Although Zhan Qingcheng’s current demeanor didn’t show anything unusual, Feng Jiu’er still felt a little uneasy.

She had only spoken casually a moment ago, just so he wouldn’t keep wearing such a stern expression all the time — she hadn’t expected him to throw himself into it so enthusiastically.

Holding her teacup, Feng Jiu’er kept her gaze locked on the man not far off, not quite knowing what to say.

Noticing that Feng Jiu’er had fallen silent, Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao’s attention quickly turned to her.

Qiao Mu coughed lightly, but Feng Jiu’er still stared, unblinking, at the same spot.

Xiao Yingtao and Qiao Mu exchanged a glance, both wearing rather pleased expressions.

“So it turns out you can get nervous too? I thought you were deliberately teasing the Ninth Prince.” Qiao Mu smiled faintly and took another sip of tea.

“How could that be?” Feng Jiu’er set her cup down casually, not even turning her head. “Today’s a happy occasion — I just wanted him to be a bit more cheerful.”

“This fellow keeps wanting to ride into the city on the same horse as me — with so many people around, of course I wouldn’t agree.”

“I never expected him to come along even after I hadn’t invited him, and then keep his face all stern besides, so I had no choice but to say a few things he likes to hear.”

Glancing once more at Zhan Qingcheng, Feng Jiu’er turned back to look at her companions.

“He’s easy to coax, really. See, everything’s fine now. No problem at all.”

Reassuring herself that everything was fine, she picked up her chopsticks and speared a piece of pastry into her mouth.

The pastry still in her mouth, Feng Jiu’er’s eyes had already drifted back toward the street.

Qiao Mu smiled and speared a piece of pastry as well.

“Right, the Ninth Prince really is easy to coax.” She looked at Feng Jiu’er and raised an eyebrow. “I really have never heard anyone say the Ninth Prince was easy to coax before.”

“Oh, there has been,” said Xiao Yingtao, the smile never leaving her lips, looking even more delighted with her mouth full of pastry.

“Didn’t our Jiu’er just say so? And the results speak for themselves!”

“The Ninth Prince is utterly devoted to Jiu’er for life — any thoughts other women might have can only ever stay wishful thinking.”

“So I gave up on that idea long ago.” The moment she finished speaking, Qiao Mu popped a small piece of pastry into her mouth.

Feng Jiu’er hadn’t missed a word of what Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao had said.

After swallowing the pastry in her mouth, she turned her head again.

She glanced at the two of them, and though she meant to say something, in the end she said nothing at all, only smiling faintly.

By the end, the smile on Feng Jiu’er’s face grew wider and wider, until she nearly burst out laughing.

“Look at that — even her smile tastes of sugar, the very picture of a happy woman. It’s enough to make a person die of envy.”

“Right, I’m about to be sweetened to death myself, and I still have to eat pastries on top of it — it’s a bit much,” Xiao Yingtao chimed in with a giggle.

“If I had a man who’d lower himself to do something so foolish over a single word from me, I think I’d go marry myself off right this instant.”

“Xiao Yingtao, are you showing off in front of me?” Qiao Mu looked at Xiao Yingtao, her crescent brows lifting.

“You’ve guessed correctly, clearly,” Feng Jiu’er said with a smile, her voice low.

Xiao Yingtao looked up at Qiao Mu, then at Feng Jiu’er, her brow furrowing slightly.

“I wasn’t! What do I have to show off about? Really, I have nothing. I’m genuinely envious, all right?”

“Look at her.” Qiao Mu glanced at Xiao Yingtao, then let her gaze fall on Feng Jiu’er, shaking her head. “It seems the two of us won’t have much in common to talk about from now on.”

“The moment you two sit down together, all you talk about is men. I’ve got nothing to add — might as well go off and sulk on my own.”

“Qiao Mu, what nonsense are you talking? I really didn’t mean that,” Xiao Yingtao protested in a low voice.

“Who knows? In any case, I suppose I’m just the pitiable one here,” Qiao Mu said, shaking her head and sighing softly once more.

“Qiao Mu,” Xiao Yingtao called out again.

Feng Jiu’er seemed to catch sight of something out of the corner of her eye and turned her head.

“Qiao Mu, don’t go bullying Xiao Yingtao, or someone won’t let you off the hook.”

The moment Feng Jiu’er’s words fell, both Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao looked up toward the entrance.

Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow and didn’t dare say anything more.

Xiao Yingtao looked away from the two of them and lowered her head.

“He and I, it’s not — don’t go saying things.”

“Xiao Yingtao, Xing Zizhou’s here. Didn’t you say you missed him?” Feng Jiu’er paid no mind to Xiao Yingtao’s protest, looking at Xing Zizhou and raising an eyebrow lightly.

Feng Jiu’er knew very well that Xiao Yingtao and Xing Zizhou would surely be happy together, and at the same time, she could see right through Xiao Yingtao’s feelings.

This pair — there was no escaping it.

“Jiu’er.” When Xiao Yingtao looked up, her face flushed red, Xing Zizhou had already arrived in front of them.

Seeing the girl’s small face blush as she sat facing him, Xing Zizhou felt utterly delighted.

“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, hello there!” A man in such high spirits even stumbled a little over his words.

“Hello.” Feng Jiu’er nodded with a smile. “Xiao Yingtao was just talking about you, and here you are.”

“Qiao Mu, would you call that a meeting of hearts?”

“Of course,” Qiao Mu replied, nodding with a smile.

“You two…” Xiao Yingtao looked at them both, her face flushing even redder. “How could I possibly… it’s clearly the two of you who…”

Xing Zizhou came to Xiao Yingtao’s side, and before she could finish her sentence, he had already taken her small hand.

“Xiao Yingtao, come with me. I have a surprise for you.”

Having taken Xiao Yingtao’s hand, Xing Zizhou had no intention of letting go.

Xiao Yingtao stood up, glancing at Xing Zizhou. “Where are we going?”

“Once we get there, you’ll know,” Xing Zizhou said, giving Xiao Yingtao a smile as warm as a spring breeze, leading her off as he stepped forward.

“No need to come back before dawn,” Feng Jiu’er said with a smile, watching the two of them pass by her side.

“Jiu’er, what did you just say?”

Before Xiao Yingtao could finish her complaint, Xing Zizhou had already pulled her away.

Soon, the pavilion fell quiet.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at the man further off, stood up, and poured a full cup of tea.

“I’ll bring him some tea. Excuse me for a moment.”

Without waiting for Qiao Mu’s response, Feng Jiu’er covered the cup’s lid, picked it up, and turned to leave.

Left alone beneath the pavilion, Qiao Mu sat by herself, the cold wind blowing past as she mused alone.

“So it really is just me who’s this pitiable!” She set down her cup and sighed once more.

By the time Feng Jiu’er reached him, Zhan Qingcheng had just finished hanging several lanterns in their proper places.

As the man turned to look at her, Feng Jiu’er held out the cup in her hands with both hands.

“You’ve worked hard — this is your reward.”

Zhan Qingcheng took the cup, lifted the lid, and took a light sip of tea.

Taking back the cup the man handed to her, Feng Jiu’er glanced around.

Meeting the somewhat pleading looks of those nearby, she nodded with a smile, her gaze returning to Zhan Qingcheng.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, why don’t you take a rest for a while too? I have some delicious pastries over there — I’m sure you’ll like them.”

The people nearby now looked at Feng Jiu’er with nothing but gratitude.

It wasn’t that they minded the Ninth Prince helping out — it was just that having the Ninth Prince handle such trivial chores made everyone present unbearably nervous.

Even members of the Feilong Shi’er Qi had nearly all turned out, along with quite a few skilled fighters helping to assemble lanterns — who else could possibly still concentrate on their own work?