Yi Xin as a concubine

Chapter 138 Chu Duanhong, Save Your Son

The meal was so tasteless that Xin Baoer even felt a little sympathetic for the child sitting upright next to Chu Xingchen.

Xiaobao seemed to realize that he was unpopular. He ate obediently by himself with a tense face, in stark contrast to Xiang Qing, who had a motherly smile on her face the whole time and kept saying, "I prepared this specially for you, and I asked someone to make that for you."

Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, Lancao got up and went to the kitchen. Not long after, she carefully brought in a plate of pastries that smelled of eggs.

"Wow, what is that? It smells so good?" Wangchuan, who was sitting at the door, stood up after smelling the scent and exclaimed exaggeratedly.

"It smells good, doesn't it? This is something our girl researched and made herself, specially for the young master's birthday. It's just that we didn't find any milk, otherwise it would be even more delicious and beautiful."

When Lancao said this, she raised her chin proudly and glanced at the mother and son sitting on the main seat. The meaning of showing off was too obvious.

Xin Baoer found it funny but didn't want to cause any more trouble. After all, she had too much work to do and no time to deal with some self-righteous fools.

"Lancao, I asked you to bring it here to eat, not to show off. Hurry up and give it to today's birthday boy."

"Yes." He said yes, but he still had a little idea in mind. He walked around Xin Baoer's side and placed the cake carefully between Chu Xingchen and Xiaobao. At the same time, he did not forget to vigilantly glance at the lady and the two little ladies who loved to stir up trouble.

It's not that Lancao is too cautious, she is really afraid that those people will have bad intentions and ruin the cake that she has tried so hard to make. After all, her arms are still sore, and beating egg whites manually is really too tiring.

"Young Master, light this candle, make a wish, then blow it out, and then you can cut the cake and eat it."

Lancao lit a candle that was specially made into the shape of a small flag, carefully inserted it into the cake, and explained.

"Why is the candle a small flag?" The child was still curious and finally couldn't help asking.

"It was the young lady who asked me to do this. I don't understand why. Please make a wish first, otherwise the wax will drip onto the cake." Lancao reminded.

"okay."

The little boy didn't quite know how to make a wish, and subconsciously looked at Xin Baoer opposite him.

Xin Baoer seemed to sense something and smiled softly and calmly. Then she clasped her hands together, slowly closed her watery little deer eyes, and her rosy lips like petals opened and closed slightly.

The little boy followed suit and slowly closed his eyes, wishing quietly in his heart, "I hope this beautiful aunt can forgive me."

After making the wish, he was about to stand up to thank Xin Baoer, but he saw from the corner of his eye that his mother's face was becoming increasingly gloomy, so he didn't stand up. The smile on her little face, which had just relaxed, gradually collapsed and became slightly tense. Compared to crying, this disguise was more heartbreaking.

Xin Baoer lowered her head and stopped looking over there, signaling Chu Xingchen who was looking over to take Xiaobao to cut the cake.

Chu Xingchen's expression was also a little gloomy, but considering the child, he endured it in the end. He glanced in Xiang Qing's direction with a warning, and softened his voice.

"Xiaobao, come, Daddy will cut the cake with you."

Lancao handed over the cutting knife with great discernment, then ran to get a stack of small plates and waited obediently behind Chu Xingchen.

Xiaobao has small hands and has always been taken care of carefully, so he doesn't have much strength in his hands. With the help of Chu Xingchen, he made two cuts, one horizontally and one vertically, and then he was out of strength.

Chu Xingchen helped him cut off a small piece and let him eat it first, and then asked Lancao to take the rest and share it with everyone.

There was some reluctance in the little boy's eyes, but his father had told him that he should learn to share. If happy things are shared, there will be more happiness, and if sad things are shared, there will be less sadness. Thinking of this, he no longer felt sorry for the big piece that was taken away, and concentrated on eating the small piece on his plate.

But the child's thoughts could not escape his mother's eyes. Xiang Qing felt distressed when she saw her son's reluctant look. Seeing that Lancao had finished dividing the main table and was about to divide the table for the servants, she quickly spoke out to stop him.

"Well, it's fine for the masters to have a taste. How can a servant compete with a young master for food? The rest can be saved for Xiaobao as a snack."

Xin Baoer frowned, looked up and saw the woman who was raising her hand to wipe Xiaobao's mouth. She was smiling gently and didn't say anything.

It seems that after a few years of hard life, a well-fed and well-clothed lady has finally turned into a petty, short-sighted little woman in the inner chamber. How sad and lamentable!

Chu Xingchen looked at the woman who took a big bite and had the nerve to stop others from eating. He sighed helplessly and powerlessly. He almost forgot what that gentle, generous and graceful woman was like.

She silently distributed most of the cakes on the plate to Xiaobao, who was still not satisfied, and said to Lancao with a cold face, "Madam, you are joking. Keep sharing."

Xin Baoer was afraid that the child would be too full. After all, he had just eaten a lot. If he had a stomachache or something afterwards, it would be her fault. So she smiled and said the first words of the day to Xiaobao.

"Little boy, no matter how delicious something is, don't eat too much! Being greedy can easily cause a stomachache."

Hearing this, Xiao Bao looked at the piece of cake that his father had just given him, closed his eyes, and whispered, "Daddy, I've had enough, you can eat it yourself!"

The little look that looked as if it had been cut off made Xin Baoer's heart melt, and all the previous unhappiness was forgotten.

Ignoring Xiang Qing's murderous look, she smiled and said, "Xiaobao, I'll tell you a secret. Only my sister Lancao can make such a delicious cake. If you want to eat it again in the future, you have to find a way yourself."

"Look at what you said, sister. Isn't it just ordering your maid around? Does a little maid have to make the master beg her for permission?" Zheng Youlan quickly ate the pastries on the plate in small bites while provoking in a sarcastic tone.

"I don't seem to be older than you, Miss Zheng, don't call me that. I can't control other people's maids, but other people really can't order my people around. After all, I spend my own money to support them, and no one has the right to say anything, including the Second Master." Xin Baoer said coldly.

"Mrs. Xin is so arrogant. Now that you are married to my master, you must obey my orders. You are just a concubine, but you still think you are a big shot because you are still favored by me."

After hearing what Xin Baoer said, Xiang Qing, who had originally been thinking of asking for Lancao to make more cakes for her and her son, became even angrier and couldn't help cursing.

Who is this warning to? As if no one cares.

Looking at his mother who spoke so harshly, Xiao Bao felt even more confused and helpless. He didn't know how to persuade her, so he could only carefully pull his mother under the table, signaling her to stop talking.

"Then why don't I feel that Madam listens to the Second Master in everything?" Xin Baoer asked back.

"You~, you are just a lowly concubine, a merchant girl who is not worthy of being in the limelight. What qualifications do you have to compare with me? I am the lady..." Xiang Qing was so angry that she stood up and shouted.

"That's enough. Look at what you look like now."

Chu Xingchen left the dining room after he finished speaking, and the meal ended in an unpleasant way.

However, it had little effect on Xin Baoer and others. They had a good meal and a good sleep all night.

Early the next morning, before it was completely light, Xin Baoer was woken up by Wei Yu to exercise. When Wang Chuan was ordered to find her, he was almost exhausted.

In the end, Wei Yu carried him to Chu Xingchen's study.

After sitting down, I gave him water and wiped his sweat. It took a lot of effort before he finally recovered.

"Second Master, what do you want to talk to me about?" Xin Baoer asked weakly.

"It's nothing serious. I just wanted to formally start Xiaobao's education, so I decided to give him a good name. I've thought of a few names for you to refer to." He handed Xin Baoer a piece of paper and motioned for her to read it.

"Be upright, follow the rules, and uphold the truth. Your purpose is too obvious. It will undermine the child's self-esteem."

“Qixian, Dezhao, and Yiliang all mean virtuous and beautiful, which are good meanings, but I prefer the two words Duanhong. “Duan” means upright and square, and “Hong” means grand and magnificent. It means that the child can maintain a good character and have great ambitions and achievements.”

Xin Baoer commented on several names and finally said, "Chu Duanhong, it contains both advice and blessings, which is good."

Chu Xingchen smiled when he heard this, and shouted behind the screen: "Xiaobao, what do you think?"

Xiao Bao blushed as he ran over and bowed. "Thank you, uncle and aunt Chu Duanhong, for giving me a name."

Xin Baoer looked at the well-behaved and shy child in front of her, and couldn't help but think of his mother, so she said, "Xiaobao, how about I give you a little character?"

"How about calling yourself 'Sheng'er'? In the Analects of Confucius, there is a line that says 'I examine myself three times a day'. I hope you can reflect on yourself often and not let external factors constrain your thoughts and make mistakes."