A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er was stunned when she heard Sha Yanxiao say this.

That's right, war means casualties. During the Anti-Japanese War, civilians suffered heavy casualties, not to mention soldiers. But she always felt that everyone around her would always be with her. Now, Sha Yanxiao's words suddenly broke her inherent concept, and she suddenly became afraid.

"If only there were no war." Gui'er murmured.

Sha Yanxiao smiled: "No one wants to fight, but if others want to attack us, we can only fight back. It's getting late, let's go to bed early."

Anyway, there was nothing to do during the holiday, so Gui'er told Sha Yanxiao that she planned to go to Manager Liu's pharmacy to be an apprentice.

Sha Yanxiao nodded and said, "You're bored at home, so go ahead. But be careful. Make sure Ah Cheng picks you up there and back. The situation is unstable right now, and there are a lot of scoundrels and drifters on the market. Even honest people might have bad intentions."

Guier knew that what he said was true and agreed.

Turn around and tell Acheng to prepare the car.

Just as I was about to go out, Zheng Wanyu suddenly came over. As a new eighth concubine, it was a bit abrupt for her to run into the young master's room.

Gui'er and the servants in the yard were stunned. It took her a long time to react.

"Eighth Aunt, are you used to living in the mansion these past few days?" Gui'er greeted politely.

"Gui'er, so you live with your brother." Zheng Wanyu was a little surprised, but she still smiled politely and walked in slowly: "I made some snacks and brought them over for you to try."

Only then did Gui'er notice that there was a little maid following behind her. The little maid was a stranger in the Marshal's Mansion and should be the maid who came with the Eighth Concubine's dowry.

She was also holding a big food box in her hand.

Gui'er didn't know how to respond. The Marshal's Mansion had a large kitchen, and each courtyard also had a small kitchen. What kind of food didn't they have? If they really couldn't make it in the kitchen, they could go to famous teahouses and food stalls outside to buy it. That's why the courtyards in the mansion never asked for food to be sent.

The eighth concubine walked in with her people without waiting for anyone else to speak.

Gui'er hurried back.

Sha Yanxiao was sitting in the hall, legs crossed, reading some documents when the Eighth Concubine suddenly walked in.

He was stunned for a moment, frowned and asked, "What can I do for you, Eighth Concubine?"

Zheng Wanyu smiled and said, "When I was a girl at my parents' house, I was very good at making snacks, so I made these and brought them over for Young Marshal to taste. If there's anything you're not satisfied with or doesn't suit your taste, you can tell me and I can change the recipe."

As she spoke, the maid placed the food box on the coffee table in front of the sofa and opened it.

Inside the carved sandalwood food box, five or six dim sum items were stacked in a staggered pattern, resembling a blossoming brocade scroll. The rose and poria cocos pastry, coated in a icing that felt like morning dew, lingered with a rose fragrance mingled with a faint medicinal aroma. The melt-in-your-mouth crispness concealed the sweetness of candied petals. The emerald shrimp dumplings, translucent and shimmering, resembled blooming magnolias. Biting through the thin, cicada-wing-like skin revealed a burst of tender shrimp and broth on the tongue. The jujube and walnut cakes were a glossy reddish-brown, the caramelized aroma of walnuts blending with the richness of the jujube paste, creating a sweet yet not greasy experience. The jasmine ice cream, adorned with gold foil, its white jade-like body imbued with the fragrance of jasmine, was cool and sweet, as if it contained the entire summer night breeze. Each dim sum was a work of art, a feast for the eyes, both in color and fragrance, showcasing the ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship of a wealthy young lady.

Gui'er watched from the side, secretly amazed. The dim sum made by this Miss Zheng was even more exquisite than those in teahouses. And some of them were not available in the market at all.

"With this skill, I can definitely make a lot of money by opening a pastry shop." Gui'er thought secretly.

Sha Yanxiao took a look and opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly looked at Gui'er again, and caught a glimpse of her swallowing her saliva. He smiled and said to Zheng Wanyu, "It is indeed very exquisite. The Eighth Concubine really has a pair of skillful hands. I am very grateful here. Grapes are in season this time of year, so I asked someone to buy them from other places. Housekeeper, go get some for the Eighth Concubine."

After turning around and instructing the housekeeper, Sha Yanxiao smiled and said to Zheng Wanyu, "I'll have the housekeeper take it and send it back with you. Such rare fruit must be eaten fresh."

Zheng Wanyu was so happy after hearing this that she even felt a little shy. She said, "How can I be so embarrassed? Thank you so much, Young Marshal."

The housekeeper came out of the kitchen carrying a paper bag, which must have contained grapes. He walked up to Zheng Wanyu and said, "Eighth Concubine, I will follow you back to the courtyard. Please."

Sha Yanxiao's move was very clever. He accepted her gift and then had his servant take it back with her. This was a subtle way of expelling her.

Zheng Wanyu was stunned for a moment, and it was not appropriate to keep him any longer, so she smiled and said, "Then I'll go first." She turned around and walked a few steps, looking back at Sha Yanxiao frequently.

Guier frowned slightly. It was no wonder that people spread the rumor that she was deeply in love with Sha Yanxiao. However, it was obvious that Sha Yanxiao was very cautious and responded very appropriately and generously.

"Why are you still standing there? Come here and have some snacks. I was thinking of not accepting it just now, but when I saw your greedy look, my mouth was watering. So I accepted it and let you try it." Sha Yanxiao looked at Gui'er and said dotingly.

"How could I be drooling? I just saw how she was different from the other eighth concubines. That's why I hurried back." Gui'er defended herself, but her eyes couldn't help but glance at the exquisite snacks.

"Okay, who cares what it is? Come and eat it. Otherwise I'll eat it all." Sha Yanxiao said with a smile.

Gui'er didn't hesitate and picked up the jasmine ice cream and started eating it. It was indeed delicious.

While eating, she hesitantly said to Sha Yanxiao, "Brother, there's a rumor out there. I'm telling you, don't be upset, but even people outside know about it. If you're not careful, it could be dangerous."

Sha Yanxiao interrupted her and said, "You don't have to say it. You know everything, so how could I not know? I had never met this person before he came in. It was that Boss Zheng. Somehow, he found an opportunity to get close to my father. He took the opportunity to drink rice soup with him and sell his daughter to him. I originally thought that since her own family could do this, why should I stop it? It's none of my business anyway. I didn't expect there was such a thing here. Regardless of whether it's true or not, my father will definitely be furious if he finds out, so I try to avoid him."

It turned out that Sha Yanxiao had already known about the rumors outside. This was good, as it saved him from having to remind him again.

After Gui'er had some jasmine ice cream, she ate two shrimp dumplings. When she couldn't eat any more, she was about to leave for the Zhen Embroidery Workshop. Sha Yanxiao said, "You can take these snacks with you. You can give them to others. I don't like these snacks anyway."

Gui'er knew that he was trying to make her appear less concerned, so she nodded and asked Dingxiang to pack up the remaining snacks, give them to Acheng, and take them to Zhenxiufang.