The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl

65. The Jujube Tea

Translator: Iris Guo

“This is?” Mrs. Chen looked at A’Chou and put down her needle.

“Oh, Grandma, this is…” Chen Qingxuan hastened to introduce, but he paused immediately. He scratched his head awkwardly, turned to A’Chou, and asked with a smile: “Miss, by the way, you haven’t told me your name yet.”

“My name is A’Chou.” said her timidly. She looked at the spotless room, and felt that her shoes were dirtier than before. She became constrained and pulled her dress, too embarrassed to go inside.

“What?” Chen Qingxuan frowned and sized A’Chou up. Her rosy cheeks with dew didn’t match her name.

“Qingxuan, let the girl in now. How could you let our guest just stand there?” Mrs. Chen hastened to pour tea.

“Come on in.” said Chen Qingxuan hurriedly.

“No, I’m fine.” A’Chou put the basket down and wiped the sweat off her face: “Mr. Chen, do you have a basin for the fungi?”

“After the tea.” Chen Qingxuan gave her a wet handkerchief. “It’s okay.”
When A’Chou was about to reject again, Mrs. Chen approached her and just pulled her inside. A’Chou never knew how to say no to old people, so she followed Mrs. Chen to the seat. Then, before she realized it, there was already a cup of hot tea in her hand.

“Our homemade jujube tea. I hope you like it.” said Mrs. Chen with a smile.

“Surely…It’s very nice.” A’Chou was overwhelmed by Mrs. Chen’s unexpected hospitality, hastened to take a big sip, and finished that cup soon. She got a little embarrassed and asked: “Ma’am, may I have more?”

“Of course! There’s a big pot left!” Mrs. Chen was so overjoyed that she hastened to get another cup for A’Chou while complaining: “This boy doesn’t like it and always says that it has a strange smell. Fortunately, finally I meet a person of the same taste.”

Chen Qingxuan also got a refill and sipped it: “Grandma, I didn’t mean the tea is bad. It’s just that you always put too much crystal sugar and make it overly sweet.”

“Really?” Mrs. Chen took a sip and asked A’Chou, “Miss, is it too sweet?”

A’Chou shook her head hurriedly: “Not at all. I have a sweet tooth, and I think it’s perfect.”

Mrs. Chen saw that A’Chou had finished half of her tea, so she believed A’Chou’s words and prepared to refill the cup, but A’Chou hastened to stop her: “Ma’am, I can’t drink any more. Really.”

“Miss, you don’t sound like a native.” After finishing her tea, Mrs. Chen continued to embroider. “Where are you from?”

“The capital.” answered A’Chou while leaning over to check Mrs. Chen’s work. However, she couldn’t recognize what the old lady was embroidering since the embroidery was quite poor. “Ma’am, what’s this?”

“Mandarin ducks[1].” Mrs. Chen continued her work while asking casually: “You don’t recognize it?”

[1] Note: The Mandarin ducks are essential for married couples.

A’Chou checked Mrs. Chen’s work again, and found it funny: “Ma’am, how come they are so chubby?”

“Are they?” Mrs. Chen put down her needle, frowned, and stared at her work for a while: “I’ve been embroidering like this for decades.”

Chen Qingxuan was drinking tea while listening to their conversation. Suddenly, his face lit up when he saw the vivid plum blossom on A’Chou’s dress. “Miss, you know the needlework?”

“Just a little.” nodded A’Chou.

“People in the capital are more fastidious. Of course you embroider better than an old woman in NingGuTa.” Mrs. Chen laughed, took a piece of cloth, flattened it, and handed it to A’Chou: “Miss, show me your skill.”