Chapter 116

During breakfast, Qin Su ate with chopsticks. She had always used a spoon before, and was still a little unskilled at using chopsticks.

Children have small mouths, so they often pick up something, take a bite, and only bite off a small part, leaving the rest in the bowl. Then they pick up the food from the bowl and continue biting, and the food keeps falling. It's kind of cute and clumsy.

Ye Yan would take a bite of rice, glance at Qin Su, take another bite, and glance at her again.

He never dreamed that Qin Su would be associated with the word "clumsy" in her life, and that he would witness it with his own eyes.

Yet he also found the scene inexplicably endearing, only regretting that there were no cameras in the era to preserve it.

He glanced at the palace servants who remained motionless around him, and asked Qin Su in a low voice, "Your Highness, shall I feed you?"

Qin Su put down her chopsticks, looked at him seriously, and said, "I have been able to eat by myself since the beginning of the year."

When she started eating by herself, she would always spill half of what she ate, which worried the palace servants. Even Emperor Jingxi couldn't help but say, "You're still young. There's no rush for you to eat by yourself. Let's talk about it in a year or two."

Qin Su stubbornly refused to be fed again, saying that she would get used to it and that it was already showing some results, at least she wasn't leaking food out of the bowl anymore.

After having breakfast, Qin Su washed her hands with the help of the palace servants, tidied her clothes, and then took Ye Yan to see the fish.

As spring deepened, a garden was located next to the fishpond. The gradually blooming flowers attracted butterflies. Qin Su became impatient after feeding the fish for a while and asked the palace servants to catch butterflies for her while she sat on the swing and swayed.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to push her on the swing, Ye Yan was finally able to speak.

He asked in a low voice, "Su Su, do you still remember me?"

Qin Su immediately turned her head to look at him: "What did you call me?"

At this moment, there was no one around them, and Qin Su didn't need to pretend at all, which meant that Qin Su might really have no memory.

Ye Yan's last glimmer of hope was dashed.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and whispered, "Did something happen to you? Why don't you remember? Or do you remember why you came here?"

Qin Su never explicitly stated it, but Ye Yan speculated that she had a purpose in visiting each world.

As for himself, in the previous world he couldn't be sure whether having memories was a coincidence or an accident, but in this world he can finally be sure that he was following Qin Su, although he himself doesn't know why.

Qin Su didn't understand what Ye Yan was saying. She frowned and said, "Didn't we come to see the fish? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ye Yan: "..." Oh no, I really don't remember.

His expression was so complex and vivid that it didn't seem like he was faking it, which reminded Qin Su of something.

Recently, she's had this feeling that she's "forgotten something." Could it be related to Ye Yan?

She asked Ye Yan, "What should I remember?"

Ye Yan smiled wryly. How was he supposed to explain this to Qin Su, who was only three years old and had no memory of her?

Moreover, he wasn't entirely clear about many things concerning Qin Su.

Ye Yan thought for a moment and had no choice but to coax the child, saying, "It's too early to talk about this now. I'll tell you in two years, okay?"

Qin Su scrutinized him, finding him even more strange.

She couldn't quite articulate her feelings, but she could sense that Ye Yan, who was alone with her at this moment, seemed different from how he acted in public. His attitude towards her was very familiar, as if the two of them had known each other for a long time.

"Let's pinky swear." Qin Su stretched out her hand and waved it at Ye Yan.

Because Emperor Jingxi often did this with her, she perceived it as a very effective guarantee.

Ye Yan was taken aback, then chuckled and said, "Okay, pinky promise."

Qin Su hooked her two little fingers together and shook them, then said seriously, "You must tell me in two years."

Ye Yan said, "Okay."

The palace servants caught butterflies and picked flowers for the princess. Qingmei picked out the most beautiful flower from the flower basket, put it in Qin Su's hair, and said with a smile, "Your Highness is so beautiful."

Qin Su blinked, looked at herself in the mirror held by the palace maid, and pointed at Ye Yan, saying, "He wants to wear it too."

Ye Yan opened his eyes wide. After all, he was no longer a child; he still had the soul of an adult. How could he possibly do such a thing? He waved his hand and said, "I don't need to."

Qin Su ignored him, picked out a pink flower for him to wear, and clapped her hands in satisfaction: "Now we both have flowers."

To be honest, Ye Yan, with his rosy lips and white teeth, doesn't look out of place wearing flowers at all; in fact, he looks quite good.

Qin Su also took Ye Yan to see the Third Prince Qin Yu. Qin Yu was awake and was spitting bubbles in his swaddling clothes.

Qin Su whispered to Ye Yan, "Do you think he's a little slow? And he's so small, how long will it take for him to grow up?"

Ye Yan also whispered, "Children grow up very quickly; they'll be all grown up in no time."

Qin Su said, "Then when he grows up, I will also grow bigger."

She placed her palm next to Qin Yu's palm, quite proudly, and said, "Look, I'm so much bigger than him now."

Two soft, white little hands clasped together—it's such an adorable sight!

Ye Yan was momentarily affected, as if his mind had returned to childhood. He stretched out his hand and compared it with others, saying, "Looking at it this way, I have the biggest hand."

Qin Su snorted: "I'm not going to compete with you."

The Third Prince Qin Yu, who was standing next to him, followed suit and spat out a bubble.

Qin Su took a handkerchief from the side and wiped his mouth, muttering, "Silly little brother, why did you spit again?"

Qin Yu waved his little hands and feet, grinning foolishly at Qin Su, occasionally letting out a couple of "ee-ya" sounds.

Emperor Jingxi, who had come to visit his daughter after court, stood outside the window, smiling as he watched the three children playing. He asked Liang Danxin beside him, "Is this Ye Hongtao's youngest son?"

Ye Hongtao is the title of the Grand General who assists the State.

Liang Danxin replied, "Your Majesty, that's right. The young master's given name is Yan."

"Hmm, a nice name." Emperor Jingxi, not wanting to disturb the children's play, left with the palace servants. "Is the princess settling in well?"

This is essentially asking the princess whether she is satisfied with the companion.

Liang Danxin thought for a moment and said cautiously, "His Highness invited him to have dinner with you this morning and has kept him by his side all day. It's probably out of habit."

Emperor Jingxi nodded in satisfaction: "Take some things from the storeroom and send them to the Ye family. Also, I heard that Ye Hongtao is looking for a tutor for his youngest son. Go to the Hanlin Academy and inform them."

Ye Yan is five years old this year. He will be six after the New Year, and then he should start studying properly.

Given the circumstances of the General's Mansion, it's not hard to find someone to teach the children martial arts, but finding someone to teach them to read requires careful consideration.

It's much easier for them than to find someone themselves since Emperor Jingxi personally made the arrangements.

Thinking of reading, Emperor Jingxi couldn't help but smile and said, "When this child starts reading, Su Su should be shown the difference between those who have read books and those who haven't, so that she won't always be reluctant to read."

Liang Danxin smiled apologetically and said, "Your Highness is just young now. After two years, you will naturally understand the meaning of studying."