After sending away the servant who had lowered his head in shame, Hua Zhi led the person clutching their stomach and complaining of hunger back to her room.
Soon enough, Fu Dong arrived with several young maids carrying large and small plates of food. Shaoyao watched, swallowing repeatedly—she regretted leaving so early; she should have stayed for lunch!
Hua Zhi placed chopsticks in her hand and rested her chin on her palm, watching her. "Eat up."
"All for me?"
"Yes."
Shaoyao immediately broke into a wide grin. If anyone else had suddenly given her so much delicious food, she would have wondered about their ulterior motives—but Hua Hua wasn't just anyone!
Seeing her eat so happily softened Hua Zhi's heart. Remembering the other person confined in the adjacent room, she looked up and instructed, "Close the courtyard gate and invite A Jian over."
"Yes."
Shaoyao chewed while glancing at Hua Hua.
"Eating alone isn't as enjoyable. Let him keep you company."
Shaoyao wanted to say that eating alone was actually quite pleasant—she could save any leftovers for a midnight snack. But thinking of that injured child who insisted he wasn't a bad person, she swallowed both her words and her food.
"Sister Hua, Sister Shaoyao." A Jian arrived quickly. Now feeling secure, he had lost the wariness he carried when he first arrived, appearing obedient and well-behaved.
"Come have something to eat. These are delicacies you can't find outside. That beef is a bit spicy—it's not good for your wound recovery, so don't eat it."
A Jian responded with curved eyes and sat opposite Hua Zhi.
Shaoyao glanced at him before continuing to chew her meat jerky. She still wanted to call him Little Six—it felt like the right name for him—but she had no desire to return to the past, nor to remember those memories she wanted to forget.
Fu Dong's cooking was always a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. The older and younger eaters both stuffed their cheeks until they bulged, their movements remarkably synchronized. Hua Zhi found herself eating a bit too. Noticing A Jian slowing down, she made casual conversation.
"Does your wound still hurt?"
"Not really..." Under Shaoyao's gaze, A Jian pursed his lips and told the truth. "It still hurts a little, and itches too."
"Of course it hurts and itches. If you don't want scars, bear with it and don't scratch."
"Yes."
As if knowing he would keep his word once he agreed, Shaoyao returned to her food.
Hua Zhi lowered her gaze. As a prince, having scars would cost him opportunities, wouldn't it? Even though they'd be hidden under clothing—but who made him a prince?
Hadn't Lu Xiansheng, The Heir, needed to scar his own face to prove he had no such ambitions?
The royal family—hah.
"Sister Hua, Berlin said you'll be away for a few days."
Hua Zhi looked up at the anxious prince and nodded. "Yes, I need to handle some matters at the estate. I'll be back in a few days. Berlin will take care of you."
A Jian nodded, though he couldn't explain the unsettled feeling in his heart.
"My courtyard has always been strictly off-limits without invitation. While I'm away, you can watch for anyone sneaking in. Just note who comes—no need to interfere with what they do."
"Shouldn't we stop them if they take anything?"
"They're just failed business ventures. Let them take what they want."
Shaoyao quickly swallowed her food. "A thief in the house?"
"I just want to see if there is one." Hua Zhi rested her chin on her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I hope not, but if there's someone who could serve as an example by killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, that would be fine too."
"Should I send one of my men over?"
"I'll ask if I need to."Shaoyao said nothing more, and A Jian quickly agreed while neither of them was speaking.
Hua Zhi found it hard to imagine how this well-behaved prince had survived in such a cold place like the imperial palace. What was rare was that he hadn’t grown crooked in such an environment. If he were full of schemes and cunning, she would never have agreed to let him stay, even if he were a prince and the hope for the Hua family’s revival. The Hua family had fine traditions and didn’t need someone like that to stir up trouble.
“Lu Xiansheng said that once he’s handled all his affairs, you won’t have to stay confined to your room anymore. Berlin sometimes teaches at the Clan school—did he tell you that?”
“Yes, Berlin said that when Elder Sister is busy, he’ll take over for a few days.” The surprise of learning that Berlin was already a teacher at such a young age paled in comparison to discovering that Elder Sister was also a teacher.
Before this, he had always thought his mother was the most remarkable woman in the world—not in terms of how favored she was or how smoothly she navigated the palace, but in how much she knew.
After just a few days with the Hua family, he had a vague sense that Elder Sister seemed to know even more than his mother and was even more remarkable. Whenever Berlin talked about how incredible his elder sister was, he felt the same way.
“In the future, you can also go to the Clan school, either to attend classes or to teach. Mr. Mu is not only highly learned but also of excellent character. You can learn from him alongside Berlin. The six arts of a gentleman must not be neglected. Berlin learned horseback riding, archery, and swordsmanship from Lu Xiansheng—you can practice with him.”
A Jian was thrilled by the idea and could hardly wait for such days to arrive.
He could see Yan Xi’s feelings for Elder Sister, and it was precisely because he knew that he was surprised. As the person most trusted by the emperor, Yan Xi was now doing things that would not please his father.
If the emperor found out that Yan Xi had developed feelings for the daughter of a criminal, he feared…
Thinking of the man sitting on the high throne, A Jian shuddered involuntarily, a chill running down his spine.
“What’s wrong?” Shaoyao put down her chopsticks and reached to check his pulse.
A Jian quickly shook his head. “It’s nothing, just… I ate a bit too much.”
Seeing that he only looked a little pale, Shaoyao picked up her chopsticks again. After losing so much blood, it was no wonder his complexion was poor. “You’ve barely eaten anything. If you want to regain what you’ve lost, you need to eat more.”
A Jian smiled and agreed. He did eat more at the Hua family’s than in the palace. The food here was much warmer, unlike in the palace, where it was common for someone like him, without a mother’s care, to eat cold meals.
Still, he had saved half his appetite. In about half an hour, Berlin would arrive with that enormous food box to share a meal with him.
“If there are any books you’d like to read, just tell Berlin. We may not have rare books or precious editions, but we have plenty of ordinary ones.”
“Yes, Berlin has already brought me some. There’s no shortage of brushes, ink, paper, or inkstones.”
“He’s competing with you,” Hua Zhi said with a laugh. “He’s always prided himself on being clever and somewhat unaware of his limits, thinking no one his age could rival him. Little did he know you’re just as capable. He’s afraid of being left behind, so he’s been putting in a lot of effort lately.”
A Jian suddenly felt a sense of urgency. How could he possibly leave Berlin behind? It was more likely that Berlin would outpace him. He knew all too well how much effort it had taken him to keep up with Berlin that day, while Berlin had seemed completely at ease.
If Berlin worked even harder…A Jian could no longer sit still, shifting restlessly on the brocade stool, yet unable to bring himself to ask to leave.
Shaoyao rolled her eyes so hard they nearly reached the sky—did he think she was blind? "Get going already, you're ruining my appetite."
A Jian acted as if granted imperial pardon, bowing to them both before scurrying away in haste.
Only then did Hua Zhi burst into laughter.
Shaoyao poked at her meatball with a grumble, "Hua Hua, Yan Ge has been a bad influence on you."
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