanxi~"
After speaking, Qin Yaoyao took He Yanxi's hand and walked towards the main room. As soon as they entered, she called out to Qin Yunji, "Fifth Brother, where's the money?" while holding out her little hand to ask for it. Seeing this, Qin Yunji couldn't help but laugh and teased, "Oh ho, little brat, do you think I'm going to cheat you out of this little bit of money? Wait a moment."
Qin Yaoyao held He Yanxi's hand tightly, feeling his questioning gaze. She then explained what had happened with her fifth brother's bet. Apparently, her fifth brother had mocked her, calling her stupid and pretentious, which had infuriated Qin Yaoyao. At this point, Qin Yaoyao deliberately paused, looking at He Yanxi with a sly glint in her eyes. Seeing this, He Yanxi smiled slightly and said softly, "You're not stupid; on the contrary, you're very intelligent, and not pretentious at all. Don't believe Yun Ji's nonsense." Qin Yaoyao smiled with satisfaction. She narrowed her eyes and said sweetly, "Right? I think so too! That blind fifth brother actually said I'd never get married. I didn't believe it, so I made a bet with him, and of course, I won!"
Just then, Qin Yunji, who had just left, turned back, walked to He Yanxi's side, and said with a helpless expression, "That's right, this guy didn't even ask clearly before answering that he could do it. How could I not lose?" After saying that, he didn't forget to glare at He Yanxi.
The third brother couldn't help but laugh. He patted Qin Yunji's shoulder and comforted him, "Even if you find out the answer, you'll probably get the same result. So, whether you ask or not, the outcome is the same, so what's there to complain about?" Qin Yunji thought about it carefully and felt that it made some sense. He sighed and muttered to himself, "Yeah, well, I guess I'm just unlucky." Hearing the words of those around him, He Yanxi's cheeks quickly flushed red, as tempting as a ripe apple. He nervously clenched his fists and pressed them to his lips, trying to hide his shyness, but a slight cough still betrayed his inner turmoil.
Qin Yaoyao, observing everything, secretly chuckled to herself, "So Brother Yanxi is so easily embarrassed!" She couldn't help but recall the brave and resolute boy from her childhood, now so shy and adorable. Thinking this, Qin Yaoyao decided to quickly leave this awkward situation for He Yanxi to avoid further teasing and pranks. So, she turned to Qin Yunji and called out, "Fifth Brother, hurry up and give me the money!"
Qin Yunji replied with a dissatisfied look, "When have I ever lacked money? How could I possibly shortchange you on such a small amount!" With that, he casually pulled out a thick stack of silver notes from his pocket and handed them to Qin Yaoyao without any hesitation.
Qin Yaoyao was overjoyed to receive the money. She told the people in the room, "I'm not eating with you anymore. I'm going out to eat with Brother Yanxi. I'm leaving now." Without waiting for their reaction, she grabbed He Yanxi's hand and turned to leave. The people in the room were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. He Yanxi looked at his hand being held by Qin Yaoyao, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Before long, the two stepped out of the Duke's mansion. As soon as they reached the street, Qin Yaoyao seemed to transform into a curious child, looking left and right, fascinated by everything around her. She excitedly waved the coins in her hand and called out to He Yanxi, "Come on, Brother Yanxi! It's my treat today, I'll treat you to a sumptuous meal!" He Yanxi smiled and replied, "Okay."
Qin Yaoyao then suggested, "Then let's go to the most famous restaurant in the capital—Yaoxilou—and try it." He Yanxi nodded in agreement, and the two of them walked hand in hand toward the restaurant.
Before long, they arrived at their destination. As soon as they entered the restaurant, a friendly waiter greeted them and led them inside. The sharp-eyed manager immediately recognized He Yanxi and hurried forward, bowing and greeting him: "Your Highness's esteemed presence is an honor to our humble establishment!" He Yanxi replied casually, "Prepare the dishes according to the menu I gave you earlier." The manager readily agreed, indicating he would do so immediately.
After everything was arranged, He Yanxi led Qin Yaoyao down another passage. When they arrived at the private room, Qin Yaoyao was surprised to find that the layout was completely different from the rooms she had visited before. She couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yanxi, which floor is this? Why is the route we're taking different from when I came here last time? And even the room's decor is completely different."
He Yanxi's lips curled into a faint smile: "Yes, it is indeed different. This is the ninth floor of the restaurant, and the path I led you on is a direct route to the ninth floor. The other floors are not visible and are difficult to climb." Qin Yaoyao asked curiously, "Then, Brother Yanxi, how did you know this path?"
He Yanxi smiled slightly and continued to explain, "This floor is my private room, so I naturally know the way around it perfectly." Upon hearing this, Qin Yaoyao was shocked and exclaimed, "I've heard people say that this ninth floor belongs to the owner of this restaurant. Could it be... that you are that mysterious owner?!"
He Yanxi didn't respond directly, only smiling silently, but his expression said it all. Qin Yaoyao gazed at He Yanxi's face, realizing that she had guessed the truth correctly. She cheered with overjoyed delight, "Brother Yanxi, it really is you! You're amazing!"
He Yanxi gently stroked Qin Yaoyao's hair and said softly, "In that case, if there's anything you'd like to eat, just tell me, and I'll make the arrangements." Qin Yaoyao shook her head and firmly stated, "No, we agreed that I would be the host today, how can I trouble you to make the arrangements?"
He Yanxi said gently, "All my belongings are at your disposal. In addition, I have some other assets under my name, which you may also use freely if needed." Qin Yaoyao replied happily, "I am very pleased with what you say, but as you mentioned, my things are also your things, so why should I care where the money is spent?" He Yanxi gazed at Qin Yaoyao and replied with a smile, "Well said."
Just then, the innkeeper brought out the carefully prepared delicacies one by one. Qin Yaoyao looked closely and saw that the table was full of her favorite dishes, including Eight Treasures Duck, crystal dumplings, tender steamed sea bass, emerald tofu, braised pork ribs with excellent color, aroma and taste, and stir-fried bamboo shoots.
Qin Yaoyao's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked charmingly at He Yanxi and asked curiously, "Brother Yanxi, how do you know which dishes I like?" He Yanxi smiled slightly and replied softly, "It's actually quite easy. When you eat, you tend to take a few more bites of your favorite foods, while you only take a small bite of those you don't particularly like. Such subtle differences are very easy to discern."
Hearing He Yanxi's words, Qin Yaoyao felt a pang of sadness. She couldn't help but feel annoyed that she had never noticed before how cautiously this shy boy's affection for her was expressed. Just as He Yanxi was attentively serving Qin Yaoyao food, he keenly sensed the subtle change in her emotions. His movements paused, and he looked up, asking with concern, "What's wrong?"
Qin Yaoyao quickly flashed a bright smile, gently shaking her head and saying, "It's nothing! I just suddenly feel like I've found a priceless treasure. Brother Yanxi, if there's anything you want to know in the future, you don't have to keep it to yourself like this. You can just ask me, and I'll definitely tell you everything without reservation, okay?" Hearing this, He Yanxi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and he softly replied, "Okay, let's eat first then. After we finish eating, I'll take you for a stroll in the streets." Hearing this, Qin Yaoyao's joy was palpable, and her eyes lit up. She replied happily, "Great! I can't wait!" Being able to stroll the streets with Brother Yanxi and enjoy leisure time undoubtedly made her incredibly happy.
At this moment, Qin Yaoyao was in an extremely happy mood, her mind filled with wonderful images of shopping with her brother Yanxi later. This sweet anticipation became her motivation to continue enjoying the meal. During the rest of the meal, the two chatted and laughed, the atmosphere was harmonious, and it seemed as if time had stood still at this moment.
Qin Yaoyao ate with great enjoyment, a satisfied smile on her face; in contrast, He Yanxi barely touched his food, only moving his chopsticks a few times. Seeing this, Qin Yaoyao couldn't help but say, "Brother Yanxi, you should eat too! Don't just keep putting food on my plate." He Yanxi looked at Qin Yaoyao tenderly, his eyes full of doting affection, and softly replied, "It's okay, I'm not hungry."
However, Qin Yaoyao didn't take his words to heart, shaking her head and insisting, "That won't do! Even if you're not hungry, you have to eat something! If I eat all this food by myself, there will definitely be a lot left over, which would be such a waste." He Yanxi quietly gazed at the cute girl in front of him who was looking so serious, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips, and said softly, "Okay, in that case, I'll listen to you. But you should eat first, don't worry about me."
Hearing He Yanxi say this, Qin Yaoyao stopped insisting on persuading him and began to enjoy the food without any distractions. While chewing the delicious food in her mouth, she kept praising how delicious and tasty the dishes were.
Before long, Qin Yaoyao had finished eating, but there was still a lot of food left on the table. He Yanxi silently finished all the remaining food. After they finished their meal, they left the restaurant together. Afterwards, He Yanxi led Qin Yaoyao for a leisurely stroll through the streets and alleys.
Qin Yaoyao excitedly dragged He Yanxi through the various stalls, touching and looking at everything. Anything Qin Yaoyao's gaze lingered on or her hands touched, He Yanxi would buy without hesitation and give as a gift. Ultimately, these items were delivered directly to the mansion. Watching the busy people before her, Qin Yaoyao fell into deep thought. Just then, the wondrous dream she had that night suddenly surfaced in her mind—everything in the dream seemed so vivid: she had fantasized about experiencing those wonderful times with her brother Yanxi; and now, her dream had come true! Today, she could dine with her brother Yanxi, stroll through the streets, and shop to her heart's content…it was all so wonderful!
The future holds endless possibilities for them to explore; there's no need to rush. One day, she will surely conquer Yanxi completely, devouring every bone and every piece of flesh. There's no need to rush now; she can simply wait patiently for the opportune moment. Thinking of this, Qin Yaoyao couldn't help but reveal a sly smile.
Seeing this, He Yanxi asked with a puzzled look, "What makes you so happy? You're smiling so brightly." Qin Yaoyao snapped out of her reverie and quickly explained, "Nothing special, I just really enjoyed strolling around with Brother Yanxi. I wonder if there will be another chance?" Her words revealed her anticipation for the next gathering. Hearing this, He Yanxi's heart skipped a beat. So Yao'er was thinking of strolling the streets with him and enjoying shopping! A happy smile appeared on his face as he gently replied, "Of course, as long as Yao'er is happy, I will accompany you anytime, anywhere." Qin Yaoyao was overjoyed and said with a charming smile, "That's wonderful! Then, in a few days, could Brother take me horseback riding?"
He Yanxi was initially hesitant, as horseback riding was somewhat dangerous for a girl. However, seeing Qin Yaoyao's expectant eyes and firm attitude, which indicated that there was absolutely no danger with him by her side, his heart softened. After careful consideration, he realized that it was indeed true; with him protecting Yaoyao, she should be safe. So, he finally nodded in agreement.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Qin Yaoyao cheered and danced around He Yanxi like a joyful little bird. He Yanxi, amused by her adorable and lively appearance, couldn't help but smile, his eyes filled with doting affection. At that moment, they seemed to forget all the troubles of the world, wishing only to freeze this warm and beautiful moment deep in their hearts.