"Ah? Miss, are these a gift for someone?" Xiao Chun was a little confused. Even if they were a gift, they all looked like things meant for a small child.
Who was her lady going to give them to?
Ming Lingyi stopped what she was doing and gazed at the distant scenery. "Mm." She nodded, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to give them away.
Xiao Chun didn't ask who Ming Lingyi was giving them to. That was her lady's business.
Xiao Chun's words, however, sent Ming Lingyi's thoughts drifting far, far away.
Back then, after the Imperial Physician had confirmed her pregnancy, she had made many things for the baby.
The palace had its own embroideresses, but she wanted to make something for the child in her womb with her own hands.
She had made more than half a chest of little clothes and bibs from all kinds of materials. Without exception, every piece was incredibly soft, comfortable, and breathable, made from fabrics worth a fortune.
Back then, Li Yun had even gotten angry over it. He complained that she had used all of that year's tributary fabrics on an unborn babe, while he hadn't received so much as a single inner shirt from her.
Ming Lingyi had burst out laughing, asking why a grown man like him was competing with a baby for her affection. Besides, even if the palace embroideresses were to shortchange anyone on clothes, they would never dare neglect Li Yun, the Emperor.
"I don't want to wear clothes made by others." Back then, Li Yun had been unsatisfied with her answer. He walked right over, took the needle and thread from her hands, tossed them carelessly into the basket, and swept her up from her seat. "I only want to wear inner garments made by Yuan Niang's own hand."
As for his Dragon Robe and other formal attire, Li Yun naturally couldn't bear to let Ming Lingyi tire herself out making them.
Besides the little clothes, Ming Lingyi also learned to sew tiger-head dolls for the baby to play with, and perhaps even gnaw on out of curiosity.
There were also various little cloth dolls. However, since it was her first time being a mother and her first time sewing such little trinkets, the craftsmanship on many of them was a bit... peculiar.
But Ming Lingyi had been utterly convinced at the time that her Little Huachao would never find them ugly.
Thinking of the past now, Ming Lingyi found herself lost in thought. 'I wonder if Little Huachao would have liked those things… Did that Little Bun ever wear the clothes I made?'
'But my Little Huachao is five years old now. He probably outgrew those little clothes I made long ago.'
'Have the palace embroideresses been making all his clothes these past few years?'
She rubbed her eyes, a heavy feeling settling in her heart.
Back when she was pregnant, she had it all planned out. Even if the palace had wet nurses, she would raise the child herself. Even with embroideresses available, she would make his little clothes and watch him grow.
Who could have foreseen what came next?
Everything came to an abrupt end.
Ming Lingyi looked down at the small sachet in her hands. 'Even if I made him a set of clothes now, I have no excuse to give them to him.'
Even though she knew the day after tomorrow was Li Yan's birthday.
That afternoon, Ming Lingyi took Xiao Chun back to the entrance of the Imperial College.
She had thought that with over sixty extra plum blossom cakes, they would take a bit longer to sell. But she hadn't expected that the moment the Imperial College gates opened and classes were dismissed, the students would come swarming out, making a beeline for her stall.
"I'll take ten! I only managed to buy one yesterday before you ran out! Today, I'm buying more to take home!"
"I want five too! I was too late yesterday and didn't get any…"
"I've been listening to you all rave about the Jade Plum Snow Cakes in class all day! I was craving them so badly by lunchtime. I'll take five, too!"
Business was booming, and Xiao Chun was all smiles as she collected the silver.
Li Yan was a little late getting out today. His birthday was the day after tomorrow, and the Grand Tutor planned to give him the day off. As a result, his lessons had been running late for the past two days.
Li Yan was getting anxious. He had promised the lady at the stall yesterday that he would come back to buy from her again today. But the Grand Tutor gave no sign of dismissing the class, so he had no choice but to sit properly in his seat. He couldn't stop his gaze from wandering, though.
'If I'd known this would happen,' Li Yan thought, 'I should have asked Jianzhen to buy the pastries at the gate on his way here this morning.'
But as soon as the thought occurred to him, Li Yan felt that wasn't quite right.
He wanted to buy them himself.
When class was finally, finally over, Li Yan respectfully saw the Grand Tutor off before clutching his book bag and dashing toward the gate.
Unfortunately, his five-year-old legs were still too short. Even at a full sprint, he wasn't particularly fast.
By the time Li Yan reached the gates of the Imperial College, a long line had already formed at the stall. He couldn't help but frown.
Just as Li Yan reached the back of the line, he heard the maidservant beside the friendly-looking proprietress call out, "We're out! All sold out! Please come back tomorrow! Come back tomorrow!"
Li Yan: "…"
His mood instantly soured.
He had made a promise yesterday that he would come buy pastries today.
A collective sigh of disappointment rose from the crowd ahead; clearly, many others had also missed out.
"Zhang Zhidong, have you no shame! You bought ten all by yourself! I'm gonna get you for this!"
"Hey, hey, first come, first served! Whose fault is it that you didn't run faster after class? Heh heh, you'll just have to wait 'til tomorrow."
"No way! You have to sell one to me right now!"
The clamor of voices reached Li Yan's ears, but he seemed not to hear it, standing stubbornly rooted to the spot.
Even as the crowd in front of him turned and began to disperse, he remained standing there, unmoving.
When Ming Lingyi finally spotted Li Yan, she saw the Little Bun standing against the departing crowd, looking at her with such a pitiable and wronged expression.
In that instant, Ming Lingyi felt a part of her heart simply collapse.
She scrambled out from behind the stall, leaving Xiao Chun to count the copper coins.
"Young master?" Ming Lingyi reflexively took Li Yan's little hand in hers.
It was chubby and incredibly soft.
"What's wrong? Was someone mean to you?" Ming Lingyi asked.
Li Yan felt terribly wronged. They had an agreement yesterday, so why was everything different now that he was here?
He knew his thoughts were childish, but he couldn't help it.
He didn't even realize when his eyes had started to turn red.
He didn't say a word. He just pulled his hand free from Ming Lingyi's warm grasp and pointed a finger at her.
Ming Lingyi: "???"
Meeting Li Yan's very resolute gaze, Ming Lingyi couldn't help but seriously search her conscience. 'I haven't done anything wrong, have I?'
Seeing that Ming Lingyi still didn't seem to understand, Li Yan puffed up his bun-like cheeks and let out a harrumph.
"You promised me yesterday…" the little bun said.
He said it awkwardly, refusing to meet Ming Lingyi's eyes, terrified he would see the four words 'Such a big fuss' in her eyes.
And yet, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to say just how wronged he felt.
It was the first time in his entire life that Li Yan had ever wanted to act spoiled in front of someone.
But no one before had ever made him feel this way, and he probably didn't even realize he was doing it now.
"How could you sell out!" he said plaintively.
'We had a deal!'
'How could you break your promise!'