"They won't just accept things from anyone, you know. Since they accepted yours, it means they've accepted your identities."
"Besides, they've lived a long life and have very few things they truly like. But once they do, they won't let go easily. Just you wait, they'll come looking for you again before long."
Shen Xiaoyan listened, perplexed, "Why would they come looking for me? That bottle of tea will last a very long time."
Zhen Lingrong gave Shen Xiaoyan a helpless look. "Naturally, they'll see if you have any other good things!"
"Is that so!" Shen Xiaoyan finally understood.
Then, she did remember something.
It was the spirit wine she had brewed with spirit fruits.
Old Man Hou loved it so much, she didn't believe these elders wouldn't like it.
Regardless of whether she was willing to acknowledge Zhen Lingrong's identity, she didn't want anyone from Ren Shan to be involved in this matter.
Since Zhen Lingrong said these old men were so important, she might as well win them all over at once.
Zhen Lingrong saw the sudden smile on Shen Xiaoyan's face and immediately felt uneasy.
Had she said too much, causing an adverse effect?
She had already felt that this daughter of hers was too extravagant. If Shen Xiaoyan intended to completely win over those elders, wouldn't she have to take out even more good things?
Those things were all her daughter's; why should she give them all away to them?
Thinking this, Zhen Lingrong prepared to have a good talk with Shen Xiaoyan.
But it was still too late. Shen Xiaoyan had already taken out a jar of spirit wine, removed the stopper, and taken out wine cups to pour the wine.
Shen Xiaoyan handed a cup of wine to Zhen Lingrong. "Since we couldn't taste the tea, let's have some wine. I also have some excellent snacks."
As Shen Xiaoyan spoke, she asked Zhen Lingrong to tidy up the tea set and other items on the table.
Zhen Lingrong was already enticed by the aroma of the wine, having completely forgotten what she had intended to say earlier.
She quickly put away the tea set and other items.
Shen Xiaoyan took the snacks she had prepared earlier from her space and arranged them on the table. She then took out chopsticks and other utensils, poured wine for Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming, and raised her own wine cup.
"Come, let's have a toast first."
As Shen Xiaoyan spoke, she drank it all in one gulp.
Zhen Lingrong saw Shen Xiaoyan eating so quickly and chided her, "No one is snatching it from you, why are you eating so fast?"
Shen Xiaoyan chuckled, "How do you know no one is snatching? Perhaps someone will soon. You should eat quickly."
As Shen Xiaoyan finished speaking, Zhen Lingrong also thought of something.
Upon thinking of this, Zhen Lingrong chided her even more.
"Can't you take these good things out after you go back? Those old guys have noses sharper than dogs; they might be here soon."
After Zhen Lingrong finished speaking, she didn't waste any time and drank her wine in one gulp.
As the wine entered her mouth, it was not spicy or irritating, but carried an endless aroma of wine.
This made Zhen Lingrong squint. How long had it been since she had tasted such good wine?
She seemed to remember someone giving her such good wine before, but who was it?
Zhen Lingrong furrowed her brows and thought for a long time, but couldn't recall who it was.
While she was in a daze, Li Xin had already re-entered the pavilion.
His mountain peak was the closest, so he easily sensed the unusual aroma.
Upon entering the pavilion and smelling the wine, he simply sat down at the table, poured himself a cup, and began to drink.
After drinking the cup, Li Xin sighed with satisfaction.
Before he could have a second cup, the elders who had left not long ago walked in again.
As soon as Mi Le Buddha entered, he took a deep breath. Seeing Li Xin pouring wine, he went up and snatched the wine cup from his hand, downing the wine in it.
"I say, Li Xin, that's not fair! You usually stay indoors and don't mingle, acting like a prim and proper lady. Now that there's something good, you're the fastest one here?"
Mi Le Buddha's words voiced the confusion in the hearts of all the elders. They all looked at Li Xin, waiting for him to give an answer.
Li Xin gave Mi Le Buddha a blank look and reached out to snatch the wine jar from his hand.
Mi Le Buddha was already on guard and wouldn't let him snatch it.
With a swift turn, Mi Le Buddha had already dodged behind Zhen Lingrong.
The wine jar in his hand circled in the air, not a drop spilling out.
"Li Xin, you must have had plenty just now. These should be for us brothers to share."
Mi Le Buddha said this and beckoned to the other elders to come and drink with him.
Li Xin was so angry he pointed at Mi Le Buddha and cursed, "You shameless wretch! I only just came in and had one cup of wine, and you snatched it from me. What do you mean I've had plenty?"
Mi Le Buddha took another sip of wine and, hearing this, still smiled. "We didn't see it anyway, so you can say whatever you want."
Shen Xiaoyan watched them bicker over a jar of spirit wine, a glint of amusement in her eyes. She casually took out another jar of spirit wine from her space.
The stopper was removed, and the wine aroma immediately wafted out.
The previous jar was Osmanthus wine; this one was chrysanthemum wine.
Upon smelling the different aroma, everyone instantly turned their heads to look at Shen Xiaoyan.
As for why they didn't suspect Zhen Lingrong of taking it out, Li Xin and the others felt that the Hall Master, who was so stingy, would actually take out such good things in front of them?
Zhen Lingrong also felt exhausted by this.
Was it easy being the Hall Master?
She just didn't understand, in what way was she stingy?
"Girl, do you have any more?"
Mi Le Buddha looked at Shen Xiaoyan with eager eyes, shaking the wine jar in his hand.
Shen Xiaoyan pursed her lips and smiled. "I brewed this myself. Do you think I have any more?"
"What?"
This time, it wasn't just Mi Le Buddha who was shocked; even the others looked at Shen Xiaoyan with disbelief.
Zhen Lingrong then remembered that when Shen Xiaoyan had taken out the spirit tea earlier, she had also said it was self-made.
Could it be that what her daughter said was true?
But where did the ingredients come from?
For a moment, Zhen Lingrong felt somewhat dazed. Was the person in front of her truly her daughter who had been lost in the mortal world?
Why did she have more good things than her own mother and be more generous with her hand?
No wonder Mi Le Buddha and the others called her stingy. Compared to her, who wouldn't seem stingy?
Even now, Zhen Lingrong felt more a sense of pride.
Seeing Mi Le Buddha and the others flocking to Shen Xiaoyan for things, Zhen Lingrong felt she had finally gotten her revenge.
Let's see you old rogues, who usually flaunted all the good things you got in front of me. Now what? Aren't you still begging from my daughter?
Unfortunately, her daughter was truly too generous.
In such a short time, she had taken out countless jars of wine.
Seeing Mi Le Buddha and the others smiling so broadly their mouths were almost splitting, Zhen Lingrong watched the boisterous scene with a faint smile. Her gaze, however, drifted towards the forest by the shore.
Xi Yin and Xi Jin, hiding in the woods, immediately crouched down the moment Zhen Lingrong glanced over, fearing they would be seen.
The two looked at each other and saw the unwillingness in each other's eyes.
Why had Shen Xiaoyan so easily won over those old immortals?
Back then, they, a brother and sister, had been humble and tried their best to please them, but they wouldn't even give them a proper glance.
Now, they were so easily coaxed into smiling so broadly by Shen Xiaoyan.
Looking at the items Shen Xiaoyan kept taking out, even though they didn't recognize all of them, they could guess from the reactions of those old immortals that they must be good things.
Where would Shen Xiaoyan, a country girl from the mortal world, get such good things?
It must have been given to her secretly by the Hall Master earlier; otherwise, she wouldn't have attracted the attention of those old immortals so easily.
The Hall Master was too biased!
Shen Xiaoyan was unaware of their unwillingness and resentment. Even if she had known, she wouldn't have cared.
Did she have to consider other people's thoughts and do nothing? That would be purely ridiculous!
Li Xin and the others had a thoroughly enjoyable time drinking. Especially since they not only had enough to eat and drink but also could take some away.
And they could come back for more later, which was simply too wonderful!
Shen Xiaoyan, seeing Zhen Lingrong's worried look, shook her head indifferently.
She had plenty of spirit wine; even if you drank yourself to death, you wouldn't finish it all.
Xiao Rongrong, who had nothing to do in her space, brewed a batch of spirit wine every day.
Such an attentive flying pet made Shen Xiaoyan feel incredibly comforted.
Seeing Shen Xiaoyan's nonchalance, Zhen Lingrong loved her daughter even more.
In her heart, her own daughter was extraordinary. Look at how much of these good things she had given away so readily without blinking.
If she hadn't stopped her, she probably would have put on a divine maiden scattering flowers and immortal celebration in the main hall.
Of course, if Shen Xiaoyan knew her thoughts, she would definitely say she was overthinking it.
Why should unrelated people drink her wine?
Even if she had too much wine to store, she wouldn't give it away for free to strangers, would she?
After sitting in the pavilion for a while longer, Shen Xiaoyan and the others got up and returned to Zhen Lingrong's courtyard.
They didn't walk back. Zhen Lingrong, heartbroken for her daughter and son, took out her spirit boat and carried them back to the courtyard.
The spirit boat sped across the sky above Chang Qiu Hall, and naturally, many people saw it, which once again aroused envy and jealousy.
The Hall Master doted on her two children too much. This was setting up those two to be envied by everyone in Chang Qiu Hall!
Xi Jin watched the spirit boat streak across the sky and disappear, wishing he could bite through his own teeth.
He had seen favoritism before, but never such extreme favoritism.
It seemed the Hall Master wasn't a good person either. All these years of doting on him and Xi Yin had been fake. Now that her biological children had arrived, she had cast them aside, completely disregarding their feelings.
Blinded by jealousy and envy, the two had already forgotten that they had willingly pestered Zhen Lingrong out of their own accord.
Now, they were pushing all the blame onto Zhen Lingrong.
Back in the courtyard, Shen Xiaoyan and the others retired to their respective rooms to rest.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't know why, but she felt exceptionally happy today. So, when drinking, she didn't control herself and accidentally drank too much.
With a slightly dizzy head, Shen Xiaoyan lay down on the bed and nestled in Zheng Wei's arms, preparing to sleep.
The last thought that crossed her mind before falling asleep was: why was Le Lingrong, as the Hall Master, so leisurely?
As soon as this thought flashed, Shen Xiaoyan closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Zheng Wei looked down at the peacefully sleeping Shen Xiaoyan, his eyes full of adoration.
Perhaps Shen Xiaoyan herself hadn't realized it, but ever since she arrived at Chang Qiu Hall, she had become exceptionally happy.
Every day, her face was filled with a brilliant smile, unlike the standard, distant smile she wore when facing others.
Zheng Wei held Shen Xiaoyan tighter.
As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered.
And if Li Xin and the other elders knew Shen Xiaoyan's question before falling asleep, they would probably all howl at the top of their lungs.
The reason Zhen Lingrong, as the Hall Master, could be so leisurely was entirely because she enslaved them!
Were they, a group of elders, having an easy time?
They had endless worries when they were young. Finally, in their old age, they could enjoy themselves, but who knew that the Hall Master would neglect her duties every few days, leaving them to do all the work in the end?
However, it was good that Shen Xiaoyan seemed reliable; perhaps soon, they could truly enjoy their retirement.
Shen Xiaoyan was unaware of their thoughts. She slept until the next morning.
When she woke up, Zheng Wei was no longer in bed.
After a simple wash, Shen Xiaoyan pushed open the door and saw Zhen Lingrong already sitting at the dining table, waiting for breakfast.
Shen Xiaoming and Zheng Wei were busy carrying breakfast back and forth.
Seeing this, Shen Xiaoyan couldn't help but click her tongue in admiration.
Her mother, Zhen Lingrong, had adapted quite quickly.
At first, although her cooking skills weren't great, she still went to help.
Now, she could confidently sit and wait for food.
And she even called it "not adding to the chaos."
Shen Xiaoyan didn't mind it at all. After all, the three of them were used to doing this.
They had come to find Zhen Lingrong not to have her cook for them.
After they ate breakfast together, Zhen Lingrong didn't mention taking them out to see more.
"Let's go out together tonight."