Is this girl trying to bring Fu Hanyan afternoon tea? Gu Yining thought to herself, watching Tang Tiantian walk up the stairs.
Gu Yining had always been terrible in the kitchen, and while Fu Hanyan might be her husband, she certainly wasn't going to let this girl win points with him through food. A sly smile crept onto her face as an idea sparked in her mind. Without hesitation, she rushed forward and snatched a few of the peach blossom pastries from the tray Tang Tiantian was holding. She stuffed them into her mouth, gobbling them down as if she hadn't eaten in days.
She ate too quickly, and the pastries nearly choked her.
"Cough, cough..." She reached for the teapot on the tray and, without bothering with a cup, drank straight from the spout, draining the entire pot of tea in one go. Satisfied, she let out a small belch, feeling both full and victorious.
Tang Tiantian stood frozen in shock for several seconds before she erupted into a high-pitched scream. "Ahhh! You ugly freak! What gives you the right to eat my food?! I made those for Brother Fu!" The young girl's face turned pale with fury, and she stomped her feet on the floor in a frustrated tantrum.
Gu Yining licked her lips and said with an air of nonchalance, "Fu Hanyan doesn't like things that are too sweet. These pastries are way too sugary, and the tea is too bitter. Honestly, they're terrible. Even if you gave them to him, he wouldn't enjoy them. It's better that I ate them instead of letting them go to waste."
"You… you…!" Tang Tiantian was so furious that she could barely form coherent words. In her anger, she stormed past Gu Yining, flinging the door to the study open and charging inside.
"Brother Fu!" Tang Tiantian's voice wavered, on the verge of tears, as she called out to Fu Hanyan.
Gu Yining lingered by the door, curious to see if Fu Hanyan would reprimand her for eating the afternoon tea meant for him. She peered inside, watching as Fu Hanyan, who had been working at his desk, looked up at the intruding girl.
"Who gave you permission to enter without knocking? Haven't you learned the rules after all these years? Get out." His tone was cold and commanding, leaving no room for argument.
"But Brother Fu, Gu Yining ate the pastries I made for you!" Tang Tiantian was so upset that she had forgotten all sense of decorum. Normally, she would have adhered to etiquette, but right now, all she wanted was for Fu Hanyan to defend her and put Gu Yining in her place.
"If she ate them, she ate them. Why are you being so petty?" Fu Hanyan's brows furrowed, and his voice carried a hint of annoyance.
Tang Tiantian was stunned. She bit her lower lip in frustration, trying to hold back her tears. "But I made them for you…"
"I don't like sweet things. Now, get out. Don't make me repeat myself." Fu Hanyan's tone had turned icily authoritative, and Tang Tiantian knew better than to push him further. No one dared to disobey his direct orders.
Despite her lingering resentment, Tang Tiantian had no choice but to retreat, carrying her tray of rejected tea and pastries as she left the study.
Meanwhile, Gu Yining quickly slipped back into her own room, shutting the door behind her just in time to avoid being seen. She grinned, feeling satisfied with how things had turned out.
Outside her door, Tang Tiantian was still fuming, her anger simmering as she tried to process what had just happened. Hearing the sound of Gu Yining's door closing, she shoved the tray into a maid's hands and marched over to Gu Yining's door. She began pounding on it furiously.
"Gu Yining, come out here! I'm not finished with you! You owe me those pastries!"
"Gu Yining, you ugly freak! If you've got any guts, come out right now!"
Her shouting was loud and persistent, and Gu Yining, who had been about to relax and listen to some music, found the noise unbearably irritating. With an exasperated sigh, she opened the door and stuck her head out.
"You're seriously throwing a fit over a plate of pastries? Fine, I'll make you a new batch. Happy now?"
"Good! Then go make them for me right now!" Tang Tiantian snapped back, crossing her arms and glaring at Gu Yining.
"No problem." Gu Yining shrugged, stepping out of her room and heading downstairs.
Once in the kitchen, she pulled Aunt Chen, the housekeeper, aside to help her. With Aunt Chen's guidance, she managed to mimic what Tang Tiantian had done. Since all the ingredients and tools were still laid out from Tang Tiantian's earlier efforts, it wasn't hard to pick up where the younger girl had left off.
Half an hour later, Gu Yining emerged from the kitchen, holding a plate of freshly made pastries. She handed them to Tang Tiantian with a smirk. "Here you go. Now, if you keep making a fuss, I'll cut out your tongue and use it for medicine."
With that final, sharp remark, Gu Yining turned and headed back upstairs.
Tang Tiantian was left standing there, teeth clenched in frustration. As much as she wanted to retaliate, she didn't dare to provoke Gu Yining further—especially not someone who was a doctor.
Once Gu Yining had disappeared from view, Tang Tiantian looked down at the plate in her hands. The pastries were horribly misshapen, and they looked nothing like the delicate ones she had made earlier. She hesitated before picking one up and taking a tentative bite.
To her surprise, the taste wasn't as bad as she had expected, though it certainly wasn't great either.