Chapter 63 He Won’t Bow

As they were talking, there was a loud bang from the main room, and Song Zhi stuck out his tongue at Qin Xiaoning, "Come over quickly."

Seeing that Qin Xiaoning didn't move, Song Zhi pushed her and said, "Such a big commotion is just to inform you that someone is back and ask you to go over. Why don't you go over?"

"Why should I go there?" Qin Xiaoning was practicing calligraphy with a sneer on her face. "I haven't done anything wrong, so why do I have to go and appease him every time he gets angry with me for no reason?"

Songzhi was about to speak again when Si'er rushed in and said, "Sister Songzhi, the prince said he would have dinner at the mansion today. We can prepare vegetarian dishes in time, but meat dishes require more effort. Right now, the cook has only made the roasted pigeon that Miss Qin ordered. It's probably too late to prepare anything else."

Songzhi frowned, not knowing how to solve the problem. Qin Xiaoning said, "Then serve him the prepared squab. Tell him clearly that he didn't know he had to use it suddenly at home today and didn't have time to prepare it."

Although Lu Ji had a bad temper, he would never make things difficult for his servants over such trivial matters. But as for her, no matter what she did to provoke him, he would keep nagging her.

"Just do as Ning said." Songzhi finished explaining this to Si'er, then turned to ask Qin Xiaoning: "Would you like to go over and use it with the prince?"

Qin Xiaoning continued to concentrate on practicing calligraphy and simply replied "No."

"The roasted pigeon is for the prince. Please wait a moment and I will ask the kitchen to make another one for you." Songzhi said.

"No need, I'm not that hungry anyway, just give me another bowl of noodles."

When Songzhi left the back porch, she saw Si'er coming in with two food boxes and preparing to set the table for the main house. Si'er was still young and timid. Although she had Qin Xiaoning's idea, the little maid was still afraid to serve such simple meals to the prince.

"Sister Songzhi, please come in with me." Si'er said to Songzhi pitifully.

Songzhi took a food box and went into the main room with Si'er. Lu Ji was washing his hands when he saw the maid carrying the food box in to set the table. He asked expressionlessly, "Where is the person?"

Si'er looked at Songzhi in confusion when he heard this. Songzhi replied politely, "Miss Qin said she was using it in her room today."

Lu Ji said nothing after hearing this. He threw the towel he used to wash his hands into the basin, then sat down at the dining table. Glancing at the food the maid had served, he asked, "Is that all?"

Songzhi followed Qin Xiaoning's instructions and replied in detail: "The kitchen didn't know that the prince would have dinner at the mansion today, so they didn't prepare much. These were originally made for Miss Qin alone."

Lu Ji didn't say anything after hearing this. He just picked up the jade chopsticks, put them down again, and said to Song Zhi in a deep voice, "Bring these to her."

Then he ordered, "Bring me another bowl of noodles."

Si'er went to the small kitchen to report, and Songzhi put away the food and sent it to the back porch: "The prince asked to give the food to you, he eats noodles."

Qin Xiaoning said nothing when she heard this. She put down the wolf hair brush in her hand, sat down and ate slowly.

Qin Xiaoning had just finished her meal when she heard the sound of the door closing in the main room. She paused for a moment and continued eating.

When Songzhi came in to clear the dishes, he said, "The prince only ate a few mouthfuls of noodles and left. It seems he went to the study."

Songzhi glanced at Qin Xiaoning's face and asked, "Why are you so angry?"

Seeing that Qin Xiaoning didn't say anything, Song Zhi sighed slightly: "I'll go to the kitchen to get some snacks, you can take them to the prince." He also advised her: "You don't know the prince's temper, he is very proud and won't bend. As long as you go over and show your kindness, he will be happy."

Qin Xiaoning ignored him, stood up and stretched her waist: "I'll have someone prepare some hot water for me later. I'm going to bed early after taking a bath. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm sleepy."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Songzhi walked away shaking his head with his bowl and chopsticks.

Qin Xiaoning had almost no sleep the night before. That night, as soon as she touched the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep until she heard Song Zhi calling her, and then she woke up slowly.

Qin Xiaoning opened her eyes greedily: "What time is it?" "It's past the hour of dawn." Songzhi raised his hand and pulled open the curtains: "Look, it's already noon. If you don't get up, it will be too late to go to the private school."

Qin Xiaoning got up quickly. While she was getting dressed and washing up, Si'er came in with a bowl of hot bird's nest porridge. "Miss Qin, the bird's nest porridge has been cooked for a while. Mother Xu has been warming it in hot water. It's neither too hot nor too cold now, so it's just right to eat."

Songzhi glanced at the bird's nest that Si'er had placed on the table. While helping Qin Xiaoning pack up her school supplies bag, he chattered, "There are still quite a few bird's nests left from the last purchase. This was sent over yesterday by Amber. He said it was the newly-picked red swallows from the south, and they were sent over as fast as they could. This is a tribute, and only our family has the means to get it. If you put it outside, it would be priceless."

Qin Xiaoning took a bite with the white jade spoon, and just as she listened to Song Zhi's endless chatter, she put down the spoon: "If you keep talking, I really can't eat anymore."

Songzhi hurriedly stuffed the spoon back into her hand when he heard that. "No, no, no, this is such a rare thing. If you don't want to eat it, what are we going to do with it?"

Qin Xiaoning joked, "Then why don't you just get an incense table and offer it as a sacrifice."

"How can that be? This is what the young master took great pains to bring to you for nourishment." As he spoke, Song Zhi leaned close to Qin Xiaoning's ear and whispered, "Last night, the young master didn't go back to the main house to sleep. I heard from Zhu Feng that he slept in the study."

After saying that, Songzhi looked at Qin Xiaoning with a meaningful look.

Qin Xiaoning pretended not to hear and didn't say anything. She finished her porridge, took her school bag and left the house to go to the private school.

She arrived the latest today. All the girls from the private school had arrived. Because several noble ladies had come to the government girls' private school recently, when Qin Xiaoning entered the door, she saw a colorful scene.

As soon as she stepped over the threshold with her school bag, she saw a noble lady in bright red brocade clothes walking straight towards her.

"Oh my, Miss Qin is such a beauty."

It wasn't until this man spoke in a pinched voice that Qin Xiaoning remembered.

Isn’t this the Princess Huayang?

She smiled politely and said, "Hello, Princess Huayang."

"Don't call me Princess. It sounds strange."

As he spoke, Huayang came over and took Qin Xiaoning's arm, and asked warmly, "How old is Miss Qin?"

Qin Xiaoning calmly pulled her arm away and politely replied, "Seventeen."

"Yeah, we are the same age." Huayang then asked with a smile, "When was Miss Qin born?"

Qin Xiaoning replied: "June."

"She is only less than a month younger than me." Huayang said without hesitation, "Then I will call you Sister Qin from now on. I see that you two get along well. You don't have to call me Princess, just call me Sister."

The words sounded passionate, but to my ears, it seemed like she was being treated as a sister and was flattering herself.

Qin Xiaoning smiled faintly: "The princess is of noble status, I can't address you like that."

"Sister Qin, class is about to start, come over quickly."

The Sixth Miss frowned and called out to Qin Xiaoning.

Qin Xiaoning left Huayang and sat down next to the Sixth Miss. The Sixth Miss snorted and rolled her eyes at Princess Huayang. She said to Qin Xiaoning, "Sister Qin, don't be kind to everyone. Some people say one thing and mean another. I don't know what they are thinking."

(End of this chapter)