Now it was just them two, Jun Sheng took notice of Pei Yi's attire today and smiled: "Looking pretty today, milady."
"Of course. I know."
Pei Yi rested her chin on her hand, ''what's the specialty?''
''Our specialty is the rice cakes that that tall gentleman had earlier. If you want it, you'll have to order it from the dessert store next door, ahem, which I own, as well.''
''You own two stores?'' Pei Yi didn't seem surprised.
''Yeah! I'm THAT awesome,'' Jun Sheng spoke with self-ego. ''I can escort you to my dessert store if you're scared.''
''Hah! Me? Scared? You're kidding yourself,'' Pei Yi countered. ''I'll go there myself, thank you very much.''
''Very well.''
Pei Yi payed and was just about to take her leave until,
''wait,'' Jun Sheng demanded.
Pei Yi obeyed.
"I'm..going to check up on them too. I'll come along later. So don't be surprised."
"Ugh, fine."
On their way out, she was greeted by her temporary bodyguards that she forgot existed who were at each other's throats ever since Pei Yi stepped foot into the inn.
''YOU SCUM! I bet it's all your fault we somehow can't get in!!'' Li Kui roared.
''How, the, HELL, WOULD IT BE MY FAULT?!'' Li Si argued back.
They finally both noticed Pei Yi and halted their battle of words immediately.
''You both weren't able to enter due to not having a VIP pass,'' Pei Yi explained. ''So, it's no one's fault,'' she giggled inwardly. Jun Sheng's shield is quite...awesome.
Li Kui felt defeated after hearing ''it's no one's fault'' since he's been blaming Li Si for not being able to enter. Thoughts of atoning aroused, however, his ignorance was too big of a wall to break down thus apologizing was dismissed once again.
When Pei Yi started moving, Li Kui snapped out of his doze; following her with Li Si.
-----
Ding, ding!
The bell of Jun Sheng's dessert store rang as 3 guests entered.
''Welcome!'' Cheered the store owner.
Pei Yi jumped, ''I thought you were- how did you get here before us?''
The bodyguards had no clue what that question meant. Nonetheless, Pei Yi told them to find a table while she ordered but what she actually wanted to do was investigate Jun Sheng. Li Kui spotted a table and quickly sat down lest Li Si should argue another one, and with success, the two were able to silently agree on something for once in their 17 years together.
''I move very swiftly when it comes to changing locations, you know? Anyways, here are your rice cakes'' It seems like Jun Sheng had everything prepared from the beginning. ''I can also get some for your buddies if they want.''
When they came back ten minutes later, holding a box of desert for the bodyguards and themselves. Aside from the box of rice cakes, there was also a box of mung bean cake. As they sat down again to eat with the new attendances, Pei Yi's eyes kept drifting to Jun Sheng's dish.
Jun Sheng laughed a little inside but kept a straight casual face on the outside. The little girl will get tail-stepped if she thought Jun Sheng was laughing at her, which she wasn't, just that Pei Yi's expression right then was too cute.
So she spoke: "Hey, can I have a try of your rice cakes, they smell so nice. In exchange you can try mine?"
Pei Yi put on a false pretence of reluctance and pushed her dish towards Jun Sheng, and took a green cake from Jun Sheng's dish.
Her eyes lit up. It wasn't too sweet, but wasn't too dull either. It has this soft texture and lets your teeth sink into it. You didn't even have to bite, really. And when it falls
on your tongue, it seems to melt, except it still didn't feel sticky.
"Are there any fun places around here?"
''There is a beautiful sight near the pond in this village that I think you'll like, how about we go there tonight?''
The girl accepted the offer without hesitation.
"7 or 8pm? I'll wait here for you...but you should probably change your clothes. I like the hair but...clothes seem too...swishy."
She then told Pei Yi where the town's best dressmakers were.
With words traded, Pei Yi went out again to order more rice cakes for her temporary bodyguards so they wouldn't get bored.
After the fine meal of rice cakes, Li Si stood up and ordered that they leave now.
''What's the rush? We just got here,'' Li Kui retorted.
''We need to depart this place to check on Pei Gongzi but we can't do that if Pei Yi's still here!''
''How about you just go without me?''Pei Yi suggested in delight.
''We'll do that then! We need to check on him lest danger has stricken!'' Li Si worried.
Pei Yi stared point-blank at them as if they were stupid, which, they are but, of course, she wasn't going to mention that. Pei Xiu, being the son of a minister while on an excursion of significant importance, he would not only have two guards with him. Minus those hidden out of sight for safety issues. Plus, her dear brother probably threw her out of the carriage and left ever so swiftly because he needed to get somewhere, moreover, he even spared the lecture on her. It's been a couple of hours and god knows where he is now.
But, of course, the house trained guards of the Pei House have the ability to track him down.
She'd like to see them try. Ah, how she'd like to admire the look on her brother's face when the two guards protecting her fled to his side to 'protect his safety'. She was astonished at her childish thoughts. Their relationship had always been that of courtesy. Strangers by blood. However it does seem like it had always been her… cutting out spaces between them. Dropping her mingled mind of thoughts, she proceeded to said clothes shop after parting ways with Li Kui, Li Si and Jun Sheng.