148: Extra Chapter: Crazy Prince, Su Yao Extra Chapter 2

Another half month passed, and the two finally arrived at a small town in Jiangnan. It was far from the capital, picturesque, and the people were simple and honest.

"This will do," Su Yao said, standing under an old locust tree at the town entrance, looking at the distant village with smoke curling from its chimneys, and making her decision.

She used the silver she carried to buy a house with a small courtyard. The house wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy, with an old well in the courtyard and a few camellia bushes planted in the corner.

"Sister Yao, is this our home now?" Su Yao now called Xiao Cui, Cui'er, and Cui'er excitedly ran around the courtyard.

The word 'home' warmed Su Yao's heart. In her previous life, she lived in luxury but never had a real home; in this life, though she gave up wealth and glory, she found a sense of belonging.

"Yes, our home," Su Yao responded softly.

After settling down, the two faced their first challenge: livelihood. Although Su Yao had brought a good amount of silver, living off savings was not a long-term solution.

"I can embroider," Su Yao mused. "I can take on some embroidery work."

"I can cook!" Cui'er raised her hand. "I learned from the cook at the manor before, and she said I have a lot of talent!"

Su Yao's eyes lit up: "Then how about we open a small teahouse? You'll be in charge of making pastries, and I'll greet the guests."

They immediately put their plan into action, converting a room facing the street into a teahouse, naming it "Qingxin Ju."

Su Yao used her remaining silver to buy tea leaves and ingredients, while Cui'er unleashed her creativity, developing several unique tea snacks.

On the first day of business, only a few curious neighbors came, but after they tasted the osmanthus cake made by Cui'er, they praised it endlessly, and soon the reputation of "Qingxin Ju" spread throughout the small town.

Spring turned to autumn, and a year passed in the blink of an eye. The business of "Qingxin Ju" grew better and better, and Su Yao and Cui'er had fully adapted to their pastoral life.

Early this morning, Su Yao woke up early and fetched water in the courtyard to wash up.

She was no longer the pampered young lady who never lifted a finger; now, she could fetch water, wash clothes, and even plant vegetables herself.

"Sister Yao, look at the pears I picked!" Cui'er ran in from the backyard with a basket, her face smudged with dirt, a bright smile on her face.

Su Yao wiped the dirt from her face with a handkerchief, her voice exceptionally gentle: "Run slower, don't fall."

Cui'er grinned and handed her a golden-yellow pear: "Taste it, it's so sweet!"

Su Yao took a bite; the juice overflowed, indeed incredibly sweet. She looked at Cui'er's rosy cheeks, her heart softening, and suddenly felt that this life was a thousand times happier than her previous life of luxury.

In the afternoon, there weren't many customers in the teahouse. Su Yao sat behind the counter embroidering, while Cui'er peeled lotus seeds beside her.

"Sister Yao," Cui'er suddenly asked, "do you miss home?"

Su Yao's hand paused, then she continued embroidering the peony: "This is my home."

"But..." Cui'er hesitated, "you never talk about your past."

Su Yao put down her needlework and said softly: "The past is like a nightmare. Now that the dream is over, I just want to live the present well."

Cui'er nodded, half-understanding, then smiled and said: "Then I'll talk about my past! My father was a performer, he could do monkey tricks, and we traveled to many places..."

Su Yao listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions. The sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the two of them, warm and serene.

It was another ordinary day, and "Qingxin Ju" received some unusual guests.

"Boss, do you have any cooling tea recommendations?" a gentle and pleasant voice asked.

Su Yao was tidying the shelves and turned around at the sound, almost dropping the tea caddy in her hand. Standing at the counter was none other than Wen Ci!

She was dressed in the attire of an ordinary wealthy young lady, but her innate elegance could not be concealed. Behind her were two maidservants, seemingly ordinary, but their eyes were sharp, constantly observing their surroundings.

Su Yao forced herself to remain calm, bowed her head, and saluted: "Please wait, young lady. It's a hot summer day, I recommend chrysanthemum honey tea, it's cooling and relieves heat."

She turned to brew the tea, her heart pounding like a drum. The woman who had become the Regent's wife in her previous life, the one who had made her insanely jealous, was now standing less than ten steps behind her.

"Sister Yao, let me help you," Cui'er ran out from the kitchen, and after seeing the guests, she also paused, muttering softly, "This young lady is so beautiful..."

Su Yao gently patted her hand, signaling her not to speak carelessly.

After the tea was brewed, Su Yao took a deep breath and walked to Wen Ci's table with the tea tray. She had to act like an ordinary teahouse owner who had never seen her before.

"Please enjoy, young lady," she said, placing the teacups down, her voice steady.

Wen Ci looked up at her, her gaze like water: "The boss isn't from around here, are you?"

Su Yao's heart skipped a beat, but she showed no emotion: "You have a sharp eye, young lady. My sister and I are from the north."

"Where in the north?" Wen Ci seemed very interested in her, gently removing her veil, revealing a face that could topple kingdoms.

Su Yao then noticed the faint dark circles under Wen Ci's eyes, seemingly due to days of fatigue.

"A small place, not worth mentioning," she responded with a smile. "Is the young lady here for sightseeing?"

Wen Ci picked up the teacup and took a sip, her brows relaxing: "Good tea." Then she replied, "Passing through this place, I heard the tea snacks here are good."

Just as she was speaking, Cui'er came over with several plates of pastries: "Young lady, please try these, these are the mung bean cakes and mint shortbread I just made."

Wen Ci's gaze lingered on Cui'er's face for a moment, then returned to Su Yao: "You sisters run this teahouse alone?"

"Yes," Su Yao replied briefly, not wanting to say more. She noticed a familiar jade ring on Wen Ci's left ring finger, a treasured heirloom of the Xiao family.

Wen Ci seemed to notice her gaze and gently twirled the ring: "The boss has a good eye."

Su Yao smiled: "A very beautiful ring."

Wen Ci nodded, not pressing further. She and her maidservants quietly finished their tea and snacks, and when they left, they paid a generous amount of silver.

"Young lady, this is too much," Su Yao quickly said.

"The tea and snacks are very good, worth the price," Wen Ci said lightly, looking at Su Yao with a deep gaze, "And... you remind me of an old acquaintance."

Su Yao's heart trembled, but she showed no emotion: "Then that must be my good fortune."

Wen Ci gently shook her head: "No, it's my good fortune." She put on her veil, and before turning to leave, she suddenly said, "In life, it's not easy to let go of obsessions and find a pure land."

Su Yao stood at the doorway, watching her figure disappear around the street corner, a mix of emotions in her heart.

Wen Ci's words seemed to see through her soul.

"Sister Yao, that young lady is so strange," Cui'er leaned in and whispered, "what she said was all muddled."

Su Yao shook her head: "Young ladies from wealthy families are bound to be a bit different."

At night, Su Yao tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

She didn't understand why Wen Ci would appear in this small town, was it a coincidence or... No, it was impossible, she couldn't possibly recognize her.

The current her was just an ordinary teahouse owner, completely different from the Prime Minister's legitimate daughter of her previous life.

Wen Ci and her party left the small town the next day, and Su Yao's life returned to peace.

This evening, she and Cui'er were sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air. Cui'er suddenly said: "Sister Yao, I think you are much happier now than before."

"Is that so?" Su Yao asked with a smile, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan.

"Yes!" Cui'er nodded vigorously. "When you first came, even though you always smiled, there was always a hint of sadness in your eyes. It's different now, you are truly happy."

Su Yao was stunned, not expecting Cui'er to be so observant.

Indeed, when she first reincarnated, her heart was full of the shadows and regrets of her previous life. But in this peaceful pastoral life, with Cui'er's innocent companionship, those pains gradually healed.

"Because I have you," Su Yao ruffled Cui'er's hair. "With you by my side, I am happy."

Cui'er blushed and whispered: "Me too... With Sister Yao, I feel especially happy."

The sun set, casting long, long shadows of the two of them.

Su Yao looked at the sunset clouds in the sky, remembering Wen Ci's words "let go of obsessions," and couldn't help but smile.

Those power struggles, those loves and hates, all dissipated like smoke.

The current her was just an ordinary teahouse owner, with a lovely "sister," living a simple but fulfilling life.

That was enough.

Time flew by, and five years passed in the blink of an eye. "Qingxin Ju" became the most popular teahouse in the small town, and Su Yao and Cui'er became known as the "Su family sisters" among the townspeople.

One day, Su Yao received a letter from the capital, written by her mother. The letter said that her father had resigned from his official post and retired, and the whole family had moved back to their ancestral home.

At the end of the letter, her mother wrote: "Yao'er, no matter where you are, I wish you peace and joy."

Su Yao folded the letter and put it into a box.

She had no intention of replying; let everything in the past remain in the past.

"Sister Yao!" Cui'er ran in excitedly, "Granny Wang's little sheep gave birth, let's go see them!"

Cui'er had now grown into a graceful young woman, but her personality was still as lively and cheerful.

"Okay," Su Yao responded with a smile, letting Cui'er pull her hand and run out.

In the sunlight, their laughter carried far, far away.

Su Yao thought, if this was a dream, she hoped she would never wake up; if it was reincarnation, then she thanked heaven for giving her the opportunity to make up for her regrets.

No matter what, in this life, she finally found true happiness.

Not power, not wealth, but an ordinary life spent with someone who truly cared for her.