Chapter 58: Eat Whatever! Take Whatever!

Xie Yunshu, with a puzzled expression, pointed at herself: "Princess, what do you mean?"

Tuan Tuan's hand didn't lower: "On your head! This!"

Xie Yunshu then realized that she was only wearing a single hairpin on her head today, with no other accessories, so it must be that.

She lifted her hand and pulled the hairpin out: "Princess, is this it?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "That's it! This is a bad thing! It'll bring bad luck!"

Xie Yunshu looked at the hairpin in her hand, puzzled: "This hairpin was a relative's gift to me, how... how could this happen?"

Cheng Ru'an examined it closely; it was a crimson‑gold hairpin, exquisitely crafted, with a design that was seldom seen.

Ordinary women's hairpins are usually decorated with smiling brows, entwined silk flowers, fluttering butterflies, and the like; this golden pin, however, has a unique design—a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Though the carp leaping the dragon gate also signifies auspiciousness, it is rarely used in women's ornaments.

The hairpin's core is a radiant golden koi, its body curved in a leaping pose, the fish scales distinct, the eyes two tiny black gems, and the pin shaft that goes into the hair is tightly clasped by the fish's mouth, appearing natural and vivid.

Yet aside from the design, nothing appeared wrong.

Cheng Ru'an asked softly: "Tuan Tuan, what's wrong with this hairpin?"

Tuan Tuan reached toward Xie Yunshu, who, startled and uncertain, half‑believing, half‑doubting, placed the hairpin into her hand.

Tuan Tuan held the golden pin, her little finger gently stroking the koi's body back and forth, turning it over and examining it closely.

Xie Yunshu stared for a while, then couldn't help a quiet laugh, thinking how she had taken a child's words as truth.

She figured it was only the hairpin's novel design that caught the child's eye; the alleged bad thing was just an excuse to get it to play with.

"Please, Princess, take your time to appraise; the commoner will first wrap the pastries…" she hadn't finished when a series of crisp "clack‑clack‑clack" sounds from a mechanism rang sharply in her ears.

Cheng Ru'an's pupils narrowed, Xie Yunshu's eyes widened, and they saw Tuan Tuan's little hand grasp a spot beside the koi's slightly open mouth, turn left three times, then right twice, and with a gentle snap, pull the pin shaft straight out of the fish's mouth!

With the pin shaft removed, the koi's mouth became a tiny jet‑black hole.

Tuan Tuan peered into the tiny hole, flipped the koi upside down, and in an instant, a few thin, withered yellow hairs silently floated down to the floor.

The instant the hairs touched the ground, "Whoosh—!"

A bone‑deep cold wind rose from the ground without warning!

The wind howled low like a whimper, swirling around the three of them, blowing their robes into flutters, raising their hair, Tuan Tuan was blown so hard she could barely keep her eyes open, Cheng Ru'an turned pale with terror, scooping her daughter into her arms and shielding her with her body.

The wind grew louder, circling several times, then lifted the fallen hairs, surged out the shop door, and vanished without a trace.

The shop's assistants and several other patrons stood aside, all frozen in terror like wooden chickens.

Xie Yunshu's face turned deathly pale, her hand tightly covering her chest, the chill that just passed almost froze all the blood in her body.

Tuan Tuan lifted her little head from her mother's arms: "Wow! The wind was huge just now, Mother, look! Fishy's eyes changed!"

She raised the golden pin, and the two once dark, lively gem fish eyes had completely lost all shine, becoming gray‑white and lifeless, like a dead fish's eyes.

Cheng Ru'an frowned, her arm still around her daughter, unwilling to release her.

"This, what is this..." Xie Yunshu's lips trembled, a strong lingering fear in her heart; had she not met this Little Princess today, with such a cursed object atop her head each day, what fate would await her?

Tuan Tuan withdrew her hand, gently patting the koi: "Fishy, you feel better now, right?"

Xie Yunshu suddenly recalled the shop assistants' morning chatter, the street gossip: yesterday at Xuanqiong Temple a few children wagered, and Prince Ning's Little Princess beat the Lu family's siblings... Prince Ning's? Little Princess?

She asked with reverent awe: "Princess Jiayou? Could it be the Little Princess who yesterday at Xuanqiong Temple won the Lu family's son in a prayer‑bell bet, winning a thousand‑year snow ginseng for her brother?"

Tuan Tuan proudly puffed out her little chest, chin held high, her face shouting "Praise me", and crisply replied: "Yeah! That's me! I won! Big brother will wake up soon!"

Xie Yunshu now had no doubt: "This matter has now spread throughout Jingcheng; everyone says the Little Princess is a little lucky star. It appears true—she not only has boundless fortune but also a warm heart!"

She immediately stepped back, offering a deep blessing to Tuan Tuan and Cheng Ru'an, in a solemn tone: "Commoner thanks the Little Princess for today's life‑saving aid! This grace will never be forgotten! Princess Consort, to have a daughter like this is truly blessed!"

After speaking, she turned and ordered the still‑dazed assistants: "Quick! Pack every single pastry, each one carefully, and send them immediately to the carriage at Ning Prince's Mansion! No item may be omitted!"

Cheng Ru'an heard, "Huh? How could we finish that!" she hurriedly objected: "Boss Xie, there's no need to."

Xie Yunshu shook her head, refusing to yield; seeing her persistence, Cheng Ru'an had to give up.

"Little Princess." She crouched, gently looking at Tuan Tuan: "From now on, you are the most honored guest of my Crispy Pastry Pavilion."

"As long as you come, all the pastries in the shop, you may eat them at will, whatever you fancy, just take them!"

"Really?!" Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, excitedly turned and grabbed her mother's leg, her little face shouting: "Mother, mother! Did you hear! Snack auntie said I can come here and eat and take whatever I want!"

"Snack auntie?" What kind of address is that!

Cheng Ru'an was about to correct, but seeing her daughter's jubilant expression and Xie Yunshu's tearful gratitude, she could only helplessly and indulgently smile and shake her head.

Never mind, forget "snack auntie", even if Tuan Tuan called her "snack uncle" now, she'd probably be happy.

"What about this? Do you still want it?" Tuan Tuan, holding the golden pin, asked Xie Yunshu.

Xie Yunshu quickly waved her hand: "No more, no more, I'm scared just looking at it. Please, Princess, give it to me, I'll discard it right away."

Tuan Tuan's little hand curled: "You said it, okay, no more."

Xie Yunshu was startled: "Right... ah, I said that. What does the Princess mean?"

Tuan Tuan reinserted the pin shaft into the fish's mouth, restoring the hairpin, untied the embroidered pouch at her waist and placed it inside, muttering: "You said no more, so I'll take it!"

Cheng Ru'an obviously understood; her daughter had found a treasure she liked and was about to take it away.

She hurriedly made a smooth excuse: "Kids are like that, they like to pick up things; if Boss Xie truly doesn't want it, just let her have it."

The Little Princess actually had this habit? Xie Yunshu let out a dry laugh.