“Papa, it hurts.” The little one said he was in pain, yet his gaze was fixed entirely on the table full of dishes.

Yan Yunning couldn’t help but smile. This was different from her elder sister — her elder sister had never been this eager when it came to meals before.

Qi Qingchen helplessly blew on the back of his hand.

“Mama.” Catching sight of Yan Shiyao, the little girl smiled and ran to her side, complaining, “Little brother tried to sneak food again.”

“I didn’t, Mama.” Qi Xingqian flushed red with indignation.

“He did, Mama.” The little girl wrapped herself around Yan Shiyao’s arm, acting spoiled.

Yan Shiyao sighed soundlessly and changed the subject. “Youyou, this is your aunt — Mama’s younger sister.”

Then Yan Shiyao turned to introduce her to Yan Yunning. “This is my daughter, Qi Xingyou.”

“Greetings, Aunt.” The little girl walked cheerfully to Yan Yunning’s side, enthusiastically pulling her down onto a stone stool, and placed a pair of wooden chopsticks in her hand. “Aunt, please try the dishes Papa made.”

Yan Yunning was momentarily stunned — she clearly hadn’t expected that Qi Qingchen, an Imperial Prince, would now know how to cook.

Five years had passed. Had things really changed this much?

Seeing Yan Yunning’s puzzlement, Qi Qingchen smiled and said, “If I hadn’t learned to cook, your elder sister never would have agreed to marry me.”

Back then, he had burned his hands all over learning to cook. It had taken three years before Yaoyao was willing to become his wife.

“Papa, Mama, Aunt, A’Jie — can we eat now?” Qi Xingqian gripped his chopsticks, his gaze glued to the dishes.

Qi Qingchen patted his head with an amused smile. “Yes, we can.”

Qi Xingqian straightened up and was just about to pick up some food when two groups of Imperial Guards entered the courtyard and took positions on either side.

Clatter. The wooden chopsticks in his hand fell to the ground in fright. Qi Xingqian bit his lip in frustration.

“We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Qi Qingchen and Yan Shiyao led the two children in a bow of greeting.

Yan Yunning glimpsed the little one dressed in resplendent golden-yellow robes, carved like fine jade — and couldn’t help curling her lips into a smile. Her little treasure had come.

“Aunt, please rise.” The little one spoke politely.

The proper courtesies could not be omitted. Yan Shiyao and Qi Qingchen clasped their hands and replied, “Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Imperial Mother, come back to the Crown Prince’s residence with this Crown Prince.” The little one looked at Yan Yunning with an awkward expression.

Since his Imperial Father didn’t want him anymore, he would simply find himself a kind Imperial Mother of his own — and let his Imperial Father be furious over it.

“Ahem, you—” Yan Yunning was so surprised she didn’t know how to respond.

“Did you not say you were this Crown Prince’s Imperial Mother?”

Yan Yunning moved her lips, before she could say anything, Yan Shiyao spoke up. “Yes, Xiaoxiao — she is your Imperial Mother.”

Yan Yunning was pushed along by Yan Shiyao, and returned to the Crown Prince’s residence in a daze.

The Qishan Hall.

Yan Yunning rested her chin in her hand, quietly observing the little one poking at his rice.

“Imperial Father said that from now on, I need not address him as Imperial Father anymore.” Xuan Yuncheng said, his voice low and sullen.

“Then what should you call him?” Yan Yunning drew the dejected little one into her arms.

“I don’t know.”

Yan Yunning stared at the little one’s token for a moment, the corners of her eyes curving with warmth. “Xiaoxiao, Imperial Mother promises you — tomorrow, your Imperial Father will take back what he said today.”

The little one rested his small hand over the token and said languidly, “You want to steal this Crown Prince’s token to enter the palace and see Imperial Father? This Crown Prince would rather not have to arrange for someone to collect your remains first thing tomorrow morning.”

He looked like his Imperial Mother, and was warm and kind — but in the end, she was not his Imperial Mother.

Was he wrong to feel this way… Did Imperial Mother deserve better than this? It made sense that Imperial Father wanted nothing to do with him, yet… Xuan Yuncheng raised his eyes and looked at Yan Yunning, whose gaze was clear and gentle, and he couldn’t bring himself to send her away.

“…” The corner of Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched. She had only glanced at his token for a moment — and he had already seen through her intentions?

The little one clutched the token and solemnly cautioned her. “Whatever you do, do not try to find a way to see this Crown Prince’s Imperial Father. If you do, this Crown Prince will not be able to protect you.”

Yan Yunning sighed, a sense of helplessness washing over her.

“What is your name?” The little one unhurriedly took a meat pastry and bit into it.

Yan Yunning also took a meat pastry and bit into it heartily, her voice lilting upward at the end. “Whatever name your Imperial Mother goes by — that is the name I shall use.”

“…” Xuan Yuncheng glanced at her sideways.

Was she truly so committed to playing the role of his Imperial Mother?

Yan Yunning flicked him on the forehead, the corner of her lips curving slightly. “You don’t believe me?”

The little one pursed his lips and went back to quietly nibbling his meat pastry.

Yan Yunning narrowed her eyes with a smile. “Xiaoxiao, your Imperial Father has a mole below the left collarbone, near his chest. If I weren’t your Imperial Mother, he surely wouldn’t have let me see it, would he?”

Ye Chen might not know — but surely Xiaoxiao had seen it before.

The little one clicked his tongue. “I don’t know. Imperial Father has never shown this Crown Prince.”

Yan Yunning: “…”

After finishing the meat pastry, Xuan Yuncheng picked up a square handkerchief and elegantly wiped the corners of his mouth, then kindly reminded her, “If you still want to have breakfast tomorrow, this Crown Prince advises you — do not go and provoke Imperial Father. Otherwise, you will most likely…”

The implication was clear. Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “Thank you for the reminder, little treasure. Imperial Mother has taken note.”

The little one’s small hand rubbed the token, his eyes pausing for a moment.

That night, Yan Yunning slipped quietly into the Crown Prince’s bedchamber. Seeing the little one lying there with his eyes closed, sleeping sweetly and well-behaved, she crouched beside the bed, ruffled his hair, and said softly, “Xiaoxiao, your Imperial Father is a very, very good man. He said today that he wouldn’t let you call him Imperial Father — that was probably because you upset him. It’s not that Imperial Mother is not on your side, but rather that Imperial Mother understands your Imperial Father. As long as you don’t upset him, he won’t be harsh with you. It’s alright — he may get angry easily, but coax him a little and he’ll forgive you.”

“Imperial Mother has missed your Imperial Father very much and very dearly, so I’m sorry, little treasure — I’ll just borrow your token for a moment.” Yan Yunning bent down and pressed her lips to the little one’s forehead.

In the darkness, she didn’t notice that the little one’s ears had turned a deep red. Certain that she hadn’t disturbed anyone, Yan Yunning slipped quietly out of the Crown Prince’s residence.

What she didn’t know was that the moment she stepped out of the bedchamber, two guards entered and knelt before Xuan Yuncheng’s bed, respectfully asking, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, shall we bring her back?”

“No need.” The little one touched his forehead, a flash of delight crossing his eyes.

Imperial Mother had truly come back. He would now be a child with an Imperial Mother to love and cherish him.

From the moment she had mentioned the mole below Imperial Father’s collarbone, he had more or less guessed the truth — and he had even deliberately reminded her once more.

If she were not his Imperial Mother, she would not have been foolish enough to risk Imperial Father’s punishment by sneaking into his bedchamber to take his token and go see Imperial Father.

After a moment of thought, the little one’s lips curved into a mischievous grin. “Tomorrow, enter the palace and say that this Crown Prince has fallen gravely ill — very seriously. Make sure this Crown Prince’s Imperial Mother hears of it, but be careful that word doesn’t reach Imperial Grandfather’s or Imperial Grandmother’s ears.”

Worried that the guards might not understand, the little one explained, “That is to say, the woman who just secretly took this Crown Prince’s token to enter the palace — she is this Crown Prince’s Imperial Mother.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

“Good. You may withdraw.”

After all, he was still a child at heart. The moment the guards withdrew, the little one broke into a wide grin — smiling as though he’d eaten honey — and rolled back and forth on the bed two times, blanket and all.

With Xuan Yuncheng’s token, Yan Yunning made it smoothly into the Prince Xuan’s palace. She was not the least bit unfamiliar with the place. Spotting the guards stationed outside the bedchamber, she produced the little one’s token. “His Highness the Crown Prince has sent this servant with an urgent matter to relay to His Majesty.”