Back in the kitchen, XiaoRue was busy blowing air into the fire beneath the pot to keep it burning. She was so focused on preparing the medicine that she didn't notice someone standing behind her, watching with an amused smile.
ManQi couldn't help chuckling when a puff of smoke suddenly blew toward XiaoRue's face, making her cough.
Hearing his laughter, XiaoRue turned and glared at him.
ManQi immediately raised his hand apologetically.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to... Anyway, what are you doing here?"
"I'm preparing medicine for XiaoJie," XiaoRue answered before turning the question back on him. "What are YOU doing here?"
"Watching you prepare medicine."
ManQi teased her with a mischievous smile.
His answer immediately made XiaoRue feel shy.
"I'm serious! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Prince Li?"
I came to see you...
ManQi smirked inwardly, keeping those words to himself.
"Ehem... I'm actually looking for Aunt Tong."
Aunt Tong, who was standing not far away, immediately responded.
"Does Prince Li need something, ManQi?"
ManQi turned toward her.
"His Highness has a guest in his study, and they need some refreshments."
Aunt Tong immediately understood and began preparing the drinks.
Meanwhile, XiaoRue couldn't help asking,
"Is the guest Minister Hua?"
ManQi nodded.
"That's right."
Outside the kitchen, QingQing suddenly stopped walking when she heard the name.
"What's wrong, QingQing?" TanTan asked, wondering why she had stopped.
FangFang also looked up at her curiously with her big, round eyes.
"Nothing..."
QingQing quickly resumed walking, followed by TanTan and FangFang.
Their voices soon reached the people inside the kitchen, making XiaoRue and ManQi turn toward the entrance.
The moment QingQing spotted ManQi, her usual playful expression returned.
She approached him with a bright smile.
"It's been so long since I've seen you today, hand..."
ManQi looked at her with an annoyed expression.
"I mean... ManQi!" QingQing corrected herself, pretending to be embarrassed. "I've really missed you!"
Although XiaoRue continued watching QingQing flirt with ManQi, she eventually turned her attention to TanTan.
"Um... XiaoJie, why are you here? In the kitchen? Were you looking for me?"
"Yes, but not just you. We're looking for food! FangFang is hungry too, so let's have lunch together."
TanTan smiled.
After experiencing those unpleasant memories earlier, she really didn't feel like eating alone.
"Oh... All right. I'll prepare something. XiaoJie and everyone else can wait in the dining room."
But TanTan shook her head.
"Hmm... I see you're still busy preparing the medicine. Why don't we cook together instead? I'd like to make something for FangFang today."
She also wanted to prepare a sweet treat for the little girl, something she might remember fondly even when she grew older.
Her suggestion immediately drew strange expressions from XiaoRue, Aunt Tong, and even ManQi.
"XiaoJie... you... you've never cooked before..."
XiaoRue's voice was full of uncertainty.
And she wasn't wrong. The original HuaMuTan had never cooked a meal in her life. As the pampered granddaughter of the Hua family, she had always been served by others and had never needed to serve anyone herself.
No wonder everyone was surprised.
Even Aunt Tong was so distracted by TanTan's words that she didn't notice the teapot was already overflowing as she poured the tea.
QingQing was the first to notice.
"Aunt Tong! Watch out! The tea!"
Aunt Tong finally realized what was happening and hurriedly pulled the teapot away. Unfortunately, some of the hot tea had already spilled onto her clothes.
"Oh! How careless of me!"
QingQing immediately stepped forward to help. She grabbed a nearby cloth and handed it to Aunt Tong.
"Let me help you. Is this tea for the guest?"
Aunt Tong took the cloth and quickly wiped the spilled tea from her clothes.
"Yes, yes! It's for Prince Li and his guest, Minister Hua. Oh dear, they're waiting! I should have delivered it already..."
QingQing glanced at the tray and suddenly seemed to have an idea.
"Why don't I help you deliver it?"
Aunt Tong looked at her uncertainly.
"How could I trouble a guest of this household with such a task? No... I'll ask XiaoRue to do it instead."
"And miss a chance to spend some time with my handsome GeGe here? No way!"
QingQing winked playfully.
"HuaMuTan, XiaoRue, let me handle this."
She then glanced toward the medicine pot.
"Besides, look! The fire under the medicine is almost out. XiaoRue, you'd better watch it!"
At her reminder, XiaoRue immediately turned back toward the fire.
TanTan wasn't quite sure what to say. It was obvious that QingQing was volunteering mainly because of ManQi, but she couldn't see any harm in letting her deliver the drinks.
Besides, FangFang was standing beside her, tugging at her hand and demanding attention. Somehow, the little girl seemed to have become even more clingy since entering the kitchen.
"YangMu... I'm hungry."
FangFang tightened her grip on TanTan's hand.
TanTan glanced down at her, wondering why she was suddenly so tense.
Meanwhile, QingQing swiftly picked up the tray.
"Come on! Didn't you hear Aunt Tong? The guest is waiting!"
She gave ManQi a look before walking out first.
ManQi seemed reluctant to follow her, but before leaving, he glanced toward XiaoRue.
He noticed the unhappy expression on her face.
"Miss QingQing..."
Aunt Tong still tried to call QingQing back, but TanTan gently interrupted her.
"Don't worry, Aunt Tong. She knows what she's doing. Now, would you help me prepare the food?"
TanTan realized that the kitchen was practically Aunt Tong's territory. She didn't want to create any more tension between them, so she tried to be as polite as possible.
Aunt Tong widened her eyes, still unable to believe what she had just heard. Nevertheless, she quickly composed herself and answered,
"Y-Yes, of course."
"Will you really cook, YangMu? Will it take long?"
FangFang looked at TanTan with curiosity, following her wherever she went.
Let's see... What can I make?
TanTan looked around the kitchen and easily spotted the ingredients she needed.
"I'll make fried rice and some sweet treats for you. Would you like to help me cook?"
She thought it would be fun to prepare something sweet together with FangFang.
It also reminded her of the times she had cooked with her own mother when she was little, just like FangFang.
However, Aunt Tong immediately reacted with alarm.
"No! I mean... I don't think it's safe to let FangFang XiaoJie get too close to the fire, Young Madam. She is afraid of fire ever since..."
Aunt Tong stopped herself before finishing the sentence.
But TanTan understood perfectly.
Ever since HuaMuTan tried to burn her alive... How could I forget that?
TanTan crouched down in front of FangFang and spoke gently.
"Would you like to wait outside while I prepare the food?"
FangFang shook her head. She was still holding tightly to TanTan's sleeve.
"No! I want to stay with YangMu."
TanTan gently patted her head.
"All right. But you have to listen to everything I say, okay? First, you can sit over here, far away from the fire."
She helped FangFang settle in a safe spot before beginning to show her how to roll small balls of dough from the flour. Aunt Tong also helped guide the little girl.
Once FangFang understood what to do and began working on her own, TanTan turned toward XiaoRue, intending to ask for her help.
But then she noticed something strange.
XiaoRue was staring blankly into space, looking rather unhappy. She seemed frozen like a statue and wasn't paying attention to the fire at all.
"XiaoRue?"
XiaoRue suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.
Realizing that she had neglected her task, she hurriedly swung her fan faster toward the fire.
"I... I'm sorry, XiaoJie! The medicine will be ready soon!"
TanTan looked at her with concern.
"Are you all right? You seem distracted. Is something bothering you?"
She had never seen XiaoRue behave like this before.
TanTan thought for a moment before cautiously asking,
"Is ManQi bothering you?"
As quickly as the wind, XiaoRue's face turned bright red.
"No! He isn't! I'm not thinking about him at all!"
Her immediate denial only confirmed TanTan's suspicion.
Oh? So XiaoRue is actually jealous of QingQing... How interesting! I wonder when she started developing feelings for ManQi?
TanTan couldn't help smiling.
XiaoRue clearly didn't want to discuss the matter any further. She quickly checked the medicine pot.
"XiaoJie, the medicine is ready!"
She turned off the fire before looking back at TanTan.
"Now... what can I help you cook?"
TanTan actually wanted to tease her a little more, but perhaps it wasn't the right time. FangFang kept asking when the food would be ready, so TanTan returned her attention to the cooking and began assigning XiaoRue a few tasks.
Before long, everyone was busy preparing the meal together.
Even Aunt Tong gradually joined in, helping TanTan and FangFang with the ingredients.
As she watched TanTan patiently guide FangFang while preparing the food, Aunt Tong's expression slowly softened.
Not bad... This new HuaMuTan might not be so bad after all...
For the first time, Aunt Tong found herself looking at her Young Madam with a different feeling.