Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter 80: Preparation

After carefully processing her feelings, Ji Meiqing began to review the tasks she had been instructed to complete last time.

Having learned from the previous lesson, the painting that Ji Meiqing had ordered to be corrected was corrected again. After looking at it once, she was finally satisfied.

"Release it tomorrow, remember to frame it before releasing it." After she finished speaking, she planned to go to the other side.

Although Mom had some complaints, she didn't dare say anything now.

"Please decorate the stage tomorrow. It doesn't need to be too luxurious, just something appropriate."

He said something casually, then walked into the front yard. Couples flirted by the railing from time to time, but Ji Meiqing pretended not to see them.

"Add some light gauze, and..." She paused, then stopped talking. There didn't seem to be many customers here; there were very few men in front, and most of the girls were gathered together, lost in thought.

Seeing her absent-minded look, her mother couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything else, young lady?"

"Add some aphrodisiacs and sleeping potions."

The mother was shocked, "Doing this..."

"There's nothing wrong with it, just keep burning it. Just a little bit is enough, otherwise people will notice if you put too much."

"Yes."

After taking two more steps forward, Ji Meiqing suddenly stopped. "I should leave."

"Young master, won't you stay a little longer?"

"No, I have other things to arrange. You can handle it yourself." After saying this, she went downstairs and left through the main entrance.

Several girls walked over, watching Ji Meiqing's retreating figure, and couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't Mother keep her? Maybe she'd be useful to us."

"What's the rush? We can manage once the princess leaves." She wasn't in a hurry, a slight smile playing on her lips. "When the time comes, she won't be able to escape my grasp."

Ji Meiqing went straight to one place after leaving the main gate. She walked quickly over and, seeing that the lights there were dim, went straight inside.

"Boss, one bowl of wontons, extra chili, no cilantro." She sat down, put down what she was holding, looked at Lu Yu next to her, and smiled, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Just arrived."

She chuckled twice. "I saw you in there just now. How does the powder smell?"

Lu Yu pinched his nose and rubbed it. "It's a bit too thick."

Ji Meiqing suppressed a laugh as the wontons were served. She glanced at them, picked up her chopsticks, and turned them over; the wrappers were thin, and the filling generous. She took a bite, then looked at Lu Yu with an air of enjoyment, "Would you like to try some?"

"You eat first," he said with a smile, and soon brought over a bowl of plain noodles. The noodles were white, a whole bowl, without even a single vegetable.

She leaned over in surprise, picked up a noodle with her chopsticks, and took a bite.

"Not bad. How about we switch?" Ji Meiqing leaned closer to him, trying to negotiate, "Would you like to try my wontons?"

"You eat it," he refused outright.

Ji Meiqing withdrew her gaze and slowly ate the wontons in her bowl. Before long, she had finished them all. Wiping her mouth, she crossed her legs and looked around again.

Yellow lanterns hung there, swaying slightly when the wind blew.

"Finished?"

"Hmm." He wiped his mouth; there wasn't a single noodle left in the bowl.

Ji Meiqing raised an eyebrow. "Want to eat more?"

"I am full."

"Alright, let's go back." She took out a coin from her pocket and placed it on the table, while calling out loudly, "Could I have another bowl, to go?"

"Sir... this..."

The stall owner came over apologetically, "We don't support takeout here."

"It's alright, I paid for your bowl too." She smiled and leaned closer. "Make sure the wontons are big, just like before."

"Ok."

Ji Meiqing sat down with a smile and carefully wiped the chopsticks clean. Lu Yu just smiled helplessly and waited for the wontons with her.

A few stars still lingered in the sky as the two sat quietly. A delicate fragrance wafted over from their direction; Ji Meiqing took a deep breath and looked at him.

Lu Yu felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." She turned her head away, not daring to tell him what had happened to her. She had indeed been lost in thought, but she wouldn't tell him the truth.

The wontons arrived, and Ji Meiqing hurriedly went to pick them up. Little did she know they were scalding hot; her hand trembled as soon as she picked them up.

"Are you OK."

She shook her head. "It's nothing." Then she blew on it, watching the white mist. After blowing for a while, she carried it forward with her sleeve.

"Why don't you eat before you leave?"

Ji Meiqing thought for a moment, then shook her head. "What if we can't go back now?"

"That's true."

The two left the narrow alley together and successfully left the city.

Hearing birds chirping along the way, I wasn't too afraid, perhaps because Lu Yu was beside me.

"I'll probably be busy these next few days. I'll prepare tomorrow; I probably won't be able to come back," she said suddenly.

Lu Yu had no objections and instead agreed with her, saying, "Then I'll organize my things tomorrow."

"Hmm." She raised an eyebrow, beaming with pride. "I've just given you a great gift; I'm sure you'll love it."

She swallowed the last wonton in her bowl in one gulp, and then sighed with satisfaction, "So delicious."

Wonton with shrimp...delicious.

She smacked her lips, looking at the empty bowl with a sense of loss.

It's late at night, I'm going home.

After thanking him, Ji Meiqing returned to her room. As she took off her clothes, she suddenly saw an unfamiliar face in the mirror. She stopped and unconsciously walked over.

The person in the bronze mirror wasn't very clear. She glanced at it a few times and then continued with her own business.

That day, when she got up, she made a point of looking outside.

Then I changed my clothes and went out.

The Lu family's house was almost finished, and the greenhouse construction had begun. Ji Meiqing went directly to the temporary work site to check on the yield.

Not too much, not too little, just enough to meet their requirements.

"Remember to clean this place thoroughly when you're on duty tonight. Otherwise, the dust in the wine will ruin its flavor."

"Oh." Qiu Jiaming didn't take it seriously and continued doing his own thing.

Ji Meiqing watched for a while longer before going back. She returned in the evening, carrying a piece of pork, which puzzled Qiu Jiaming.

She walked straight over and said, "I'm very sorry about what happened last time. I've been feeling like I did something wrong these past few days. So I went to the market and bought some fresh meat to apologize."

Qiu Jiaming looked at her suspiciously, not believing that she was genuinely there to deliver pork out of kindness.

She pursed her lips and tentatively said, "You're the boss, how dare I, a mere farmhand, be angry with you?"