Chapter 62: Taking Xiao Sizi to Play at the Eastern Market

Li Lizhi was startled by her own bold guess, quickly shaking her head to fling all the chaotic thoughts from her mind.

But when she looked at Chen Yan and met his gaze, she unconsciously lowered her head, a flush rising to her ears.

Gao Yang had been observing Li Lizhi; seeing her lower her head, he thought she felt guilty and felt delighted.

Great!

Now you know who Chen Yan fancies, right?

See if you'll still hide in your room, dazed over Chen Yan's poems from now on.

Afterwards, Li Lizhi didn't speak a word, just kept her head down caring for Xiao Sizi's meal.

Gao Yang also stopped competing with Chen Yan, even serving him a dish.

This made Chen Yan suspect Gao Yang had lost his mind; otherwise why would he serve him food?

The meal passed in that strange atmosphere.

After leaving the restaurant, the three Cheng Chu Mo brothers said their goodbyes, agreeing to meet at Chen Yan's house in the evening for beef.

Chen Yan took Xiao Sizi from Li Lizhi's arms and said, "You go back first; I'll take Xiao Sizi out to play, and later I still need to visit the Cai Duke residence."

"Oh oh." Li Lizhi nodded in agreement.

Regarding the restaurant incident, she also needed to go back and tell the Father Emperor.

Gao Yang affectionately linked his arm with hers, saying, "Why don't you come back with me, Your Highness? I've already had Guard Fang bring the carriage."

Li Lizhi was still hesitating, but Gao Yang took her hand and led her away.

After everyone left, Chen Yan turned his head and met Sizi's big, dark eyes.

"Big brother, where should we go play, huh?"

The little one looked very excited; she had long been curious about those novel things outside.

Had she not wanted to avoid disturbing Chen Yan and Li Lizhi while they discussed matters, she would have eagerly tugged Chen Yan out to play.

"What would Xiao Sizi like to play?" Chen Yan asked gently.

Sizi rolled her eyes, shook her head, and said, "I don't know, I just want to listen to big brother."

"So, does Sizi listen well?"

"I listen well, I can obey~"

"Good, then you listen, and we won't play."

Sizi: "......"

"No~" Sizi stretched out her little arms to hug Chen Yan's neck, gently rubbing her head against his face.

"Big brother, I want to play, let's go out and play, okay~"

"Big brother's the best~"

The little one immediately unleashed her coquettish tactics.

How could Chen Yan possibly withstand that?

Being rubbed by the little one made his heart bloom with joy: "Okay, okay, okay, let's go play, take Xiao Sizi out to play, let's go now!"

"Hehe~"

Seeing Qing'er's taught trick work, Xiao Sizi's eyes curved into crescents as she laughed and gave Chen Yan's face a hearty kiss.

"Wooden horse~"

"Big brother, let's hurry, I want to play that 'puff-puff'~"

Chen Yan blinked, "What 'puff-puff'?"

After a few days together, he had grown accustomed to Sizi's baby talk.

But he had never heard "puff-puff" before.

Xiao Sizi quickly pointed at the distant 'fire artist' and said, "Big brother, look, that's it over there~"

Chen Yan followed her finger and saw a crowd gathered, with a fire artist performing fire-breathing in the middle.

Each time he breathed fire, it made a 'puff' sound.

Chen Yan chuckled helplessly, "Okay, Xiao Sizi, you can't play with that; shall we go take a look?"

"Okay okay~" Xiao Sizi quickly nodded, then urged impatiently, "Big brother, let's hurry, I want to see."

"Sure sure, big brother will take you there."

Chen Yan happily carried Xiao Sizi over to the fire artist's vicinity.

"Big brother, I can't see~"

Because the crowd was huge, packed tightly, Xiao Sizi's view was blocked and she couldn't see at all.

This made the little one anxious.

Chen Yan comforted, "Don't worry, watch me."

As he spoke, he exerted force with both hands, lifting Xiao Sizi high above his head.

Xiao Sizi's heart jolted; the sudden weightlessness frightened her.

But soon she realized she was steadily straddling Chen Yan's neck, and she burst into giggles.

"Sizi, can you see now?"

"I can, big brother, you're so nice~"

Sizi's big eyes blinked rapidly, she was overjoyed.

Especially when the fire artist suddenly turned and spat out a specially prepared mouthful of alcohol, the flames rose, and Sizi widened her eyes, exclaiming along with the crowd.

"Hey, welcome everyone to watch; those with money chip in, those without chip in a person, thanks everyone."

The fire artist bowed his fists to the crowd.

In the crowd, many people took out copper coins and tossed them into the fire artist's copper basin.

Chen Yan immediately took out four wen coins from his bosom and handed them to Sizi on his head.

Xiao Sizi, come, throw this into the basin in front of him.

Sizi took it without understanding, looked at it, then threw it out with force.

Heave-ho~

However, her aim was really poor, and with the distance, not a single one of the several copper coins fell into the basin.

The fire mage saw this and laughed loudly: "Hahaha, thank you, little lady, for the money."

Little beauty, like honey, free of illness and disaster, living to a ripe age.

In spring eat a cornel fruit; in winter wrap tight your embroidered clothes.

This is a common blessing used by ordinary folk; its general meaning is to wish the child healthy growth.

Xiao Sizi was very happy hearing this, her little feet constantly wiggling.

Sizi, let's go, older brother will take you to see other fun things.

Chen Yan did not put Xiao Sizi down, letting her ride on his neck as they leisurely strolled along.

East Market was extremely lively, with many people performing here.

Such as tightrope walking high above, Western Region Hu people's horse-training performances, street artists playing the double-reed horn, lute, and cymbal, etc., Hu music.

When encountering such satirical song-and-dance plays that perform the market tale of a drunkard beating his wife, Chen Yan would also bring Xiao Sizi to sing along.

If any performer could amuse Xiao Sizi, Chen Yan would give her a few wen coins for her to tip them.

Performers who received the tip would always say some auspicious words, blessing Xiao Sizi.

The two of them had a great time.

But those secretly tasked with protecting the princess could not be happy.

When Chen Yan lifted the princess over his head, their hearts never settled.

They feared Chen Yan might accidentally drop the princess.

After who knows how long, Chen Yan and company finally grew tired from playing and left East Market.

Those secretly protecting them finally relaxed.

Older brother, where should we get the duck?

Sizi's cheeks were flushed red, her excitement not yet fully faded.

Chen Yan put Xiao Sizi on the ground, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "Yesterday an old man fell ill; older brother, I'll go see him today."

Will you come with me?

Xiao Sizi's eyes lit up at the words, "Older brother, how many illnesses will you cure for the old man?"

Before, others always treated her when she was sick, and she had never seen anyone else treat illness.

She immediately became interested.

Chen Yan didn't know what she was thinking, and replied, "Exactly, the old man is ill and in pain; older brother will go treat him."

Poor old man~

Older brother, let's go quickly~