Chapter 138: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
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**Chapter 138: Sweet Cherry Drink**
Since Suisui said she was fine, everyone felt more at ease. The children had been playing for a while and were getting tired.
Ying Ning kept asking for water, and as soon as Su Xiangzhi heard this, she chimed in, also asking for a drink. Hearing this made Suisui realize she was a bit thirsty too.
As the group of children excitedly returned, Aunt Qiu had already prepared the snacks.
Suisui held hands with Ying Zhi on her left and Liu Hemeng on her right, happily returning together. Ying Junzhi led the other brothers behind them, like loyal and dependable knights.
Once inside, Aunt Qiu took them to a side room for refreshments.
"The cherries were sent early from the manor today. They're just starting to ripen and are still a bit sour. The kitchen has cooked them with milk, added osmanthus honey, and sprinkled with walnut pieces. You all must try it! If it's still too sour, there’s sugar nearby to add," she explained.
"The pastries are lotus flower pastries, pickled plums, and flaky walnuts."
As Aunt Qiu guided them, she described the treats prepared for the visit of the Grand Princess and her entourage.
Ying Zhi, meanwhile, leaned in and whispered to Suisui, "Suisui, do you want to come back to my place? It's so nice there! You can hug me and sleep with me, and I'll share my clothes and toys with you, okay?"
Liu Hemeng wanted to join in but knew Suisui's circumstances, so she held back her words. She thought her grandfather had said she was here to keep Suisui company and not to take her away.
The young masters from the Wang family were not easy to deal with, and unlike Ying Zhi, who had several brothers for support, Liu Hemeng didn't feel confident in a confrontation.
Today's tea snacks featured cherries, which Suisui had never seen before. Although they were grown in Qingzhou, they weren't available in her village.
Now that the cherries were just beginning to ripen, they had to be selected carefully from the trees, picking the best ones exposed to sunlight.
Even so, they were still a bit early, having just a touch of sourness. When fully ripe, they would have a sweet taste with a hint of tartness to balance the flavor.
Seeing Suisui curiously eyeing the tea cup, Ying Zhi teased, "What's in the bowl, gold?"
Suisui, slightly embarrassed but not really upset, replied softly, "Little red fruits."
The cherries had been pitted by the chef and cooked with milk, then cooled before adding osmanthus honey and walnut pieces. The sight of the little fruits floating in the drink was tantalizing.
Ying Zhi nodded in understanding, "These must be the early cherries. My father says it's harder to grow them here in the capital due to the cooler climate. If we went a bit south, like to Qingzhou or Xinzhu, we could eat them right away."
After a moment of contemplation, she thought about whether the cherries were ripe at Prince Qi's estate. She really liked cherries and planned to ask her family when she got home if they were ready for picking.
When she caught Suisui’s puzzled gaze, Ying Zhi smiled and set aside her thoughts. "This batch is the bright red ones, but they’re not the sweetest. My favorite are the wax cherries. Their skin is tender and sweet, even without cooking. If you soak them in sugar and pour some tea over them... mmm, delicious!"
Her description was so vivid that Suisui couldn’t help but drool a little.
Not wanting to embarrass herself, Suisui quickly took a sip of the drink. It was technically a fruit drink rather than tea, as there was no base tea today—just simple cherry juice.
The first taste was the light sweetness of osmanthus honey, and after swirling it around in her mouth, she finally caught the sweet and sour flavor of the cherries, along with a slight astringency.
Since the cherries were still young, there was a bit of greenness to them. However, this bitterness quickly faded, giving way to a delightful sweet and sour taste that left her wanting more.
The walnuts were roasted and crushed, mingling with the milky aroma and the sweetness of the cherries, creating a delicious experience in her mouth.
Originally drawn by her curiosity, Suisui now exclaimed, "Sister, this is delicious!"
Her bright, round eyes resembled a curious little raccoon, making Ying Zhi struggle to keep her hands from reaching out.
She thought to herself: "When I get home, I need to ask my mother if she can have another little sister."
It wasn't that she thought Suisui was unlovable; rather, she just felt that her own brothers were so disappointing. They probably wouldn’t stand a chance against the princes from the Qi's.
If she couldn't compete, she might as well find a way to bring home another sister.
But how long would it take for her mother to have another child? And would that sibling be as cute as Suisui?
Lost in her thoughts, Ying Zhi found herself uncertain.
Liu Hemeng, on the other hand, didn’t have such worries. After thanking Aunt Qiu, she obediently sat next to Suisui and tried the cherry drink, finding it indeed delicious.
However, for Liu Hemeng, who came from a good family, such treats were just seasonal snacks she often enjoyed, so they didn't seem particularly new to her.
Rather than indulge herself, Liu Hemeng was more interested in feeding her new little sister.
Seeing Ying Zhi’s sparkling eyes as she reached for a lotus flower pastry, Liu Hemeng felt she couldn't fall behind.
She had her sights set on the flaky walnuts, preparing to serve them to Suisui.
While the children enjoyed their snacks, they began to discuss the previous explosion incident. It was during this conversation that Qi Wangfei cautiously asked, "So, should we let Junzhi continue his experiments?"
Junzhi had shown an interest in fireworks since he was young. He had a good talent and a sharp memory, but the instability of the materials made them dangerous to work with.
One little mistake, and things could end up like the explosion they had just experienced.
The Qi Wangfei recalled that the Grand Princess had previously disapproved of Junzhi's experiments. However, after seeing how much he enjoyed it, she had reluctantly agreed.
After this incident, would they still allow him to pursue such dangerous research?
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