Qiao Zhao didn’t want to make their relationship too strained.

Although this princess put on some airs, she hadn’t done anything truly harmful to her. As for the verbal sparring between young ladies, it wasn’t worth holding grudges over.

Moreover, having the Ninth Princess join them for tea would be more convenient.

“I was just—” Princess Zhenzhen had barely begun speaking when she quickly bit her tongue tip and said with reserve: “Since you sincerely invite me, this princess will give you face.”

Being left behind would be too embarrassing. Besides, she wanted to know how ordinary people could retrieve coins from an oil pot unharmed.

If she couldn’t figure it out, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight!

Chi Can’s face was covered with frost as he glared at Qiao Zhao, then sneered coldly at Princess Zhenzhen: “Her invitation doesn’t count!”

His handsome eyebrows were elegantly shaped, his eyes rippling like water. Though angry, he was devastatingly beautiful.

Qiao Zhao glanced at Princess Zhenzhen again and sighed.

Both were people as precious as jade—why couldn’t they get along well?

Princess Zhenzhen still had her pride as a princess. Hearing Chi Can speak so heartlessly, she could bear it no longer. Raising her chin, she said, “This princess didn’t want to go anyway. Farewell!”

After Princess Zhenzhen spoke, she looked deeply at Qiao Zhao once more, then left with tightly pressed lips and a flourish of her sleeves.

“Why aren’t you moving?” Chi Can glanced at Qiao Zhao and turned to walk away.

Zhu Yàn smiled gently: “Miss Li, please.”

“Eh, how do you know my miss’s surname is Li?” Binglu questioned, then suddenly became excited, tugging at Qiao Zhao’s sleeve: “Miss, you must have become famous that day!”

“Hmm?” Miss Qiao looked completely puzzled, finally confirming that this maid of hers got dizzy-headed and weak-kneed whenever she saw a handsome man.

Thinking Qiao Zhao had forgotten, Binglu reminded her with dancing eyebrows: “The day Marquis Guanjun entered the city! Didn’t you almost bump into him?”

Who would have thought—her miss not only had fate with the handsome and mighty Marquis Guanjun, but also with this extremely good-looking young master. Ah, ah, ah, which one should she choose? No, which one should her miss choose?

Seeing Binglu’s eyes shining, Miss Qiao rarely felt her face grow warm.

Having such a love-struck maid was her failure in discipline!

Chi Can suddenly stopped, and Yang Houcheng, caught off guard, bumped into his back.

“What’s wrong?”

Chi Can ignored Yang Houcheng’s question and strode to Qiao Zhao, frowning as he asked: “You almost bumped into Marquis Guanjun? Why?”

Could this girl also be trying to climb the high branch that was Shao Mingyuan?

“What, after just a few days apart, you’ve learned this trick?” Thinking of the girl before him throwing herself at his childhood friend, Young Master Chi became particularly furious, unleashing his sharp tongue to its fullest extent.

During their northern journey by boat, this cabbage he’d picked up had followed that old geezer after just one approach. Could it be that his charm was inferior not only to some old geezer but also to Shao Mingyuan, that guy who only knew how to fight wars?

Binglu blinked and wisely covered her mouth.

Had she just said something wrong?

Wait!

This extremely handsome young master had just said “after a few days apart”—didn’t that mean he and her miss had known each other long ago?

Ah, ah, ah, so he was her miss’s admirer!

The little maid decisively reached this conclusion.

“Shixi—” Zhu Yàn couldn’t listen anymore and called out.

Although Miss Li was somewhat different from ordinary women, she was still a young lady. How could he speak to her like this?

Qiao Zhao was indeed somewhat angry.

While she was willing to repay her life-saving debt to the best of her ability, this didn’t include her dignity.

Miss Qiao smiled sweetly, her voice soft and melodious, but her words were enough to shock listeners: “Brother Chi, rest assured—I guarantee I won’t use any tricks on you.”

Chi Can’s handsome face grew even darker.

So this cabbage he’d picked up considered everyone else more important than him?

Zhu Yàn and Yang Houcheng exchanged glances and both laughed aloud.

Indeed, no matter which encounter, Shixi was always completely dominated by this girl.

Qiao Zhao curtsied: “If Brother Chi no longer wishes to hear about unconventional techniques, I shall take my leave.”

Seeing Qiao Zhao actually turn and walk away after rising, Chi Can nearly died of anger and shouted: “You stop right there!”

He strode around to face Qiao Zhao, raising an eyebrow: “When did I ever say such a thing? If you don’t hurry up, do you want to drag this out until this young master has to pay for dinner?”

“Let’s go, let’s go.” Yang Houcheng hurried to smooth things over.

Taking in the girl’s cold, unmoved expression, Zhu Yàn sighed inwardly.

If Shixi thought he could treat Miss Li the same way he treated ordinary girls, he was gravely mistaken.

He remembered when the three friends gathered and casually mentioned that Miss Li’s calligraphy had caught the eye of Master Wumei at Shuying Nunnery, and that the master had asked her to visit occasionally to accompany her in Buddhist worship. Shixi, who never came to places like temple fairs after turning ten, had today, after paying respects at Lady Qiao’s memorial altar in Marquis Jing’an’s residence and spending time with Tingquan, unusually suggested visiting Dafu Temple.

His friend might not yet realize it himself, but he could see the signs.

Shixi was different toward Miss Li.

Perhaps it couldn’t yet be called admiration, but at least Miss Li was very special in Shixi’s heart.

Zhu Yàn looked deeply at Qiao Zhao, thinking: Miss Li is still so young, and Shixi’s awkward temperament will probably only make things worse.

The group finally entered the teahouse, selected a quiet private room to sit down, and Yang Houcheng said cheerfully, “Miss Li, what a coincidence to see you here today.”

“Ah!” Binglu couldn’t help but cry out, quickly covering her mouth.

Confirmed—they did know each other!

Only then did Yang Houcheng take a careful look at Binglu, his expression freezing: “Isn’t this that maid?”

He’d been careless, forgetting to look at faces and thinking the maid following the little girl was the one Zhu Yàn had bought. No wonder he’d found her unusually chatty.

Qiao Zhao twitched the corner of her mouth: “It’s fine. She’s my trusted maid, Binglu.”

Upon hearing her miss introduce her this way, Binglu’s spirits soared.

She knew—she was her miss’s first maid!

The little maid completely forgot that her miss only had two personal maids in total.

Yang Houcheng relaxed and asked: “Miss Li, how have you been these past days—”

Chi Can suddenly coughed several times, interrupting Yang Houcheng’s words: “There’s no need to dwell on past matters. Miss Li, please tell us about the oil pot coin retrieval.”

In this place with people coming and going, some things were better left unmentioned.

Yang Houcheng caught on and nodded repeatedly: “Right, right, let’s talk about that instead.”

“It’s quite simple. What looks like boiling oil in that pot is only oil on the surface—underneath is vinegar.”

“So what?” Yang Houcheng couldn’t understand and pressed for more.

Qiao Zhao smiled faintly: “Since you three brothers haven’t been in kitchens, you probably haven’t noticed. When vinegar boils, it isn’t hot—it’s only equivalent to warm water. Naturally, a person’s hand can enter without any harm.”

“So that’s how it is!” Yang Houcheng was greatly impressed. “Miss Li, you know so much!”

Chi Can raised his eyebrows: “Some trivial knowledge from who knows what miscellaneous books—you speak as if you’ve been in a kitchen.”

“I have been in one.” Qiao Zhao said quietly.

“My miss has been in one.” Binglu retorted.

She just nearly burned the kitchen down, that’s all.