Abandoned Princesses
Sweetmeat and Restaurant

That morning, Qiao Rong was ready with neat clothes and simple makeup.

Today, he would go to the market in the city to buy rice with Duan Yi, Hu Fei, and Gao Ping, as well as to eat outside. Despite being invited and persuaded for so long, Chu Yue remained reluctant to go together and insisted on wanting to keep the house.

Duan Yi yesterday had borrowed a small wheeled carriage that would be transported by an ox in the possession of one of the citizens. The carriage was originally used to transport the crops to the city, which was why Duan Yi had not originally allowed Qiao Rong to take part. But seeing how stubborn Qiao Rong was and how eager he was to join from last month, Duan Yi finally agreed. However Hu Fei, and Gao Ping also had to tag along to guarantee Qiao Rong's safety. They believed Princess Lan would not stop until just yesterday.

Hearing the noisy sounds of the train coming, Qiao Rong also knew that Duan Yi was ready to drive them. He immediately came out, but how surprised he was when he saw that on the simple train there was Shen Haofeng who was sitting quietly.

"Mr Yi.. is he?" The confused Qiao Rong immediately asked Duan Yi for an explanation.

"He happened to meet this morning before I picked up the train, when I said I wanted to buy rice, Shen Haofeng suddenly asked to come along because the rice in his house was also running out." Duan Yi explained at length in panic at the sight of Qiao Rong's expression.

Qiao Rong sighed. It's okay, just buy rice, just buy rice. He convinced himself. He could only hope, today Shen Haofeng did not provoke his emotions anymore.

Qiao Rong immediately went up and sat opposite Shen Haofeng, followed by Hu Fei and Gao Ping who were waiting in front of the house next to them. However, still overwhelmed with annoyance, during their trip to the city, Qiao Rong never looked at Shen Haofeng once.

That was why, he missed Shen Haofeng's smile aimed at him. Shen Haofeng found it very funny, it was like seeing a cat sulking because yesterday forgot to feed.

Upon arriving in the city, Gao Ping was tasked with guarding the carriage along with the ox in front of the market. While Qiao Rong, Shen Haofeng, Duan Yi, and Hu Fei went inside.

Duan Yi immediately walked towards his subscription rice merchant ever since they moved to Nanshan Village.

"Boss as usual." Duan Yi then handed one silver coin to two sacks of rice.

The rice merchant looked at Shen Haofeng and directly prepared a sack of rice without asking any more. Shen Haofeng then took out 50 bronze coins from his small wallet which he placed on his belt, and handed them to the merchant.

"Eh.. Why did you know he was going to buy a sack?" Hu Fei asked curiously.

"Ah, this young man has always been here without speaking a single bit. When I first served him I was confused because he only pointed at one sack of rice. But it's been a few months, it's been used to." The merchant explained with a friendly laugh. Hu Fei nodded.

"Yan— Big Brother, he didn't even speak the slightest while buying something. He spoke a few words to you yesterday. Isn't that a valuable difference?" Hu Fei whispered his thoughts to Qiao Rong.

Qiao Rong's face immediately turned red, he directly beat Hu Fei's back. "What differences? Is he mute?" Qiao Rong replied with a thin mixture of embarrassment.

*****

"We should have a good meal today and bring some home for Chu Yue and Gao Ping." Qiao Rong said. Duan Yi and Hu Fei nodded.

They decided to eat at a restaurant that was already famous for being delicious in the Shijiao District. Wanmei restaurant is quite far from the market they had visited if on foot. However, Qiao Rong was so curious about the taste of the food there that it could become a famous restaurant. The road they walked was very crowded, filled with food vendors and buyers.

In the middle of the journey, Duan Yi found someone who was selling tanghulu, so without a doubt he immediately bought it. Tanghulu is a sweet fruit. The fruits will be poked and dipped into liquid sugar, which will then be dried. Duan Yi could not forget about it because he very often ate it as a child first.

He immediately bought four tanghulu stitches and distributed them. Hu Fei certainly accepted it with pleasure, but Shen Haofeng instead looked at the wisp of tanghulu that was now in his hand.

Shen Haofeng shook his head.

Hu Fei was stunned. "What kind of little time do you have? It seems that you are not so miserable or poor, just eating tanghulu is not pern—" Duan Yi immediately shut Hu Fei's mouth and dragged her backwards. While Qiao Rong only chuckled a little while eating his tanghulu.

"Bas rude!" Duan Yi commemorated Hu Fei. After Hu Fei nodded, they quickly turned around to walk back in with Shen Haofeng and Qiao Rong. But who would have thought the person they were looking for would disappear?

*****

While Shen Haofeng was still looking at his tanghulu, Qiao Rong was instead reminded of his childhood.

During his life as Li Wenhua, he remembered only three times he had eaten tanghulu in his life. The first was when he and his parents went for a walk and bought a tanghulu in the middle of the street like this time. The second, while he was begging in the middle of the street, a tanghulu-seller's grandmother gave him one last stab of pity. And the third, when her foster father bought her takhulu the day they met.

Unexpectedly, a thousand years later he could still taste and eat the tanghulu. Without realizing it, her tears had already fallen soaking down her right cheek.

Qiao Rong blinked his eyes and intended to wipe his tears before Shen Haofeng and the others realized it. However, just as his hand was about to be raised, he could feel a thumb rubbing his cheek.

Qiao Rong was certainly surprised, when he turned his head back a few centimeters from the thumb.

"Don't cry." Said Shen Haofeng who retracted his thumb.

Qiao Rong's face flushed. He immediately faced backwards to make sure Duan Yi and Hu Fei did not see the incident. However, Duan Yi and Hu Fei were not behind them.

*****

"Haiyah.. I thought you were kidnapped or in danger, fortunately just separated." Duan Yi sighed with relief. Then he chopped a chicken thigh which he then enjoyed delicious.

"I thought you guys were deliberately separating." Hu Fei replied, which Duan Yi immediately answered.

"Think what you are! If His Majesty really falls in love with this young man, would General Su be with him?" Whisper Duan Yi to Hu Fei. Hu Fei simply nodded and continued his lunch.

Qiao Rong just pretended not to hear Hu Fei talk and went back to eating the red bean bakpao he ordered. Currently they were at the Wanmei Restaurant, which was their destination. It is true that the cuisine of Wanmei Restaurant is very good. Qiao Rong even praised it more delicious than the cuisine of the palace cook. However since Chu Yue's cooking had been very frequent, she was just a little unfamiliar.

Shen Haofeng simply ate without saying a word. Occasionally Qiao Rong would glance at him and get caught off guard by Shen Haofeng. Qiao Rong would immediately refocus on his food and pretend nothing had happened.

Now looking at Qiao Rong, Shen Haofeng even remembered a cat he had once kept, indeed the cat sulked because it forgot to be fed. But after he gave the cat his favorite food, the cat immediately stuck it back as if he never forgot to feed the cat.

Shen Haofeng gave a small smile, but that smile did not escape Hu Fei's sight. "ah! Shen Haofeng smiled! Such a rare sight." He shouted excitedly. Hu Fei certainly knew how beautiful the young man's face was, even he had to admit that Shen Haofeng was more handsome than Su Xiao.

Qiao Rong immediately looked at Shen Haofeng, but it seemed too late as Shen Haofeng's countenance had already returned to its original state. Flat and looks cold. Qiao Rong was secretly a bit disappointed, but the good food at Wanmei Restaurant could make him forget that disappointment.

After paying five silver coins, they then wrapped up some foods like sweet sour chicken and spicy mapo tofu. And finally walked back to the front of the market to meet with Gao Ping who would drive them home.