Ning Yin looked at Xiao Xuan with some surprise, "Aren't you called Li Xuan?"

“Ah Ning, Jingyuan is my courtesy name. I was thinking that since we’re already so familiar with each other, there’s no need to be so distant. What do you think?”

Xiao Xuan pursed his lips, feeling somewhat uneasy, afraid that his sudden words might frighten Ning Yin.

Their eyes met, and Ning Yin looked at the serious-looking man opposite her, then suddenly covered her face and chuckled.

It's just calling out a name, what's wrong with that? Why is he so serious?

"Ah Ning, what are you laughing at? Do you agree or disagree?"

“The name Jingyuan sounds very nice, so from now on I will call you Jingyuan.”

Upon hearing Ning Yin's reply, Xiao Xuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief; the sweat on his palms had just started to feel sticky.

He suddenly wondered if he had contracted some serious illness, and why being with Ning Yin was more complicated than dealing with those cunning and treacherous ministers.

Xiao Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of confusion in them. It seemed he really didn't know how to talk about love, nor did he understand the thoughts of young women.

Thinking that Li Chengyan was known for his womanizing ways, he figured he would know more than he did, so he decided to ask him that night.

...

Inside the dining hall, the servants had already laid out the dishes, and Xiao Xuan and Ning Yin sat down together.

In the past few days, in order to take care of Ningyin's diet, he directly invited the chefs from the best restaurants in Kyoto.

He would cook different delicious meals for Ningyin every day. He remembered that Ningyin liked to eat meat, so basically all the dishes in front of Ningyin were meat dishes.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan had already picked up a soup ladle and ladled a bowl of chicken soup for someone.

"Ah Ning, this is stewed with ginseng and some bird's nest. Try it. I heard it has beauty and skin-nourishing effects, and the ladies in the palace love to drink it."

After Xiao Xuan finished speaking, he looked at Ning Yin expectantly. Seeing that she had taken a bite, he then said, "How is it? I specially asked the chef to learn how to make it."

Ning Yin nodded, a smile appearing on her rosy cheeks. "Li...Jingyuan, do you know anyone in the palace?"

Ning Yin was surprised when Xiao Xuan mentioned that the ginseng, bird's nest, and chicken soup was a favorite drink of the ladies in the palace.

I thought Xiao Xuan was just a wealthy merchant, but I didn't expect him to know someone in the palace.

"Oh, I have a friend who is a guard for the Crown Prince in the palace. He's the one who told me."

Xiao Xuan made up a pretext, and then put a large piece of abalone on someone's plate.

"This is also very nutritious; you look too thin."

Before Ning Yin could speak, the two heard a teasing male voice coming from outside the door.

"Cousin, you're so biased. You're bringing a fairy here to eat good food, but you didn't invite me. I'm so heartbroken today, I need to eat more to recover."

As he spoke, Li Chengyan quickly pulled out a chair and plopped down next to Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan's dark eyes were devoid of any emotion; he merely glanced at him with disgust.

"Eat what you want, and stop talking nonsense!"

"Oh dear, cousin, I'm eating coarse food back home. It's so rare for me to get to eat something this good. Can't you at least give me a little surprise?"

In the past two days, thanks to Ning Yin's influence, the food standards in Li Chengyan's residence have been significantly improved.

He's usually very frugal, so he wouldn't be willing to eat such good food.

He could get a free meal and watch the noble Crown Prince flirt; how could he possibly miss it?

He grinned at Ning Yin, showing off his big white teeth, and then picked up his chopsticks to start eating meat.

His mouth was stuffed with food, but in his heart he was thinking that the Crown Prince was really good at pretending.

How the tables have turned! The once ruthless and decisive Crown Prince is now serving food to others.

The ladies in the palace loved to eat it, and he wasn't afraid that even a celestial being would recognize him at a glance.

Perhaps because he ate too quickly, Li Chengyan suddenly started coughing violently.

Seeing that he was coughing so hard that his face was red and his neck was thick, Ningyin quickly handed him a glass of water.

Li Chengyan gulped down several large mouthfuls before finally recovering.

Xiao Xuan disliked him even more now, and directly picked up Li Chengyan's bowl and handed it to him.

"Go eat out!"

Threatened by Xiao Xuan's piercing gaze, Li Chengyan gave an awkward smile, quickly picked up half a chicken, and then slipped out of the dining room.

After dinner, Ningyin and Xiao Xuan enjoyed the plum blossoms in the courtyard under the moonlight.

Xiao Xuan's gaze shifted, his deep eyes quietly fixed on Ning Yin's profile.

Those few strands of hair swayed in the wind. Ning Yin was beautiful and had a scholarly air about her, with a cool and aloof demeanor yet also a touch of radiance.

Even so, Xiao Xuan felt his heart race.

Ningyin gazed at the bright moon in the sky and suddenly remembered her grandmother's words. Her grandmother told her that after people die, they go to this heavenly palace to become immortals.

Her mother went to the Heavenly Palace, and later her grandmother also passed away. Ningyin missed her mother and grandmother.

She would stare blankly at the moon, gazing up at it as if the moon itself were looking at her.

Perhaps in this way, the family is not truly separated, and they find solace in each other's hearts.

Xiao Xuan noticed the sadness in Ning Yin's eyes and quietly took off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

"It's okay to cry when you're sad..."

His cool voice rang out, and his hand stood behind Ning Yin, so that she could lean on his shoulder whenever she wanted.

Feeling the warm touch, Ning Yin's gaze froze, and her icy heart was suddenly warmed.

Xiao Xuan's words undoubtedly gave her an outlet for release.

Since she married into the general's mansion, she has silently endured countless grievances and cold treatments on her own.

But she never expected that even though she hid far away, she would still be humiliated by the Shen family in this way.

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