Zhu Yanyi frowned slightly. "Didn't you say there were international children?" Letting foreign kids into a Chinese military camp seemed wrong to her.
"Yes, there are," Ouyang Manqing nodded seriously. "We specially invited them to perform with us." Seeing Zhu Yanyi’s confused look, she quickly understood. "I know what you mean. Even though they are children, they are from abroad. But don’t worry. The camp you are visiting is for new recruits. It focuses on training, so there are no special secrets."
"Oh." Zhu Yanyi nodded, understanding now. She looked at Ouyang Manqing again. "Aunt Manqing, you know the process so well. Are you in charge of this?"
Ouyang Manqing laughed. "Smart Ani. But I am not in charge. I just participate in the activities. I am the instructor for your performance." She raised an eyebrow. "So, little Ani, shouldn’t you bribe me properly?"
Zhu Yanyi looked at her. "Come on. I can see you have something on your mind. Just say it directly."
"I ran out of that face cream you gave me," Ouyang Manqing said bluntly.
"The batch from New Year should last at least a year. It’s only been six months. How is it gone?" Zhu Yanyi asked, curious. For years, Ouyang Manqing only used products Zhu Yanyi made.
"It’s because your product is so good. After my skin improved, many people wanted to know my secret. A friend of mine found out and started using my cream. You gave enough for one year, but we shared it between two people, so it ran out," Ouyang Manqing explained helplessly.
Zhu Yanyi glanced at her and sighed. "Aunt Manqing, I don’t know who your friend is, but do you know what ingredients are in this cream?"
"Is it very expensive?" Ouyang Manqing was surprised. At first, she had been careful. But since Zhu Yanyi gave it to her every year so generously, she assumed the cost was low.
Zhu Yanyi looked at her. "Aside from other herbs, the main ingredients include fifty-year-old ginseng, twenty-year-old snow lotus, and century-old Gastrodia elata. These are not common items. So, I can only make a limited amount each year. I only give it to close people. If I gave it to everyone, I would just sell it." Her tone held a hint of dissatisfaction.
Ouyang Manqing froze. She never imagined such precious herbs were used. Looking at Zhu Yanyi, her eyes filled with guilt. "Ani, I’m sorry. I didn’t know." Sometimes, it was hard to refuse friends or colleagues. Ouyang Manqing was like that. Her friend wasn’t very close emotionally, but they had known each other for over ten years. When the friend asked for the cream, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.
Zhu Yanyi saw the situation clearly from Ouyang Manqing’s expression. Although she felt uncomfortable, she did not blame her. "It’s okay. If you need it, I can still squeeze some out for you. But I cannot give any to your friend. This is not about favors or face. It is simply impossible. So, if you want this cream, you must first solve the issue with your friend. Otherwise, I cannot supply you anymore." Without the cream, there would be no conflict.