Lu Zhan’s gaze lingered on the young woman for a mont before he casually looked away.
"Mm," he responded faintly.
Zhi Wan silently breathed a sigh of relief.
’It seems my cousin didn’t hear what I said.’
Even though she was saying good things, it would still be awkward and uncomfortable for the person in question to overhear.
Lu Zhan walked over to Lady Wei. His gaze swept over the matchmaking album in her hands, and his handso brows furrowed slightly. "Mother."
As if she didn’t see the disapproval in her son’s eyes, Lady Wei greeted him enthusiastically. "You’re just in ti! I had the wife of the Minister of the Ministry of Housing help put this album together. It’s full of portraits of young ladies from noble families, every one of them exceptional in both character and appearance. Take a look for yourself and see if any catch your fancy."
Lu Zhan said in a low voice, "I have no plans to marry at the mont. Mother, you needn’t waste your energy."
Following behind them, Wei Jinyi couldn’t help but sigh in relief when she heard this.
’It’s a good thing I went to get him,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, Aunt would have actually picked so random noble lady for him to marry.’
’Now that he has so clearly refused, Aunt probably won’t be so insistent.’
Lady Wei hadn’t actually intended to choose a wife for Lu Zhan today, but seeing her son’s unconcerned attitude, she couldn’t help but get angry. "There are three ways to be unfilial, and having no heir is the worst of them. Are you trying to let our family line die out?"
"Mother, you’re being too serious," Lu Zhan said with a frown.
Lady Wei snorted and shot him a sidelong glance. "That remains to be seen. You make excuses and stall every single ti. Who knows if you have so..."
"Our family line will not be broken." A vein throbbed on Lu Zhan’s temple as he cut her off in a low, firm voice.
Seeing her son’s grave expression, Lady Wei looked a bit sullen. She swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue. After all, there were two young won present, and she had to spare her son so dignity.
"Then you’d better rember what you said today," she said, seizing the opportunity.
Lu Zhan didn’t respond. He only said, "I still have official business to attend to. I need to make a trip to the Ministry of Justice."
Lady Wei was a little displeased, but she didn’t say anything.
Just as Lu Zhan was about to leave, his gaze fell upon Zhi Wan. He paused, pulled a box from his sleeve, and held it out to her. "I bought these pastries when I passed by Yonghe House. Take them."
Zhi Wan looked at him in surprise. "For ?"
"Was I not clear enough?" Lu Zhan retorted.
Feeling a little awkward, Zhi Wan quickly reached out and took it. "Thank you, cousin."
Lu Zhan’s steps faltered for a second. "The ink you gave yesterday is very good." With that, he walked straight out of the room.
Zhi Wan froze, looking down at the pastry box in her hands. ’So, is this a return gift from my cousin?’
Yonghe House. She knew of it. It was the most famous pastry shop in the Capital City. The pastries were delicious but also very expensive. Even so, people lined up to buy them every day.
She had never bought them herself, but her aunt had bought them for her several tis.
"Why would cousin give you pastries from Yonghe House?" Wei Jinyi suddenly demanded, her tone hostile.
Lady Wei also looked at Zhi Wan in surprise.
’Her son... actually bought pastries for Wan’er?’
’The sun must have risen in the west.’
Zhi Wan reined in her thoughts and looked at Wei Jinyi. Seeing the fire in Wei Jinyi’s eyes, as if Zhi Wan had stolen sothing precious from her, she found it slightly amusing. "Did you not hear him just now? It’s a return gift from my cousin."
"A return gift?" Wei Jinyi asked, looking at her suspiciously.
Lady Wei had already put two and two together. "You bought your cousin ink?"
"Mm," Zhi Wan nodded and explained, "I happened to be at the Pen and Ink Pavilion yesterday. Thinking that my cousin has to review cases every day and must use a lot of ink, I bought so for him on a whim. I never expected him to give a gift in return. Looking at it now, it seems I’ve just caused him trouble. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bought it for him."
As she said this, she glanced at Wei Jinyi.
Wei Jinyi’s face burned with embarrassnt.
Just monts ago, seeing her cousin give pastries to Zhi Wan and not to her, she had felt extrely upset and jealous.
’So, he only gave Zhi Wan the pastries as a return gift.’
She felt uncomfortable, but she said aloud, "Our cousin has people specifically assigned to purchase his writing supplies. What need is there for you to be so ddleso?"
Zhi Wan had no reaction, but Lady Wei was displeased. "What do you an, ddleso? Wan’er was being thoughtful toward her cousin."
Wei Jinyi was left speechless.
’I want to be thoughtful toward my cousin too, but he never gives the chance!’
At this thought, she felt another pang of injustice.
’I personally cook for him, and he doesn’t appreciate it in the slightest, yet he’s willing to accept so worthless ink from Zhi Wan.’
’Such blatant favoritism.’
’Who is his *real* cousin, anyway?’
Seeing Wei Jinyi’s face flush with a mix of colors, Zhi Wan’s lips curved into a small smile. She carried the pastry box over to Lady Wei. "Aunt, these are the pastries my cousin bought. Let’s eat them together."
"Alright," Lady Wei nodded with a smile.
The pastries from Yonghe House were always small and exquisite; a single box didn’t contain very many.
Zhi Wan opened the box to reveal four delicate pastries nestled inside, each a different color, signifying a different flavor.
"Aunt." Zhi Wan pushed the box toward Lady Wei.
Lady Wei took a piece of mung bean cake, tried a bite, and praised, "The pastries from this Yonghe House really are delicious."
"They are," Zhi Wan agreed, picking up a pink pastry.
She had chosen a rose crisp.
It was crisp and flaky, with the fragrant scent of roses. Utterly delicious.
Seeing the two of them start eating without offering her any, Wei Jinyi felt she was losing face. "Aunt, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be returning to my room."
"Jinyi, there are still two pastries left. Don’t you want to try one?" Zhi Wan asked, picking up the box and offering it to her.
Wei Jinyi stared at the beautiful, delicate pastries in the box, fuming. She wished she could just slap it out of Zhi Wan’s hands.
But with Lady Wei present, she forced herself to hold back.
Even so, she couldn’t stop herself from glaring at Zhi Wan and saying sarcastically, "I won’t have any. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stomach it."
Hearing this, Zhi Wan replied with an air of regret, "That’s a sha. These Yonghe House pastries are delicious, but they’re so hard to get. You have to wait in a very long line. It’s only thanks to my cousin that we get to eat them today. If you’re not having any, then Aunt and I will just have one more each." As she spoke, she and Lady Wei split the two remaining pastries.
Wei Jinyi was so angry she nearly ground her teeth to dust.
’That Zhi Wan must be doing this on purpose.’
’They’re just a few stupid pastries. As if I couldn’t buy so myself if I wanted to!’
She cursed a few tis under her breath and turned to leave in a huff.
Lady Wei paid her no mind. Munching on the sweet pastry in her hand, she said with a teasing smile, "It seems it’s thanks to you that I get to eat pastries bought by Lu Zhan today."
Zhi Wan feigned a pout. "Aunt, you’re always joking. You make it sound as if cousin has never bought you pastries before."
"He has, but it’s a rare occasion," Lady Wei said with a sigh. "His mind is always occupied with matters of the Ministry of Justice. Only occasionally does he rember to bring sothing. Anyway, enough about him. You ntioned before that you wanted to start a small business. Have you decided what you want to sell in your shop?"
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