CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: NEW COMPANIONS

Ye Zhi suddenly remembered something and introduced the new friends she had just made to the others.

She shyly said to the parents in a low voice, "Dad, Mom, Teachers, I’ve made new friends. This is Tan Huanhuan, and this is Ji Changzhou."

After speaking, she appeared a little bashful.

This was the first time Ye Zhi had made new friends and introduced them to her family.

Tan Huanhuan and Ji Changzhou, standing next to her, did not expect to meet their new friend’s parents so soon, and they also seemed a bit at a loss!

Both hurriedly smiled and nodded to say hello.

Everyone turned their attention to the two new friends.

The Ye Family smiled broadly and said, "Oh, Huanhuan is so elegant and Changzhou has such a distinguished demeanor. Just at a glance, they seem like good kids. Ah Zhi, you should follow their example and learn well, don’t be willful."

Their daughter never had close friends before, and now their hearts were at ease.

Father Ye nodded in satisfaction. If you looked closely, there were tiny tears in his eyes; his daughter had grown up and made new friends...

The three teachers didn’t have much emotion; making friends is a normal thing.

Ah Tao looked at her young mistress with wide eyes, as if she was about to be abandoned.

Although it was autumn, the midday sun was still strong.

Ye Zhi looked at her parents and spoke slowly, "Dad, Mom, I’ve made plans with Huanhuan and the others to have lunch and eat Yangchun noodles. What will you have for lunch?"

"Yangchun noodles, how nice, I want some too. I’ll go and eat with you."

"Ahem, ahem"

Father Ye coughed twice and pulled his wife aside to whisper: Ah Zhi finally arranged to meet with friends, you following wouldn’t be appropriate, there’s plenty of time, plenty of time.

Children grow up and need some private space.

With a bit of reluctance, the Ye Family turned and smiled, "I don’t feel like having noodles lately. You all go ahead."

Feeling uneasy, they nagged, "Let Ah Tao and Yun Xiu accompany you, have a good lunch and come back for a nap. I’ll wait for you after your exam at the gate of the Imperial College in the afternoon."

Ye Zhi looked towards the three teachers.

Xun Yin didn’t think as much as the Ye Family couple; he simply didn’t want to eat noodles, "Yeah, as a teacher, I don’t feel like having noodles. I’ll have lunch at the Ye Mansion."

Gu Yan shook his head, expressing his refusal.

He also wasn’t eating.

Feng Liuli’s lips moved slightly as she lowered her voice, saying to the Ye Family couple, "Then you go ahead. I’d like to try those Yangchun noodles."

Some years ago, she was in Suzhou, close to Yangzhou, and had been there and tried Yangchun noodles.

Although simple, the taste was especially familiar, and hearing Ah Zhi mention it today made her feel nostalgic.

After spending several months teaching Ye Zhi and Shen Chen every day at the Ye Mansion, she almost forgot what life in Suzhou felt like. Back then, she always felt alone, but coming to the Ye Mansion was somehow a bit different, though hard to describe.

Until today.

The two little ones went to their exams, and she got up early to prepare—

Only then did she realize that perhaps it was because she didn’t have children of her own, that she subconsciously regarded these two as her children.

Feng Liuli collected her emotions and gave a friendly smile to Ye Zhi and Shen Chen.

Shen Chen still had the same deadpan face.

But Ye Zhi chuckled a couple of times.

And so, it was decided.

Tan Huanhuan also told her and Ji Changzhou’s housekeeper that they would go have noodles with their friends. Housekeeper Tan was worried that the two kids, unfamiliar with the Capital City, might be in danger with strangers, so he also wanted to accompany them.

Housekeeper Tan was a chubby middle-aged man with a large belly, smiling with squinted eyes and looking like a kind neighbor uncle, followed by four black-clad, long-robed, sword-wielding guards.

Ye Zhi didn’t ask what Housekeeper Tan’s full name was. If she knew, she would surely have been shocked.

Sure enough.

Later, when she found out one day, she regretted not asking more questions.

That was Elder Tang, who was living under a pseudonym!