Chapter Thirty: With Heart as Matchmaker

  After hearing what Xiang Chengxian said, Yuan Dai couldn't help but smile: "Sister says this, it's clear that she doesn't really understand fragrance. Among the fragrances of the world, there are indeed some that become thinner and less flavorful with age, but there are also those that become more fragrant with time. For example, agarwood is a case in point - the longer it takes, the better its quality becomes. My hibiscus flower is also a type of flowering tree, although it can't last for centuries like agarwood, but because its fragrance lasts and doesn't disperse, its scent becomes clearer and more delicate with each passing day. Speaking of which, sister has come at just the right time today!

  Xiao Chengxian listened to this and didn't get angry, but instead smiled and said: "Sister is indeed eloquent! As it happens, I came here this time intending to stay for a few days. The only thing is, I don't know if sister would be willing to take me in?"

  Yan Dai slightly raised an eyebrow and said, "To stay here for a few days? How could sister suddenly have this idea?" As far as she knew, the Xiao and Ling families were both in Pingjing City, not very far apart, and it was quite convenient to come and go. Therefore, Xiao Xian's move made her feel very surprised.

  Xiao Chengxian wrinkled her nose and complained: "You don't know, these past few days my cousin came over and it's been really annoying!"

  Yan Dai never liked to pry into other people's business, so when she heard the complaints, she just smiled and didn't ask too much. The door curtain moved, and Wen Ping had already brought in a tray. She didn't ask, and Xiao Xian also didn't intend to continue speaking, so she raised her eyes to glance at Wen Ping, and her gaze fell on the tray in Wen Ping's hand, but she was stunned.

  Earlier, Mrs. Lu had seen the frozen dessert in a porcelain bowl and was lost in thought for a moment, let alone now that it was served in a crystal bowl. Usually, wealthy families also have crystal bowls to serve food, but they are either exquisitely carved or elegantly shaped, yet they are all different from Yuande's crystal bowl. Yuande's crystal bowl is extremely simple, with an ordinary calyx-shaped mouth and smooth interior and exterior walls that are polished to a high gloss. The material is transparent white crystal without any flaws, and the bowl wall is as thin as a cicada's wing. When held in one's hand, one dare not apply even a little force, fearing that the bowl would shatter into pieces.

  However, all of this was not the reason for Xiao Cheng's astonishment. What made her stunned was the thing in the bowl. It was a semi-transparent milky white color that wasn't particularly special, but when this color mixed with threads and dots, shining with strange crystal light, it seemed to be flowing like ice blue, and inexplicably, people couldn't help but stare at it.

  Carefully holding the crystal bowl, Xiao Cheng asked with a sigh: "Is this the legendary 'Heavenly Flower Frost' you were talking about? It's truly breathtaking, almost too beautiful to eat!"

  Yan Dai smiled and said: "Sister, try some of this hibiscus jelly. It's meant to be eaten, not just looked at!"

  Xiao Chengyan, after all, was also from a wealthy family. After being shocked, she calmed down and smiled: "Originally, it's for eating, even if it looks good, it's not just for display." This sentence is well said, I like it! She said, then took the silver spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and sent it to her mouth.

  When the flower was held in her hand, there was a faint scent, but it didn't feel like much. As soon as it entered her mouth, the first sensation was smooth and delicate, and after savoring it for a moment, she suddenly felt an indescribable flavor spreading out, giving her a feeling of intoxication, as if she had drunk fine wine. Xiao Cheng gently closed her eyes, carefully savoring this flavor, and only sighed after a long time.

  Yuandai smiled and watched her from the side, but didn't say a word either.

  After taking a bite, Xiao Xian didn't eat anymore, but raised her eyes to look at Yuan Dai and smiled: "Just this one bite is enough to savor for a long time! To be honest, if I weren't a guest here, I almost wouldn't want to open my mouth, afraid of wasting the fragrance of this short-lived dessert!"

  Although she was very confident in her own culinary skills, Yuandai did not expect Xiaocheng to say something like that. She lost her train of thought for a moment before saying: "In the past when my adoptive father was still alive, he loved fine wine and good food. One time he told me that the key to eating well lies in being refined rather than excessive. Some foods only need one bite to satisfy you, but make you unable to eat again for an entire day. At the time I listened but didn't pay attention, and soon forgot about it. But unexpectedly after many years have passed, today I heard similar words from my sister's mouth!

  This was not the first time she had mentioned her godfather in front of Xiao Chengyan. Xiao Chengyan looked at Yuan Dai with a thoughtful expression and said, "To be able to say such things, your godfather must be no ordinary person!" She tried her best to control herself, not wanting her words to carry any probing meaning, although she was becoming increasingly curious about the godfather mentioned by Yuan Dai.

  "Father also said that the way of food and drink, first emphasizes flavor, second emphasizes utensils, but most importantly is the harmony between utensils and flavor, which not only delights the heart and eyes but also adds a few points to the taste!"

  Xiao Chengxian nodded involuntarily as she listened to these words. As a member of the aristocracy, she naturally knew about such things, but only in theory. It wasn't until she saw Yuandai's crystal glass and frozen dessert that she suddenly felt a sense of clarity in her heart.

  She slowly said these words, and suddenly a few shades of indifference appeared on Yu Dai's face. Xiao Chengyan sat on one side, also roughly feeling her mood at this moment, and was also silent, without speaking. Fortunately, this silence did not last too long, because at this moment, the sound of Cai Lian's excited voice came from outside: "Miss, miss! Hu mom has arrived!"

  A faint crease on the moth-like eyebrows, a slight lift of the distant and elegant eyelids, a glance at Wenping standing by. Wenping understood, immediately stepped out of the inner chamber, laughing: "So it's Aunt Hu! Please come in!"

  Yuandai suddenly changed her elegant posture, leaning against the head of the bed with a listless expression, and smiled wryly at Xiaocheng, saying: "Sister, forgive me!" Xiaocheng was already stunned by Yuandai's behavior, and when she heard this sentence, she became even more bewildered. Before she could understand what Yuandai meant, Yuandai had already coughed twice, as if indicating something.

  At this moment, Wenping had already led Hu's mother in. As soon as Hu's mother entered the inner room, she caught sight of Xiao Chengyan and was taken aback for a moment. She was originally Madame Lu's dowry servant and had been serving at the Ling family for several decades. Although Xiao Chengyan did not often visit the Ling family, Madame Lu had always wanted Xiao Chengyan to become her daughter-in-law, so how could Hu's mother be unaware of this young lady from the Xiao family? Now that she suddenly saw Xiao Chengyan, she couldn't help but take a step forward and greet her with a smile: "Miss Xiao, why have you come today?"

  Xiao Cheng smiled and said, "I originally came to see Yuandai sister, I heard that she has not been feeling well these past few days!" She was also extremely intelligent, after hearing Yuandai's two soft coughs just now, she understood the meaning in her heart.

  Madam Hu's eyes moved, and she first fell on the frost that had been slightly moved beside Yuanyuan. After a flash of sharpness in her eyes, she restored her previous expression, smiled and said: "Our tenth miss has always been prone to illness, indeed making people worry." She said, then bowed again to Yuanyuan, saying: "The ninth miss sent someone over with the frost, which the madam liked very much. However, hearing that the ninth miss caught a cold from viewing flowers, the madam's heart was not pleased, so she sent me over to take a look at you!"

  Yan Dai listened to this, but her expression didn't change. After waiting for the other person to finish speaking, she slowly said: "Please trouble Mother to go back and inform Madame...". When she got to this point, she seemed like she couldn't bear it anymore, after all, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly several times before continuing: "Just say that I thank Madame for her concern. As for Madame's teachings, I will remember them carefully in my heart, and from now on, I won't dare to make the same mistake again!"

  Hu's mother came, indeed, at the behest of Mrs. Lu. However, Mrs. Lu sent her over not to scold Yu Dai. Seeing Yu Dai's humble attitude, Hu's mother didn't say much more, only saying: "Madam said that Ninth Miss is now grown up and should have her own separate courtyard to live in. But earlier, everyone in the mansion was busy with Third Master's return to Beijing, so they didn't have time for Ninth Miss. Madam thought about it today and said that when Tenth Miss returned earlier, she had cleaned up the Ringing Jade Pavilion, but since Old Madam liked Tenth Miss very much, she let her stay in Chunhui Garden instead, and the Ringing Jade Pavilion was left unused. Madam said that the Ringing Jade Pavilion faces south and has a high location, with good sunlight throughout the four seasons, making it extremely suitable for Ninth Miss to live in!

  Yuan Dai saw her coming and thought she was there to investigate whether she was truly ill or not, but unexpectedly, Hu Mama had come for this reason. She was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly smiled and said: "Thank you so much, Mama! I'm still not feeling well, I'm afraid it will take several more days before I can move over!" As she spoke, she couldn't help but cough again.

  Mrs. Hu didn't care when she could move in. In her opinion, Mrs. Lu allowing Far Dai to move into the Emerald Pavilion was already a great kindness, and Far Dai was naturally grateful and overjoyed.

  Xiao Chengxian watched from the side, but her heart was not pleasant. However, she wasn't a member of the Ling family after all, and while she could privately use some connections to help Yuandai, if she directly interfered with the Ling family's household affairs, it wouldn't just be the Ling family that would be furious - even her own family might be shocked into anger.

  "Alright! You can go back now!" She said calmly: "The Ninth Miss is not feeling well and needs to rest, it's not suitable for her to talk too much."

  Old Mrs. Hu didn't dare say anything more to her and merely responded with a "yes" before retreating.

  Xiao Chengyan pinched her chin, feeling that she had gone far enough, and then said with a hint of anger: "How ridiculous! The courtyard prepared for the tenth miss, because she went to Chunhui Garden, was empty, so let you move in, what is this?"

  As soon as Hu's mother left, Yuan Dai propped herself up, still leaning lazily against the couch, but her expression had lost that listless look: "No matter how good the house is, I won't be able to live here for many more days. Since they want me to move, I'll just move then. It's not like it's a big deal!"

  Xiao Chengxian, being a woman herself, couldn't help but understand the meaning behind her words. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke up: "If we're talking about this, I think my brother is actually very good, but I'm not sure what you think, sister?"