"There's nothing good here. What good thing can A'Yan have? Even the jewelry you wear on your head is better than the best thing I have. This bundle only has a few trinkets and some pieces of silver. If I do leave this place one day, I thought it would be useful to have these things on me then. I won't be relieved placing these anywhere other than Aunty Lan's place."
An Yan's flattery was too sweet that Aunty Lan was very happy.
Anyway, she didn't bother much about what An Yan kept in her bundle. As if this silly girl could have anything good. It would at most be two pieces of fragmented silver, something she had saved for a while.
"Look at this girl and how sweet your flattery is! Alright, just place your stuff here. When you want it, just ask this Aunty Lan for it.
Aunty Lan was straightforward as she accepted An Yan's bundle without saying much more.
An Yan smiled, but her eyes stayed attentively on that parcel.
"Aunty Lan, while A'Yan's bundle isn't that valuable to others, it's still extremely valuable to me. Can you please keep it hidden?"
"Alright, alright. Little girl, just trust Aunty Lan. I'll find a cupboard for this and lock it inside."
An Yan saw that the female owner was a bit unhappy at being ordered about, so she smiled and nodded while saying, "I trust Aunty Lan. Aunty Lan definitely won't look at things given by A'Yan. Aunty Lan, don't be angry. A'Yan is hungry now, so A'Yan would like to buy two stuffed buns."
An Yan rubbed her belly and put on a hungry and playful expression on her face, thus changing the subject.
She had known the female owner for roughly two years and their relations weren't bad.
An Yan's first plan was to bury the bundle somewhere unknown and secretive and dig it up at a later time, but she feared her bad luck. Someone might dig it up afterward and she couldn't afford the loss. This was something she had painstakingly saved up over the years and she wasn't willing to let it pa.s.s through other people's hands due to a stroke of misfortune.
If Aunty Lan kept it for safekeeping, then she would be partially relieved.
Aunty Lan gave A'Yan a plate of steaming hot stuffed buns. She then smiled and, after instructing the servant boys to keep a strict watch on the shop, went into the inner room.
An Yan watched her go inside the room, unable to take her eyes away.
She stayed calmly in place inside the deepest part of the shop, eating her stuffed buns. This was the first hot meal she had today and was also the first thing she'd eaten since this morning. This morning she had woken up to ge her presents. The thought of giving presents… her heart felt pained, as though it had been squeezed. Shaking her head, she no longer dwelled on the topic.
She only hoped that nothing went wrong and that her money would be safe.
It was midday now and there were a lot of people coming into the shop. Many people entered, left, or stayed behind to chat and talk of the gossip spreading through Jing City.
As she sat there eating her buns, An Yan had already heard herself as the Poisonous Third Miss being mentioned three times. She also heard about the incident at the manor today at the First and Second Miss' party. The deeply buried gossip surrounding the manor had been dug out.
"The two eldest daughters of the Prime Minister's Manor are truly born with gorgeous looks. The first daughter is engaged to the eldest son of Grand Tutor Wei. Which aristocratic family's son will the second daughter marry into?"
"No matter which great family it is, we common men aren't suitable to be either of their husbands. I heard, however, that the Poisonous Third Miss is also of marriageable age. Since the older sisters are so beautiful, the youngest one must be…"