Jiang Luoluo smiled slightly, stepped forward, and gracefully curtsied to the two of them, her tone clear and polite, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yi, Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Lingchuan grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth, and immediately took two steps forward, waving his hand as if they were old friends, saying, "Miss Jiang, you're being too polite!"
Your older brother and I were classmates, so you can just call me Brother Xiao!
Xiao Yunwei and Xiao Lingchuan look seven parts alike. Jiang Luoluo is very close to Xiao Yunwei, so she doesn't feel unfamiliar when she sees Xiao Lingchuan. She greets him with a smile, "Brother Xiao."
"Hey!" Xiao Lingchuan laughed exaggeratedly, "I've been hoping to have a younger sister since I was little. Meeting Luo Luo today is really heartwarming!"
"From now on, you're my little sister!" he said, patting his chest solemnly.
Jiang Luoluo chuckled softly at his serious yet slightly joking demeanor, her smile growing even brighter.
Xie Yizhi's originally warm expression instantly turned cold, his gaze chilling. He stepped forward and positioned himself perfectly between Xiao Lingchuan and Jiang Luoluo.
He tilted his head slightly and said in a cold tone, "The new crispy roast duck, osmanthus-stuffed shrimp, and pear blossom-smoked chicken at Zuiyuelou are all available in the private room on the right side of the stairs on the second floor. Put it on my tab and enjoy your meal."
Xiao Lingchuan felt the chill emanating from Xie Yizhi and couldn't help but shiver.
He blinked, rubbed his stomach, and joked, "Alright, alright, I'm really hungry!" He then winked at Xie Yizhi, his tone teasing, "I know, I know!"
If Jiang Luoluo hadn't been there, Xie Yizhi would have kicked him hard.
Seeing the increasingly heavy pressure emanating from his friend, Xiao Lingchuan quickly peeked out from behind Xie Yizhi and waved to Jiang Luoluo, saying, "Luoluo, let's meet again next time!"
Jiang Luoluo couldn't help but chuckle and replied softly, "Okay!"
Xiao Lingchuan dared not linger any longer. Feeling Xie Yizhi's icy gaze, he quickly slipped away.
Watching Xiao Lingchuan's departing figure, Jiang Luoluo couldn't help but chuckle, "This Third Young Master Xiao may seem dashing on the surface, but he's actually quite an interesting person!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Yizhi's face seemed to be covered in snow, exuding a chilling aura. He secretly cursed in his heart, "Women, what big pigs! They can't stop talking when they see a handsome guy."
With a cold expression, he walked back to the table and sat down, saying in a flat voice, "Miss Jiang, are you hungry? I've ordered some food. If you're free, you can join us."
Jiang Luoluo happily sat down at the table. After a busy day, she was really hungry. The waiter brought out a table full of Zuiyuelou's specialty dishes, which smelled delicious.
Jiang Luoluo's stomach was already growling with hunger. At this moment, she picked up her chopsticks and ate heartily. Xie Yizhi was as elegant and composed as ever, naturally possessing the nobility and composure of a prince.
He slowly pushed a plate of deboned fish towards Jiang Luoluo. Jiang Luoluo was not at all reserved. She quietly said thank you and then buried her head in her rice.
Seeing her eating so happily, Xie Yizhi felt a sweet sensation in his heart, but at the same time, he felt something sour, which struck right through his body.
Seeing that Jiang Luoluo had eaten half full, he used his slender fingers to scoop up a bowl of soup and handed it to her. He tentatively said, "The person behind the assassination in the valley that night has been found."
Jiang Luoluo was focused on eating and didn't expect Xie Yizhi to suddenly bring up this topic. She casually comforted him, "Even tigers don't eat their cubs, Your Highness, don't be too sad. That tiger probably never intended to kill you."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yizhi paused slightly, his hand that was picking up food with his chopsticks. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he said in a cold tone, "Miss Jiang, did you know all along that it was the Empress Dowager who wanted to take drastic measures against me?"
Jiang Luoluo hurriedly swallowed a mouthful of soup, only then realizing that she had let something slip. She looked up and met Xie Yizhi's icy gaze.
She was so frightened that she almost lost her mind. She was filled with remorse, realizing that she had been so focused on eating that she hadn't thought things through before speaking.
But in a short while, her mind cleared up. Xie Yizhi was nothing but a paper tiger. Even if he knew she was hiding something, he wouldn't kill her. So she became a little bolder.
Jiang slowly put down the soup bowl, her hand sliding down to pinch her thigh hard. Instantly, her eyes welled up with tears. She bit her lip and said aggrievedly, "Your Highness, how could you doubt me?"
As she spoke, she wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "I... I was just guessing... You didn't seem to enjoy the meal, as if you had something on your mind."
As soon as I came in, I could tell you were different from usual; you seemed a little sad today.
So, when you mentioned the assassination attempt in the valley, I had already guessed something.
Xie Yizhi was a shrewd man, and he could tell at a glance that Jiang Luoluo was just going through the motions. However, seeing her pitiful appearance, Xie Yizhi couldn't bear it and couldn't even bring himself to raise his voice at her.
He stared at her for a long time, then finally sighed helplessly, "Miss Jiang is truly exceptionally intelligent!"
Jiang Luoluo felt very guilty. She was thinking that she might as well reveal some information to Xie Yizhi to make up for her previous concealment from him.
She chuckled awkwardly, "Your Highness is too kind. Don't be too sad. Maybe that tiger isn't your real mother..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yizhi felt as if a mouthful of blood was stuck in his chest, unable to go up or down. Jiang Luoluo knew how to stab him in the heart.
Even his attempts to comfort him were so perfunctory. What did he mean by saying that the Empress Dowager wasn't his biological mother? He had known the Empress Dowager as his mother ever since he could remember.
Jiang Luoluo, however, looked very serious, as if she thought she had given just the right amount of comfort.
Xie Yizhi felt a mix of emotions. Looking at Jiang Luoluo's appearance, an indescribable feeling welled up inside him.
Just now, she was able to easily call a stranger she had only met a few times "Brother Xiao" in a tone as intimate as if they were already familiar with each other.
He poured his heart out to her and protected her in every way, but he couldn't get a single bit of honesty from her in return; she even deliberately kept things from him.
Is her heart made of stone? Was she not moved at all?
As Xie Yizhi watched her bury her head in her soup, he felt a chill run through him, as if a cold wind had blown into his heart.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, he had never felt so frustrated even when it came to strategizing and deploying troops.
He withdrew his gaze, sighed softly, and said with a hint of self-mockery, "Miss Jiang, you really know how to comfort people. Every word you say touches my heart."
Jiang Luoluo sensed the unhappiness in his words, raised her head, scratched her face, and smiled apologetically, "Your Highness, you flatter me."
"We're allies, so it's my duty to comfort you when you're feeling down!"
Xie Yizhi listened to her words and smiled bitterly. Her tone was light and casual, as if she were talking about a trivial matter.
She was completely unaware of his unspoken feelings for her.
At this moment, she even thought that Xie Yizhi was saddened by the Empress Dowager's murderous intent, and did not think about anything else.
After Jiang Luoluo finished eating and drinking, she picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of her mouth. Then she looked up at Xie Yizhi and slowly asked, "Your Highness, are you aware that the Prince of Yan has another child?"
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