CH 124.2

Chapter 124.2 – Innocent and Cute

The streets on the first day of New Year were actually quite lively. Although most of the shops on the street were closed and there were no hawkers setting up stalls on the roadside, many people went out to visit their relatives and neighbors on the first day of the New Year. Children especially, flocked to other people’s homes to pay their New Year’s greetings, satisfied from being able to exchange a few auspicious words with a few copper coins or a few candies.

However, such activities were clearly unrelated to Lu Sheng. There were also people at the princess’s mansion who came to send their New Year’s greetings, but Qi Yang had always been too lazy to care about it, and Zhi Ting always went to dismiss them. As for going out to pay New Year’s greetings, Qi Yang naturally wouldn’t go in person, and Lu Sheng didn’t have the identity to go.

The family of three rested in the mansion for half a day. In the afternoon, when the weather cleared up slightly, and Lu Qipei and the two of them went out to play.

Lu Sheng still walked too slow with her short legs and was held by Lu Qipei when they went out. She rarely had the opportunity to go out, and cherished every one of them. She was not afraid of the winter cold, and found everything fresh and new.

Lu Qipei walked for a while with Lu Sheng in her arms and noticed that the child was particularly excited when she occasionally saw firecrackers exploding on the street. She poked her head to watch the children on the street setting off firecrackers. The sound of the firecrackers spooked her several times, but she still watched it with great interest.

Qi Yang also noticed it and pointed at several children who were setting off firecrackers in the distance, asking Lu Sheng, “Ah Sheng, do you like firecrackers?”

Lu Sheng’s eyes were sparkling, full of interest in new things, and she nodded in response, “It’s fun.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Yang took out a few copper coins from Lu Qipei’s wallet. When several children passed by her, she exchanged them for some firecrackers. The child who exchanged the firecracker with her was quite generous and also gave her a freshly lit incense.

Lu Sheng’s eyes lit up when she saw this. Unexpectedly, Qi Yang did not give her the firecracker. She blinked at the child and then, taking advantage of Lu Qipei’s lack of attention, lit a firecracker and threw it directly at her feet.

With a muffled bang, the firecrackers exploded. Lu Qipei was taken aback in surprise and jumped back two steps with Lu Sheng in her arms. By the time she realized what had happened, Lu Sheng in her arms and Qi Yang who was holding firecrackers by the side, was already bending over in laughter.

Lu Qipei, who had just been teased by her wife: “…”

Lu Qipei had no temper, especially towards Qi Yang, who was laughing happily. She only felt helpless and pampering towards her childish behavior. Finally, after holding back for a while, she no longer held back and also smiled, saying, “Your Highness is really… innocent and cute.”

Qi Yang didn’t feel anything when she set off the firecrackers to scare her, but she was a bit embarrassed when Lu Qipei described her just now. Not because she was playing tricks on someone, but because she was being childish.

She coughed lightly, and casually shoved the firecrackers she had spent money on to a passing child, completely ignoring Lu Sheng’s pitiful gaze. In the end, she touched the child’s head and said earnestly, “Ah Sheng is still young. It’s not fun, and it’s not good if you hurt yourself. There should be fireworks being prepared at the mansion, we can show them to you when it gets dark at night, alright?”

Lu Sheng was wronged but couldn’t say anything. She had never seen fireworks, so in the end she compromised and agreed.

The child was so obedient that Qi Yang was too embarrassed to tease her again. The three of them strolled along the street for a while until they reached southern part of the city. It was where business was most prosperous, and the street market became somewhat lively.

It seemed like everyone had no shortage of money during the New Year. The stores that were closed were really deserted, but the stores that were open were very lively.

Lu Qipei and Qi Yang wandered around casually, and unknowingly turned into a narrow street selling food – the road was lined with stalls selling food, all of them light snacks. Food from everywhere seemed to have gathered in one place, and you can smell the fragrance from afar. Regardless of whether the food was good or not, the aroma itself was already enough to make people hungry.

Let alone Lu Sheng, even Qi Yang had never been to such a place before, and she was quite curious for a while.

Lu Qipei smiled at the sight and walked in hugging Lu Sheng and holding hands with Qi Yang. “Ah Ning has never been to such a place before, right? Let’s go in and have a look. Even if we don’t eat anything, we can join in the fun. But there’s too many people here, so Ah Ning needs to hold on to me tightly. It’s not good if you get lost.”

Qi Yang felt as if she was talking to a child, but looking at the crowd, she wisely didn’t say anything and silently held Lu Qipei tightly. After walking into the street, she ended up feeling fine. After all, the three of them didn’t go out alone, and there were always a few servants accompanying them. They would just follow them silently when there weren’t many people, but when there were a lot of people, they would come forward to make a path.

Lu Qipei said to just take a look, but once they really walked into the place, how could they just look under the influence of the surrounding atmosphere?

Before long, Lu Sheng had a bag of candied fruit in her hand, while Qi Yang had a bag of sugar-coated roasted chestnuts. As for the other snacks that were discarded after they tasted them, they were in the hands of the servants who were opening up the way around them.

Qi Yang peeled a chestnut and fed it to Lu Qipei’s mouth, saying, “Want to try the sweets?’

Lu Qipei naturally ate it and smiled back, “It’s sweet.”

Qi Yang was very satisfied, and turned her head to see Lu Sheng eagerly looking at her. She peeled another one and fed it to the child’s mouth. Lu Sheng immediately smiled and narrowed her eyes, saying in a crisp voice, “It’s sweet, delicious.”

The three of them shopped and ate, and the atmosphere was harmonious. Suddenly, Lu Qipei felt someone that someone had taken something from her clothes. She was still hugging Lu Sheng, and her first reaction was that she had been pickpocketed. She raised her hand and touched her waist, and sure enough, her purse and jade pendant were gone!

Her face instantly changed, and Qi Yang next to her immediately noticed and asked, “What’s the matter?”

However, Lu Qipei handed Lu Sheng to her arms and said, “My purse and jade pendant have been stolen, I have to go and get them back.”

Their value was secondary, and neither of them lacked money. But things like purses and jade pendants were personal items, and it was not good to let them fall into someone else’s hands. Especially now, during the tumultuous times. Before the dust completely settled, Lu Qipei was also very sensitive and vigilant.

Qi Yang subconsciously received Lu Sheng, and wanted the servants to give chase, but when she turned around, she saw Lu Qipei running and disappearing into the crowd. She stomped her feet in anger and sent two servants after her, but she could only hold onto Lu Sheng and wait on the street.

Author notes:

Lu Qipei (joking): Your Highness is so innocent and cute…

Qi Yang (threatening): Shut up, do you want to be blown up by firecrackers!?

Lu Qipei (…): Cannot be messed with, cannot be messed with!