Chapter 361: Chapter 339: Saving Food_1
Everyone received a small piece of cake, and in no time, it was all eaten, except for Daohua who still had a large piece in her hand.
Zhou Jingwan and Yan Wenkai both looked somewhat regretful on their faces.
While they wanted to eat and had none left, Daohua, who didn’t like it, ended up holding the largest piece.
At this moment, a servant came over to announce that dinner was ready.
“Let’s go, it’s time for dinner.”
Xiao Yeyang said to everyone. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Daohua immediately stand up, and he quickly added, “You haven’t finished your cake, you can’t leave. Deyi, you watch her. When she finishes it, then she can leave.”
Daohua’s eyes immediately widened with disbelief, “Xiao Yeyang, don’t you go too far!”
Xiao Yeyang smiled faintly, giving her a provocative look that said ‘I’m just like this, what are you going to do about it?’ and spoke, “What are you all standing around for? Let’s go.” After that, he was the first to walk out of the pavilion.
With his departure, Dong Yuanxuan and others felt they had no choice but to follow.
As for the young ladies, all turned their attention to Jiang Wanying.
Jiang Wanying had already recovered from the bluntness Xiao Yeyang had shown to her, set aside her grievances and embarrassment, and looked at Daohua with a slightly upturned corner of her mouth, a face of what seemed to be embarrassment.
“Miss Yan, I’m really sorry. Yeyang has always been like this, he steers clear of food he dislikes… no, it’s not that he dislikes it, just isn’t familiar with it,” she said.
She noticed that Yeyang had not touched a single piece of cake.
To be honest, she herself did not like to eat things brought by outsiders.
Daohua gave Jiang Wanying a somewhat speechless look.
Could this person be any more hypocritical?
She felt exhausted just on her behalf. Couldn’t she just say straight out that Xiao Yeyang didn’t like the cake she made? All this beating around the bush, wasn’t it a waste of saliva?
“Miss Jiang, it’s okay, if Xiao Yeyang doesn’t like it then so be it. Seeing everyone else enjoying it makes me quite happy,” Daohua said.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanying’s expression stiffened for a moment, as Daohua’s reaction was somewhat unexpected.
“It’s good that Miss Yan doesn’t take it to heart. As for Yeyang punishing you to eat the cake, I also think he’s gone too far. We ladies don’t have such big stomachs; he’s clearly making things difficult for you. Don’t worry, I’ll plead on your behalf…”
As Jiang Wanying was still speaking, Dong Yuanyao couldn’t take it any longer, walked over, patted Daohua on the shoulder, and took Su Shiyu and Zhou Jingwan away.
Seeing this, Jiang Wanying was momentarily taken aback and then frowned.
Dong Yuanyao had given her face several times already.
Daohua’s lips curled up in a smile, mentally giving Dong Yuanyao a thumbs-up, and then she faced Jiang Wanying with a mocking look, “Miss Jiang, you go ahead and eat. Don’t worry about me.” Biting her teeth, she added, “I’ll take my time enjoying this cake, right here.”
After saying this, she bowed her head and began to eat the cake, biting small pieces at a time.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Wanying also frowned, gesturing for the other young ladies to leave first, and when they were almost gone, she finally said, “Miss Yan, I think you should pay attention to your behavior and speech.”
Demonstrating impatience, Daohua had had just about enough of her, “That’s strange coming from you, Miss Jiang. Why don’t you tell me exactly what behavior and speech I should be paying attention to?”
Jiang Wanying: “Yeyang is of a distinguished status, you should not be addressing him by his name…”
Daohua cut her off quickly, “If not Xiao Yeyang, then what should I call him? Surely I can’t call him ‘Yeyang elder brother’ like you do, Miss Jiang? He and I aren’t that familiar yet. Maybe in a few years, I might also be able to call him ‘Yeyang elder brother’.”
After speaking, she looked at Jiang Wanying with a face full of mock difficulty.
“If I can’t call him ‘Yeyang elder brother,’ then I suppose I’ll have to stick with Xiao Yeyang.”
“You…”
Jiang Wanying looked at Daohua, dumbstruck, as she managed to twist her words around.
Seeing Jiang Wanying’s reaction, Daohua feigned difficulty, “If Miss Jiang insists I address Xiao Yeyang as ‘elder brother,’ I suppose I could struggle to oblige…”
“Enough!”
Jiang Wanying felt she could scarcely maintain her composure.
Yeyang was not someone whom a daughter of a fourth-rank official could casually address.
“I won’t disturb Miss Yan any longer. Please enjoy your cake here.”
Daohua immediately smiled and said, “I will, honestly, this cake really does taste better with each bite.” After speaking, she scooped up a large spoonful and put it in her mouth, showing an expression of pure enjoyment.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Wanying felt so annoyed that she left quickly with the support of her maid.
“Hmph!”
Once Jiang Wanying had left, Daohua coldly snorted, “What a joke!”
So what if she called for Xiao Yeyang?
Xiao Yeyang himself hadn’t said anything, so what right did Jiang Wanying have to meddle and make comments?
…
At the ladies’ side, Madam Li felt a bit worried after hearing the words of Dong Yuanyao and the other two.
Zhou Jingwan said, “Auntie, you needn’t worry. The Little Prince is probably just trying to tease Yiyi a bit.”
Madam Li shook her head, “It’s also because my girl didn’t handle things with proper measure.” After saying this, she glanced at where Madam Jiang and Miss Jiang were sitting.
Remembering the private talks about the Little Prince and Miss Jiang growing up together as childhood sweethearts, she resolved to keep her daughter at a distance from the Little Prince in the future.
Seeing Madam Li look troubled, Dong Yuanyao quickly said, “Auntie, we’ll eat quickly and then go keep Yiyi company.”
Madam Li smiled and nodded, “That would be nice, thank you all in advance.”
Madam Zhou immediately added, “Look at what you’re saying. It’s only right for the children to help each other out with good feelings.”
…
Inside the pavilion, Daohua looked at the cake, which was more than half uneaten, and deeply regretted ever making it for Xiao Yeyang.
When Xiao Yeyang arrived, he saw Daohua with a spoonful of cake, her face bearing a bitter expression as if she neither wanted to eat it nor could avoid it, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
Hearing the laughter, Daohua looked up, saw it was Xiao Yeyang, and gave a short ‘hmph’.
Xiao Yeyang walked into the pavilion and sat next to Daohua, glanced at the cake in her hand, and said surprisingly, “I thought you would have smashed the cake by now!”
Daohua gave him a sideways glance, “How could I? This is made of foodstuff; how wasteful would that be?” Ever since that famine they had to flee from, she particularly treasured food.
In this era when many people went hungry, wasting food was a great sin.
Xiao Yeyang smiled, “So, you’re really planning to finish it, eh?”
Daohua replied, “You haven’t set a time limit, so I might as well take my time.”
Xiao Yeyang was curious, “How come you’re so obedient this time?”
Daohua paused, realizing that’s right—she wasn’t obliged to obey him. After everyone else had gone, she should have left. It wasn’t like De Fu would actually have stopped her.
Her mind, why hadn’t it made that turn!
Seeing her react like this, Xiao Yeyang shook his head and took the cake from Daohua’s hand.
Daohua quickly asked, “What are you doing?”
Xiao Yeyang gave her a sideways look, “Since you can’t finish it, and we can’t throw it away, I might as well help you eat it.” He then scooped up a large chunk and put it in his mouth.
Daohua watched Xiao Yeyang eat the cake with big bites, and it took her a while to react, “Don’t eat from that side; I’ve eaten from there. Eat from the other side.”
“It’s fine; I don’t mind it. Besides, wasting food is bad.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed it, but you’re quite thrifty, huh?”
“That time when I was kidnapped by traffickers, they starved me for several days and nights. Afterward, I begged for food with you all. I know how hard it is to come by food.”
Hearing his words, De Fu, standing outside the pavilion, suddenly looked up.
So that’s why, over these years, whenever there were no guests, the master’s dining table never had more than four dishes.
