Finally, in the small hours before dawn, Feng Jiang’s suffering came to an end.

Because Feng Jiu’er woke up.

Jiu’er’s eyelids twitched, and before she’d even managed to open her eyes, she rasped, “Water…”

The aftermath of drinking too much was never pleasant—waking with a pounding head and a throat parched to the point of cracking. Feng Jiang, of course, had been through it himself before.

He immediately tried to redeem himself by going to fetch water, though he had no idea what exactly he was supposed to be atoning for.

But the moment his legs touched the ground, he nearly collapsed to his knees!

His legs were completely numb, with no strength left in them at all.

Feng Li brought over a box from nearby and took out from inside it a bowl of hangover-relief soup.

No one knew quite what the box was made of, but the bowl of soup had been sitting inside it for over two hours, and when he took it out, it was still warm.

Feng Jiu’er, still groggy, was helped up and drank the entire bowl of hangover soup in one go.

Only then did she open her eyes, looking at the man supporting her.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle?” This particular Fourth Imperial Uncle had left a deep impression on her. Though she’d had quite a lot to drink earlier, her memory hadn’t completely blacked out.

Feng Li paused slightly, as though he wasn’t especially fond of being called Fourth Imperial Uncle.

But after looking at her for a long moment, he finally nodded anyway.

Only there was, between his brows, a faint trace of something dimmer—perhaps a touch of disappointment?

Feng Jiang caught this clearly. Why didn’t Fourth Imperial Uncle like being called Fourth Imperial Uncle by Jiu’er?

Tonight’s Fourth Imperial Uncle was truly strange, completely different from the man he usually saw.

“Still feeling unwell?” Feng Li released Feng Jiu’er, gazing at her small, palm-sized face.

It was as though no matter how long he looked at that face, he could never see enough of it.

Jiu’er, however, met his gaze head-on, staring at him until she grew a little dazed.

Feng Jiang felt it was time to remind the girl. He gave a measured cough and immediately said, “Jiu’er, you mustn’t be rude to Fourth Imperial Uncle.”

Even though he knew Fourth Imperial Uncle wasn’t actually disfigured, he was still wearing the mask now, and a young lady staring fixedly at a man’s mask was a touch impolite.

Who would have known that after a long moment of dazed silence, Feng Jiu’er would suddenly smile and say, “Fourth Imperial Uncle, your voice is so lovely—it has Jiu’er utterly enchanted.”

She wasn’t just an honorary member of the looks-appreciation society—she was a VIP member of the voice-appreciation society too. Against a handsome man whose looks exceeded what she could bear, and a deep, magnetic voice more pleasing than her ears could withstand, she had absolutely no resistance whatsoever.

Feng Jiang nearly fell to his knees in despair—how could a young lady speak so bluntly?

Feng Li, however, showed not the slightest displeasure—he simply watched her, as though whatever she said, so long as it came from her, he was happy to hear it.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, you’re probably not used to me, your imperial niece, yet—you’ve never met me before, have you?”

Jiu’er swung her legs down off the bed, meeting his eyes directly. “You keep staring at me—do you like the way I look that much?”

“…” Feng Jiang thought to himself that his little imperial sister wasn’t just impolite—she was utterly shameless.

What was even more infuriating was that Fourth Imperial Uncle actually nodded, giving her a clear, affirmative answer: “Mm, I like it very much.”

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes lit up at once, though she still found his mask displeasing to look at. “Fourth Imperial Uncle, can you take off the mask?”

“Jiu’er…”

“All right.” Feng Li raised his hand and removed the mask, without the slightest hesitation.

In front of Feng Jiu’er, he was unbelievably obedient—whatever Jiu’er told him to do, he simply did!

Where had Fourth Imperial Uncle’s old noble, icy aloofness gone? Where was his cold, merciless nature?

Whatever had become of the Fourth Imperial Uncle he used to know?

“Hungry? I had Lao Ya prepare some pastries for you.” No one paid Feng Jiang any attention at all—in Feng Li’s heart and eyes, there was room for no one but Feng Jiu’er.

Jiu’er nodded, staring at his face so intently she was practically drooling.

“I want to eat in the courtyard.”

“All right.”

But on their way out, Jiu’er reached for the mask tucked at Feng Li’s waist and pulled it off again, holding it up in front of him.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, you’d better put the mask back on after all.”

“Why? Did my face frighten you?” Feng Li took the mask back, looking a little crestfallen.

“No, it’s because Fourth Imperial Uncle is too handsome—I don’t want anyone else getting an eyeful.”

If the maidservants and the like ever saw Fourth Imperial Uncle’s face, wouldn’t they pester him every single day?

No, no, that wouldn’t do—Fourth Imperial Uncle mustn’t let himself fall prey to a bunch of girls so easily!

A trace of pleased amusement flickered in Feng Li’s eyes, and he actually put the mask back on.

“All right. If Jiu’er wants me to wear it, then I’ll wear it.”

Feng Jiu’er giggled, taking the initiative to take Feng Li’s hand, leading him toward the pavilion.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, do you really like me that much? Whatever I say, you just agree to it?”

“Mm.”

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, your martial arts must be amazing—teach me.”

“Mm.”

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, can I come here often to play with you from now on?”

“Mm.”

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, then when I can’t come out, can you go find me in the palace instead?”

After all, Fourth Imperial Uncle’s martial skill was so formidable, he could surely come and go freely within the palace too.

But she was different—she knew no martial arts, and if Third Imperial Brother didn’t take her out, she had no way of leaving at all.

Feng Li hesitated only briefly before nodding. “Mm.”

The pastries were brought to the pavilion. Lao Ya, watching Feng Jiu’er sitting together with the Prince, still felt utterly astonished.

The Prince was actually willing to sit together with a young woman!

And how gentle the Prince was being with this girl—the doting affection in his eyes was plain for anyone with eyes to see.

Jiu’er herself could see it just as clearly, which left her, too, with a fair amount of confusion.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, why do you dote on me so much? Hadn’t you never even met me before?”

“Mm.”

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, do you dote on me like this because of who I am?”

This question, once again, left Feng Li at a loss for words.

He thought it over for a moment, then nodded all the same. “Mm.”

Feng Jiu’er propped her chin on her hands, looking at him, a little put out. “Then, Fourth Imperial Uncle, if I weren’t a princess, would you still dote on me?”

This time, Feng Li didn’t hesitate even a little, nodding immediately. “Mm.”

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, can you say anything besides ‘mm’?”

“Mm?” What did she want him to say? After so many years accustomed to barely speaking with anyone, he had no idea how to win a little girl’s favor.

“What… would you like me to say?”

“Tell me something about yourself.” Feng Jiu’er was always endlessly curious about a top-tier handsome man like him.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, you haven’t married, have you? I’ve been here so long now, and I haven’t seen a single woman around.”

“Also, I’ve only seen one single servant. Oh, I know—everyone must be resting at this hour.”

Still, this manor really was far too desolate.

Not a trace of life anywhere—it really did look like… well, a ghost town.

Could it really be that Fourth Imperial Uncle had no wife or concubines at all?

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, how old are you? You look about twenty-five?”