Nosebleed, nosebleed, she wasn't going to have a nosebleed, was she? Why was it so hot? Damn those modern erotic novels! Oh, no. She thought too much.Being misled by it made her overthink, didn't it?
Cheng Mo chuckled as he watched Bei Bei awkwardly wipe away the non-existent nosebleed, then approached her with open arms, smiling provocatively, "My lady, are you satisfied with your husband's beauty and handsome?"
"Satisfied, satisfied," Bei Bei instinctively replied, only realizing she had been duped after finishing her sentence. Blushing with embarrassment, she retorted, "Go away, who's your lady? And husband? Can't you be a little less shameless?"
Cheng Mo didn't dare to upset the young girl, so he suppressed the smile at the corner of his lips and picked up a long towel from the back of a chair, stepping over to the dressing table to sit down. Bei Bei followed, taking the towel from him to dry his hair, while Cheng Mo began discussing the series of battlefield medical measures he had just thought of.
"Bei Bei, shall we go find Grandfather and Doctor Li right away? I can imagine how many Yunmeng soldiers your measures could save, and how many families they could protect. I can't afford to delay for a moment. Shall we go now? However, the steel needles, bandages, and surgical knives you mentioned may still need your guidance to make. I'll send someone to invite Master Tailor Butterfly and Cheng Dian to Tong's house to meet with us."
"You don't need to be in such a hurry, do you? Amo, with the army stationed here, we need to ensure logistical support, so let's go find Tong Chen first. We need to explain these blueprints for the cold storage warehouses to him clearly. We can leave after finalizing the construction-related matters here, okay?"
"Yes, yes, I was too impulsive. Bei Bei, this is my first time leading an army into battle, and I'm always nervous and flustered. Do you think, do you think..."
"What do you think? Do you doubt yourself? Everyone has a first time. You're still young, and you've grown up on your own, figuring things out and facing them alone. You've become quite outstanding. Amo, you'll face many big challenges in the future, and war is something I don't want you to experience. But if we have to fight, we'll give it our all. You'll surely be the most handsome, convincing, and inspiring young marshal, and you are a youth."
"Youth? It's been years since I underwent the coming-of-age ceremony," Cheng Mo said, turning around and fixing his gaze on Bei Bei's face, speaking each word carefully, "I'm a true adult man, who should have already married, had a wife, and children."
"My hair is dry now. Let's call someone in to attend to it. I'll go find Brother Chen downstairs." Xiang Bei couldn't handle this kind of teasing at the moment, it could lead to trouble, so she quickly changed the subject and slipped away.
When Cheng Mo went downstairs, Xiang Bei, Cheng Shan, Uncle Hai, and Tong Chen had already communicated the blueprints and construction plans. After briefing the prince concisely, Xiang Bei picked up the bags and took Cheng Mo back to the Tong residence by carriage.
Since the Tong family moved down from the mountain, she hadn't been home yet. At the Same City traveler Inn outside Liuhe Town, she bought a large number of willow and bamboo baskets. Now, they were being used to pack seafood, new tea, and other goods, with everyone in the family taken into consideration. Excitedly counting the gifts, she suddenly felt like a new bride returning to her mother's home. How shameless of her, really.
"Been up early and busy all this time, are you hungry?" Cheng Mo looked at the cheerful yet inexplicably shy girl, feeling all the tension and anxiety dissipate. Suddenly, she realized she hadn't eaten breakfast yet.
"Oh, hungry— We haven't even had breakfast, so we must be hungry. But I intentionally skipped it. You'll know why when we get home later." Xiang Bei imagined the scene that would unfold later and couldn't help but grin mischievously. She was really looking forward to seeing how the young prince would handle it.
"Miss Bei? Miss Bei is back! Miss Bei is back!" When the carriage stopped, Xiang Bei had just stuck her head out and saw a member of the Cheng family guard who was about to leave the house. Spotting her, he turned around and rushed back inside, shouting excitedly to deliver the news.
When the two of them got off the carriage, a large group of family members surged to the doorstep to welcome them. The prince and Xiang Bei were surrounded by shouts, giving the scene a hint of a daughter returning to her maternal home. As they entered the courtyard, Xiang Bei hadn't even had a chance to get a clear look at the general layout of the courtyard before being ushered into the grand dining hall by the crowd, where all kinds of food and drinks were laid out on the table in abundance. Uncle Li and Auntie Li, treating Xiang Bei as they did when she was a child, directed the bustling kitchen, enthusiastically serving up the best dishes they could prepare. The father, who had little presence, and Mrs. Tong, who came from the Huo family, sat at the tea table, smiling eagerly and looking expectantly, unable to wait to see their daughter eat.
Cheng Mo finally understood why Xiang Bei refused breakfast even when she was hungry. He attacked his food with gusto, sweeping through the dishes with the air of a conqueror. Everything he put in his mouth seemed delicious, and any pause in eating was filled with praise. By the end of breakfast, everyone in the Tong family had warmed up to him. When Dr. Li and Mr. Tong, accompanied by Tong Xi, arrived, their address to Cheng Mo had changed from "Your Highness" to "Little Mo," "Ah Mo," and "Young Master Mo." Cheng Mo found it a bit surreal that simply enjoying a meal and complimenting the food could earn him acceptance and affection from his new family, but it felt wonderful.