Chapter 356: Chapter 334: Possessiveness_1
Daohua had played in the provincial capital for two days, and on the third day she was ready to go back.
The wharf of the provincial capital.
The Li sisters were bidding farewell to Daohua; as usual, it was Li Xingnian who would escort Daohua back.
Since there were many wastelands in Ningmen Prefecture, and upon learning that the yams Daohua was now cultivating were suitable for sandy loam farming, they had bought several estates in one go. Now, every month or two, he had to travel to and from Ningmen Prefecture.
“Yiyi!”
Dong Yuanyao jumped down from her own carriage, running and waving at Daohua.
“How did you all come?”
Seeing Dong Yuanyao, and others like Dong Yuanxuan and Su Hongxin behind her, Daohua was somewhat surprised.
Dong Yuanyao: “Of course, we came to see you off!” she said, linking arms with Daohua, “I’m really sorry I couldn’t keep you company these past few days.”
Daohua smiled: “I know you’ve been busy attending various banquets and couldn’t get away.”
Dong Yuanyao: “Next time, the next time you come, no matter who’s gathering it is, I won’t go. I’ll just stay with you, okay?”
Daohua nodded with a smile.
At this moment, Dong Yuanxuan and others came over.
Daohua greeted them with a smile, and then began to look around.
Where was Xiao Yeyang?
Why hadn’t he come?
Seeing her looking around, Dong Yuanyao tugged at her sleeve, “Stop looking, the Little Prince didn’t come.”
Daohua wondered, “Is he very busy?”
Dong Yuanyao whispered, “The Little Prince left the provincial capital yesterday. It’s said he went with Jiang Wanying to see some Divine Doctor hidden in the marketplace.”
Daohua ‘oh’ed and then started chatting with Dong Yuanxuan and the others.
After a bout of laughter and conversation, Daohua boarded the boat with Li Xingnian.
“Yuanyao, if you’re free, you should come visit me in Ningmen Prefecture!”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
The boat slowly started moving and soon left the dock.
Every time she was on a boat, Daohua enjoyed standing on the deck. She felt that facing the wind was very invigorating, both clearing her mind and cleansing her spirits.
But this time, after boarding the boat, she quietly went into the cabin and listlessly leaned against the window, letting the wind blow on her.
She didn’t know what was wrong.
She just started feeling down for no reason.
Daohua rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the river flowing by, somewhat distracted.
Wang Manman tiptoed in and poured Daohua a cup of tea: “Miss, have some tea.”
Daohua took the tea, took a small sip, and then set it down.
Seeing her mistress languishing, Wang Manman thought for a moment and then tentatively asked, “Miss, are you angry with the Little Prince?”
Daohua furrowed her brows: “Xiao Yeyang hasn’t offended me; why should I be angry with him for no good reason?”
Wang Manman: “…Because the Little Prince didn’t come to see you off.”
Daohua was stunned for a moment.
Was that why?
She was unhappy because Xiao Yeyang hadn’t come to see her off?
Daohua thought carefully, and it seemed to be true.
When Yuanyao had told her that Xiao Yeyang wouldn’t be coming, although she still chatted and laughed with everyone, her mood had indeed plummeted.
But since when had she become so petty?
Daohua felt irritated, picked up the teacup, and after a few gulps, drank the tea dry, but still not feeling uplifted, she went out of the cabin and stood on the deck to be blown by the river breeze.
Wang Manman followed with a worried expression on her face.
After being blown by the wind for a while, Daohua’s emotions gradually calmed down and her mind became clearer.
She thought she should know why she wasn’t happy, right?
If Dong Yuanxuan and the others didn’t come to see her off, perhaps she wouldn’t have felt anything.
But they did come, and Xiao Yeyang, who was closer and more familiar to her, didn’t. Comparing the two, she felt somewhat displeased.
“Is this because I’m too familiar with Xiao Yeyang, so familiar that I’ve developed a sense of possessiveness?”
Daohua slapped her forehead.
“Such thoughts are wrong and dangerous, I must eliminate them.”
The words she had said to Dong Yuanyao during the dragon boat race that day were heartfelt.
Although she didn’t feel inferior to Xiao Yeyang, the hierarchy of this era was strict.
A prince’s legitimate son and the daughter of a fourth-rank official could not have any outcome unless she was willing to become a concubine.
“I probably don’t have any romantic feelings for him, I’m just accustomed to his attentiveness. Now that it’s suddenly gone, I just feel somewhat uncomfortable, which is a normal reaction.”
Yes, a normal reaction.
Daohua took a deep breath, convinced that she had found the answer, and then emptied her mind, closing her eyes to enjoy the breeze.
Next to her, Wang Manman saw her mistress mumbling to herself and now standing in the path of the wind. She was worried, but she didn’t know what exactly was wrong, nor how to console or comfort her, so she could only stand anxiously to the side.
…
After returning to the Yan Residence, Daohua’s low spirits persisted for several days, until she saw the new maid, Bi Shi, clumsily lifting her hands and feet as if she was practicing martial arts, and that distracted her.
“Come here!”
Bi Shi looked around, ensuring the young mistress was calling her, and then ran over, somewhat nervously asking, “Miss, did you call for me?”
Daohua smiled, “What were you doing just now? It looked quite fun.”
Bi Shi earnestly replied, “Miss, I was practicing my hands and feet. My grandfather makes a living performing tricks, and he says as long as the hands and feet are quick, one can perform good tricks. Everyone in my family knows how to do this.”
Magic tricks?
Daohua showed a look of surprise at first, then smiled, “It doesn’t seem like you’ve learned it very well.”
Bi Shi’s eyes widened in astonishment, “Miss, my grandfather says the same thing about me.”
Finding the girl quite amusing, Daohua asked a few more questions, “Since your grandfather has a skill, couldn’t it support your whole family?”
Bi Shi replied, “It used to, but floods washed away our house and fields, and I have many brothers and sisters at home. Moreover, my grandfather fell ill during the evacuation, so my elder uncle decided to sell one of us to treat his illness.”
Daohua curiously inquired, “Since there are many siblings in your family, why were you the one chosen?”
Bi Shi shook her head, “I don’t know, my elder uncle told me to sell myself, so I just nodded.”
Thinking back to when she had ordered the maids to fetch Ping Tong and only this girl had rushed out, Daohua immediately got a sense of her character.
She’s a simpleton!
But, this simpleton was quite adorable.
Daohua told Bi Shi, “The way you’re practicing is wrong, and your hands and feet are not agile enough. However, you have a good build. Forget about learning magic tricks, from now on, follow your sister Manman and learn boxing.”
Bi Shi was puzzled, “Miss, why should I learn boxing?”
Daohua laughed, “Once you’ve learned boxing, if we ever encounter bad people, you can rush up and beat them.”
Bi Shi’s face showed a sudden realization, then she earnestly promised, “Miss, I will follow Manman and learn well so that I can help you beat the bad guys.”
Daohua couldn’t help but laugh, her mood lightened considerably after many days of gloom, “Good, then you must learn well. Starting today, you’ll be under Manman’s tutelage.”
Having said that, she turned and entered her room.
In the yard, the other maids overheard the conversation and looked enviously at Bi Shi.
“With Bi Shi’s simple ways, how did she catch the young mistress’s eye?”
“Yes, sister Bi Wei is much smarter than her.