Inside the flower hall of Prince Jing's mansion, the flickering candlelight made the table laden with seasonal delicacies from Jiangnan appear even more tempting. The sweet and sour spare ribs were glistening and oily, the Longjing shrimp were elegantly pale and white, the braised crab meat lion's head meatballs steamed with heat, and there were also several kinds of seasonal vegetables rarely seen in the capital, arranged fresh and vibrant.

She sat comfortably on a specially placed high stool next to the Emperor Emeritus, her short legs dangling precariously in mid-air. The small dish in front of her was piled high with food personally picked by the Emperor Emeritus, almost burying her face in it. The Emperor Emeritus himself ate very little, spending most of his time turned to the side, his eyes fixed intently on his granddaughter as she chewed with gusto, her cheeks puffed out, as if it were the most magnificent sight in the world.

"Grandpa," An'an finally managed to swallow a soft, mushy lion's head meatball, and pointed her greasy little finger at the stir-fried chicken head rice, "An'an wants more of those white beans!"

"Good, good!" The Emperor Emeritus immediately beamed with joy, clumsily scooped up a full spoonful of water chestnuts with a spoon, and steadily placed it into An'an's small dish, carefully instructing, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

The Empress sat beside Shen Yuewei, serving her light and nourishing dishes with serving chopsticks. She smiled as she looked at the old woman and the young girl opposite her, and couldn't help but tease, "Look at our Emperor! He used to be so decisive and powerful in court, reviewing memorials and deciding countless affairs. Now, he's honed his skills in serving this little darling, his hands are even more steady than the head chef of the imperial kitchen!" She then gently patted Shen Yuewei's hand. "Yuewei, you should eat more too. This Prime Minister seems stable, but we still need to be careful. I noticed An'an wasn't this... um, lively?" She glanced at An'an with a smile.

Shen Yuewei stroked her swollen belly, a gentle smile on her face: "Thank you for your concern, Mother. This child is a bit more fussy than when I was pregnant with An'an, often kicking me and making it hard for me to sleep at night. But the doctor Chengjing invited said that the fetus is strong and there's nothing to worry about."

Xiao Chengjing, who was carefully removing fish bones, paused upon hearing this, looked up at his wife with undisguised concern in his eyes: "If you are really not feeling well, let Doctor Chen come over tomorrow to take your pulse?"

"No need, no need," Shen Yuewei quickly shook her head, "Why bother people so much?" She turned her gaze to An'an, with a helpless smile, "An'an, don't just eat by yourself, thank Grandfather too."

An'an was struggling with a round water chestnut when she heard this. She looked up, her little mouth glistening with oil, and flashed a bright, unreserved smile at the Emperor Emeritus. Her voice was muffled but loud: "Thank you, Grandpa Beard! Grandpa Beard is the best!"

The Emperor Emeritus was soothed by the title "Grandpa Beard" and the straightforward praise that his dignified face softened completely. He even tried to wipe the grease from An'an's mouth with a handkerchief, just like the Empress, but his movements were as stiff as a new recruit going into battle for the first time.

The retired emperor had never served anyone, not even when he fell in love with the empress at first sight and got married. It seems that the grandparents are the closest to their grandchildren.

The flower hall was warm and filled with laughter. Shen Wenbai was quietly complaining to Lin Qingwan that his son had almost pulled off the jade pendant from his waist to use as a teething toy. Shen's parents, watching this harmonious scene between the royal family and their own, couldn't hide their satisfaction. Chunxing and the other maids stood by, their faces also bearing relaxed smiles.