Grand Commander Luo waited for dinner with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

After spending over a month in Beihe eating meals made by Sheng’er’s cook, missing even one meal was too difficult.

Before going to Beihe, he hadn’t been this anxious. Those boys had secretly packed away food and wine more than once or twice—they were quite skilled at it.

But it had been over a month now, and he worried they’d gotten rusty.

What if they were discovered by people at the tavern—Grand Commander Luo took a sip of tea, steadying his nerves.

No need to panic. Even if discovered, they wouldn’t know these were his men.

Just then, a voice requesting permission came from outside the door. “Grand Commander, this humble servant has come to bring you a meal.”

Grand Commander Luo quickly set down his tea cup and composed his expression. “Enter.”

One of the two young men who had been caught red-handed at the tavern walked in carrying a food box.

Grand Commander Luo’s eyes immediately fell on the food box, noticing it was different from usual. “You changed the food box?”

When those boys took food and wine from the tavern and brought it to him, they would naturally place it in a food box, but that food box wasn’t like this one.

Actually, this food box looked vaguely familiar—

Grand Commander Luo’s heart skipped a beat as he realized why it looked familiar: Yesterday when Sheng’er came to bring him meat pies, the food box she carried looked exactly like this!

Before Grand Commander Luo’s expression could turn stern, the young man had already confessed truthfully. “Reporting to the Grand Commander, the food box is from Youjian Tavern.”

“What happened?” Grand Commander Luo slapped the table, causing the tea cup on it to shake.

“The Third Miss discovered us…” The young man kept his head lowered, not daring to look at Grand Commander Luo’s expression.

Who knew that the voice that followed would be much gentler. “Tell me the specific situation.”

“This humble servant and the other one packed away food and wine secretly as usual, but then the Third Miss walked right over… The Third Miss said hiding it in our clothes was too hot and told us to just use food boxes from now on…”

“The Third Miss really said that?”

The young man detected something unusual in Grand Commander Luo’s voice but didn’t dare raise his head. “This humble servant doesn’t dare conceal even half a sentence.”

“All right, you may withdraw.”

The young man felt as if granted amnesty and hastily retreated.

Only Grand Commander Luo remained in the room.

He reached out and opened the food box.

The food box was packed full, its fragrance assailing his nostrils.

Grand Commander Luo rubbed his sore and swollen eye corners, murmuring, “Sheng’er has truly grown up.”

Once, his only expectation for Sheng’er had been that she wouldn’t cause trouble he couldn’t cover up, and it would be best if she could marry out.

He’d never imagined that one day he’d actually receive filial devotion from Sheng’er.

Grand Commander Luo’s eyes reddened as he wolfed down the food.

Compared to Grand Commander Luo’s emotion, Luo Chen’s mood was not so good.

Throughout the entire day, he’d been visited in turns by the concubines and three concubine-born sisters, yet there was no sign of Luo Sheng.

Was she completely absorbed in the tavern?

If that were all, it would be fine—it might be to see Prince Kaiyang.

Thinking this way, the youth grew even more irritated.

Her own younger brother wasn’t as important as some wild man?

At this moment, Fusong came in to report. “Young Master, the Third Miss has come.”

“At this hour?” Luo Chen’s face turned cold, surprised inwardly.

Calculating the time, it wasn’t yet when the tavern closed.

Seeing Luo Chen’s poor expression, Fusong quickly said, “Then… shall this humble one tell the Third Miss you’ve already retired for the night?”

Luo Chen shot him a withering glare and said coldly, “Invite her in.”

Retired for what? He hadn’t even eaten dinner yet.

Before long, Luo Sheng walked in.

Seeing the food box in her hands, Luo Chen’s originally tense expression couldn’t help but soften. He frowned. “The tavern closed this early?”

Luo Sheng set down the food box and smiled. “No, I thought you might not have had dinner yet, so I brought you something to eat.”

Luo Chen’s mood suddenly soared, though his face showed nothing of it. He said blandly, “Couldn’t you just have someone bring it casually?”

“I happened to come check on you anyway. Does your wound still hurt?”

Luo Chen’s expression turned cold again. “Can you please stop mentioning my injury?”

Did he have no face to save?

The three concubine-born sisters were thin-skinned, which was fine, but those concubines kept glancing toward his buttocks—they might as well just strip off his pants directly.

He only wanted to throw them all out.

Luo Sheng’s smile faded as she unceremoniously ruffled Luo Chen’s hair. “Coming to see you and you’re still picky.”

Luo Chen frowned, allowing her to ruffle his hair for a moment before saying impatiently, “I need to eat now. You should go back quickly.”

“All right, then eat slowly.” Luo Sheng withdrew her hand, turned, and left.

Luo Chen: “…”

“Young Master, should this humble one help you stand to eat, or will you eat lying down?” Fusong asked carefully.

“Help me up.” Luo Chen, thinking that Luo Sheng had remembered to bring him food, felt his mood improve slightly again.

The next day arrived at the tavern’s opening time, and Wei Han was the first to step through the tavern entrance.

Shi Yan was wiping a table. Upon seeing the chrysanthemums in Wei Han’s hands, his cloth dropped directly to the floor.

“Master, you, what are you holding?”

Had he misidentified it?

Looking more carefully, no mistake—they were chrysanthemums.

Shi Yan’s reaction caused Wei Han to frown as he examined the chrysanthemums in his hand.

He couldn’t even recognize chrysanthemums?

It seemed that in the future when selecting attendants, the assessment needed to be more comprehensive.

The prince, not intending to waste words with his small attendant, strode toward the counter.

“Master—” Shi Yan called out with low despair, his eyes vacant as he picked up the cloth and wiped the table over and over.

What was the master thinking? Yesterday’s hibiscus flowers at least symbolized romantic feelings between men and women, but chrysanthemums symbolized longevity! Using them to win over one’s beloved—wasn’t that a bit too old-fashioned and serious?

Luo Sheng also immediately spotted the chrysanthemums Wei Han was holding and fell into silence.

Yesterday when Prince Kaiyang sent hibiscus flowers, perhaps it wasn’t the meaning she’d thought?

Watching the man inserting flowers into the celadon vase, Luo Sheng’s mouth twitched slightly.

Honestly, frequent contact with this man made her question time and again whether she was being presumptuous.

No, she probably was being presumptuous. Perhaps in Prince Kaiyang’s heart, she was just a tavern proprietress who needed to be pleased…

A girl he was fond of? That didn’t exist.

Wei Han finished arranging the chrysanthemums he’d brought and asked Luo Sheng, “Miss Luo, do you like today’s flowers?”

Luo Sheng glanced at the vase.

A blue-and-white vase with bright yellow chrysanthemums.

Speaking of beauty, they were certainly beautiful, each with their own merits compared to yesterday’s hibiscus flowers.

“If I don’t like them, will Your Highness send different flowers tomorrow?” Luo Sheng asked.

Wei Han didn’t answer immediately, his mind rapidly reviewing the flowers and plants in the garden.

Not many flowers bloomed in this season. He’d sent all the ones he found beautiful.

Perhaps he and Miss Luo had different tastes.

“If Miss Luo doesn’t like chrysanthemums, I’ll send something else.” Wei Han glanced at the brilliant chrysanthemums and couldn’t help saying, “However, chrysanthemums are quite good. Besides appreciation, they can also be used to make chrysanthemum tea, chrysanthemum meat, chrysanthemum congee—”

“And chrysanthemum hot pot too, right?” Luo Sheng coolly interjected.

Wei Han couldn’t help but nod. Meeting the young lady’s coldly condensed brows and eyes, he immediately shut his mouth.

Miss Luo looked somewhat serious. Could she have misunderstood that he sent chrysanthemums because he wanted to eat them?

He really hadn’t thought that.

Luo Sheng, however, looked intently at Wei Han and asked calmly, “After we parted in Beihe that time, did Your Highness follow me?”

So that’s why he suddenly started sending her flowers—he must have seen Pingli sending flowers to Luo Qing that day, right?