Li Xin and Li Xia changed their clothes and went to the front courtyard, where they heard Cao Fugui and Li Hui discussing woodcarvings. Cao Fugui was fond of the wooden carvings in Li Hui's study, finding them lifelike and spiritually evocative. Such animated wooden carvings were rare, he remarked, and inquired whose masterful handiwork they were, expressing his desire to acquire one.
Naturally, Li Hui would not reveal that the carvings were Li Xia's creations. He simply said he had stumbled upon them while wandering in Liuzhou and purchased them, forgetting the specific shop. Cao Fugui studied the carvings with a hint of regret.
The young lady who had accompanied Cao Fugui sat nearby, gazing intently at Li Hui. Noticing her unwavering stare, Li Hui returned her gaze. Without a hint of shyness, the girl addressed him as "Big Brother."
Li Hui gestured towards the pastries on the table, "Try some Liuzhou pastries."
Heeding his words, the girl sampled one, finding the flavor quite different from those in the Capital City. "Sweet, crispy, and delicious," she remarked, proceeding to eat two more.
"Don't overindulge; eating too many of these pastries can lead to indigestion," Li Hui cautioned.
The obedient girl finished the pastry in her hand, refraining from further indulgence. Observing her demeanor, Li Hui couldn't help but smile.
Cao Fugui, on the other hand, seemed taken aback, as if Li Hui had undergone a personality shift. However, he quickly regained his composure, ensuring his surprise went unnoticed.
Li Xin and Li Xia entered, and while Li Xin didn't recognize the girl, Li Xia immediately identified her as the child they had encountered previously. Unexpectedly, she was a young lady. Noticing her gaze fixed on Li Hui, Li Xia wondered if the girl had developed a fondness for him – a fleeting thought that would later ring true, a testament to the whimsical nature of fate.
"These are my two younger sisters, Li Xin and Li Xia," Li Hui introduced them, realizing he had yet to learn the girl's name.
"I'm An'an," the girl said, introducing herself. "Hello, Sister Xin, Sister Xia."
"Hello, An'an," Li Xin and Li Xia warmly greeted the polite young lady.
"Li, a soaring hawk cannot be restrained. Let me have that carved wooden flying horse," Cao Fugui said, taking a wooden carving of a flying horse from the curio cabinet. Li Xia followed his gaze and recognized her own idle carving from their journey, which she had carelessly discarded, unaware that Li Hui had retrieved it.
"Big Brother Fugui, that's too much," An'an pouted, questioning how he could make such a request of her benefactor. Nevertheless, she found the flying horse rather appealing.
Cao Fugui acknowledged his impropriety but could not resist fondling and admiring the spirited carving, ultimately forcing himself to set it aside and avert his gaze, though it pained him to do so.
Cao Fugui's antics elicited smiles from the three Li siblings. Li Xin also recognized Li Xia's handiwork. She had never expected someone to appreciate her sister's carvings so deeply, let alone the usually arrogant young master Cao Fugui displaying such endearing behavior. In that moment, Li Xin found this side of Cao Fugui rather charming.
"Since Brother Cao admires it, let me gift you this flying horse. A gentleman possesses the beauty of benevolence," Li Hui offered.
Without hesitation, Cao Fugui embraced the carving, fearing Li Hui might change his mind. His unrestrained delight was a far cry from the poise expected of a marquis's son, prompting An'an to roll her eyes at his unbecoming antics. Li Xin and Li Xia couldn't help but chuckle aloud.
Li Xia glanced at Li Xin, then at Cao Fugui, and contemplated how well-suited they might be as a couple.
"An'an, let's talk in the rear courtyard," Li Xin suggested, sensing Cao Fugui's embarrassment and wishing to spare him further discomfort.
"Alright," An'an agreed, following the two sisters to the eastern courtyard. Once inside the study, they sat down, and a maid served tea and pastries.
An awkward silence ensued as the trio struggled to find words. Finally, Li Xia broke the silence, "An'an, how did you get captured that day?"
Li Xia's question caught Li Xin off guard. She looked at An'an, then back at Li Xia, "An'an was the child we encountered? I thought it was a boy." Realizing the situation, Li Xin grasped Li Xia's hand, signaling her not to inquire further. After all, being captured was a traumatic experience. "My apologies," she said to An'an.
"It's alright, I'm not afraid," An'an reassured them, waving her hand dismissively, unfazed by the incident.
"Previously, I accompanied my grandmother to make offerings at the temple, where we stayed. As you both know, the routine there is either listening to the monks lecturing or chanting sutras – quite dull. So I thought I'd sneak out and have some fun. But as soon as I left the temple, I was captured. Those scoundrels dressed me in boy's clothing, claiming they would take me to the south. During their meal break, I seized the opportunity to escape. Along the way, I pleaded with many people for help, but they ignored me. Only Big Brother and you sisters came to my aid," An'an expressed her profound gratitude towards Li Hui.
"Earlier, Big Brother had handled a human trafficking case, so he's more sensitive to such situations. Most people wouldn't make that connection," Li Xia explained.
"What happened? Tell me more," An'an urged, her interest piqued.
Li Xia recounted the incident in Bailang County, where Li Hui had decisively dealt with human traffickers during the spring plowing season, highlighting his resolute handling of the situation.
"I had no idea Big Brother was so remarkable," An'an's impression of Li Hui improved further.
"Indeed, my brother excels in many areas – academics, martial arts, and business affairs," Li Xin affirmed, expressing her admiration for Li Hui.
"And he's quite handsome, too," Li Xia added.
Li Xin and An'an murmured in agreement, then realized the implications of their exchange, prompting laughter among the three. They abandoned their formal postures and reclined on the couch, nestled against the cushions as they conversed.
Li Xin and An'an shared tales from their journey to the Capital City, including their encounter with river pirates while traveling by boat. Of course, Li Xia's heroic exploits remained unmentioned, as such tales were unbecoming for a young lady to recount.
An'an listened with envy, learning that the two had even picked up horseback riding along the way. "My family has a stable. When spring arrives, we shall go riding together," she suggested.
"Wonderful!" Li Xin and Li Xia agreed, having missed the experience since their last outing.
"By the way, there's a place called the 'Barbarian Clothing House' on Yongchang Street. It's a shop run by foreigners who blend Central Plains and barbarian fashion styles. Their riding attire is not only beautiful but also exceptionally comfortable to wear. Many ladies in the Capital City get their riding outfits tailored there. Let's visit the Barbarian Clothing House together and order some new riding outfits," An'an proposed, well-versed in the city's offerings.
"Excellent idea. Our current outfits were just modified by maids, which isn't ideal for riding," Li Xin agreed, recalling that their previous visit to Yongchang Street had not included the Barbarian Clothing House.
"There's also a Nanyang shop over there with lots of strange and curious things. They have music boxes that play a tune when you open them, and very small pocket watches that are great for telling time," An'an continued.
"That makes me want to go there right now," Li Xia said, intrigued by An'an's descriptions.
"Why don't we go now, it's not lunchtime yet. We can go shopping first and then have the Eight Treasure Banquet at the Qingxiang Building. The Qingxiang Building only serves five tables of the Eight Treasure Banquet each day. Let's reserve three tables, and buy the remaining two on the spot. It's usually hard to get, but Cao Fugui has a way for us to enjoy it," An'an elaborated enthusiastically.
