Chapter 59: Inquiry

Xiao yao had a lovely sleep. The next morning, she went to her mother’s room for a hearty breakfast. Exquisite side dishes, soft pastries, and a cup of rich milk made for a perfect start to the day. After eating, she visited Ninghe Hall to greet her grandparents before cheerfully heading off to her lessons with the little bag her maid Zhihua had sewn for her.

“Ping’an didn’t ask about last night’s events,” Tong Mingyu remarked incredulously.

“Our young lady is growing up. She’s focusing on her studies now and doesn’t have time to bother with such trivial matters,” Nanny Zhang replied with pride.

Tong Mingyu shook her head, disagreeing. She knew her daughter’s curious nature all too well. Xiaoyao’s inquisitive eyes revealed everything—there was no fooling a mother.

“I wonder what mischief she’s planning now,” Tong Mingyu muttered.

As expected, Xiaoyao’s mind was already spinning with ideas. During class, after finishing her assignments, she pondered how to get her fourth uncle, Xiao Jingyan, to reveal the contents and results of the adults’ conversation from the night before. She chose him because she wouldn’t need an excuse to approach him, and whatever he said would surely be truthful.

If she asked her mother, she’d undoubtedly face a barrage of questions like, “Why do you ask so much?” or “Children shouldn’t meddle in adult matters.” She couldn’t bring herself to question her grandfather or father directly either.

After lunch with her grandmother at Ninghe Hall and a nap, she estimated that her fourth uncle would soon return. She gathered her two maids and waited for him along the path he would inevitably take.

“Whose little girl is this? What brings you here?” Xiao Jingyan asked knowingly, already anticipating his niece’s antics.

“Flower viewing!” Xiaoyao answered with a straight face.

“Flower viewing, is it? Then why not go to your father’s study? Have you destroyed all the flowers there?” He smirked, watching her maintain her act.

“My father’s flowers are blooming beautifully. Today, I felt like enjoying the flowers here,” Xiaoyao replied lazily, showing no sign of urgency.

“Well, enjoy yourself. Fourth Uncle will be on his way.”

As they passed each other, Xiao Jingyan suddenly stopped. His little niece continued bending down to smell the flowers, silent and unbothered.

Sometimes, people are like this. When others chase after them for information, they get annoyed. But when others seem indifferent, they suddenly feel a sense of loss, wishing for attention.

“Don’t you have something to ask your Fourth Uncle?”

“Take a guess,” Xiaoyao said, turning to face him with her big, sparkling eyes.

“Fourth Uncle doesn’t want to guess and wouldn’t get it right anyway,” Xiao Jingyan chuckled, flicking her forehead lightly.

“You must have something you want to tell me, right? After all, I’m your favorite niece!”

“Oh? And who was it last night, watching me struggle and waving goodbye with ill intent?”

If she hadn’t reminded him, he might have forgotten about that.

“You saw wrong. I was concerned about you. I waved to cool you off so you wouldn’t cry,” Xiaoyao retorted shamelessly.

Xiaohui, one of her maids, turned away, unable to bear hearing such nonsense. She accidentally bumped her head on a nearby pillar and yelped in pain. Xiaofu scolded her for ruining their mistress’s plan while helping rub her forehead. Xiaoyao gave Xiaohui a side-eye. She made a mental note never to bring such an honest girl on mischievous missions again. Xiaofu, on the other hand, showed promise—her poker face was admirable.

“Little niece, your maid seems to disagree with you. Maybe I’ll choose… not to believe you,” Xiao Jingyan teased.

“Don’t! Let’s make a deal: I’ll help you come up with a solution, and you tell me what happened last night.”

“You have an idea?” He was skeptical but intrigued, desperate for any suggestion.

“Ladies first. You go first,” Xiaoyao said, finding a spot to sit as Xiaohui hurriedly spread a handkerchief for her.

“Why should I go first? What if you don’t have a solution afterward? I’d be at a loss.”

“My idea depends on the specifics of your situation,” Xiaoyao countered.

As the two negotiated, neither willing to go first, Xiao Lang and his brothers arrived at a nearby moon gate. Xiao Yi, recognizing the voices, quickly pulled his elder brother back, motioning for silence.

“Fine, I’ll go first…” Xiao Jingyan relented, recounting the events of the previous night in full detail. “In the end, Grandmother saved me. Otherwise, I might’ve been a groom today.”

“Can Grandmother protect you forever?”

“Grandfather said that if I don’t marry by 25, he’ll kick me out,” Xiao Jingyan admitted.

Xiaoyao snorted, “As if Grandmother would ever let that happen.”

“Now tell me your idea, and don’t even think about backing out!”

“A man should be strong,” Xiaoyao quipped.

“You’re playing me, aren’t you? That’s so unfair!” Xiao Jingyan groaned.

“I never lie,” Xiaoyao declared confidently.

“Who’d believe that?” Xiao Jingyan muttered.

“Do you want to hear my plan or not? Give me time to explain,” she said.

“Fine, go ahead.”

“First, tell me what kind of woman you’re looking for in a wife.”

“What kind?” Xiao Jingyan pondered, while the boys hidden nearby perked up to hear his answer.

“Doesn’t matter. Whoever I marry will inevitably fall for my charm,” he said smugly.

“Then why not marry Miss Yu? She’s already smitten with you!” Xiaoyao smirked, driving the point home.

A stifled laugh escaped from the hidden boys, prompting Xiaoyao and Xiao Jingyan to look around suspiciously. Finding nothing, they continued.

“Alright, back to the main topic. What’s your plan?”

“My plan is for Grandmother and my mother to write down the names of all the suitable ladies in the capital on separate slips of paper, and then…” Xiaoyao paused dramatically, shifting her position. “Draw lots!” She bolted away after dropping her suggestion.

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” Laughter erupted, startling nearby birds into flight.

Xiaoyao stopped and sighed. Her demure, obedient image was utterly ruined.

“Sorry, Fourth Uncle, we couldn’t hold it in,” Xiao Yi said, lifting Xiaoyao into his arms.

“Say it again for me later,” Xiao Jingyan mused, amused by the simplicity of the idea.

Could this actually become a family tradition? Everyone silently entertained the possibility.