“What are you staring at?” Xuan Yanyu swept an indifferent glance over the little one, who was fixed on him with an unwavering gaze.

Yan Yunning moved a little closer to Xuan Yanyu and laughed. “Staring at you to find out why you’re called Xuan Xixi.”

The little one blinked and agreed with Yan Yunning’s reasoning.

“……” Xuan Yanyu rapped his knuckle against Yan Yunning — who was laughing with particularly gleeful abandon — then lifted the little one out of her arms and set him down on the ground, murmuring, “Xiaoxiao is five years old and quite heavy. He is not a small child anymore — carry him less from now on.”

The little one’s small mouth curved downward in a pout.

“Yes, yes, all right.” Yan Yunning linked her arm through Xuan Yanyu’s, rested her head against his shoulder, and asked with a teasing smile, “Xuan Xixi, you said last night that you’d be avoiding me — how long do you intend to avoid me? Surely you’re not going to avoid me for twenty-odd days out of every month?”

Xuan Yanyu cast her a leisurely glance, and with his other free hand, took the little one’s small hand in his. He let out a low hum. “If you would stop setting your sights on me, I wouldn’t need to avoid you.”

Yan Yunning puffed up with indignation and gave her hand a shake. “Who is setting their sights on whom?!”

The man said unhurriedly, “I am the Prince of Xuan. All of Xuanzhao belongs to me — and so, naturally, do you who are within it.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Slow-witted.” The bottom of Xuan Yanyu’s eyes shimmered with delighted amusement. “There is no question of me setting my sights on you, because you already belong to me.”

Yan Yunning: “……!!!”

“Mother Consort, rest assured — when your son ascends the throne, your son will certainly bestow upon you a title even more magnificent than Father’s.” The little one waved his small arms and traced a large circle in the air for emphasis as he spoke.

Endearing and adorable beyond words.

“My darling, Mother Consort adores you so.” Yan Yunning dabbed at non-existent tears with great emotion.

Xuan Yanyu looked at the mother and son clinging to each other with an expression caught somewhere between exasperation and resignation. He interrupted their wishful thinking. “Xuan Yunchen — what exactly are you saying? After you ascend the throne, you intend to bestow upon your mother the title of Retired Emperor?”

The little one bit his fingertip thoughtfully. Father was the Prince of Xuan — even if he were to abdicate, his standing as Retired Emperor would be above that of the Empress Dowager. Even he himself as the reigning Prince of Xuan would not rank above Father’s position as Retired Emperor.

“It’s all right — Mother Consort knows what her darling means, and that is more than enough.” Seeing the little one wrinkling his small nose in distress, Yan Yunning hurried to reassure him.

“Mother Consort.” The little one patted Yan Yunning on the back with great solemnity, adopting his little-adult manner. “Your son has let you down.”

Xuan Yanyu burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at?!” Yan Yunning balled up her fist — using the little one’s small hand as a vehicle — and gave Xuan Yanyu a punch.

Xuan Yanyu pinched the tip of Yan Yunning’s nose and gave it a little wiggle, laughter rolling in his throat. “Pinning your hopes on your son to bestow a grand title upon you — you’d do better to pin them on me.”

Yan Yunning feigned reluctance and shook her head. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kind offer. Though I think Your Majesty’s proposal is not without its merits — I cannot let my son down, so I shall still hold out hope that my son grows up and bestows upon me a…”

“Mother Consort, please do not hold out hope for your son — your son is unable to accomplish this.” The little one interjected with a serene air.

“Ha ha ha.” Xuan Yanyu pressed his fist to his lips, laughter impossible to contain.

Yan Yunning: “……”

Xuan Yunchen: “……”

The two of them exchanged a glance and, with perfect mutual understanding, joined hands and walked on ahead.

——

The family of three bickered their way along without noticing, and before long found themselves at the gate of the Grand Commandant’s Manor. After the little one had visited the ailing Yuzhi, he picked up a plate of pastries and — following instructions Yan Yunning had secretly given him behind Xuan Yanyu’s back — had a maid lead him to where A’Ci was.

Through the gap of a door left ajar, the little one looked in at A’Ci, who lay on the bed staring blankly up at the ceiling rafters. In a hushed voice he said, “Uncle, may this Crown Prince come in?”

A’Ci turned his head. What met his eyes was a small, round little person standing at the wooden door, bearing a striking resemblance to Xuan Yanyu. He asked in surprise, “You… you are His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Mm.” The little one tilted his chin up.

A’Ci hurried to rise from the bed to bow in greeting.

“No need.” The little one stepped over the threshold and reached out his small hand to help A’Ci up.

He looked the man over — this one who had nearly become his godfather. His features were refined, and his face was handsome indeed.

Why did he know that Uncle A’Ci had nearly become his godfather? That was from just now, when he’d asked his mother why she wanted him to go and look in on Uncle A’Ci.

His mother had said offhandedly, “Out of consideration for the fact that Uncle A’Ci almost became your godfather, go and offer him some comfort.”

After saying that, Mother had been found by Father, who had come hurrying after her, and the two of them had left together. Before leaving, she had given him a wink.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, why have you come here?” A’Ci tidied up the bed and then, taking the little one’s hand, lifted him up onto the wooden chair.

The little one creased his brow, then jumped straight back down from the chair, muttering to himself, “How can there be a chair this hard?”

A’Ci understood at once and took a soft blanket from the bed to pad the wooden chair. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, you may sit now.”

“Thank you, Uncle.” The little one climbed up onto the chair and settled in.

“Did Your Highness the Crown Prince come with the Princess Consort?” A’Ci crouched in front of the little one and straightened the wrinkles in his ornate robes.

“Mm, and with Father as well — they’re in the main hall chatting with Auntie Yuzhi and Uncle Mu.” The little one’s voice was soft and cushiony, as if he were holding a piece of candy in his mouth.

“Mm.” A’Ci asked nothing further.

“Uncle, would you like some pastries?” The little one held out the porcelain plate of delicate pastries toward A’Ci.

A’Ci smiled. “No need — Your Highness the Crown Prince should eat them yourself.”

“Uncle, call me Xiaoxiao.” The little one paused, then continued, “Uncle, do you know how Father and Mother came to know each other? Could you tell me how Father and Mother first met?”

His mother had told him to talk more with Uncle A’Ci, but he didn’t know what to say.

A’Ci ruffled the little one’s hair and began in a warm, unhurried voice: “Your father originally remained in Qilan because of Yan Shiyao, the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Yan’s household of the state of Qilan — and at that time, your mother had just been brought back to the Prime Minister’s manor. That was how the two of them came to meet.”

The little one’s eyes lit up with startling brightness. “Uncle, do you mean to say that my father once had feelings for Auntie Yaoyao?”

“No. Your father never had feelings for your Auntie Yaoyao. As for why he remained by her side — Xiaoxiao can go and ask your father about that.”

Love was something difficult to explain clearly. When a person fell in love with another, that too was beyond explanation. Some people met once and the other person took root in their heart — they would find themselves naturally caring about them, keeping them in mind.

Others saw each other every day and still felt no love. Take Ningning and Xuan Yanyu, for instance — Xuan Yanyu had spent more than a year at Yan Shiyao’s side and never once came to love Yan Shiyao.

Yet the moment Ningning appeared — in the span of just a few short months — Xuan Yanyu was already drawn to her.

And then there were those who came to know it only belatedly…

“There was something by Auntie Yaoyao’s side that Father needed, wasn’t there?” The little one stated with certainty.

A’Ci gave a slight smile. “Xiaoxiao is very perceptive — just like your mother.”

“Uncle.” The little one set down the pastry he had been holding this whole time, and his gaze fell on the pendant hanging at A’Ci’s chest, his voice lifting at the end. “Xiaoxiao’s Auntie has a pendant just like the one Uncle is wearing.”

“Is that so?” A’Ci lowered his gaze and closed his fingers around the pendant, turning it gently between them.

“Yes — when Auntie hadn’t yet married, Xiaoxiao saw her hold that pendant and stare off into the distance quite often.”

“Is that so? Is Xiaoxiao certain he didn’t see it wrong?” A’Ci’s voice held a tremor that he could not quite suppress.