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

Chapter 87 A Mother's Nighttime Talk, A Daughter's Heartfelt Thoughts!

"Oh, my darling!"

Lin hugged her daughter tightly as she rushed into her arms, her usually dignified eyes instantly filling with tears.

"Let Mom see my An'an, she's gotten thinner, she's gotten so thin!"

She held Ye An'an's face in her hands, looking at her from left to right, and no matter how she looked at her, she felt heartache.

In the six months since my daughter entered the palace, although there have been frequent gifts and news that say she is doing well and is favored in the palace.

But how can a mother truly feel at ease?

What kind of place is that palace? It's a gilded cage that devours people without spitting out their bones.

She knew her own daughter's personality better than anyone else.

Carefree and easygoing, he doesn't care about anything except eating.

With such a personality, having them protect you at home is naturally a wonderful thing.

But in the strict and unpredictable imperial harem, could one survive?

For the past six months, Lin has not had a single good night's sleep.

Now, seeing her daughter standing alive in front of her, although she has lost some weight, her eyes are bright and her complexion is rosy, showing that she is doing well.

Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense for half a year, finally settled back into her stomach.

"Mom, I haven't lost weight, I've gained weight!" Ye An'an clung to her mother's arm, acting spoiled. "The food in the palace is so good! I've been trying all sorts of delicious food every day, I'm practically turning into a pig!"

She knew what her mother was worried about, so she deliberately used this relaxed tone to reassure her.

"You silly girl, all you know is how to eat!" Lin was amused by her, and reached out her finger to tap her forehead, her eyes overflowing with doting affection.

The mother and daughter walked into the main hall hand in hand.

Inside the General's Mansion, having already received the news, Ye An'an's two unmarried younger sisters, the third sister Ye Jinjin and the fourth sister Ye Yunyun, were already waiting in the hall.

"Big sister!"

"Big sister, you're back!"

As soon as the two little girls saw Ye An'an, they rushed over like two happy little birds, hugging her arms on either side.

The third sister, Ye Jinjin, is gentle and quiet, a typical lady from a well-to-do family.

The fourth sister, Ye Yunyun, is lively, active, and mischievous, somewhat similar to Ye An'an's personality back then.

"Big sister, I miss you so much! You have no idea, without you at home, no one takes me out to play!" Fourth sister Ye Yunyun pouted and complained.

"Eldest sister, are you doing well in the palace? Has anyone bullied you?" Third sister Ye Jinjin asked worriedly, holding her hand.

It feels so good to be surrounded by family.

Ye An'an felt a warm glow in her heart.

She smiled, pinched her fourth sister's cheek, and patted her third sister's hand.

"Okay, okay, I'm back now, aren't I? Everything's fine, no one bullied me. Look at me, I'm perfectly alright, aren't I?"

The family sat together, chatting away about everyday things.

Lin asked her about her daily life in the palace, while her two younger sisters curiously inquired about all sorts of gossip and interesting stories from the palace.

Ye An'an picked out some interesting and talkative things to tell them.

For example, how she won over the Empress with a teppanyaki dish.

For example, how she managed to make the emperor "addicted" to a bowl of bubble tea.

She spoke so vividly that Lin and her two sisters were all amazed.

They never imagined that their "silly girl" who only knew how to eat would actually thrive in the palace.

At noon, Mrs. Lin personally cooked a large table of dishes that Ye An'an had loved since she was a child.

Braised pork belly, sweet and sour fish, braised pork hock, and a pot of chicken soup made with an old hen, simmered until golden and glistening.

A table full of food, it tastes like home.

Looking at the table full of food, Ye An'an felt her mouth watering.

"Eat up, eat up, look how thin you are." Mrs. Lin kept piling food into her bowl, which soon became a small mountain.

"Thank you, Mother!"

Ye An'an didn't stand on ceremony, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat heartily.

Home-cooked meals are still the best!

……

That evening, after washing up, Ye An'an lay down on her long-missed soft bed.

My own room is still the most comfortable.

She was getting ready for bed when the door was gently pushed open.

It is the Lin family.

She came in carrying a bowl of steaming hot rock sugar bird's nest.

"An'an, you're still awake? Here, drink this bowl of bird's nest soup. It's good for calming the nerves and beautifying the skin."

"Thank you, Mother." Ye An'an sat up, took the bowl, and drank the wine in small sips.

Lin sat by her bedside, looking at her, hesitant to speak.

"Mother, is there something you want to ask me?" Ye An'an saw through her thoughts.

Madam Lin sighed, took her hand, and asked softly, "An'an, tell your mother the truth. How are things between you and His Highness the Crown Prince?"

During the day, she couldn't ask too many questions in front of the servants and her sisters.

But now, it's just the two of them, mother and daughter.

She wanted to hear what her daughter had to say.

Ye An'an paused in her act of drinking bird's nest soup.

She thought of Xiao Jingshi.

She remembered the things he had done for her.

She remembered the increasingly tender look in his eyes when he looked at her.

I remembered that kiss last night, the one that tasted sweet like milk tea.

Her face flushed unconsciously.

"It's...it's fine." She lowered her head and said softly.

Having been through similar experiences, Lin understood everything when she saw her daughter's shy and timid appearance.

"Mother can see it." Madam Lin smiled, a smile filled with relief. "His Highness the Crown Prince is truly sincere towards you."

"At the state banquet, he publicly defied foreign envoys for your sake. He also bought the entire Suzaku Avenue for your career."

"These things have already spread throughout the capital. Our Ye family is now proud of ourselves."

"Your mother can tell that you do have feelings for him."

Madam Lin looked at her and said earnestly, "An'an, you are a blessed person. His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble character and deeply in love with you. This is a blessing that many women would rather die than have."

"Since you two are in love, then some things... should be put on the agenda."

"What's wrong?" Ye An'an hadn't reacted yet.

Looking at her bewildered expression, Lin was both amused and annoyed. She reached out and poked her forehead with her finger.

"Silly girl! Of course it's... to consummate the marriage!"

"You are currently only a concubine. If you want to truly secure your position in the palace, you must, as soon as possible, produce offspring for the royal family!"

"You...you and His Highness, did you...consummate your marriage?"

"boom--"

Lin's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Ye An'an's mind.

consummating the marriage?

To branch out and spread out?

She...she and Xiao Jingshi?

She felt her face was so hot it could be used to fry pancakes.

"Mother! What nonsense are you talking about!" She was so ashamed that she buried her face in the quilt, not daring to look her mother in the eye.

Looking at her like this, how could Lin not understand?

She sighed and said earnestly, "An'an, this isn't nonsense. This is the reality you, as the Crown Prince's concubine, must face."

"Listen to your mother. When you get back to the palace, be more proactive. Men, sometimes, need women to guide them."

"you……"