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

The laughter and chatter in the courtyard came to an abrupt halt the moment Xiao Jingshi was seen.

The two young princes were the first to react.

When they saw Xiao Jing, they were like mice seeing a cat. Their lively expressions froze instantly, and they forgot to chew the dumplings in their mouths. With their cheeks puffed out, they stood up timidly.

"Your Highness... Your Highness the Crown Prince..."

They both admired and feared their elder brother, the emperor. They admired his profound knowledge and believed he would be the next emperor; they feared his unchanging, icy face and the aura of coldness that kept strangers at bay.

Ye An'an also stood up, looked at the aloof man at the door, and raised an eyebrow.

Hey, speak of the devil and he appears.

"Your Highness is back," she greeted with a smile.

Xiao Jingshi's gaze swept over the plate of crystal-clear shrimp dumplings and the steaming pot of oden on the table, then returned to his two younger brothers, and he gave a faint "hmm".

Looking at that smiling face, something inside me felt relieved, and I felt happy.

She smiled and said to the two young princes, "Don't be afraid, your elder brother doesn't eat people. Sit down and continue eating, or it will get cold."

The two young princes glanced at Xiao Jingshi, then at the delicious food on the table, and finally couldn't resist the temptation, carefully sitting down. However, they ate much slower and dared not talk or laugh loudly anymore.

Xiao Jingshi walked over and stood by the stone table.

Ye An'an found it somewhat amusing.

This man, does he want to eat it?

Look at his eyes, staring intently at the shrimp dumplings, it's like he practically wrote "I want to eat this" on his face.

But he stubbornly refused to speak, maintaining his haughty demeanor.

What an innocent yet arrogant guy.

She got straight to the point, setting out chopsticks and bowls, "Your Highness, please try some. It's freshly made today and very delicious."

The translucent dough has a faint pink hue, making it look very appetizing.

Xiao Jingshi ate a mouthful of rice noodles, the shrimp inside were fresh and bouncy, and the crisp bamboo shoots had a faint sweetness. It was so delicious that it made his mouth water and he wanted to eat another one. The two little princes saw that their elder brother, the Crown Prince, was eating so much that they were about to empty a basket of food. They became anxious, but in the end, the temptation of the food outweighed the threat of their elder brother.

The two little princes also started eating, but since they had already eaten quite a bit, they were full very quickly.

"Your Highness, we are full. Thank you for your hospitality." The Seventh Prince stood up and bowed respectfully.

"Then... Sister-in-law, will you still call us if you have anything good to eat in the future?" the Ninth Prince asked.

"Haha, okay, but you two little ones shouldn't eat too much." Ye An'an smiled as she looked at the two little foodies.

"Yes, yes, we will follow your teachings, Your Majesty." The two little ones' eyes lit up, and they bowed to Xiao Jingshi again before running off as if a tiger was chasing them.

In an instant, only Ye An'an and Xiao Jingshi, along with the maid and Changting standing at a distance, remained in the courtyard.

Seeing that Xiao Jingshi was enjoying his meal, she didn't say much. For Ye An'an, the fact that her customers were enjoying their food was the greatest feedback she could receive.

Xiao Jingshi shifted his gaze from the half-empty plate to the pot of oden.

The white radish inside was stewed until soft and flavorful, and the fortune bags were soaked with soup, round and plump, looking very delicious.

A clear sound of swallowing saliva.

Although the sound was not loud, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

Ye An'an almost burst out laughing.

Xiao Jingshi's face didn't change much, but Ye An'an noticed with her sharp eyes that his ears had quietly turned red.

Oh dear, she's getting shy.

Changting watched from a distance as his prince ate with great relish. Even pancakes tasted so delicious; he wondered what the other dish on the plate must taste like.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, Fuyun finally couldn't stand it any longer.

Mustering her courage, she spoke quickly and directly: "Your Highness, you must be hungry too, right? Her Majesty made so much today, and there's still quite a bit left. Would you like to try some? This oden soup is so warming!"

Fu Yun's words instantly broke the deadlock.

Ye An'an chimed in, feigning a sudden realization: "Oh right, look at my memory. Your Highness must be hungry after a long day. Come, sit down and have something to eat."

As she spoke, she got up and went to the kitchen, took a clean set of bowls and chopsticks, and placed them in front of Xiao Jingshi.

Xiao Jingshi glanced at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions, but in the end he did not refuse again and sat down on the steps.

Ye An'an personally served him a bowl of oden, which contained radish, tofu pouches, and fish balls, and also picked out two of the prettiest shrimp dumplings for him.

"Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Xiao Jingshi didn't say anything, picked up his chopsticks, and first picked up the shrimp dumpling.

He was annoyed that he missed out on pancakes in the morning, but he didn't expect to eat something that looked even more refined than pancakes in the evening.

With one bite, the bouncy texture of the shrimp and the crispness of the bamboo shoots instantly fill your mouth, and the delicious juices burst on your tongue.

good to eat!

It tasted even better than he had imagined!

He quickly finished one and picked up a second one.

After finishing two shrimp dumplings, he slowly began to drink the oden soup.

The broth, made with kelp and bonito flakes, is clear yet flavorful, with a hint of sweetness. One sip and warmth spreads from your stomach to your limbs, dispelling the fatigue and chill of the day.

He ate slowly and elegantly, but his pace was anything but slow.

A bowl of oden and two steamed dumplings were quickly finished.

Ye An'an looked at him and asked, "Want more?"

Xiao Jingshi looked up and met her smiling eyes, his ears burning again. He was silent for two seconds, then nodded almost imperceptibly.

Ye An'an's smile deepened.

She served him another bowl, this time with a few more ingredients.

Xiao Jingshi finished his second bowl and finally felt full.

He put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and maintained an air of natural elegance throughout, showing no sign of wolfing down his food.

"Thank you." He looked at Ye An'an and said the second word he had uttered today besides "um".

"You're welcome," Ye An'an replied with a smile. "Anyway, I can't finish it all."

Xiao Jingshi: "..."

For some reason, he always felt that this woman was teasing him.

But he had no evidence.

After eating and drinking his fill, Xiao Jingshi did not leave immediately, but sat on the stone bench for a while longer.

Ye An'an didn't bother with him and continued drinking her tea to digest her food.

Neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere was no longer awkward; instead, it had a strange harmony.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, bathing everything in a warm golden light.