Jessie’s face popped out from the doorway.
"Hi!"
She cheerfully waved at the people outside the gate.
"Why didn’t you text when you got here? Co on in, have a seat." Jessie ushered them in.
Mochi, still standing on the road: "???"
Bella: "?"
Yvonne Rhodes: "?"
Zoe Marx: "?"
’Wait, you live *here*?!’
Even after the four of them stepped inside, they still couldn’t calm down.
Especially upon seeing the modern Chinese-style interior of the courtyard house. It didn’t feel old at all, and even in winter, the garden exuded a sense of vitality. The group couldn’t help but marvel once again.
"Little Squid, you live here?!" Zoe Marx, visiting for the first ti, still couldn’t believe it.
Jessie nodded. "Yep. I moved in after I got married."
She led them into the main hall’s living room, and an attendant quickly served tea and dessert.
Zoe Marx couldn’t help but look around as she handed the Newcor Award trophy to Jessie. "This courtyard of yours is huge." The living room alone was the size of her entire three-bedroom apartnt. How could it not feel massive?
Mochi said bluntly, "If I had a courtyard like this, I’d set off firecrackers to let the whole world know."
Her words made Jessie burst out laughing.
Bella rolled her eyes without reservation. "You can dream about that back in our village. Here, at the foot of the Forbidden City, don’t even think about it. Not even in your wildest daydreams!"
Mochi let out a couple of chuckles. "Hehe. In any case, as of today, I’m a person who owns a courtyard house in the capital!" After saying this, Mochi looked at Jessie excitedly. "Little Squid, can I look around?"
Jessie nodded. "It’s pretty cold outside, though. Are you sure?"
"It’s fine, it’s fine!"
Mochi, Bella, and Zoe Marx all wanted to explore. Yvonne Rhodes had wanted to stay and chat with Jessie, but when she saw Jessie’s hands resting on her knees, the light refracting from the perfectly cut pink diamond seed to shoot in all directions. It was so dazzling, yet piercing. Yvonne stood up as well.
Since her guests all wanted to walk around, Jessie couldn’t very well remain in the living room. She put on an alpaca coat and followed them out.
"This house has such an ancient charm. It’s perfect for photos." After erging from the plum garden, Mochi discovered that an adjacent courtyard even had a rockery and a pond. She imdiately wanted to take a few pictures there.
Jessie was more than happy to act as their photographer. Throughout the tour, whenever they found a spot they liked, she diligently helped them take pictures, even offering so advice on poses.
After they finished touring the entire courtyard house, Mochi collapsed onto the sofa.
As a hobody who did nothing but draw, walking such a large loop felt like it had drained half her battery.
"Your ho is seriously huge! It’s nothing like the courtyard houses I imagined. You must be so happy living here!" Mochi said while posting on social dia. "Little Squid, your photography skills are too good! I don’t even need to edit these. I can post the raw photos directly!"
Jessie bead. Who doesn’t like having their skills acknowledged?
Even if it was a skill most people considered trivial.
When Mochi made her post, she also intentionally included her location.
She was a reasonably well-known author at Manhui Comics. Although she couldn’t compare to a top-tier manga artist like Yvonne Rhodes, she was at least on par with your average minor internet celebrity.
She had over a hundred thousand fans, and perhaps because fans tend to be like their idols, hers were very active.
When Mochi posted the photos from the courtyard house, the comnt section turned into a total lovefest.
"Mochi is so cute! Wifey, kisses!"
"Ah, is this next to the Forbidden City? Which tourist spot is it? I’m in Aethelburg today too, hoping for a chance encounter!"
"Why does this location look so familiar? I feel like I’ve seen it sowhere before."
"Huh? Is there a place in Aethelburg that looks like a Jiangnan water town? That’s magical. An Aethelburg local here, and I’m a bit shocked. Please, where is this?"
Mochi munched on the handmade soft cookies made by Jessie’s pastry chef, replying gleefully—
"It’s next to the Forbidden City, but it’s not a tourist spot. It’s the ho of a new friend I just made. She took all the photos for , wow, posted raw, my friend’s photography skills are super good too!"
Mochi looked gleefully at the chorus of "wow"s in her comnts. ’This must be the thrill of having sothing others can’t!’
Thanks to Jessie, she was finally getting to experience it today!
"Ah! I rember why this location looks so familiar! The viral flower wall from this sumr, with the roses or whatever, wasn’t it right here?"
This comnt, from a sharp-eyed netizen who recognized the location, imdiately jogged many people’s mories.
"I rember now! A blogger happened to film the main gate of that ridiculously expensive-looking courtyard house opening, and a super gorgeous girl ca out."
" too... OMG, our Mochi is really sothing else, she has connections like this, haha."
"Take more pics, we love to see it!"
By noon, everyone was seated in the dining room. Looking at the table filled with hotown specialties from various regions, they couldn’t help but marvel once again at how thoughtful Jessie’s hospitality was.
"I almost forgot I’m here to visit on behalf of the website. It feels more like I ca here to freeload." Zoe Marx took a sip of champagne at the table. The taste was a thousand tis better than the champagne served at their website’s annual party.
Bella nodded in agreent. She wasn’t used to the food in Aethelburg and hadn’t eaten her fill these past few days.
But now, at Jessie’s house, she was having the best al yet and couldn’t help but feast heartily.
"I declare that the best tourist attraction in all of Aethelburg is Jessie’s house! Wow, this is just too good."
As usual, Yvonne Rhodes didn’t say much. It was unclear whether it was a coincidence, but today she had chosen a seat diagonally opposite from Jessie.
"Ms. Sterling’s ho is indeed very beautiful. Thank you for your hospitality today, Ms. Sterling," Yvonne Rhodes said with a faint smile.
Perhaps it was because of the "educational" string of ssages Mochi had sent her about Yvonne Rhodes yesterday, or perhaps it was because of Victor Morgan’s attitude toward Yvonne, but Jessie felt a little uncomfortable as she looked at her now.
She didn’t realize that when she smiled at Yvonne, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, making her look even cuter.
Yvonne Rhodes glanced at her for only a mont before quickly looking away.
But the hand holding her chopsticks couldn’t help but tighten slightly.
She sighed inwardly.
It was already evening by the ti she saw her friends from Manhui Comics off.
Although Jessie tried her best to have the four of them stay for dinner, Mochi and Bella had bought plane tickets ho for that night. In the end, Jessie could only let them go with regret, arranging for a driver to take everyone back to their hotel.
「In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Day.」
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