Chapter 59: The Timid Little Fox

 

Yihuan quickly said, “I can do it!”

Only then did Doctor Yu smile and reply, “Good, then. Tomorrow, you can come over and discuss the specifics with my apprentice.”

Yihuan thanked him repeatedly.

After Doctor Yu left, Yihuan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Liu Hexiao looked up and smiled. “Such a small matter, and it makes you this happy?”

Yihuan shot him a glance. “If Doctor Yu helps us distribute our goods, it means our food products might finally make their way into the Eastern Market. It’s a brand-new opportunity—a chance to boost the shop’s revenue.”

Liu Hexiao, however, said, “If you want to improve the shop’s revenue, this Chengji Hall isn’t necessarily the best path.”

Yihuan nodded in agreement. “True… Chengji Hall mainly serves common folk. It’s not a place frequented by nobles or officials. But for now, I don’t have any other way to reach the upper circles…”

Liu Hexiao put on a deliberately regretful expression. “No other way? Here I am, a perfectly capable man, yet you turn a blind eye to me?”

Yihuan retorted, “The freeloading Shizi, is it?”

Liu Hexiao: “…”

Yihuan raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.

Unwilling to admit defeat, Liu Hexiao said, “Breaking into the upper circles is no big deal! It’s simply a matter of categorizing people and meeting their needs.”

Yihuan looked at him curiously. “And how would you categorize them?”

Liu Hexiao began to think aloud. “Your food focuses on beverages and desserts, which makes it perfect for gatherings—things like poetry recitals or elegant socials among nobles, or even hunting events. If we divide by gender, you could offer refined, aesthetically pleasing foods for women. That would definitely catch their eye. As for men… if it’s outdoors, cool beverages would be the best option to beat the heat.”

Yihuan smiled and nodded. “Then what?”

Liu Hexiao continued, “I’ve never been to a ladies’ social, but I can imagine that most of them aren’t there for serious learning. It’s usually about feigned elegance, a way to cultivate an image of being both cultured and virtuous. So, you could play into that mindset and think about what foods would appeal to them.”

Yihuan thought for a moment. “In that case, the key would be to win over the organizers of these socials or poetry recitals…” Her bright eyes sparkled with an idea. “Soufflé would be perfect!”

Liu Hexiao frowned. “What’s soufflé?”

Yihuan chuckled. “A very delicate dessert.”

Hearing her description, Liu Hexiao couldn’t help but laugh. He went on, “The weather right now is perfect for gatherings. If you’ve made up your mind, I’ll find someone to help you make the connections.”

Yihuan’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Liu Hexiao smiled. “Have I ever lied to you?”

Yihuan followed up, “What else?”

Liu Hexiao blinked. “What do you mean, ‘what else’?”

Yihuan gave him an innocent look. “Didn’t you also mention hunting events?”

Liu Hexiao let out a helpless laugh. “You greedy little fox! Isn’t securing the socials enough? Now you want to sell at the hunting grounds too?”

At that moment, Liu Hexiao had a sudden thought: I can’t let those spoiled noble youths meet Yihuan!

Yihuan noticed his hesitation and asked, “Is there a problem?”

Liu Hexiao smiled slyly. “No problem at all… But those people aren’t easy to deal with. Don’t worry—I’ll handle it for you.”

Yihuan looked puzzled. “But I’ve met Young Master Cao and Young Master He. They seem quite decent.”

Liu Hexiao’s expression darkened. “What’s decent about them? Think about it—Cao Shixun has broken Miss Ziyan’s heart countless times! And He Ye? A shameless flirt who leaves a trail of heartbreak everywhere he goes… Don’t let their appearances fool you!”

Yihuan gave him a sideways glance and said with a touch of sarcasm, “I’ve heard that ‘birds of a same feather flock together.’ So… which group do you belong to, my dear Shizi?”

Liu Hexiao was momentarily stunned. Seeing the mischievous glint in Yihuan’s eyes, he neither hurried to defend himself nor grew angry. Instead, he replied calmly, “I’m no longer a shizi. Naturally, I’m on your side. If you want them to come and buy your food, I’ll drag them here if I have to.”

Such shameless devotion made Yihuan’s face flush with warmth. She felt both shy and annoyed. “No need for you to drag anyone!”

Liu Hexiao grinned and leaned closer. “Even if you don’t want me to, I’ll do it anyway.”

Yihuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Suit yourself!”

With that, she turned and headed to the small kitchen.

Their daily bickering never seemed to stop, but as they talked, a certain sweetness quietly crept into their hearts.

With a smile tugging at her lips, Yihuan began experimenting with how to make soufflé.

Yihuan silently recalled the steps to make soufflé as she pulled four eggs from the cupboard.

Soufflé is a dessert that requires meticulous preparation. First, the egg yolks and egg whites must be separated. Not a single drop of yolk can mix with the whites, or all the effort will be wasted later.

Yihuan carefully cracked a small hole in the eggshell, then slowly let the egg white drip into a separate bowl. Once the whites had all drained out, she broke the shell completely and placed the yolk into another bowl.

After finishing the separation for all four eggs, Liu Hexiao walked in.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m making soufflé,” Yihuan replied.

Liu Hexiao raised an eyebrow. “Starting so soon?”

Yihuan glanced at him. “Didn’t you say that once I’m ready, I could introduce it to the ladies at their gatherings?”

Rubbing his nose, Liu Hexiao muttered, “That’s true…” He knew Yihuan was someone who always acted swiftly on her ideas, so he relaxed and sat down nearby, watching her work with great interest.

Yihuan added a bit of lemon juice to both the egg yolks and egg whites. Seeing this, Liu Hexiao frowned slightly. “So sour! Are you planning to mess with me again?”

Yihuan shot him a quick glare. “I’m not as childish as you.”

With that, she picked up the whisk and began beating the mixture in circles.

She added the sugar to the egg whites in several batches, mixing tirelessly. Her arms moved in a steady, rapid rhythm, showing no signs of fatigue.

Standing up, Liu Hexiao leaned over to take a look. Watching her whirl the whisk over and over again, he asked, “How long do you have to keep this up?”

“It’s still a long way to go,” Yihuan replied. “I need to beat it until it forms fine, stable foam with soft peaks.”

Liu Hexiao’s expression darkened. “Doesn’t your arm hurt?”

Yihuan sighed. “There’s no choice…” If only she had an electric mixer!

Liu Hexiao’s lips tightened into a thin line. “Move aside.”

Yihuan blinked. “You?”

“Hand it over!” he ordered.

Still in a daze, Yihuan watched as Liu Hexiao grabbed the bowl and whisk from her hands and started whisking it himself.

His strength was far greater than hers, and as someone who had practiced martial arts, he had better control over his movements. Very quickly, fine bubbles began to appear. Yihuan was stunned. “You’re amazing!”

But Liu Hexiao wasn’t impressed. “Are you even a proper young lady?”

Yihuan froze. “What did you just say?”

He sighed. “Why do you always insist on doing these tiring tasks yourself? I’m right here. Would it really be so hard for you to ask me for help?”

Yihuan hesitated. “I… I’ve gotten used to it.”

Liu Hexiao glanced at her. “Well, from now on, you’ll need to get used to having me around. You don’t have to do everything on your own anymore.”

Standing beside him, Yihuan didn’t reply, but her heart felt a surge of warmth.

She turned her head slightly to look at him. The Liu Hexiao standing before her now seemed entirely different from the aloof and distant man he used to be.

His profile was sharp and clean, exuding an air of heroic charisma. At this moment, his brows were slightly furrowed as he concentrated on whisking the egg whites.

Yihuan’s eyes curved into a gentle smile as she quietly observed him.

Liu Hexiao lifted the whisk and examined the foam on it. “I never knew egg whites could turn into something like this.”

Turning his head, he caught Yihuan staring at him. For a moment, he froze.

Her clear eyes reflected his image, and the gentle smile on her lips seemed to carry a warmth that stirred his heart.

Their gazes met. For some reason, Yihuan suddenly felt flustered, as if her inner thoughts had been laid bare. She quickly turned her head, pretending to focus on the bowl.

Liu Hexiao smirked. “If you want to look, just look openly.”

Yihuan lowered her eyes. “Who’s looking at you?”

He chuckled softly. “You were just staring at me.”

“I wasn’t…” Yihuan protested.

While continuing to whisk the egg whites, Liu Hexiao teased, “You sly little fox, why can’t you ever be honest?”

Yihuan’s voice wavered. “What… what am I not being honest about? I… I don’t need your help anymore!”

She reached for the whisk, but Liu Hexiao grabbed her hand and looked straight into her eyes. “Still won’t admit it? Lin Yihuan.”

Yihuan froze, her face stiffening slightly.

Liu Hexiao’s voice grew serious. “Your last name isn’t Xie—it’s Lin. You’re the daughter of Minister Lin, Lin Yihuan. Your younger brother is the legitimate son, Lin Yiran, and you have an older brother, Lin Yi. Am I wrong?”

Yihuan’s pupils constricted as a bitter feeling welled up in her heart. She stared at him for a moment, then lowered her head.

Her voice was soft. “When did you find out?”

“That doesn’t matter,” Liu Hexiao replied. “What matters is, were you planning to keep this from me forever?”

Yihuan smiled bitterly. “What difference does it make, whether I tell you or not? It changes nothing.”

The identity of a criminal’s daughter was a chasm that separated them.

No matter how much Liu Hexiao distanced himself from the Prince Qi’s household, he was still a high-ranking noble, the future heir to the Prince Qi’s title.

And she? She wasn’t even considered an ordinary citizen, struggling to survive on the fringes of society.

They were worlds apart, and for either of them to compromise would be unfair.

Yihuan’s expression was calm, but her heart was a storm of emotions.

“There is a difference,” Liu Hexiao said firmly.

She turned her head, unwilling to continue the conversation.

Liu Hexiao set down the whisk and reached out with his strong arms, gently turning her to face him. “If you don’t tell me, how can I help you?”

“I don’t need your help,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

He paused, then leaned closer. “Lin Yihuan, can you stop being like this?”

In a low voice, she replied, “This is who I am. You don’t understand me.”

He looked at her deeply. “You’re a wonderful person, but why do you refuse to trust anyone from the bottom of your heart?”

Yihuan looked confused. “I do trust you.”

Should she just tell him outright that she was the daughter of a criminal and that they could never be together? If so, then what was the point of this closeness, these feelings that stirred in her heart day by day?

Her status as a criminal’s daughter would only bring him trouble and cause his family to shun him…

With her lips pressed into a thin line, Yihuan remained silent.

Liu Hexiao, however, lowered his head and said softly, “If you truly trusted me, if you saw me as one of your own, you wouldn’t have hidden it from me.”

He gazed into her eyes. “You appear smart and capable, always knowing what to do. But that’s only because life has forced you to be this way. You’re afraid you won’t be able to survive, afraid you can’t provide for your younger brother. That’s why you try to do everything yourself, forcing yourself to become this multifaceted person.”

“You don’t trust my feelings for you. That’s why you never rely on me—not even enough to tell me your real name. Are you afraid I’ll leave? Or that I’ll be dragged down with you? And what’s worse, you don’t even dare to face your own feelings for me. Isn’t that right?”

Yihuan’s face turned pale. She bit her lip and lowered her gaze.

Liu Hexiao’s eyes were filled with tenderness. “You timid little fox.” He gently cupped her face in his hands, his voice low and soothing. “Look at me.”

Translator’s Note:- Hello Dear Readers, I hope you enjoyed this novel so far. I want to let you know that next week will be last week of this novel as It will be completed in next week. So if you want to read in one go you can wait till then i.e 28 Feb 2025. Thank You !!

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