In the blink of an eye, it was already night. On the white stone road outside the mansion, Xiao Xiang'er strolled leisurely with two sticks of candied hawthorns in her hands. Qiao E carried two big bags, which were filled with rare items collected from the market. She followed behind Xiao Xiang'er, feeling a little overwhelmed. She complained softly,
"Miss, it's thousands of miles to Jiangnan, and we'll spend most of our time on the ship. We should buy more delicious food. You'll get tired of looking at these things for a while. I used to put a whole room in the palace, but I never saw you really look at them …"
Xiao Xiang'er crossed her hands on her waist. If it were not for the fact that the two sticks of candied hawthorns did not match, she would look no different from the dignified and dignified Empress Dowager. When she heard Qiao E's words, she was a little dissatisfied.
"You only know how to eat. If you get fat, you will be despised as a servant girl. I was going to let you serve Xu Buling in the future …"
"Ah?!"
Qiao E's eyes brightened. She immediately stopped feeling weak. She carried the two big bags and ran to the front, pretending to be anxious and reluctant.
"Miss, how can I do this? I've served you for so many years, and I can't bear to leave you …"
"Yes, so I think it's better to forget it. I asked the mansion to find a little girl who doesn't have much meat for Xu Buling. If you go there, you will definitely be eaten by Xu Buling … Huh? Qiao E, why don't you go? "
"I'm a little tired … Rest for a while …"
Xiao Xiang'er sighed helplessly. She turned around and picked up a big bag. "Qiao E, don't worry. You are my servant girl. Even if I'm not the Empress Dowager now, no one can bully you, especially Xu Buling …"
As she spoke, Xiao Xiang'er suddenly saw Xu Buling leaning against a willow tree beside the white stone road, looking at her.
Xiao Xiang'er's expression changed slightly. She shut up subconsciously, but when she thought about it, she felt that it was not right. She was Xu Buling's savior. What she said was the truth. There was nothing to be afraid of.
"What are you looking at? Come and help me. Qiao E is so tired …"
Xu Buling shook his head and chuckled. He walked to Xiao Xiang'er and took the two big bags. His eyes were especially gentle.
"Baby, why don't you let the guards carry them?"
Xiao Xiang 'er was very dissatisfied with being addressed as' baby ', but it was useless to correct her many times. She slowly got used to it. She walked in front with the attitude of an elder and said indifferently,
"In the past, I was surrounded by people everywhere I went. I got sick of it. Just let them follow me in the dark."
"Why don't you of me?"
"Who knows where you went? I couldn't find you for seven or eight days …"
Xiao Xiang'er took a few steps forward and thought of something. She tilted her head and said, "The sun is bright today. I didn't want to go out, but Hong Luan chased me out..."
Xu Buring was slightly confused. "What's wrong?"
"What else could it be? The Prince's Mansion arranged a personal maidservant for you. Before she even saw you, Hongluan called the little girl over and asked about you as if you were her own daughter. She almost treated you as her goddaughter. Today, she drove me out to teach that little girl how to snitch on me …"
Xu Buring chuckled and naturally found it hard to reply.
As they chatted, Xu Buling entered the mansion. He tilted his head to look at Qiao E.
"Go back to your room first."
Qiao E had a strange look in her eyes. She sensibly took the bags back and quickly ran into the backyard.
Xiao Xiang'er froze a little. She stopped talking and her expression changed. She followed Qiao E back, but before she took half a step, she was blocked by Xu Buling.
Xiao Xiang'er raised her head. She held the tanghulu in front of her chest and took two steps back. When she reached the corner of the veranda and had nowhere else to go, she forced herself to calm down and said,
"What … what are you doing?"
Xu Buling smiled playfully. He raised his hand to rub her mature and beautiful face and tugged at it.
Xiao Xiang'er was instantly annoyed. She raised her hand and pushed Xu Buling.
"How dare you! I … ah, not here … "
Xu Buling bent down and took a few deep breaths. He was finally satisfied. He let go of her hand and took another tanghulu.
"I went out a few days ago, and the poison seems to have acted up again …"
"I might as well poison you to death."
Xiao Xiang'er wiped her red lips and glared at him angrily. Then she ran back with her head down.
Xu Buling took a bite of the sweet and sour tanghulu and said with a smile,
"Baby, come to the study at midnight."
"Get lost … in your dreams …"
Xiao Xiang'er walked quickly and disappeared in the corridor in the blink of an eye.
Xu Buring muttered to himself, "You don't mean what you say." He turned around and walked toward his courtyard, preparing to dress up properly for his date with the baby.
After returning to Suzhou, the eight guards of the prince's mansion returned. Xiao went to read 'Spring and Autumn' under the moonlight with a group of guests. Xu Buling was used to living alone. Other than washing up in the morning, he usually didn't call for maids. There were even fewer people in the courtyard than in Chang 'an.
The night was dim. There were no lights in the large courtyard.
Xu Buling returned to his bedroom and closed the door. He went to the wardrobe and prepared to look for a robe suitable for admiring the moon at night.
Just as he opened the wardrobe door, Xu Buling saw a pair of bright black eyes staring at him from his bed. The person was holding her breath and didn't make any sound. He really didn't notice it when he came in.
Xu Buring was in the heavily-guarded rear residence of the prince's mansion, and he was returning to his own room. When he suddenly saw this pair of eyes, he was really startled. He turned his head to take a look, only to discover that on the pitch-black bed, a young girl was curled up under the blanket, lying on her side. She was looking at him with a serious expression.
"Young Master …"
"…"
Xu Buling looked left and right. He didn't go to the wrong room. He was slightly puzzled.
"Nightingale, what … are you doing?"
Nightingale was very thin and small. Lying under the quilt, she was almost invisible. At this time, she didn't get up and said seriously,
"Reporting to Young Master, warming the bed."
"Warming the bed?"
Xu Buling closed the wardrobe door and turned his head to look outside the window.
It was the end of July. Although the temperature difference between day and night in Suzhou City was huge, it was still more than ten degrees. It was completely not the time to cover the quilt.
Xu Buling walked to the front of the bed and squatted down. He carefully looked at the little girl with an oval face and full of spirit.
"The weather is so warm, why are you warming the bed?"
Nightingale's expression didn't change in the slightest. But Xu Buling's eyes and ears were clear. The room was quiet. The sound of his heartbeat couldn't be hidden. "Thump, thump ~ ~ ~" He was obviously still nervous.
"Grandma Ding Xiang said that in the future, I will serve Young Master. I will pour tea, warm the bed and make the quilt. I have never been a maid … This should be correct, right?"
"Yes, yes …"
Xu Buling usually didn't put on any airs. After thinking for a while, he pulled a small stool from the side and sat down. He looked at the serious little girl. Grandma Ding Xiang had sent him a beautiful maid. Serving tea and pouring water was secondary. Her main role was to help her manage the backyard after she matured. This was to prevent the first branch from being too domineering. When the master doted on the side concubines, it would be difficult to speak. It would be more convenient to have a maid in front of him.
Xu Buling thought for a while and asked:
"Nightingale, what did you do before?"
