A steaming hot “hot pot” instantly brought everyone closer together.
Especially Xie Zhao, whose carefree nature had already loosened under a few drinks. Now, completely unrestrained, he seemed to forget entirely that the person sitting before him was the Crown Prince himself.
“Hey, hey, hey! Lu Chengyuan, put that down! I saw that pan-fried dumpling first!”
“Nonsense! I already reached for it; I clearly got it first!”
Xiao Jingshi sat at the head of the table, watching the lively scene before him. He didn’t speak much, but his gaze was noticeably softer than usual.
His eating style remained elegant and composed, yet he ate at no slow pace. The special sauce Ye An’an had prepared for him had opened a whole new world of flavor, making him increasingly addicted.
The white, translucent shrimp paste looked especially tempting.
Just as Xiao Jingshi was about to pick some up, a pair of chopsticks shot toward his bowl faster than the eye could follow—aimed directly at his shrimp paste.
“Hehe, Your Highness, that shrimp paste looks delicious. Let your humble brother try it first!” Xie Zhao, slightly tipsy and emboldened, dared to steal from the Crown Prince’s bowl.
Lu Chengyuan watched in alarm, too slow to stop him.
Just as Xie Zhao’s chopsticks were about to succeed, another pair shot out even faster. Smack! They blocked his “sneak attack” precisely.
It was Xiao Jingshi.
With a calm expression, he used his own chopsticks to fend off Xie Zhao’s, then—before everyone’s stunned eyes—slowly and deliberately picked up the shrimp paste and placed it in his mouth.
The movement was seamless, filled with an unmistakable sense of… food protection.
The air froze.
Xie Zhao, chopsticks in hand, was dumbstruck.
Lu Chengyuan froze mid-air, holding his wine cup.
The Crown… the Crown Prince…
He just… protected food?
For the sake of a piece of shrimp paste?
Everyone’s gaze locked on Xiao Jingshi, who, seemingly unaffected, slowly chewed the shrimp paste. Then, with great deliberation, he nodded and said, “Firm yet tender, with a springy bite.”
Pfft!
Ye An’an was the first to burst out laughing.
Lu Chengyuan soon realized what had happened. He set down his cup, shrugged his shoulders, trying not to laugh out loud, his face flushing.
Only Xie Zhao remained utterly bewildered, murmuring, “Your Highness… you… you actually fought me for food…”
Xiao Jingshi lifted his eyes slightly and cast him a casual glance, as if to say: And what if I did?
Half of Xie Zhao’s drunken haze evaporated instantly.
He belatedly realized the absurdity of his actions.
He had actually tried to steal food from the Crown Prince.
This was practically a death wish!
“Your Highness, I was wrong! I deserve the utmost punishment!” Xie Zhao flopped theatrically, pretending to kneel in apology.
“Enough, enough. If you don’t eat it, I’ll finish it all myself.”
This little incident only served to liven the atmosphere further.
Lu Chengyuan and Xie Zhao let loose completely, teasing Xiao Jingshi in playful ways.
“Your Highness, so you like shrimp paste! Why didn’t you say so? I wouldn’t have competed with you.”
“Your Highness, look at this tofu—doesn’t it resemble my shattered heart?”
Xiao Jingshi’s handsome face darkened slightly under their banter, yet remarkably he did not scold them. He simply continued eating the dishes Ye An’an kept offering him, silently expressing his “displeasure.”
By the time the moon rose high, the table was cleared; even the pot was empty.
The three men were fully satisfied, slumped in their chairs, unwilling to move.
“Full… full…” Xie Zhao patted his round belly, beaming with contentment, and let out a happy belch. “This is the fullest and most comfortable meal of my life.”
Lu Chengyuan nodded in agreement. “Consort, your hot pot truly is a human delicacy. After this meal, I doubt I can ever enjoy the kitchen’s ordinary fare again.”
“That’s easy to fix,” Ye An’an said with a bright smile. “Whenever you want, come over and eat here. You’re always welcome.”
“Really?” Xie Zhao’s eyes lit up.
“Of course.” Ye An’an turned to Xiao Jingshi, deliberately asking, “Your Highness, I hope you don’t mind having two extra guests for the meal?”
Xiao Jingshi sipped his tea and cleared his throat before answering calmly: “Eat not to speak, sleep not to talk. You two have both been improper today.”
Though he spoke with a tone of reproach, there was not a trace of real reprimand.
Lu Chengyuan and Xie Zhao exchanged knowing glances, understanding that the prince was pleased.
With bellies full, it was time to return to serious matters.
Ye An’an wisely had Fuyun and Chen Zhu clear the table, while she excused herself to prepare tea, leaving space for the three men.
She hid behind a screen, cutting fruit while secretly listening in.
She heard them discussing the Minister of Revenue again, and the Southern waterworks funds, their tones growing serious.
Ye An’an’s mind lit up.
Short on money?
That was a serious problem.