A small red clay stove painted with exquisite patterns contained smokeless charcoal fire. Fish balls rolled in the milky white broth, releasing a mouthwatering aroma.

Dou Ren raised his hand, using his wide sleeve to shield as he tested for poison with a silver needle.

The silver needle’s color remained unchanged. Dou Ren prepared to taste it personally.

“No need for that, step back.” Wei Qiang said indifferently.

“Your Highness, this does not follow protocol,” Dou Ren said in a low voice.

Wei Qiang glanced at the young woman by the counter, his tone gentle: “It’s already been tested with the silver needle, no need to be so meticulous.”

“But—”

“Don’t you see that Uncle Wang is also eating here?”

Dou Ren dared not say more. He picked up the pair of silver chopsticks placed on the table, carefully wiped them clean, and presented them to Wei Qiang with both hands.

Wei Qiang accepted them, raised the chopsticks and picked up a fish ball to put in his mouth.

The fish ball was perfectly springy, light and delicious.

Wei Qiang let out a comfortable sigh.

Having such a bowl of fish ball soup when the cool wind was rising made his entire being feel soothed.

Wei Han watched Wei Qiang eat and drink with cold eyes, his thin lips curving into a mocking arc.

What did his eating here have to do with the Crown Prince?

That day he had also been at the hunting grounds—the wild boar had still charged straight at the Crown Prince just the same.

Miss Luo’s treatment of him versus the Crown Prince was naturally different.

Wei Han’s gaze quietly fell on the young woman sitting by the counter with her chin propped up, seemingly lost in thought. The barely perceptible mockery at the corners of his mouth changed to tenderness.

He and Miss Luo were friends now.

Of course Luo Sheng wasn’t being careless—she had been watching Wei Qiang all along, just very discreetly.

She had to watch him eat more to feel at ease.

One pot of fish head and fish balls wasn’t too much. By the time they finished two pots of heated wine, it was almost gone.

Wei Qiang called out to settle the bill, then politely asked Wei Han: “Does Uncle Wang want to leave together?”

Wei Han said indifferently: “The Crown Prince and I are not going the same way, so there’s no need.”

“Then this nephew will take his leave first.” As Wei Qiang spoke, he stood up, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the counter.

Luo Sheng seemed to only just notice this look, glancing over casually.

Under the lamplight, the young woman’s bright face took on a touch of softness from the hazy glow. When their eyes met, Wei Qiang’s heartbeat inexplicably quickened.

This was a feeling he had never experienced when facing Zhao Hua.

Wei Qiang forgot to look away for a moment, until the sound of a wine cup colliding with the table rang out, and only then did he look toward where the sound came from.

“Wasn’t Your Highness about to leave?” Wei Han asked.

Facing the young man’s indifferent expression, Wei Qiang suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

This Uncle Wang was still a bit too young after all.

Wei Qiang smiled: “I’ll just say goodbye to Miss Luo before leaving.”

“Has Your Highness finished eating?” Luo Sheng took the initiative to walk over. “I’ll see Your Highness out.”

“Miss Luo is too polite.” The smile on Wei Qiang’s face deepened, yet he didn’t decline.

Wei Han watched the two of them walk out of the tavern, raised his cup and drained the wine.

Compared to the warmth inside the tavern, outside there was already a faint hint of early winter’s chill.

As the wine’s effect dispersed, Wei Qiang smiled at Luo Sheng: “Miss Luo, please stop here—it’s cold outside.”

“Then Your Highness, take care.”

Wei Qiang nodded slightly, turned and walked two steps then suddenly stopped, turning back around.

Luo Sheng still stood in the same spot without moving.

“Miss Luo,” Wei Qiang called out.

Luo Sheng bent her knees slightly: “Please speak, Your Highness.”

Wei Qiang gazed at her, his eyes burning: “Today’s fish head hotpot was extremely delicious. I’ll likely come eat again in a few days.”

“Is that so?” In the thin night, a faint smile appeared on the young woman’s snow-like face. “Then Your Highness is welcome to come eat often.”

Wei Qiang said “good,” then turned and left.

Luo Sheng watched with cold eyes as Dou Ren hurried to catch up, and then several guards who had been waiting outside the tavern surrounded Wei Qiang in their midst. The group gradually moved into the distance.

“Miss Luo.” A soft call sounded by Luo Sheng’s ear.

Luo Sheng raised her eyes to look at the man who had walked out at some unknown time.

Perhaps having drunk too much wine, the man’s cheeks were flushed with a touch of deep red, his eyes shining alarmingly bright in the night.

“Has Your Highness finished eating?”

Wei Han’s thin lips pressed together slightly: “Finished.”

He had already been eating for almost a full hour—from being the first customer to when the tavern was about to close. Even if he were eating a whole pig, he should have finished by now.

But—he looked deeply at the young woman—it was just that he wanted to see Miss Luo a bit more.

Who knew he would end up watching Miss Luo see the Crown Prince off.

Thinking back, in all the times he’d come to eat, he had always left quietly by himself. Only that one time had Miss Luo seen him off, and that was because he had actively requested it.

Thinking this way, Wei Han suddenly felt that the wine he’d drunk today tasted somewhat bitter.

“Then Your Highness, take care.”

Luo Sheng stepped toward the tavern entrance but was called back by Wei Han from behind: “Miss Luo, could you see me off?”

Luo Sheng turned to look at him.

In the night, the young man in crimson robes had features like a painting, his eyes holding scattered soft light, as if he had gathered stars from the sky and hidden them in his eyes—making anyone who gazed at those eyes liable to become lost in them if they weren’t careful.

Pure and clear transparency was always easier to make people lower their guard.

Yet Luo Sheng smiled at that gaze filled with undisguised earnestness: “We’re already outside, what’s there to see off? Your Highness, safe travels. I’m going back inside now.”

Wei Han watched that figure walk step by step back into the tavern. The young woman who brought him joy at the sight of her never looked back.

He let out a quiet sigh.

Miss Luo was consistent as always—she could always be ruthless with him.

He lifted his foot and walked toward the tavern.

Since she wouldn’t see him off when they were already outside, then he would just go back in.

Leave alone like this? At least not tonight.

Luo Sheng walked into the main hall. Shi Yan, who was clearing tables, asked with a cheerful smile: “Miss Luo, our master just went out—did you see him?”

A lone man and woman standing outside—they didn’t talk a bit longer?

“I saw him. Your prince has gone back.”

Luo Sheng’s tone was calm as she spoke and walked inward, but then she heard Shi Yan call out “Master.”

The astonishment in his voice made her involuntarily stop and turn her head.

Behind her, the man in crimson robes smiled gently at her: “I left something behind.”

Shi Yan quickly scanned the main hall, then quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Good thing the tavern had closed and there were no other customers. If anyone had seen their master gazing at Miss Luo with that silly smile, it would be too embarrassing.

As for the tavern’s people?

The tavern’s people didn’t matter—they were all used to it anyway.

Left something behind?

Luo Sheng looked toward the table by the window.

The cups, plates, and dishes on the table had long been cleared away, and even the table had been wiped clean.

Luo Sheng pressed her lips together and walked to Wei Han: “I’ll see Your Highness out.”

“Good.”

Watching the two walk out side by side, Shi Yan blinked.

Miss Luo didn’t even ask what was left behind before directly seeing their master out?

And their master didn’t say anything either, just went out like that…

So actually nothing was left behind—it was purely two people being reluctant to part, right?

The young guard, thinking of this possibility, immediately became excited and wiped the table until it gleamed.

Outside, the wind was slightly cool.

Luo Sheng walked Wei Han out more than ten zhang in silence before stopping: “Your Highness, take care.”

“Then see you tomorrow.” Wei Han’s eyes grew even brighter.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly, then seriously advised: “In the future, Your Highness should remember not to drink too much.”

She had discovered it—once this man had a few drinks too many, he started being unreasonably troublesome.