Chapter 194: Daohua, the Little Sun

 Chapter 194: Daohua, the Little Sun

Daohua decided to leave the glass mirror with the Old Madam. Given the Old Madam’s age and deteriorating eyesight, the glass mirror would help her with grooming and be much clearer to use. As for the glass wine set, she gave it to Madam Li.

Madam Li often had social engagements, and since their family brewed grape wine, the glass cups would be perfect for serving wine to guests, adding a touch of elegance.

In the main courtyard.   

When Daohua brought the glass wine set to Madam Li, she was initially refused. “This set of wine vessels is delicate and small. You should keep it for yourself. I already have a fine set of Dehua kiln white porcelain at home, which is more than enough for entertaining guests.”

Daohua insisted, asking Wang Man’er to place the box down and smiling. “Mother, please accept it. If I accidentally break it, it would be a waste.”

Madam Li chuckled. “It’s not so easy to break. Just be careful with it.”

Daohua shrugged and quickly changed the topic. She noticed a plate of pastries on the table that she hadn’t seen before and immediately picked one up to try. “Mother, did you have the kitchen make these new pastries? They taste pretty good!”

Madam Li smiled and shook her head. “It’s not from the kitchen. Your father had them sent over. He thought they tasted good and wanted me to try them. If you like them, you can take some back with you later.”

Daohua paused with the pastry in her hand. “Father sent these?”

Madam Li nodded with a smile.

Recalling the incident earlier in the day when Steward Sun had brought the bird’s nest cake to her father, Daohua scoffed. “You gave Father the bird’s nest cake, and in return, he gives you two plates of pastries he bought from outside. What a bargain.” She put the pastry back down.

Madam Li shot her a glare. “Why speak of your father like that? He sent me the pastries because he was thinking of me. How is that a transaction?”

Daohua opened her mouth, wanting to tell her mother about how her father had given the bird’s nest cake to Concubine Lin, but when she saw the happiness on Madam Li’s face, her words got stuck in her throat.

Madam Li raised an eyebrow in surprise. “How did you know I gave your father the bird’s nest cake?”

Daohua lowered her gaze and shifted her attention. “Steward Sun mentioned it.”

Madam Li didn’t pay much attention to her response.

As the conversation continued, Daohua’s mood seemed to drop. Madam Li, thinking she was tired, said, “You’ve had a busy day. Go back and rest.”

Daohua nodded, stood up, and left with Wang Man’er.

As she stepped out of the room, she faintly heard Madam Li and the maid Ping Tong talking inside.

“Miss is really filial. She gave away such precious things, like the glass mirror and the glass wine set, without even thinking twice. She didn’t even say she would keep them for herself.”

“That girl is generous,” Madam Li replied, her voice full of warmth. “Put this glass wine set away carefully. It’ll be perfect when your father entertains guests.”

“Well, the Madam always thinks of the Master. But the Master is always thinking of the Madam too. He tasted the good pastries and immediately had someone send them to you. I heard from Steward Sun that those pastries aren’t even available in Shuangxin Courtyard. Clearly, the Master dotes on the Madam the most.”

Daohua didn’t want to listen any longer. She quickly left the main courtyard with Wang Man’er.

On the way back, Daohua couldn’t shake the image of Madam Li’s smiling face from her mind, and an overwhelming sense of bitterness and irony filled her heart.

Passing by the pavilion where she had seen Xiao Yeyang playing chess earlier, Daohua furrowed her brows and paused for a moment.

The words she had spoken to Xiao Yeyang that day were a mix of feelings—on one hand, she felt sorry for Madam Li, and on the other, she worried about her own future.

Even though she could earn her own living and support herself in this ancient world, society and her family would never allow her to remain unmarried.

The thought of marrying a man like her "cheap father" made her heart ache with a sense of unwillingness and frustration.

In the more than ten years since she had arrived in this world, she had been trying to adapt to this era. But her modern mindset, ingrained deep within her, was always with her, and she didn’t want to forget it.

Stuck between the rules of the times, she often felt conflicted—on one hand, she needed to adapt to the world around her, but on the other, she couldn’t be like the native women of this era, who were willing to sacrifice themselves for their families.

Sigh.

Madam Li let out a long sigh, wishing that time would pass more slowly. She didn’t want to grow up so quickly. 

At home, with her grandmother and mother protecting her, even though her father favored his concubine, he still spoiled her to some extent. For now, she could live freely, but once she got married... Thinking of her violent temper and unwillingness to be restrained, she could already imagine how chaotic life would be after marrying an ancient man.

Behind her, Wang Man’er looked at Daohua with concern. 

She could sense that the young lady was in a low mood.

Seeing someone who was usually so cheerful suddenly looking dejected really made her heart ache.

“Miss, let’s go back quickly. The parrot from the young prince is still waiting for you to feed it!”

Hearing the parrot mentioned, Daohua’s attention was diverted a little. “Oh right, I almost forgot about that little thing. Let’s go back then.”

Daohua Courtyard.  

When Daohua and Wang Man’er returned, Gu Yu and Li Xia were playing with the parrot, but unfortunately, the parrot was too proud and didn’t say a word to them.

“Miss, you’re back! Ever since the parrot came to our courtyard, it hasn’t said a word. It’s being so proud!” Li Xia said with a smile.

Daohua smiled and walked over. “Really? Let me take a look, I hope it hasn’t become mute.”

“Who’s mute? You’re the mute!” The parrot immediately retorted.

“Oh, it finally spoke! Miss, you really have a way with it,” Gu Yu and Li Xia laughed immediately.

Daohua walked under the eaves, smiling as she stood opposite the parrot and gently patted its small head.

The parrot, as if offended, swiftly turned around, leaving Daohua with its backside.

Seeing this, everyone burst into laughter.

“It’s just like its owner, both of them have ridiculous tempers,” Daohua laughed, tapping the parrot’s head with a spoon. She took the sunflower seeds that Wang Man’er had brought from the house and smiled, “I can’t control him, but can’t I train you, little thing?”

“Come on, say something lucky. If you make me laugh, I’ll give you plenty of sunflower seeds. If you say something bad, I’ll let you go hungry for a couple of days.”

The parrot turned around, looked at the sunflower seeds, then at Daohua, and immediately caved. “Daohua is really cute!”

“I know that already, no need for you to say it.”

“Daohua is really beautiful!”

“I know that too.”

“Daohua is a little fairy!”

“Haha, that’s a bit exaggerated, but it sounds nice. Here, I’ll give you some food. Continue!”

“Daohua is a cute, beautiful little fairy.”

“Are you insisting on this? If you keep repeating it, it’ll get boring.”

“Daohua is a little sun, wherever she goes, it shines.”

“Hey, that’s a good one! You’ve earned a reward!”

Behind them, Wang Man’er and the others were happily watching the back-and-forth between Daohua and the parrot.

Gu Yu covered her mouth and smiled, “Isn’t this parrot just a flatterer?”

Wang Man’er laughed and added, “This is a parrot that entertains the miss, sent by the young prince to cheer her up.” She glanced at Daohua.

Seeing her relaxed expression, she felt relieved.

She thought to herself, as expected, the young prince understands the miss better, and his gift was exactly what she liked.

‘Daohua is a little sun!’

Wang Man’er smiled to herself. The parrot couldn’t have come up with that; it must have been something the young prince had told it, and the parrot just picked it up.

(End of chapter)