A skewer of five sugar-coated hawthorns—Mingyi had eaten two, leaving three. When Ji Bozhai wanted a taste, she wasn’t stingy and was willing to give him one.

However, when Ji Bozhai took the bamboo skewer from her, he opened his mouth wide and—chomp—swiped all three remaining hawthorns right in front of her.

An empty skewer. A stunned person. Mingyi stared at the leftover sugar glaze on it, taking a long moment to process what had just happened.

He couldn’t do a single decent human thing!

Furious, she threw the skewer on the ground, shot him a glare sharp enough to kill, then turned her back on him.

Ji Bozhai didn’t know why he suddenly felt like teasing her. It was just a few candied hawthorns—he just wanted to see her get a little annoyed. Who knew she’d actually get angry? Her back was puffed up with rage, and steam practically rose from the top of her head.

He frowned. Was it really that serious? It wasn’t like she was starving.

After chewing the hawthorns, he also turned his head away, refusing to indulge her temper.

And so, the beast-drawn carriage rolled into the inner courtyard in dead silence.

Today, for once, Da Si was waiting in the pavilion beside the Song and Dance Stage. The moment Ji Bozhai arrived, a servant ushered him over.

"My dear minister," Da Si said with rare kindness, "there’s something I’d like to discuss with you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ji Bozhai spotted Situ Ling sitting nearby and had a vague premonition.

Sure enough, without waiting for his reply, Da Si continued, "Since we’re introducing Mingyi as a Golden Hairpin Fighter, her status can’t be too humble. To that end, Minister Situ has volunteered to recognize her as his elder sister, making the Situ family her maternal home. What do you think?"

What did he think? He thought it was a terrible idea. Situ Ling was a scheming man who kept setting his sights on Mingyi, and Ji Bozhai was far from pleased.

He opened his mouth to refuse.

But before he could speak, Da Si suddenly laughed heartily. "Good! Good! You’ve always been so considerate of my concerns. Then it’s settled."

Ji Bozhai: ?

What was settled? Had he even said anything?

"To be honest, Instructor She has taken a liking to Mingyi and wants to adopt her as his goddaughter, taking her to Sunspire City. I couldn’t refuse him, so I had to find her a family to rely on," Da Si sighed, leading Ji Bozhai aside. "You understand, don’t you?"

She Tianlin? What did he have to do with this?

Ji Bozhai turned and glared at Mingyi. This delicate-looking girl had an uncanny knack for stirring up trouble.

Mingyi, baffled by the glare, had no time to react before he wiped his expression clean and replaced it with one of doting indulgence. Sighing softly, he said to Da Si, "If she agrees, then I have no objections."

His words said one thing, but the look he shot her clearly screamed, If you dare agree, you’re dead.

If you can’t handle the game, don’t play it! Mingyi fumed inwardly. He got to be the good guy while she had to be the villain? If even he couldn’t refuse Da Si, how could a mere Dancing Girl like her defy the heavens?

"Don’t worry, Sister Ming," Situ Ling stepped forward, flashing his fangs in a grin. "My parents passed early, so there’s no one in my family to enforce strict rules or force you to do anything you don’t want. Recognizing a maternal home is just to give you a place to belong."

His words were so considerate that Mingyi was genuinely moved.

Ji Bozhai, however, found them far less comforting. "Minister Situ, are you implying she has nowhere to go now?""The Ji residence is Minister Ji's estate, not Sister Ming's. She's merely staying there temporarily," Situ Ling said with a smile. "If the Minister were to tire of her one day, wouldn't she have nowhere to go?"

That made sense. Mingyi nodded in agreement.

Ji Bozhai's eyes darkened. "Since she was bestowed by the Minister Superior, how could I ever tire of her?"

"Precisely because she was bestowed by the Minister Superior, you should value her more and grant her a proper status. That way, my lord can bring her to meet Da Si more often."

"Minister Situ is overstepping his bounds," he sneered.

Situ Ling froze momentarily before lowering his gaze pitifully and retreating behind Mingyi. "I don't possess Minister Ji's profound Essence Power. My only concern is Sister Ming's wellbeing—everything I consider is for her benefit."

Mingyi blinked at this.

No wonder Ji Bozhai favored the delicate type—who wouldn't feel protective seeing such a vulnerable display?

So she shielded Situ Ling behind her and addressed Ji Bozhai earnestly, "This servant naturally follows my lord's orders, but Young Minister Situ means no harm. Why must you be so harsh?"

Harsh? He was being harsh?!

Ji Bozhai laughed angrily. "That affected manner of his—only you could tolerate it."

"Who's being affected? He's completely sincere."

"I say he has ulterior motives."

"You—"

"Sister Ming, don't quarrel with the Minister on my account," Situ Ling interjected with a sigh, stopping her. "You still have to live with him. It's not worth earning his resentment over momentary words. I'll be fine."

Listen to that—every word spoken with her interests at heart.

Mingyi gave him a deep look, frowned at Ji Bozhai, then turned to bow to Da Si. "Since this is Da Si's generous gift, this servant offers deepest gratitude."

"Good." Having watched the drama unfold, Da Si paid no mind to Situ Ling but observed Ji Bozhai's reactions with evident satisfaction before nodding. "Let us proceed to the banquet."

After Da Si departed, Ji Bozhai swiftly seized Mingyi's wrist.

"My lord, what are you doing?" she asked innocently.

"That's my question for you," he replied with a mirthless smile.

Mingyi blinked, even more bewildered. "Earlier, wasn't my lord instructing this servant to play along—to make Da Si believe you're deeply afflicted by the Love Curse?"

...Since when had that been the plan?

Studying her face intently and finding not a trace of guilt in her eyes, he coldly released her wrist. "Don't act on your own assumptions."

"Then my lord should clarify next time," she lamented. "This servant isn't a mind reader—how could I possibly know so much?"

Liar. She'd understood him perfectly before.

Seething inwardly, Ji Bozhai maintained his grip, dragging her all the way into the Song and Dance Stage.

Today's welcoming banquet featured the same iris-adorned maidens as yesterday. However, Xu Tianji lacked her previous arrogance, sitting listlessly beside Ji Bozhai's seat. Spotting their joined hands from afar, her expression twisted.

"My lord," she hurried forward anxiously, "though no unfamiliar envoys are expected today, there remain novelties you've yet to encounter. It would be best for me to remain at your side."

Her gaze flickered toward Mingyi, teeth gritted in resentment.

Yesterday should have sealed Mingyi's fate—who knew how she'd turned the tables, even implicating Si Hou and drawing reprimands upon herself.

Today, she absolutely couldn't let Mingyi sit beside Ji Bozhai."There is only one seat by my side." Ji Bozhai didn't let go of Mingyi's hand, his stance clear.

Yet, this person truly lacked tact, stepping forward to push Mingyi aside and saying casually, "Then I must trouble this young lady to take a seat at the far end."