Shang Xiye calmly pinched her chubby cheeks again. Hmm, they felt so good.

Then he continued to ask in a soft voice, "Is there anything you want to eat but can't reach? I'll get it for you."

"Yes!" The little bandit girl raised her head and answered very decisively, pointing to the table next to Duke Chen: "That, the green dumpling!"

Duke of Chen: "..."

Everyone: "..."

Shang Xiye's expression visibly shifted between light and dark several times before finally returning to its initial gentleness. He turned his head and whispered a request to Duke Chen, but anyone could hear the slight anger in his voice: "Duke Chen, you flatter me. I wonder if Duke Chen and his wife would be willing to part with it?"

The Duke of Chen raised his half-gray eyebrows slightly, revealing a hint of contempt and pleasure, and glanced at the Duchess beside him.

The Duchess, with a half-smile, said, "Since the Ninth Princess likes it, then let her have it. It's just a plate of green lotus cakes, nothing special."

Ji Fengyao smiled and said, "It seems that the Duke's mansion has quite a few rare items. After we return to the capital, shall I consider visiting them?"

Shang Xiye took the plate of green lotus cake back and handed it to Ji Fengyao, who happily took it and ate it.

She didn't eat it on the table; instead, she tucked the whole plate into her bosom and ate it as if someone would snatch it away.

The crowd remained silent for a long time.

Sitting in his high seat, Shang Xiche could clearly see the expressions of everyone below. He could even see the skin on the side of Shang Xiye's ear twitching slightly beneath his cold mask.

Seeing this, the two powerful figures above felt relieved and politely but coldly told everyone not to be shy.

Ji Fengyao held two green rice dumplings in her hands, taking a bite from the left and a bite from the right, stuffing her little face until it was bulging like a hamster's. She glanced at Shang Xiye out of the corner of her eye, a smile playing on her lips: "Brother, your acting is superb! Your control over your facial micro-expressions is so masterful. I admire you, I admire you!"

Shang Xiye sat upright, dignified and aloof. When he lowered his eyelids, he responded with a glance from the corner of his eye: "Same to you."

The two were evenly matched and worked together seamlessly.

Qin Weiyang was sitting diagonally opposite the two, and could see their interaction very clearly.

She was screaming inside: Shang Xiye has changed! He's really fallen for that bandit!

Qin Weiyang's mind was filled with memories of the past, like needles pricking her heart. Apart from the four secret guards around Shang Xiye, she was probably the person in the world who understood Shang Xiye the most. If he was truly angry about this bandit's improper behavior, he would never let anyone notice a trace of it.

He deliberately played the victim only because the emperor wanted to see it, so that he could better protect the bandit.

It seems the news that the bandit is pregnant is true!

Images of Shang Xiye and Ji Fengyao making love flashed through Qin Weiyang's mind, causing her hand gripping the wine glass to tremble. She had shamelessly stripped naked and climbed into his bed, yet he hadn't even glanced at her, and had even angrily ordered his four guards to throw her, blanket and all, back into his room. And now he was flirting with a bandit right in front of her?!

Ah, she really shouldn't have forgotten the national and personal vendettas, she really should have destroyed him sooner!

Seeing Qin Weiyang's murderous gaze, Ji Fengyao lowered her eyelids and wondered to herself: Is that pretty young lady with eighty-meter-long knives growing from her eyes really Shang Xiye's lover?

Was she jealous and angry because Shang Xiye seemed to treat her so well on the surface?

Look at that temper, it's quite something.

Should we remind Shang Xiye again that when they're carrying people later, they should act like they're not really together in front of the pretty girl, so that she can clear up any misunderstandings?