“Then since you already know, why are you asking?” Yan Yunning casually tossed the fruit pit into the bamboo bin.

Xuan Yanyu: “…??”

Yan Yunning tapped him on the forehead and blinked. “Exactly what you said it meant.”

Qiuci tugged at Yan Yunning’s sleeve and whispered, “Crown Princess, at least put on a show of it.”

“I did put on a show. Didn’t I just say I love him immensely, which is why I gave it to him to eat? He said I was talking nonsense. What more do you want me to do?” Yan Yunning took a small bite of peach, sweet enough to make her throat ache.

Ye Chen, Ye’an, Qiuci: “…”

Xuan Yanyu watched Yan Yunning stare at the peach in thought, his brow giving a faint twitch. He coughed deliberately. “This Highness is going to attend to—”

He hadn’t finished speaking before the peach was already being held up to his mouth by Yan Yunning. The girl’s fair, soft face wore a docile smile. “Go ahead then.”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

What was there to attend to now?

“Just blame the baby. Before the baby, I never used to feed you like this.” Yan Yunning said innocently.

Ever since she had become pregnant, she had developed a great fondness for little snacks — but she could never eat much of any of them. Most of the time she only managed a small bite or two, and she couldn’t bring herself to waste the rest. So, naturally, it fell to the baby’s father to finish them.

“Smile a little.” Yan Yunning pressed her fingertip to Xuan Yanyu’s cheek and nudged it upward, then added soothingly,

“Xuan Yanyu, rest assured — once the baby is born, I’ll make sure to tell him just how wonderful, how truly wonderful, his father is. In the future, the baby will certainly be the one who shows you the most filial devotion.”

“This Highness has no need for that. As long as he behaves himself and doesn’t provoke this Highness into anger, that will be enough.”

Yan Yunning rubbed his cheek and shook her head. That was going to be a tall order. With a grandfather like his, even the most well-behaved child was bound to end up mischievous.

Xuan Yanyu curved his lips slightly and gave a gentle tug, drawing her into his embrace. “What are you thinking about again?”

Yan Yunning tilted her head and looked at him, mischief dancing in her eyes. “I’m thinking — if you ever make me angry in the future, I’ll just take your child and walk right out of the Crown Prince’s residence.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” The man’s hand, veins faintly visible beneath the skin, came to rest at the small of her back and gave her a light, unhurried pat.

Yan Yunning glared at him indignantly. Meeting Xuan Yanyu’s teasing eyes, she bluffed her way forward. “Xuan Yanyu, I absolutely would dare. And by then, you’ll be frantic with worry.”

The man raised an eyebrow with an easy, unhurried smile. He swayed Yan Yunning’s slender white arm back and forth in his hand.

He couldn’t help but marvel — she had grown up in a small town, yet her skin wasn’t the least bit tanned. Not only were her beautiful face and the delicate hands peeking out from her sleeves fair and soft, but her whole person was the same.

“Oh, laughing so carelessly — you don’t believe the two of us could actually manage to leave everything behind and run away?” Yan Yunning snuggled closer into his embrace, her eyes filling with laughter. “Xuan Yanyu, don’t underestimate us.”

The man lowered his gaze to look at her. “Where did you pick up the phrase ‘leave everything behind and run away’?”

Yan Yunning smiled faintly. “From being provoked by you.”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

——

After finishing dinner, Yan Yunning strolled to the Imperial Garden and spotted Noble Consort Lin holding the little princess as she admired the flowers. She made her way over as well.

During these past few days at the Xuanwang Palace, every evening walk to the Imperial Garden had brought her across Noble Consort Lin with the little princess, and she would spend a while playing with the little girl before returning to the bedchamber.

“Crown Princess.” Noble Consort Lin greeted her with a smile.

The moment Yan Yunning drew near, the little princess waved her chubby little hands at her, gurgling and babbling, drool trickling all the way down to her chin.

Noble Consort Lin patiently wiped the little princess’s drool, while the small child waved her little arms to push Noble Consort Lin’s hand away in a fit of temperament, kicking her little legs and dissolving into peals of laughter.

Perhaps because she was now a mother-to-be herself, Yan Yunning felt an overwhelming urge to hold the little princess every time she saw her — and at this moment, she wanted even more to bring her to Xuan Yanyu and show him.

Such an adorable little baby — how could he possibly say he didn’t like her?

Noble Consort Lin lifted the little princess and placed her in Yan Yunning’s arms. The little girl was still small, and not at all heavy. Noble Consort Lin felt perfectly at ease letting Yan Yunning hold her.

Otherwise she wouldn’t dare let Yan Yunning carry her at all — if the child exhausted her, it would be a responsibility she could not bear.

The little princess, who had learned from who knew where to shake her little head back and forth, was now doing exactly that — laughing cheerfully and shaking her head at Yan Yunning.

Yan Yunning looked at the soft, pink little treasure performing her talents in her arms, and felt an adoration she could barely contain.

She let her imagination conjure up a baby with a mix of her features and Xuan Yanyu’s. Just the thought of it filled her with tenderness.

“Xiao Wan, go and summon Crown Prince.” Yan Yunning said excitedly.

From now on, she had to make Xuan Yanyu grow fond of children. That way, when their baby was born, he would love the child on his own, without her needing to say a word.

“Yes, Crown Princess.”

After Xiao Wan withdrew, Noble Consort Lin’s heart gave a nervous flutter. Whatever could be the reason for summoning the Crown Prince out of nowhere?

“Crown Princess.” Noble Consort Lin glanced at the little princess in Yan Yunning’s arms — the tiny, chubby hands clutching at her robes — and spoke tactfully. “Crown Princess, the little princess has been out playing long enough. We really ought to be heading back.”

“Oh?” Yan Yunning looked mildly regretful and said coaxingly, “You don’t usually leave at this hour, do you? Why not wait a little while longer?”

The little princess also seemed quite alert and lively. Every time Yan Yunning came to the Imperial Garden, it was always after she had returned to the bedchamber that Noble Consort Lin would take the child away.

Why was she leaving so early today?

Noble Consort Lin pressed her lips together. Not wanting to embarrass the Crown Princess, she gave a nod and decided she would simply speak as little as possible when the Crown Prince arrived.

Better to avoid saying the wrong thing and provoking the Crown Prince’s displeasure.

After half a quarter of an hour, Xuan Yanyu arrived along with Ye Chen, Ye’an, and Xiao Wan.

His gaze landed on Yan Yunning. Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased. “How long have you been holding her?”

There was even drool on her robes.

“Just a little while,” Yan Yunning said, cradling the little girl as she stepped toward Xuan Yanyu, her expression full of anticipation. “You hold her.”

Xuan Yanyu looked down at the little girl — a round little face all flushed and pink, tiny hands balled into little fists, drool still on her chin — and knitted his brows, refusing outright. “No need.”

Yan Yunning held the little princess out toward him, her eyes curved with a radiant smile. “What do you mean, no need? Hold her now and get some practice — that way, when our own baby is born, you won’t be fumbling around in a panic.”

The little girl also bobbed her tiny feet with enthusiasm.

Xuan Yanyu stared at the drooling little child, his temples throbbing.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning raised her voice at him.

The man closed his eyes briefly, then took the little princess from Yan Yunning’s arms, holding her stiffly against his chest.

It was the first time he had ever held a baby only a few months old.

“Doesn’t she seem very adorable to you?” Yan Yunning stood beside him and gently poked the little princess’s soft cheek.

Ye’an watched his master standing perfectly motionless with the little princess in his arms, while the Crown Princess bent her head and cooed at the child, and thought that Noble Consort Lin had become rather superfluous.

Because with His Highness holding the little princess and the Crown Princess cooing at her, the scene really did look like a family of three.

He looked up again — and Ye’an’s eyelids gave a violent twitch. What met his eyes was His Highness holding the little princess out at arm’s length, both hands extended, keeping her as far from himself as possible…

Wait.

Had His Highness ever seen anyone hold a baby like that?

Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched. Afraid Xuan Yanyu might accidentally drop the little princess, she quickly took her back into her own arms.

Then she watched as Xuan Yanyu accepted the handkerchief Ye’an offered him and began carefully and meticulously wiping his hands.

“?” Yan Yunning cast an awkward glance at Noble Consort Lin. The latter’s expression remained perfectly serene.

Xuan Yanyu heaved a heavy sigh. Just thinking about the drool that had gotten on his hands a moment ago made him deeply uncomfortable.