LIGHTNOVELSTORY Xiao Panpan was startled by the sudden sound and looked awkwardly at the excited Ji Wujin,
“I haven’t bitten the filling yet…”
“The wrapper is so good! Don’t you think so? The dough is chewy, isn’t it? !”
“Oh?” Under the awkward stare of Ji Wujin, Xiao Panpan chewed the wrapper carefully, “Mm. It seems very nice.”
“One more bite! A big bite! Meat filling. The meat is the essence!”
She rushed her as if she was about to stuff the entire bun into Xiao Panpan’s mouth. Xiao Panpan couldn’t be more embarrassed because she had never met anyone who could be so obsessed with steamed buns. Under the pressure of Ji Wujin’s stare, Xiao Panpan had to have a big bite,
“Not bad.”
“Haha. Told you!” Nodding proudly, Ji Wujin stuffed one more bun into her mouth, while looking at Yiyi watchfully.
Yiyi hadn’t eaten much for a few days. She no longer whined about everything she met. Instead, she focused on stuffing the steamed buns into her own mouth one after another. Ji Wujin was stimulated. She ate the buns more quickly. She couldn’t help it because she was quite competitive back when she was still a beggar.
They kind of talked at the beginning. Gradually, Ji Wujin and Yiyi had a silent war over buns. After a quick fighting over food, Ji Wujin wiped her mouth and rubbed her round belly as if she won a war,
“Wow. I am so full.”
At the moment, Xiao Panpan finished eating one bun and asked the question she had on her mind,
“Mama Jiao, why do you want to have breakfast with me alone?”
“Haha, Panpan, I have good news for you. You don’t need to entertain any guest this month.”
“How so?”
“Here is the thing. There will be a courtesan competition next month and the winner is allowed to dance in front of the emperor.”
“In the palace? In front of the emperor?”
Xiao Panpan was apparently excited. She was completely different when she heard the news. If she was an ice cold talented woman who had no interest in anything two days ago, the woman in front of her now was excited like a moth to a flame.
It looked like that she was eager to go to the palace and she seemed to be desperate to make it happen, thought Ji Wujin.
“So will you go? I mean the competition.”
“I will.”
“But you have to understand that you will not only dance for the emperor. The contributors from foreign countries will be there too. And as a dancer, if any contributor likes you…”
Ji Wujin had no heart to keep saying it. If Xiao Panpan won, given her breathtaking beauty, there was a big chance that she might be manipulated by those officers, which was not a good thing.
Xiao Panpan could tell that Ji Wujin was worried about. She was grateful for her concerns.
For what she learned about Ji Wujin these days, she didn’t see an evil side in Ji Wujin like other procuresses. Instead, she was a kind and childish person, although it was a little strange for a mother. Xiao Panpan kind of liked her from the bottom of her heart.
“Mama Jiao, I understand. I won’t regret it.” Xiao Panpan said firmly.
“Panpan…”
Ji Wujin sighed in mind because Xiao Panpan was obviously determined. She must have her reason to make such a decision. Since the rich man gave her such an order and Xiao Panpan made the same decision, she didn’t need to talk her out of it any more. Thinking of this, Ji Wujin nodded seriously,
“Great, Panpan. I will try my best to help you. If you need anything to prepare the competition, just let me know at any time.”
Since she had a big boss behind, Ji Wujin was confident in giving her words like a rich woman.
Yiyi cut in, “Mama Jiao, are you sure? Your daughters are still struggling with food. It must cost a fortune to prepare the competition. Can you promise that you will give us money however much we want?”
Ji Wujin rolled her eyes at her. She was upset about her because Yiyi fought over food with her just now. Now she had a doubt about her words?
“Yiyi, it is true that the girls are struggling with food. But look at what you just ate. Do you want to eat tomorrow? or the day after tomorrow? No problem. If you want to eat buns, I can buy them for you every day. I have money. Get it?”
As soon as Yiyi argued back, Xiao Panpan gave her a stop sign. Xiao Panpan smiled with a hint of apology at Ji Wujin,
“Mama Jiao, I believe that you have money. I will try my best to prepare the competition. May I know the topic of the competition? What are to compete? Please tell me so that I can make preparations in advance.”
“All right.” Encouraged by Xiao Panpan’s enthusiasm, Ji Wujin got exited too, “since the winner needs to dance for the emperor, I assume you will have to dance. I know that you are good at playing musical instruments. But your dance…”
“Don’t worry. I know a bit of dancing too. I will try my best.”
“Alright. If you only know a bit of dancing, you should work very hard.” Ji Wujin meant seriously.
“Ur…” Xiao Panpan went speechless.
She learned to dance since she was a little girl. Now she had mastered a lot of skills. She was being modest just now but Ji Wujin took it seriously. She smiled in embarrassment,
“Yes. I will try the best I could.”
“Mm.” Ji Wujin was worried about her, sighed,
“The competition is one month later. You have one month.”
While Ji Wujin and Xiao Panpan were having an ineffective conversation about the competition, a crowd of young beggars gathered at the gate of the Wang’s. They stood in a line and squatted down on the street in front of the shop as if they had done it many times.
A teenager girl, who seemed to be a leader of the beggars, was squatting under the boiler. She squatted with legs wide open like a frog, inhaled the aroma of the steamed buns from the boiler. She enjoyed the aroma like she was smoking.
Ji Wujin’s eyes sparkled as she saw that girl,
“Huahua!”
She was her best friend Huahua! They used to stay in a cave when they were beggars. They grew up together since ever. They were as close as sisters.
Huahua looked back in surprise. She saw Ji Wujin’s bright smiling face, which made her upset. Why did the procuress Hua Wujiao smile strangely at her?
Ji Wujin handed out a bun to her and said to her with a tempting voice,
“It’s me, Xiaohua. Come with me and we can have a wonderful life in Xiaoxiang Lou.”
“…”
This procuress was doing it again! Xiaohua grabbed the bun and ran away. There was no reason to refuse food since she offered to her.
Ji Wujin stood up, “Stop!”