NFBE Chapter 128 Candied Hawthorn
Chapter 128 Candied Hawthorn
After the two finished their meal, Fan Junyu stood up, straightened his sleeves, and said to He Mingning with a smile, "Since we've finished eating, let's go!" He Mingning nodded slightly in agreement, then slowly stood up as well, preparing to leave the restaurant with Fan Junyu.
As soon as they stepped out of the restaurant, Fan Junyu spotted A-Ming waiting quietly in a fine carriage a short distance away. He quickly walked over and instructed A-Ming, "A-Ming, you should drive back to the manor first. We'd like to take a walk here." A-Ming nodded respectfully and replied, "Yes, young master." With that, he flicked his whip, urging the carriage to drive away.
Having arranged everything, Fan Junyu turned back to He Mingning's side, looking at her tenderly, and said softly, "Let's go, let me show you around this bustling and vibrant street, and help us digest the food we just ate. After we've explored enough, I'll personally escort you to the Duke's Mansion." He then gestured for He Mingning to walk beside him. He Mingning blushed slightly at this, and the two strolled leisurely along the bustling street, shoulder to shoulder…
Sunlight streamed down the quaint streets as the two strolled side by side. A gentle breeze ruffled their hair, bringing a touch of coolness and comfort.
As Fan Junyu passed a stall overflowing with bright red, glistening candied hawthorns, he suddenly stopped. He looked at the tempting skewers with great interest, then walked up without hesitation and picked out the largest and reddest one. After paying, he turned around and, as if it were a priceless treasure, carefully and gently offered the skewer to He Mingning, saying softly, "Eat it."
Looking at the string of glistening candied hawthorns before her, He Mingning felt a pang of shyness. From childhood, she had always been an elegant and poised woman, never before eating so casually on the street. She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently accepted the candied hawthorns, thanking Fan Junyu in a voice barely audible to herself.
However, even though she already held the candied hawthorn in her hand, He Mingning hesitated to take a bite. Her eyes were lowered, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she appeared somewhat uneasy. After all, for someone accustomed to maintaining a ladylike image in front of others, eating while walking on the street was indeed quite embarrassing.
Fan Junyu, who had been observing He Mingning's reaction, seemed to immediately see through her concerns and worries. A warm and charming smile appeared on his lips as he softly comforted her, "Don't worry, everyone's doing it. Nobody will laugh at you. Just look around." He pointed to several passersby not far away, also enjoying their candied hawthorns.
He Mingning looked in the direction he pointed and indeed saw many pedestrians holding strings of candied hawthorns, some chatting and laughing, others leisurely strolling along, enjoying the sweet and sour treat. Seeing this, her previously tense nerves relaxed a little, but she was still somewhat hesitant.
At this moment, Fan Junyu encouraged him again, "Don't hesitate any longer, try it and see if it suits your taste." Hearing this, He Mingning finally nodded, as if he had made a great decision, and carefully brought the candied hawthorn to his mouth and gently took a small bite.
In that instant, a rich, sweet aroma filled her mouth. The sweet and sour flavors intertwined, like a feast for the taste buds. He Mingning's eyes lit up, sparkling with surprise, and a radiant smile involuntarily bloomed on her face, as beautiful and captivating as a blossoming flower. She excitedly said to Fan Junyu, "Wow, so sweet! So delicious! Do you want to try some?" With that, she carefully and gently offered the string of glistening, bright red candied hawthorns to Fan Junyu's slightly parted lips. In that instant, time seemed to freeze; the two of them stood frozen in place like two exquisite sculptures.
Fan Junyu's eyes widened in astonishment. He never expected the usually reserved and shy He Mingning to make such an intimate gesture in front of the bustling crowd. He Mingning, too, was in turmoil. She hadn't anticipated being so brave, daring to act so impulsively in the middle of a crowded street. For a moment, both of them stood frozen in place, as if under a spell.
Fan Junyu stared intently at He Mingning, whose fair face was now as red as a ripe apple. The bright red blush was spreading rapidly at an astonishing speed, reaching all the way to her ears and neck.
Finally, He Mingning was the first to recover from the suffocating atmosphere. Realizing that her behavior had been too abrupt, she blushed and quickly said softly, "I'm sorry... I didn't think it through." As she spoke, she hurriedly tried to pull her hand back from the candied hawthorn. However, just as she was about to successfully pull it back, Fan Junyu swiftly reached out his other hand and tightly grasped her slender wrist.
Immediately afterward, Fan Junyu flashed forward, opening his mouth with lightning speed like a gust of wind, and precisely bit off a crystal-clear, sugar-coated candied hawthorn, quickly putting it into his mouth. The movement was fluid and seamless, performed in one go, as if it had been honed to perfection.
Then, he began to chew the candied hawthorn slowly and deliberately. Each chew was so leisurely, as if he were savoring its sweet and sour taste. With each chew, the rich aroma of the fruit and the sweet flavor gradually spread, making one's mouth water. At this moment, a look of satisfaction appeared on Fan Junyu's face. He Mingning hadn't expected him to actually eat it. Fan Junyu held He Mingning's wrist and said, "Mmm, it's very sweet, you can have it!"
Like a startled deer, He Mingning hurriedly lowered her head, quickly withdrawing her hand, no longer daring to meet Fan Junyu's gaze. She simply nibbled on her candied hawthorn, her heart pounding like a wild horse. As she chewed the sweet and sour hawthorn, she secretly thought, "Oh dear! He actually ate the candied hawthorn I ate. Does that seem too intimate?" This thought, like a mischievous little monkey, jumped around in her mind, making her feel increasingly shy and uneasy.
He Mingning, like a sneaky little thief, furtively glanced at Fan Junyu beside her. Her eyes darted around nervously, her heart pounding with anxiety, afraid that her actions would attract his attention. Only when she saw Fan Junyu walking silently like a statue, without any reaction, did He Mingning's heart ease slightly, and then she breathed a soft, quiet sigh of relief.
In reality, Fan Junyu had already seen all of He Mingning's little actions! However, he knew in his heart that if He Mingning knew that she had discovered her peeping, the girl would probably blush with embarrassment. So he pretended not to know anything and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
Seeing that Fan Junyu seemed genuinely unaware of her spying, He Mingning grew a little bolder. She cautiously raised her eyes again and looked at Fan Junyu. This time, however, her gaze seemed to be drawn in by a powerful magnet, firmly fixed on Fan Junyu's lips, unable to look away.
Perhaps it was because he had just eaten candied hawthorns, but Fan Junyu's lips looked as if they had been sprinkled with a layer of crystal-clear syrup. Under the bright sunlight, the thin layer of syrup shimmered, making his lips resemble a dazzling, priceless gem, radiating a mesmerizing glow. Such an alluring sight would make anyone's heart flutter, perhaps even creating an impulse to lean in and kiss him! He Mingning could hardly believe such a thought had suddenly popped into her head! This idea struck her like a bolt of lightning, making her tremble. In an instant, a surge of heat rushed from her feet to her head; her cheeks burned as if roasted. They turned a deep red, like a ripe apple, almost dripping blood, and even her ears felt hot.
Meanwhile, Fan Junyu, standing to the side, took in He Mingning's entire reaction. Seeing her embarrassed appearance, the corners of Fan Junyu's mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, forming a beautiful arc. That smile was like a crescent moon hanging high in the night sky, radiating a captivating brilliance. A hint of cunning and smugness flickered in his eyes as he secretly thought to himself, "That's right, I deliberately dipped myself in the syrup!"
Like a startled fawn, He Mingning hurriedly lowered her head, looking incredibly cute. She tried her best to suppress the chaotic and complex thoughts surging within her like a turbulent tide.
At this moment, Fan Junyu, standing to the side, was staring at her with a half-smile, his gaze seemingly able to see through everything. He leaned forward slightly, close to He Mingning's ear, and said slowly in an extremely soft voice, "Princess, why don't we go up and take a look?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice, and said, "Okay, okay." Then, she raised her head slightly, glanced cautiously at Fan Junyu, and then followed him forward with light steps.
And so, the two walked side by side, but remained silent the entire way. He Mingning didn't speak because what had just happened made her feel incredibly shy, to the point that she didn't even have the courage to open her mouth; as for Fan Junyu, he was considerate of He Mingning's feelings, afraid that if he spoke, he would make her feel even more embarrassed, so he silently chose to remain silent as well.
Before long, they arrived at a small pastry shop. He Mingning looked up and saw a long queue forming ahead, with people eagerly waiting to buy the delicious pastries. Seeing this, He Mingning couldn't help but ask, "What kind of place is this? Why are so many people gathered here queuing?"
Fan Junyu stared intently for a moment, then replied slowly, "This is the most famous and well-known pastry shop in the capital, called Ruyi Fang. Every pastry sold at Ruyi Fang is a mouthwatering delicacy, but they are all limited quantities. Once all the pastries for the day are sold out, the shop immediately closes for business, with absolutely no restocking or special treatment for anyone or anything. Even if you are incredibly wealthy, you can't easily buy these pastries. That's why so many customers rush to queue up early, fearing they'll miss out on this rare treat."
Upon hearing this, He Mingning looked puzzled and then asked, "What if someone is unlucky and fails to buy their desired pastry? What should they do then?" Fan Junyu paused for a moment and then slowly said, "If that happens, those who are unable to get what they want will have to wait until tomorrow to try again, because this has always been Ruyi Fang's unwavering rule."
However, He Mingning seemed unsatisfied with this answer and continued to press on, asking, "But in this case, isn't the owner of this shop worried about attracting unnecessary trouble? After all, this is food that concerns people's appetites. If someone has bad intentions and wants to cause trouble, wouldn't it be easy for them to sabotage this place?"
Fan Junyu slightly raised the corners of his mouth, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face. He chuckled softly, "This shop is truly shrouded in mystery! To this day, no one knows for sure who the real owner behind it is. All people know is that the shopkeeper's surname is Jiang, and that he is extremely shrewd. In the past, some arrogant fools came to cause trouble, but without exception, these troublemakers ultimately paid a heavy price. As time went by, gradually, no one dared to easily touch this shop anymore."
Upon hearing this, He Mingning, standing to the side, was so astonished that his mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg. After a long while, he finally recovered and stammered, "So amazing! How did this shopkeeper manage to do that?"
Fan Junyu lowered his voice slightly and replied, "As far as I know, this Manager Jiang has his own unique methods for dealing with troublemakers. He often cleverly sets traps, making those people unknowingly shoot themselves in the foot. As a result, these guys not only fail to gain any good reputation for themselves, but instead end up with a notorious reputation. Perhaps at first, everyone would think it was just a coincidence, but after such a thing happened once or twice, it might be understandable. However, if it happened more often, everyone would naturally understand—Manager Jiang really does have some real skills! So later on, no one dared to provoke them anymore."