Chapter 16 (Red Bean Double Skin Milk (Part 2)…)

As the head chef, Yan Qiushu was the first to taste it.

She handed bowls to Shui Yu and Aunt Xu. “This is for you.”

“Thank you, Miss!” Shui Yu and Aunt Xu accepted happily.

The small porcelain bowls were already beautiful. The tender white “milk tofu” dotted with red bean paste made the double-skin milk look like a work of art. But when a small silver spoon was inserted, its beauty was destroyed.

Shui Yu hesitated, not wanting to ruin it. Seeing others already eating, she finally inserted her spoon.

“It’s so pretty, I don’t want to break it,” she thought.

Yan Qiushu was busy eating. She pressed gently, and the delicate “milk tofu” broke, lying soft and tender on the spoon. When she moved it, it swayed like water waves yet remained together.

When she took a bite, her eyes lit up with joy.

The double-skin milk wasn’t too sweet, but with the rich milk flavor and smooth texture, it was just right—not too heavy and not too plain.

This taste was perfect for those who didn’t like overly sweet things.

For children who like sweets, a scoop of red bean paste mixed with the milk tofu added just the right amount of sweetness, making the dessert even more delightful.

Yan Qiushu ate one bite after another, but the small porcelain bowl wasn’t very big, so she finished it quickly. She sighed, still craving more.

But it wouldn’t be good to overindulge. She hadn’t contributed enough to earn more, and her points would soon be used up.

She had to endure it.

By this time, Shui Yu and Nanny Xu had also finished eating, so Yan Qiushu asked Shui Yu to pack up the food box. She followed Shui Yu to visit Madam Xiao.

Although Yan Qiushu had stayed at the Xiao family mansion for several days, Madam Xiao rarely went out, so Yan Qiushu also rarely left her quarters. They hadn’t met again since their initial encounter. However, Shui Yu and Nanny Huang would often visit each other. Yan Qiushu would frequently send food over, and the other side would reciprocate with jewelry or fabric.

The Xiao mansion was quite large, and it took Yan Qiushu several minutes to walk there.

When they entered the courtyard and Nanny Huang reported her arrival, Madam Xiao appeared in front of her. She looked more energetic compared to their first meeting.

The pale look on her face had faded, her steps were steadier, and her eyes no longer appeared so weary. Although not fully recovered, she was in better health.

Madam Xiao habitually kept her lips tightly pressed, but her face relaxed somewhat when she saw Yan Qiushu, and the wrinkles around her lips softened. “Ah Shu.”

“Aunt,” Yan Qiushu greeted with a smile. “Sorry to disturb you on purpose. I happened to bring some red bean double-skin milk for you to try.”

As she spoke, Shui Yu opened the food box and handed a serving to her.

Yan Qiushu offered the bowl to Madam Xiao, who took it steadily.

Madam Xiao initially thought it would be a liquid dish, but upon seeing it, she was pleasantly surprised. Her serious face softened as she said, “You are truly skilled. This dessert is very beautiful.”

Yan Qiushu smiled shyly, looking at her with anticipation.

Over the past days, Madam Xiao had grown to trust Yan Qiushu’s cooking, so she took a spoonful without hesitation.

When she opened the lid, a rich, milky aroma filled the air. The texture was smooth and creamy, like eating a tender, milky egg custard. She looked at the girl with slightly cloudy eyes and said, “It looks good and tastes good, but since you came in person, there must be something else?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yan Qiushu leaned closer and whispered, “It’s like this. Yesterday, I made a roasted whole chicken for Dongdong, but the second grandson wanted to compete with him in eating, and he ended up crying. Although the young lady and General Xiao said it wasn’t a big deal, I still felt uneasy. Dongdong also felt guilty and wanted to make it up to his classmates. So, I thought about asking my aunt to help prepare some food to send to the Imperial College so that the children in Dongdong’s class could share it and help ease the tension between them.”

After she finished speaking, she remembered something and added, “I troubled the young lady yesterday, so it wasn’t convenient for me to ask her again. That’s why I came to you.”

Since Dongdong was someone else’s child, it was necessary to get permission from his parents before feeding him. Yan Qiushu couldn’t do this alone, so she had to ask for help.

Madam Xiao listened while eating and smiled.

She looked at the young girl standing before her, her eyes full of sincerity and trust. Madam Xiao thought, “Children these days are so smart, yet so transparent.”

She gently said, “You’ve thought this through. If the parents had come to apologize, it would’ve been a big deal. But sending food is just right.”

“Thank you, aunt!” Yan Qiushu said cheerfully.

Madam Xiao found this apology quite clever. It allowed the Xiao family to take the initiative in offering food without escalating the matter into an official apology, which would be out of character for them.

With her task completed, Yan Qiushu quickly prepared to leave. She said, “Aunt, I need to make more now. There are eight children there, plus many teachers, and Dongdong has a friend in the yellow class ^[1]is a specific group or class level at the Imperial College.. We can’t leave anyone out.”

“Go ahead,” Madam Xiao replied with a smile.

Yan Qiushu hurried off.

There was a lot of work to do!

The Third Prince’s Mansion

The Third Prince and his wife were also discussing the situation.

The Third Prince had been busy yesterday and wasn’t home when his son returned from school. He only heard about the incident after the morning court session when his wife informed him.

As a prince, he believed his family held a supreme status in the country. Except for his father and the Crown Prince, no one should dare challenge his authority.

So when he first heard about it, he dismissed it lightly, saying, “Why not just ask the Xiao family for a nanny who can cook for the eldest grandson?”