BDSMST -Chapter 49 The Half Sweet Potato Handed Over with a Darkened Face

Holding the two carefully selected roasted sweet potatoes, Gu Xuan did not immediately run toward his grandfather and grandmother. Instead, he walked straight toward Jiang Suisui.

Jiang Suisui was standing beside the old madam, speaking softly with her. When she saw Gu Xuan striding over with an imposing air—his face carrying a hint of awkward reluctance—she paused mid-sentence.

Gu Xuan stopped in front of her and forcefully broke the most perfectly roasted sweet potato in half.

With a crisp crack, the golden-brown skin split open, revealing a bright, glistening golden interior. A wave of sweet, caramelized fragrance mixed with honeyed warmth rushed out, intoxicatingly rich.

He glanced down—clearly, one half was larger than the other.

Pressing his lips together, he shoved the larger, better-looking half stiffly into Jiang Suisui’s hand.

“Here. For you!”

His voice was dry and gruff, and his face wore an expression that clearly said, I’m just giving this to you casually. To hide his embarrassment, he deliberately turned his head to the side, refusing to look at her.

“Don’t think I’m thanking you or anything! I… I just saw you standing there for so long and thought you might be hungry!”

The excuse was transparent and full of holes. The bright red tips of his ears had already betrayed his true feelings.

Jiang Suisui lowered her head and looked at the warm, fragrant half sweet potato in her palm. The heat seeped through the thin skin, warming her hand.

When she raised her head again and saw the awkward young man in front of her—pretending not to care while his entire posture screamed Praise me already!—the smile in her eyes could no longer be hidden.

She did not expose him. She simply gave a soft “Mm,” then took a bite in front of him.

The texture was soft and glutinous, dense yet delicate, sweet without being cloying. The sweetness spread from the tip of her tongue all the way to her heart.

“It’s delicious,” she praised sincerely. “You roasted it very well.”

Receiving her affirmation, Gu Xuan’s stiff shoulders visibly relaxed. He darted a quick glance at Jiang Suisui, and when he saw the smile on her face, the corners of his own mouth almost lifted. But he quickly suppressed it, merely giving a heavy snort to show he had heard her.

Only then did he take the smaller half and the slightly over-roasted sweet potato and run toward his grandparents.

“Grandmother, this is for you!” He handed the smaller half to the old madam. “This one’s the best. Jiang Suisui couldn’t finish it, so she’s sharing half with you!”

Then he passed the slightly charred one to the old marquis.

“Grandfather, this is for you. Boys aren’t allowed to be picky about food.” He repeated the very words his grandfather often used to scold him, throwing them right back.

The old marquis was so annoyed by this maneuver that his beard bristled and his eyes widened. He raised his cane as if to strike him. Gu Xuan, however, dodged with a mischievous grin.

The old madam held the half sweet potato in her hand and looked at Jiang Suisui in the distance, savoring her portion in small bites. Then she glanced at her lively grandson. Her smile was filled with understanding and quiet satisfaction.

She knew that in Xuan’er’s heart, that young woman had already taken up a very important place—one he himself had not yet fully realized.

This small episode did not escape anyone present.

Wei Ziqian muttered sourly from the side, “Playing favorites.”

Qian Duoduo stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I think the boss… might finally be awakening?”

Shen Qinghe simply smiled gently at the scene without saying a word.

The sweet potato–digging activity ended amid laughter and cheerful chatter. As the sun set, it stretched everyone’s shadows long across the ground.

The old marquis and old madam looked at the carts piled high with their harvest, at the mud-covered yet jubilant youths, and at the still-warm, soft, fragrant roasted sweet potato in their own hands. Their hearts were filled with complicated emotions.

They knew that this visit to Woniu Village had shown them far more than they had expected.

That evening, the old marquis specially instructed Uncle Fu to invite Physician Liu to the estate.

Physician Liu hurried over on horseback. When he saw that the old marquis could walk from the courtyard all the way to the front gate to receive him personally, his jaw nearly dropped.

“Old Marquis! Your leg—”

“Come inside first,” the old marquis said.

After carefully taking his pulse and repeatedly examining his knee, Physician Liu’s expression shifted from shock to ecstatic joy.

“A miracle! This is truly a miracle!” he exclaimed, stroking his beard excitedly. “Old Marquis, the cold dampness in your body has dissipated by more than half! Your pulse is steady and strong, your qi and blood flowing smoothly! This effect surpasses that of any rare elixir by a hundredfold!”

Looking at the old marquis with curiosity, he asked, “Have you been eating the vegetables grown here every day?”

The old marquis nodded.

“That explains it!” Physician Liu slapped his thigh. “I previously declared that the produce of this place was no ordinary fare. Now it seems they are not merely extraordinary—they are heaven-sent treasures! Long-term consumption will not only cure your chronic illness but also prolong your life and strengthen your foundation!”

Physician Liu’s words were like the final reassurance, dispelling the last trace of doubt in the old marquis’s heart.

He looked out the window at the bright moon hanging quietly in the night sky, casting silvery light over the courtyard. From afar, the faint echoes of the youths’ laughter could still be heard.

He made a decision—one that would shape the future of the entire Yongning Marquis Manor.