"Eat," said Yan Ling as he took the steaming fish meat and gonna placed it in Yunxi's bowl.
"I'll take it myself, Your Highness, thank you."
Yunxi moved her bowl, causing Yan Ling's hand, which was holding the chopsticks with the fish meat, to hang in the air.
"You accept food from my younger brother Yan Xiao, but refuse food from me? Interesting."
Hearing this, Yunxi was shocked. She instinctively pushed her bowl back, then pulled Yan Ling's hand and put the fish meat into her bowl.
"Thank you."
Yunxi still remembered how that man had punished the palace chef. He looked very scary when he was angry, so Yunxi no longer had the courage to make him angry.
Yan Ling took food for himself and began to eat, and Yunxi followed suit.
They enjoyed their dinner in silence.
In fact, it could be said that this was their first dinner together as husband and wife. The last time they sat at the dining table together in this Peach Pavilion was on the night after their wedding.
But, at that time, Yan Ling did not even look at Yunxi at all. The man looked very cold. At that time, Yunxi tried to build an atmosphere, but ended up embarrassing herself because Yan Ling did not respond at all.
After that, their relationship deteriorated since the empress forced Yan Ling to fulfil his marital duties in order to have children.
Yan Ling did so, but he had to take stimulants in order to touch Yunxi. Because at that time, Yan Ling was deeply in love with his lover, Liu Qinmei. A month after Yan Ling and Yunxi's first night together, without discussing it with her, Yan Ling married Liu Qinmei and made his childhood sweetheart his second concubine, as well as his most beloved concubine. And from that moment on, Yunxi seemed to go mad, constantly chasing Yan Ling's love, making the man hate her even more.
Therefore, let alone eating together like now, Yan Ling was not even willing to be in the same place as Yunxi. Moreover, Liu Qinmei was so good at playing with fire that she always made Yunxi look evil, cunning and cruel, making their relationship like water and oil. They could never be together.
Back at the dining table,
Yunxi ate very slowly at first, but as soon as he tasted the tenderness of the red grouper, his eyes lit up.
"Wow! This fish tastes amazing! It's ten times better than what I usually eat," Yunxi muttered softly, his mouth already full of food.
"Of course, this fish was bought alive by fishermen who have long supplied food to the empire. This red grouper was cooked while it was still fresh, that's why it tastes different, sweeter and more savoury at the same time."
"You are right, Your Highness, it is indeed very delicious."
Actually, Yunxi felt very silly. She usually couldn't eat too much, but now, she even felt capable of finishing all the food on the table.
Yunxi was completely out of control. She had eaten a lot but still felt hungry.
Seeing how enthusiastically Yunxi was eating, Yan Ling smiled quietly. He didn't know that Yunxi had such a sweet and cute side.
In his heart, He promised himself that from now on, she would treat Liu Qinmei and Wang Yunxi fairly. She would not hurt his two wives the way his father had hurt his mother in the past.
"Try this lobster meat. It tastes just as sweet and savoury. You'll love it."
"Hm, thank you, Your Highness,"
Yunxi replied enthusiastically. She then accepted the lobster meat that Yan Ling had given her.
After a while, the food was almost completely finished. Yunxi felt like her stomach was about to explode, but she was also very satisfied. This was the first time she had eaten such delicious food in her pavilion.
"Little peanut, are you full? Yes, me too! Mother is also very full and satisfied, hahahaha."
Yunxi rubbed her slightly protruding stomach. However, when she looked up, Yunxi immediately stopped laughing and fell silent awkwardly. She had forgotten that Yan Ling was still there.
'You idiot, how could you forget this person is here?' Yunxi scolded herself silently.
"It seems you love him very much?"
Yan Ling asked. He smiled. And this was the first time shw had seen Yan Ling smile like that in front of her. She was still mesmerised, but she quickly looked away. Yunxi didn't want to get too carried away. She then said casually,
"Of course! This is My Child!"
Hearing that, Yan Ling sneered, "Only Yours?"
Yunxi did not answer. She got up from her seat and said to Sumi,
"Aunt Mu, I'm going to take a bath now."
Sumi nodded and left to prepare everything.
Seeing his wife's response, the smile on Yan Ling's face immediately disappeared. His face turned gloomy and the atmosphere, which had been slightly warming up, became awkward and cold again.
Yan Ling then ordered the servant to clear the dining table. He sat there staring at Yunxi, who was now reading a book.
His attention was caught when he saw the book his wife was reading.
"Where did you get that book?"
Yan Ling asked. Yunxi calmly replied,
"My friend lent it to me."
"A friend? Is your friend named Yan Xiao?"
Yunxi fell silent. She was surprised that Yan Ling recognised the book as belonging to Yan Xiao.
"How did Your Highness know this book belongs to him?"
"Don't change the subject. Answer my question, since when have you been friends with Yan Xiao?"
Yunxi had no intention of lying or anything like that, so he answered openly,
"Since I first visited the Pomegranate Pavilion, it turns out that the Second Prince also often spends time there."
Yan Ling let out a harsh breath, then said,
"Besides, why do you have to go there? There are other nice places to spend your free time."
For some reason, Yan Ling felt annoyed.
"Ah, I don't want to. I still remember what happened by the lake. I got slapped just because I accidentally saw a couple kissing."
"You! It turns out you're very vindictive."
"Vindictive? I'm just looking for the safest place for myself. As a normal person, I feel I shouldn't fall into the same hole. And isn't that right? At the Pomegranate Pavilion, I can spend my time freely without any problems!"
"But what happened that time, I..."
"Your Highness, never mind, let's not talk about it anymore. That incident still hurts me, so it's best to just forget about it."
Yan Ling fell silent. He knew he had made a mistake that time.
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I said I..."
"Madam... The water is ready."
A voice from outside interrupted their conversation.
Yunxi got up and said,
"Your Highness, I'm going to take a bath first. I think you should accompany Consort Liu. She must really want you by her side at a time like this."
"Didn't you also experience it? Did you also want me to be by your side at that time?"
Yunxi, who had already reached the door, stopped in her tracks upon hearing that question. She then slowly said,
"No. Because I have let go of all hopes that will never come true."
Yunxi then left, leaving Yan Ling standing still with a complicated expression.