“What, couldn’t sell them again?” Pei Yan lazily lifted his eyelids and withdrew his hand.
“These aren’t for selling—they were made especially for you, sir. When you review documents at night, you can place them on your desk to keep you company.” Su He quickly picked one up, took his hand, and gently placed it in his palm.
“I’m not a three-year-old child.” Pei Yan pinched the small grass cricket and examined it for a moment, then casually prepared to toss it back onto the table. Even when he was three, he wouldn’t have played with such things.
By three, he had already begun martial arts training. His toys were a bow and arrow and a sword. He practiced from sunrise to sunset, through bitter winters and scorching summers, without interruption.
“I made this sincerely for you, sir.” Su He, quick as lightning, cupped his hand with both of her small ones, tilting her face upward with a serious expression. “I can’t afford any other gifts. All I have are these hands that can make little trinkets to help pass the time for you.”
Pei Yan tried to pull his hand back but found he couldn’t break free.
“Sir~” Su He gazed at him with bright, sparkling eyes and said cheerfully, “Although this grass cricket isn’t worth much, it’s quite fun. Shall I demonstrate for you?”
“Let go…” Pei Yan attempted to withdraw his hand again, but the next moment, his attention was captured by the flying grass cricket.
The grass cricket Su He had made wasn’t lifeless—it could fly!
Her snow-white fingertip pressed against the cricket’s rear. When she released it, the cricket leaped high into the air, its emerald-green wings spreading out as it truly took flight. The wind whistled through the hollowed abdomen of the cricket, producing a melodious chirping sound.
Pei Yan’s lips twitched, and his gaze involuntarily followed the cricket’s path.
Was this really made from worthless blades of grass?
“Sir, is it fun?” Su He asked with a smile.
“Hmm.” Pei Yan grew somewhat intrigued. He picked up another grass cricket from the table, examined it, placed it in his left palm, and pressed his right index finger firmly against its rear.
The cricket’s backside immediately split in two.
Squeak…
Pei Yan discarded the broken cricket, glanced at Su He, and sneered, “Is this another bowl of plain water?”
“Sir, it’s a grass cricket, not an iron lump. You should be gentler with it.” Su He bent down, her pale, luminous fingertip pressing against the cricket. With a gentle push and a lift of her finger, the cricket flew up again.
She had carefully cut green gauze for the cricket’s wings and meticulously glued them on. The hollowed abdomen was also intricately woven. These five crickets had taken her three hours to make, straining her eyes until they nearly glowed green. And with just one press of his finger, he had split one in half—he truly didn’t appreciate her effort.
“Try again, sir.” Su He took Pei Yan’s hand, cradling his long, pale fingers, and gently placed them on the grass cricket.
Pei Yan leaned slightly forward, his left arm encircling Su He’s waist as he whispered into her ear, “So clever today—what do you want?”
Su He pursed her lips and whispered back, “Nothing at all.”
“Little liar.” Pei Yan released his fingertip, and the cricket flew away.
It chirped softly as it soared past the emerald-green bamboo branches and landed on the damp, moss-covered stone well platform.
“Really, I don’t want anything today.” Su He hugged him, rubbing her small face against his chest, and said softly, “My lord helped me teach Old Marquis a lesson, and I wanted to thank you. I can’t afford anything expensive, so I thought of getting some fun little trinkets to help you pass the time.”
Su He possessed a cunning kind of honesty. Her attempts to please were direct, and her thoughts were all written on her face, yet Pei Yan found himself rather fond of it.
Pei Yan had originally intended to keep her in the manor for just a month. Deliberately ignoring her for a few days was also because he felt he shouldn’t invest too much thought in a young girl. But now, looking at these few grass crickets, he felt that having such a straightforward girl by his side wasn’t so bad.
“The grass crickets are nice. Speak, what do you want?” He took Su He’s hand and walked toward the room, asking casually.
“I want to sell herbal tea,” Su He immediately replied.
“Granted…” Pei Yan responded lazily, but before he could finish, he suddenly realized what she said and quickly turned to look at her. “You want what?”
“My lord already granted it.” Su He hugged him, tilting her little face up, and said with a smile, “My lord is a true gentleman; once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back!”
“If you want silver, I’ll give it to you. Why sell herbal tea?” Pei Yan glanced at her and said, “You have one chance. Name an amount. If you don’t, there won’t be another.”
“I want to sell herbal tea. A small tea shop in the East Market is being sold, and it only costs thirty taels of silver to take over,” Su He explained.
Pei Yan:…
Whose concubine or maid sells herbal tea outside?
“Such shallow ambitions,” he frowned, pushing her off him.
Su He knew he looked down on her, but she also clearly understood that at this stage, she couldn’t do any other business. It was the height of summer, and if she acted quickly, she could still sell herbal tea for two months. By autumn, she could sell pear soup and pear paste, and in winter, it would be even easier—steaming mutton soup so delicious it could make one’s tongue tingle.
“My lord, the shop only costs thirty taels. How about I consider you a partner? Or treat it as a loan from you. I’ve inquired; the shop is being sold urgently, and the location is good. Thirty taels is really a bargain.” Su He quickly followed him, diligently helping him undress.
“It’s against the rules,” Pei Yan said, lowering his gaze to look at her.
He was a head taller than her, and as he watched her bending her fair neck to busy herself in front of him, his heart softened again. He continued, “We’ll talk about it later.”
Later, when she left the manor, he could set up a shop for her. The young girl would have a way to make a living.
“Oh,” Su He drooped her eyes and let out a soft whimper. She hadn’t expected him to agree immediately. The silver was a small matter; the real challenge was getting him to let her go out.
Qiu Yun brought water with a young eunuch to attend to his washing. Su He stood to the side, handing him a towel. The candlelight reflected on her delicate, lovely face, and when her watery eyes looked at him, they appeared both charming and alluring.
“Ye Lang offered you twenty taels. Why didn’t you take it?” Pei Yan withdrew his gaze and walked to the couch to sit down.
“I sold him herbal tea, which should only cost one tael. Of course, I couldn’t take more,” Su He said softly.
“So afraid of getting involved with him?” Pei Yan patted the spot beside him, signaling for her to lie down.
Su He removed her clothes and slowly nestled into his arms to lie down. Yawning, she then leisurely said, “I’m afraid of getting involved with his mother. She’s too vicious when she scolds people. If I argue back, it would make me seem ill-mannered. If I don’t, I’d be wronging myself, so I can only avoid their whole family.”
Pei Yan’s hand slipped inside her clothes, kneading her slender waist unhurriedly, and he suddenly chuckled softly. He had considered many reasons but never thought of this one. The little thing’s answers always surprised him.
“The grass cricket was truly meant to amuse you, my lord. That night, I really did leave a bowl of chilled tea for you, and I even added sugar frost. Unfortunately, a small bug fell into it, so I didn’t dare serve it to you. But later, I thought, since everyone else had some, it would seem heartless if you alone didn’t. So, I foolishly brought you a bowl of plain water…” She leaned against Pei Yan’s chest, her voice growing softer and softer.
“Go on,” Pei Yan lowered his long lashes, his gaze sweeping over her flushed little face and settling on her loosened undergarment.
The view inside was enchanting, exceptionally fragrant and soft.
The grass cricket was amusing, but far less interesting than Su He. Pei Yan truly wanted to devour her bit by bit.