Yan Yunning said in a low voice, “Stand up straight.”

Breathing in the pleasant scent that lingered on her, Xuan Yanyu’s throat bobbed. In a low, magnetic voice, he let out a single word: “No.”

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning patted his arm.

“Hmm?” The man’s tone curled upward with a smile as he tightened his hold.

Yan Yunning lowered her voice. “Ruirui is still here.”

“Who?”

“Your son.”

Xuan Yanyu lit the candle, frowned, and looked at Little Tuanzi lying on the bed, eyes shut, long lashes blinking rapidly. He was so furious his teeth itched. “Xuan Yuncheng, what are you doing here?”

Little Tuanzi let out a sound as though Xuan Yanyu had woken him, rubbed his eyes, and said in a small, babyish voice, “Didn’t Imperial Mother promise this son he could rest here for the night? Imperial Father, have you forgotten?”

Xuan Yanyu’s temple throbbed. “Xuan Yuncheng! Back to your own sleeping chambers.”

“Xuan Yanyu — didn’t we promise Ruirui?” Yan Yunning rubbed the back of the man’s clenched fist to soothe him.

“That’s right.” Little Tuanzi pursed his lips.

“That’s right?” Xuan Yanyu let out a cold laugh. “And who was it who had this Emperor carry him in circles around the Imperial Garden, then voluntarily told this Emperor he would obediently go back to his sleeping chambers?”

“And didn’t this son obediently return to the sleeping chambers?” Little Tuanzi blinked his bright, clear eyes and argued in his own defense. “This son came back to the sleeping chambers all on his own! This son never specified which sleeping chambers to return to — Imperial Father drew that conclusion himself!”

Xuan Yanyu was struck speechless and did not open his mouth for a long while.

Little Tuanzi clutched his small quilt and turned his aggrieved gaze on Yan Yunning. “Imperial Mother~ Imperial Father is being mean to this son.”

Yan Yunning sighed in silence.

“Imperial Mother!”

“Close your mouth and go to sleep.” Xuan Yanyu snuffed out the candle, took Yan Yunning by the hand, and led her to the bedside. He moved Little Tuanzi to the inner side of the bed, lay down himself in the middle, and let Yan Yunning lie on the outside.

“Imperial Father, shouldn’t this son be in the middle?” Little Tuanzi lay sprawled on top of Xuan Yanyu, asking softly and sweetly.

Xuan Yanyu lay on his side, arm draped around Yan Yunning’s waist, and showed not the slightest inclination to acknowledge the boy.

“Imperial Father?”

“……”

“Imperial Mother~” Seeing Xuan Yanyu ignore him, Little Tuanzi turned to calling for Yan Yunning.

“Speak one more word and I’ll have Ye’an take you back to your own sleeping chambers.” Xuan Yanyu said with impatience.

“Okay.” Little Tuanzi lay down obediently.

After a stretch of quiet, Xuan Yuncheng couldn’t hold back any longer and whispered, “Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, this son is a little hungry.”

Yan Yunning touched her nose. Could this be inherited?

“Imperial Father? Imperial Mother, are you asleep?” Little Tuanzi blinked.

Xuan Yanyu inhaled sharply. In a deep, subdued voice, he said, “If you’re hungry, go to the Imperial Kitchen to eat. When you’ve eaten, go back to your own chambers.”

Little Tuanzi felt his small belly. “Imperial Father, this son isn’t really that hungry anymore — this son is fine without eating.”

“If you’re not hungry, then keep your mouth shut.” Xuan Yanyu said without goodwill.

“Okay, understood.” Little Tuanzi turned onto his side as well. His bright eyes peered over Xuan Yanyu to look at Yan Yunning, his voice exceptionally sweet and tender. “Imperial Mother, could you chat with this son for a little while?”

“Close your mouth and rest.” Xuan Yanyu had reached his limit.

Little Tuanzi wrinkled his little nose. “Okay! Okay! Okay!!”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

Yan Yunning: “……”

The following morning.

Xuan Yuncheng was up early. He leaned over Xuan Yanyu’s ear, extended his small hand, and patted his arm. “Imperial Father, this son is going to be late for morning lessons!”

Xuan Yanyu lifted his eyelids and, keeping his voice pressed down, glanced at Little Tuanzi. “Then why aren’t you going to your morning lessons?”

Not wanting to wake Yan Yunning, Little Tuanzi whimpered quietly, “This son can’t get his clothes on properly.”

Xuan Yanyu drew back the bedcurtain, rubbed his aching head, picked the boy up, set him on the floor, and then carefully climbed out of bed himself. He took the robe from the sandalwood rack and, resigning himself to his fate, carried Little Tuanzi behind the folding screen to wash up.

That afternoon, Xuan Yuncheng took Xuan Yuncheng out of the palace for a meal at a restaurant. Yan Yunning felt a sudden impulse to stroll along the main street, so she and Xuan Yanyu took Nuonuo and left the palace shortly after.

The little girl walked hand in hand between Yan Yunning and Xuan Yanyu, one on each side. Perhaps because she rarely came to the main street, the smile on her small face was especially bright.

As was his habit, Xuan Yanyu noticed an elderly man selling candied hawthorn skewers, stepped forward, and bought two — handing one each to Yan Yunning and Nuonuo.

The little girl licked the sugar coating, her eyes lighting up. “Thank you, Uncle.”

“No need for thanks.” Xuan Yanyu looked at the little girl’s well-behaved manner, warmth spreading to the corners of his eyes.

Yan Yunning said with an easy smile, “I’d suggest buying two more — otherwise when Ruirui finds out he missed them, he’ll kick up a fuss with you again.”

At the thought of Xuan Yuncheng, Xuan Yanyu’s smile died abruptly. That troublesome little brat — if he went a single day without causing a scene, he was clearly itching for it.

With his Imperial Grandfather and his Imperial Mother backing him up, there was nothing he could do about him.

“Two more, please.” Xuan Yanyu, wearing a put-upon expression, handed some silver pieces to the elderly man.

Once the man had them wrapped up, the guard following behind in civilian dress accepted the candied skewers from the man’s hands.

“Uncle, Auntie, Nuonuo wants that.” The little girl stared fixedly at a pinwheel spinning in the breeze in the distance, her small eyes brimming with longing.

“All right.” Yan Yunning smiled and nodded.

After buying the pinwheel, Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning took the little girl around to buy many more snacks and trinkets. As it happened, Xuan Yanyu had only just picked up the tired little girl when, coming around a corner, they ran straight into their own Little Tuanzi, with Ye’an and Ye Chen following behind.

Xuan Yuncheng was also a little surprised. Seeing the three of them looking every bit like a family of three, he processed the sight for a moment, then came tumbling over toward Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning, his small voice carrying a note of grievance. “Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, why did you leave the palace without calling for this son? Why did you sneak out with Nuonuo Older Sister and leave this son and Brother behind?”

Yan Yunning was flustered. She laughed lightly and redirected the topic. “Ruirui, didn’t you go to the restaurant with your brother for a meal? How did you finish so quickly? Where is your brother?”

Little Tuanzi immediately started complaining. “Imperial Mother, you don’t know — the food at the restaurant was nothing like the Imperial Kitchen’s. This son ate a few bites and didn’t want any more. Brother said he still had things to deal with, left Ye Chen behind, and then disappeared who knows where.”

As he spoke, Little Tuanzi’s gaze fell on the candied hawthorn skewer Nuonuo had eaten nearly to the end. He tilted his head, asking curiously, “Imperial Mother, what is Nuonuo Older Sister eating?”

Yan Yunning took one of the skewers from the guard’s hands and, smiling warmly, held it out to Little Tuanzi. “Here — Imperial Father and Imperial Mother certainly didn’t forget about you and your brother.”

“Thank you, Imperial Father, Imperial Mother.” Little Tuanzi took the skewer and gave it a tentative little bite.

“Is it good?” Yan Yunning scooped Little Tuanzi up into her arms.

“It’s good — sweet and sour. Even better than the food at the restaurant.” Little Tuanzi narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

“Give him to me.” Xuan Yanyu took Little Tuanzi from Yan Yunning’s arms.

“Isn’t it heavy?” Yan Yunning watched Xuan Yanyu holding a child in each arm and felt a pang of worry that he would tire himself out.

The man’s mouth curved up slightly. “Not heavy.”

“Nuonuo Older Sister, when are you going back home?” Little Tuanzi couldn’t help but ask.

“What does it have to do with you?” Even little Nuonuo had her temper flare. She had truly put up with him for a very long time!