Chapter 126: Pocket Watch

 Chapter 126: Pocket Watch

"What’s this?" 

After getting into their carriage, Daohua pointed at the jewelry box in Madam Li’s hands.

Madam Li looked at her daughter in surprise. "You don’t know?"

Daohua shook her head.

Madam Li placed the jewelry box on Daohua's lap. "This is a gift from His Highness the Prince, sent by the Zhou family’s young master. He said it’s a reward for you both."

Daohua’s face lit up with joy. "Xiao Yeyang didn’t go back on his word!" She eagerly opened the box, and immediately, a set of delicate pearl hair ornaments appeared in front of her eyes.

"So beautiful!" Yan Yihuan couldn’t help but exclaim.

Even Madam Li, who had seen many fine items, had her eyes widen in admiration.

The set of pearl hairpieces was exquisitely crafted and small enough for a young girl to wear. It had taken Defu quite some time to find this perfect set.

Daohua picked up a butterfly-shaped hairpin made from rice-sized pearls, marveling, "The craftsmanship is so exquisite." The butterfly was vivid and lifelike, as if ready to take flight.

Madam Li smiled. "Now you have a proper hair accessory for when you attend gatherings." Her daughter didn’t have many jewelry pieces, as their family had more pressing financial needs, so she hadn’t been able to buy much.

Daohua nodded, and her eyes caught Yan Yihuan's envious gaze. She smiled and passed the jewelry box to her. "Second Sister, pick one."

Since it was a set made for young girls, there were many styles, and Daohua had four of the butterfly hairpins alone, not counting the various flower-shaped hairpins.

Yan Yihuan quickly shook her head. "But it’s for you, Big Sister. How could I take it?"

Daohua said, "It’s fine, there are plenty."

When Yan Yihuan still wouldn’t pick one, Daohua thought for a moment and simply placed one of the butterfly hairpins into Yan Yihuan’s hair.

"There are exactly four butterflies, one for each of us sisters."

Madam Li, sitting nearby, didn’t interfere with Daohua’s choice. She was happy to see her daughter being so generous, and she was particularly pleased with the way Daohua distributed the gifts.

This time, she hadn’t brought Yishuang and Yile along. No matter how good her reasons, there would always be someone unhappy at home. But now, Daohua had received a whole set of hair accessories, and if she didn’t share with her three younger sisters, people would say she was hoarding them.

"Thank you, Big Sister."

Yan Yihuan touched the butterfly hairpin in her hair, her face beaming with happiness.

"No need to be polite!"

Daohua closed the jewelry box and handed it back to Madam Li for safekeeping.

Madam Li took the box and then handed Daohua a small purse.

Daohua looked at it in confusion. "Mother, why are you giving me a purse?"

Madam Li explained, "Before we boarded the boat, your third brother came by and said it was for you. I didn’t open it to see what’s inside."

Daohua became interested. "Is this a reward from Third Brother?"

When she opened the purse, a golden pocket watch was revealed.

"Ah!"

If Daohua had been delighted to see the pearl hairpieces, the pocket watch brought a sense of surprise. She had just been complaining about not being able to check the time while traveling, and now a pocket watch had arrived so quickly.

Yan Yihuan had never seen a pocket watch and didn’t understand its significance, but Madam Li’s expression changed upon seeing it.

She had never seen such an item before, but she had heard about it. It was said to be an expensive foreign tribute, and only the royal family and close relatives had access to such things.

This was something Yan Wentao could never have gotten his hands on!

It had to be a gift from Xiao Yeyang.

But Daohua wasn’t thinking about that. She happily put the pocket watch around her neck and opened the cover to check the time. Smiling, she said to Madam Li, "Mother, it’s already the third watch of the night (7:45 PM)."

Madam Li’s face stiffened slightly. "Is it really okay to accept this?"

Daohua, realizing the pocket watch likely wasn’t something Third Brother could have given her, smiled and nodded. "It’s fine. But I should think of a way to send a gift back to Xiao Yeyang."

She suddenly slapped her forehead. "My chrysanthemum wine! I completely forgot about it. I should have given it to Xiao Yeyang."

Hearing this, Madam Li’s face twitched slightly.

The prince had given her a valuable pocket watch, and her daughter was considering returning it with just a few bottles of chrysanthemum wine?

Yan Yihuan, curious, asked, "Big Sister, what’s this for?"

Daohua smiled. "It’s for telling the time."

At that moment, the voice of Madam Qian came from outside the carriage.

"Sister Li, our carriage has a problem. May I and Bilan take your carriage back to Xingzhou City?"

Madam Li quickly lifted the carriage curtain and smiled. "Of course, come on up."

Madam Qian immediately helped Qian Bilan onto the carriage.

Daohua quickly moved to sit beside Madam Li, making room on the left for Madam Qian and her daughter.

After climbing mountains all day, Daohua was exhausted. She had originally planned to rest in the carriage, but with guests joining them, she had to perk up.

"Yanyan, Ermei!" Qian Bilan greeted Daohua and Yan Yihuan once seated.

Madam Qian had already started chatting with Madam Li.

Both mothers' eyes landed on the butterfly hairpin in Yan Yihuan’s hair. As for the pocket watch around Daohua's neck, neither of them recognized it, so they assumed it was a golden pendant.

"Is this the reward from His Highness the Prince?" Qian Bilan asked enviously, looking at Yan Yihuan. "It’s really beautiful."

Madam Qian joined in with the praise, and the conversation kept circling back to Xiao Yeyang.

Daohua was actually quite tired of this kind of polite chatter, but she had to smile and play along. Otherwise, the next day, rumors about her being arrogant and looking down on others would spread throughout Xingzhou City.

Seeing her daughter’s eyelids drooping, Madam Li did her best to shield Daohua from Madam Qian and Bilan’s questioning.

When they finally arrived back at the Prefectural office's courtyard, it was already dark, and Daohua was ready to collapse from exhaustion.  

"Alright, I’ll go speak with your grandmother. You go back to your courtyard and rest," Madam Li called Wang Man’er to help Daohua back to Daohua Xuan.

Daohua shook her head and yawned. "No, Grandmother must be worried since she hasn’t seen me all day. It won’t take long."

After the family had dinner, no one had left the old lady's courtyard. They were all waiting for Madam Li and the others to return.

When Yan Zhigao saw Madam Li with Daohua and Yan Yihuan, he let out a sigh of relief. "Why are you back so late?" 

Madam Li didn’t want to mention that Madam Zhou had kept them waiting for Xiao Yeyang, so she smiled and said, "There were a lot of people, and everyone was in good spirits, so we ended up coming back late." She then pushed Daohua and Yan Yihuan forward.

"These two girls played all day and are exhausted. Hurry up and have them greet your grandmother so they can go to bed."

The old lady had already noticed the tiredness on Daohua’s face, while Yan Yihuan still seemed full of energy. "Alright, alright, go rest. Don’t worry about greeting me."

Daohua didn’t insist. "Grandmother, I’ll go rest now. I’ll come back tomorrow to chat with you."

Just then, Yan Yile spotted the butterfly hairpin in Yan Yihuan’s hair and exclaimed, "Second Sister, where did you get that hairpin?"

Daohua didn’t answer and, after greeting the elders, left the room.

After Daohua left, Yan Yihuan smiled and said, "It was Big Sister who gave it to me."

Yan Yile immediately ran over. "I want one too, I want one too."

Yan Yishuang, sitting beside Yan Zhigao, also looked at the hairpin with longing.

Madam Li smiled. "Alright, you’ll all get one."

Yan Zhigao chimed in, "This hairpin is made of pearls. It looks very valuable. Where did it come from?"

Madam Li explained, "While we were on Xiangxia Mountain, we met His Highness the Prince. Daohua and Miss Zhou had a mountain-climbing contest with His Highness, and this was the prize for the winner." 

Yan Zhigao’s expression shifted. "You met His Highness the Prince?"

Madam Li smiled. "Not only did we meet the Prince, but our boys, Wenkai, Wentao, and the Prince, are in the same class now."

(End of Chapter)