Having received Fourth Master’s praise, Lin Mingyan felt half of her anxiety ease away.
When she had just suggested drinking watermelon juice, Su Peisheng behind her had practically rushed forward, ready to test it for poison himself.
Even now, he was still glaring at her.
Lin Mingyan pretended not to notice and refilled Fourth Master’s cup.
Inwardly, she apologized to Su Peisheng: Sorry, but your master is the one who asked me to pour it.
Fourth Master drank three cups in a row before finally setting the cup down.
By then, it was much cooler.
It wasn’t entirely due to the watermelon juice—mainly because the little eunuchs had already brought in ice basins, placing them in every corner of the room.
Lin Mingyan also benefited, enjoying a wave of coolness.
She secretly eyed the watermelon juice in front of her. This pot only held about four or five cups, and Fourth Master had already polished off more than half.
She had worked hard all afternoon and hadn’t even tasted it yet.
Seeing that Fourth Master wasn’t as stern as people said, Lin Mingyan mustered her courage and said, “Ye, I’ve heard that chilled watermelon juice tastes even better.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Su Peisheng’s eyes widened even more.
He truly hadn’t expected this. This Lin Shi had just been so frightened she knelt down, and now she dared to make a request?
Fourth Master glanced at her, then shot a look at Su Peisheng. “Didn’t you hear what your Lin mistress said?”
“Why haven’t you taken it to chill?”
Su Peisheng hurried forward, took the pot, and placed it in the ice basin.
Inwardly, he began to view Lin Mingyan in a new light.
Regardless of anything else, her personality seemed to suit the master’s taste.
Looking at the master’s three current women—the Princess Consort was dignified, Concubine Song was timid, and neither pleased the master.
Only Concubine Li, with her charming and bright demeanor, had caught Ye’s eye.
Now, here came this Lin Shi. Her background wasn’t much, but at first glance, her temperament seemed even better than Concubine Li’s.
He’d better serve her carefully.
With the watermelon juice taken away to chill, Lin Mingyan couldn’t find anything to say, and Fourth Master wasn’t much of a talker either, so the atmosphere quickly turned awkward.
But Fourth Master had returned early today, originally planning to discuss some matters with the Princess Consort in the main courtyard. Unexpectedly, he had been driven out.
There was still some time before dinner, and since Lin Mingyan’s quarters were newly arranged and lacked everything, sitting around doing nothing wasn’t an option.
After placing the ice, Su Peisheng returned to find the two of them standing there like wooden posts.
He wondered if he should do a favor and have someone fetch the books Ye usually read.
Before he could speak, Lin Mingyan, unable to bear the silence any longer, smiled and said, “These two watermelons were borrowed from Du Juan. They aren’t the best variety—Ye probably didn’t find them to your taste, right?”
Hah~
This was interesting. Ye’s woman borrowing things from a maid?
Wasn’t this just a roundabout way of asking for things?
Su Peisheng, unable to get a word out, nearly choked on his own breath.
Fourth Master, however, grew interested and ordered, “Go fetch a few good varieties of watermelon. I’d like to try them too.”
He happened to have nothing to do, and his pent-up anger made it hard to settle down and read.
Having something novel and interesting to pass the time was just fine.
Su Peisheng arranged for someone to bring all the watermelons available in the Front Courtyard’s kitchen.
He didn’t limit it to watermelons either—many of the season’s good fruits were also brought over.
After all, they were all for juice. What if Ye needed them?
Before the watermelons arrived, Lin Mingyan had Du Juan and the others clean the tools they had just used and bring them over.
It was just a small stone mortar and pestle, looking cuter and more miniature than the kind used for pounding rice.
This was borrowed from the kitchen by Lin Mingyan through Du Juan.
Though called “borrowing,” it was essentially buying—after all, it would come in handy, if only to make juice for her own amusement.
Fourth Master had genuinely never seen such a thing before. While he couldn’t be called ignorant of basic necessities, he’d never had the chance to encounter a tool like this.
Now his interest was truly piqued. He picked up the stone pestle, examined it, gave it a few empty pounds, and studied it carefully.
When the fruits were brought in, Lin Mingyan’s eyes lit up.
Not only were there four or five watermelons, but also seven or eight Hami melons.
Behind them were many small baskets—one of loquats, one of cherries, and one of peaches—all a delight to behold.
Even more astonishing, Su Peisheng brought over a plate of lychees: “Ye, these lychees were sent by the ladies in the palace, so I brought them along as well.”
Good heavens~
Lin Mingyan was overjoyed inside: She had only wanted two watermelons, and now she got such a huge assortment?
Given the sheer quantity, the two of them couldn’t possibly finish it all today, especially since it was almost time for dinner and there wasn’t enough time.
Moreover, judging by Fourth Master’s temperament, he likely wouldn’t take back items that had been brought to his woman’s courtyard.
So, wouldn’t the leftover fruits end up benefiting her?
Since arriving in ancient times, her family hadn’t been well-off, and she hadn’t eaten any fruit for over a month.
Now, the look Lin Mingyan gave Fourth Master was one of blatant flattery.
She didn’t bother having the servants do it either, personally cutting the watermelon, removing the seeds, and placing it into the stone mortar.
She reached out to him for the pestle: “Ye, let this servant make the juice.”
Fourth Master, thoroughly engrossed, refused to hand it over. “What’s so difficult about this? Let me give it a try.”
With that, he brought the pestle down with a thud.
Splattered watermelon juice instantly soaked both their clothes.
Lin Mingyan: F*ck!
This was her best piece of clothing, nearly new, which she’d only worn today upon entering the mansion because she couldn’t bear to part with it.
She had no money to buy new clothes!
And by the looks of it, the Princess Consort wouldn’t provide any for the two of them either.
Ruined, ruined~
Fourth Master was also taken aback, then burst into laughter: “How amusing!”
He continued pounding, though this time he paid more attention to his strength.
Lin Mingyan wept inwardly: Amusing my foot!
Watermelon juice isn’t water-soluble and is terribly hard to wash out—this piece of clothing was done for~
Fortunately, after Fourth Master had pounded all the fruits, he’d had his fill of fun.
Seeing both their disheveled clothes, he felt a bit embarrassed.
He called Su Peisheng again to fetch fabric from the storeroom as compensation for her.
This time, Su Peisheng was genuinely impressed.
Goodness~
She hadn’t even gotten close to Fourth Master’s person yet, and she’d already received rewards twice.
If she were to serve him tonight, who knew how many more treasures she’d get!
No matter how sour Su Peisheng felt inside, his actions remained efficient.
Before dinner, he delivered over a dozen bolts of fabric in various colors and patterns.
There was also a wooden box of hairpins and ornaments. When Lin Mingyan received it, she was somewhat stunned.
The fabric was one thing, but were these accessories perhaps Su Peisheng’s way of currying favor with her by offering someone else’s flowers as a gift?
Maybe her expression was too obvious, because Fourth Master, who had changed his clothes, laughed: “Am I so poor that I can’t even afford to reward you with some jewelry?”
Lin Mingyan: You’re not poor—I’m the pauper!
She cheerfully accepted it, selected a carnelian pomegranate-shaped hairpin, and tucked it into her bun: “Thank you for the reward, master.”
Being able to respond so quickly was all thanks to reading so many Time Travel to Qing Dynasty novels.
To all the prolific authors, thank you!
Her reaction made Fourth Master smile as well.
Giving something and receiving thanks—a win-win for both giver and receiver.
Su Peisheng secretly gave a thumbs-up.
Du Juan and the others were beaming with joy, feeling that life now held promise.