I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

Since that day, Xiao Jingshi has become an inseparable leech. Wherever Ye An'an goes, he follows.

While she was researching new dishes in the small kitchen, he would move a small stool and sit by the door, reading a book while supervising her work, ostensibly to "test the dishes" for the Crown Princess, to prevent her from "accidentally ingesting poison."

She went to the back garden to tend to her precious chili peppers, and he followed behind her with a pair of scissors to help her trim them, explaining that the plants grown by the Crown Princess were related to the reputation of the Eastern Palace and could not be neglected.

Even when Ye An'an went to Liren Pavilion to inspect the business, he would find an excuse to change into casual clothes and quietly follow behind, like a dutiful bodyguard.

Everyone in the Eastern Palace was stunned. Was this still their aloof, detached, and otherworldly Crown Prince? He was clearly a lovestruck fool whose IQ had plummeted!

Ye An'an found this both amusing and exasperating. Sometimes, when he became too clingy, she would deliberately put on a stern face and shoo him away: "Your Highness, you are the Crown Prince, with countless affairs of state to attend to. Can you please stop following me around all the time? Aren't you busy?"

At this moment, Xiao Jingshi would put down his book, raise his head, look at her intently with his deep eyes, and then answer seriously, "Accompanying the Crown Princess is my most important 'official duty'."

He silenced Ye An'an with just one sentence, and felt a sweet warmth in his heart. This man is getting better and better at it.

That afternoon, Ye An'an was setting up a small charcoal stove in the yard, preparing to grill some lamb skewers to satisfy her craving.

Xiao Jingshi, as always, sat beside her, drinking tea while using his noble hands to cut the mutton into evenly sized pieces and skewer them one by one with bamboo sticks.

The two worked together seamlessly, one skewering the meat and the other seasoning it; the scene was as heartwarming as a painting.

Just as the lamb skewers were sizzling on the charcoal fire, and the rich aroma of cumin and chili powder began to permeate the courtyard, two small figures, like two little puppies who had smelled the meat, peeked out from the entrance of Tinglan Waterside Pavilion.

They are the seventh prince, Xiao Ziyuan, and the ninth prince, Xiao Zixuan.

"Royal sister-in-law!" "Crown Princess sister-in-law!"

As soon as the two little ones saw Ye An'an, they ran over quickly on their short legs. Their eyes were fixed on the lamb skewers that were glistening with oil on the charcoal stove, and their mouths were practically watering.

"Wow! Your Highness, what delicious food are you making again? It smells so good!" Ninth Prince Xiao Zixuan, the youngest and most greedy, leaned on the edge of the stone table, standing on tiptoe to peer at the oven.

"They're grilling lamb skewers." Ye An'an looked at their greedy little faces and pinched their cheeks with a smile.

"Lamb skewers?" The two little ones looked puzzled. They had eaten whole roasted lamb and stewed lamb before, but this was the first time they had ever seen meat skewered and grilled.

"I'll bake them for you guys to try later," Ye An'an said generously.

"Yay!" The two little ones cheered immediately. They ran to Xiao Jingshi's side and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Crown Prince Brother." Then they squeezed to the left and right of Xiao Jingshi, watching Ye An'an's actions with eager eyes.

Xiao Jingshi frowned almost imperceptibly as he looked at the two little ones who had come to "steal" him again. But for Ye An'an's sake, he didn't chase them away.

Soon, the first batch of lamb skewers was ready. The outer skin was crispy and fragrant, while the inside was tender and juicy, with a perfect balance of lean and fat, and a glossy sheen.

Ye An'an first took two skewers that weren't very spicy, wrapped the skewers in a handkerchief, and handed them to the two little ones: "Be careful, they're hot."

The two little ones couldn't wait any longer. They took the lamb skewers, blew on them like Ye An'an, and then carefully took a small bite.

The next second, the two little ones' eyes widened instantly. Delicious! So delicious!

The smoky aroma of the lamb, combined with the unique flavors of cumin and spices, exploded in their mouths! They had never tasted anything so rustic yet so delicious!

"Mmm...Delicious!" The two little ones panted as they wolfed down their food, their mouths greasy and their faces almost buried in the meat skewers.

Seeing their satisfied expressions, Ye An'an felt a sense of accomplishment. She took another skewer of the spiciest one and handed it to the "big friend" who had been waiting for a long time: "Your Highness, this is yours."

Xiao Jingshi took the dish and began to eat it politely. Although his movements remained elegant and refined, the slightly faster chewing speed revealed his fondness for the food.

For a moment, only the sounds of chewing and satisfied "mmm" could be heard in the yard.

After finishing their lamb skewers, the two little ones didn't want to leave. They pestered Ye An'an to tell them a story.

"Sister-in-law, the story you told us about stinky tofu last time was so interesting! Can you tell us another one?"

"Tell a story..." Ye An'an was stumped. Her last bit of storytelling had long been exhausted by these two little ones. What should she tell?

Looking at the two little gluttons in front of her, who had just finished their lamb skewers and were still craving more, a brilliant idea flashed into her mind. She'd got it!

"Alright, then today, my sister-in-law will tell you a story about sheep." She cleared her throat and said mysteriously.

"Long, long ago, there was a place called the Green Wasteland Grassland. A group of very clever and cute little sheep lived on the grassland. The cleverest little sheep among them was called Little Sheep."

"He also has a friend who runs very fast named Boiling Sheep, a very pretty friend named Pretty Sheep, and a friend who is always sleepy and likes to sleep named Lazy Sheep..."

Ye An'an recounted the animated films she had watched countless times in her past life in a vivid and interesting way.

The two young princes listened with rapt attention, their eyes glued to the screen. They had never heard such a novel and fascinating story before.

What a slow-moving village chief, what a warm-hearted class monitor, and that unlucky gray wolf who always tries to catch sheep but fails time and time again...

These vivid and adorable characters, along with the imaginative and witty plots, instantly captured the hearts of the two children.

"Then... then what happened? Did the big bad wolf catch the sheep?" Ninth Prince Xiao Zixuan nervously grabbed Xiao Jingshi's sleeve and pressed for an answer.

"Of course not!" Ye An'an said with a smile, "Because Little Sheep and his friends are very, very united, and they can always use their wisdom to defeat Big Bad Wolf."

"Wow! Little Sheep is so amazing!" "Big Bad Wolf is so stupid!" The two little ones danced with excitement as they listened.

Xiao Jingshi sat quietly to the side, listening intently. He watched Ye An'an's radiant expression and smiling eyes as she told stories, and saw how easily she could win the affection and dependence of the two young princes.

He felt that his Crown Princess possessed a unique, innate magic that could attract everyone. Adults and children alike would be drawn to and captivated by her without even realizing it.

And he was the first person she completely conquered.

He reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his movement tender and natural.

Ye An'an was talking enthusiastically when she was taken aback by his sudden intimate gesture, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

This scene was witnessed by the two young princes. The two little ones exchanged a glance, then revealed a knowing, mischievous smile.