Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 399

Gu Ye was just a child himself and had trouble explaining to Lu Xu.

Just as Gu Yin emerged, she chuckled and said, “The sugar used in this candy sculpture is called maltose, which is made from rice and malt after saccharification. You know, rice and malt are food.”

Lu Xu still didn’t entirely grasp it, but he didn’t want to appear unintelligent by asking further questions. He pretended to understand and not understand simultaneously, saying, “In any case, it means this is also food, and something the teacher said we should value, right?”

It was evident that Lu Xu’s innate intelligence, as the child of Emperor Zhengyuan, surpassed that of ordinary children.

Gu Yin nodded in agreement and praised him, “Your Highness is very clever, indeed.”

Before heading to Wenhua Hall for class, Emperor Zhengyuan had advised Lu Xu to heed the words of Eldest Master Wen and others. Even Concubine Feng had privately told him not to disobey his teachers. Consequently, Lu Xu grabbed the candy once more and refrained from discarding it.

Later, Gu Ye asked him, “Where did you get the candy? Did you bring money, or did the guard buy it for you?”

Lu Xu shook his head, saying, “That person invited me to eat it.”

He pointed to the candy stall owner not far away. Gu Ye went to express his gratitude and handed over a dozen coins.

“Master, no need, five coins are sufficient.” The stall owner had set up his stall outside ‘Food of Heaven’ for a long time and recognized Gu Ye. He only counted five and returned the rest.

Lu Xu, trailing behind like a little shadow, took a copper coin and examined it closely. “This is copper. Is it better than my jade pendant?”

The stall owner kindly explained to the naive and uninformed boy, “Young Master, your jade pendant is worth much more than this, enough to purchase hundreds of candy sculptures. It’s not that your jade pendant isn’t good.”

Lu Xu remained perplexed, “If I give you a jade pendant worth hundreds of candy sculptures, how much would it be?”

The stall owner hesitated, unable to openly express his concerns. Instead, he thought, ‘Judging from the clothes you wear, you must come from a distinguished background. Accepting your jade pendant might bring misfortune upon me and my family.’

Gu Yin intervened, leaning closer to the stall owner and whispering, “There’s a saying, ‘A gentleman takes money only in proportion to its worth’. Just accept what’s appropriate.”

The stall owner’s smile broadened as he heard this. “I wouldn’t dare to call myself a ‘gentleman’. Mrs.Gu, you’re very kind.”

Later, Lu Xu moved to the stall beside. Seeing his curiosity, Gu Yin didn’t deter him. She approached the nearby stall owner, instructed him to place Lu Xu’s expenses on her restaurant’s account, and then went to settle the bill with Manager Zhou.

As they waited for Lu Xu to explore the stall, Gu Ye furrowed his brow and turned to his mother. “He’s quite troublesome. Are all children this troublesome?”

Gu Yin couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ll be celebrating your birthday next month, and you’re not even seven years old yet. You’re still referring to others as children?”
Gu Ye scratched his head and smiled, asking, “So, I wasn’t as troublesome when I was a child, was I? I didn’t cry or persistently demand things, did I?”

Gu Yin reminisced for a moment, then smiled as she replied, “You didn’t cry much, and you weren’t demanding. But…”

But there was a ‘but’!

As Gu Yin reminisced about the time when Gu Ye was newly adopted, all she could think about was waiting for him to return for dinner at home or going out to search for him.

While the mother and son chatted, Lu Xu, laden with a sugar candy in one hand, a clay figurine in the other, and a few oil paper bags cradled in his arms, returned with his newfound treasures.

Gu Ye looked at it and said, “You bought so many things.How will you have room to eat in a while?” 

Lu Xu ate roujiamo and biscuits in the morning, and when he was shopping for other things, he ate the tail of the “carp”, so he was no longer hungry. 

He shook his head and said, “I don’t want to eat, I want to play!” 

Gu Ye took him out of the palace, which was like taking this hot little potato (difficult problem) into his hands. 

If that were someone else’s child and said that he wanted to play with him, Gu Ye would be able to think of dozens of ways to enhance his relationship with him. 

Even though Lu Xu was his younger brother, he was born to Concubine Feng, and he was a cry baby. 

Gu Yin suggested, “I’m planning to visit the outskirts of Beijing. Would you like to come with me?”

Gu Ye gave his mother a quizzical look, silently wondering why she truly wanted to take Lu Xu along for an outing.

Gu Yin pointed upward to the third floor of ‘Food of Heaven’ and raised her chin.

Gu Ye immediately grasped the situation. If they could keep Lu Xu occupied, Feng Yu could meet his mother in peace. He agreed, “You’re right. I haven’t been outside in a while. The weather is lovely today, perfect for horseback riding and kite-flying.”

Lu Xu’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and before they could say more, he hastened to the carriage’s side, urging them to set off.

Gu Yin arranged for someone to pick up Lu Xu’s new found treasures, briefly informed Manager Zhou, and then departed with the two children in a carriage. The hidden guards naturally followed as they departed.