If she delayed any longer, the water in the pot would boil dry.
She moved with practiced efficiency, folding all the dumplings before rising to her feet to prepare for the boil. Xie Zhixue’s gaze remained fixed on the round, plump dumplings; she did not look at Yuwenzhang, who stood to the side. These were enough for two; each was round and plump, just right for her and Ping'an. But now that Yuwenzhang had arrived, she knew there would be none left for her.
She tipped all the dumplings into the pot, giving them a gentle stir with a ladle. After about half the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the dumplings began to float. Xie Zhixue expertly poured a half-ladle of cold water into the pot, repeating the process three times until they were cooked. She did not summon any servants; instead, she ladled the dumplings into two bowls herself and added a splash of noodle soup, the aroma filling the air. Droplets of hot oil shimmered on the surface, casting a vibrant, iridescent glow like a rainbow.
Yuwenzhang snatched the ladle from her hand without a word and sat down before her. He moved with a grace and tenderness that suggested he was holding not a bowl of dumplings, but a priceless treasure. Xie Zhixue watched as he blew on a dumpling and popped it into his mouth without a moment’s hesitation. He trusted her enough not to worry about poison.
"Mother!"
At that moment, Ping'an ran in, shattering the strange, heavy silence. The little boy’s face was bright with a radiant smile, but it froze the instant he saw Yuwenzhang, his expression quickly replaced by irritation. His small, rosy lips were pursed, the mirth in his eyes vanished, and with his hands behind his back, he shuffled toward Xie Zhixue.
Xie Zhixue felt a pang of anxiety and hurried to scoop him up. "Ping'an, quick, pay your respects to the Crown Prince."
She had taught Ping'an how to bow; although he was young, this was the Crown Prince's Estate, not just any place. Yuwenzhang was known for his mercurial, unpredictable temperament, and there was no gain in offending him. The day they first met, he had been heartless enough to threaten to feed the boy to the dogs. If not for her desperate pleading, she would likely be holding nothing more than Ping'an’s broken remains. To survive unscathed in the Crown Prince's Estate, she had to keep Yuwenzhang satisfied. Even if her heart resisted, she had to play the part. Though she was set to leave tomorrow, the closer it got to the end, the more cautious she had to be.
Ping'an stepped out of her arms, placed his small, soot-stained hands across his chest, crossed them, and slowly knelt on the ground to kowtow. "Greetings, Your Highness," he said in his childish voice.
Yuwenzhang had initially been simmering with rage—annoyed that this brat had ruined the rare, lingering intimacy he had shared with Xie Zhixue—but hearing that soft, milky voice, his anger suddenly curdled into a flicker of strange interest. He did not tell the boy to rise, so Ping'an remained on his knees. Yuwenzhang regarded him with a cool, detached gaze, though his attention was soon drawn to the boy's blackened hands.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Xie Zhixue noticed it too. Not knowing where Ping'an had dirtied his hands, she hurriedly knelt down. "Please, Your Highness, do not be angry. Ping'an did not mean to offend you. I will take him away to wash up at once."
"Did I say he did anything wrong?"
Yuwenzhang raised a cold, elegant eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Xie Zhixue with displeasure before resting once more on Ping'an. "Little one, I am asking you. Answer truthfully."
Ping'an tilted his head and tucked his small hands away. "Mother likes silk tree blossoms, so I gathered some for her. I got my hands dirty and hadn't had a chance to clean them yet."
Yuwenzhang paused at the word "gathered." Before he could question him further, Ping'an looked at Xie Zhixue with a guilty expression. "Mother, I’m not big enough to climb the trees yet, so I could only pick up the ones on the ground that others didn't want. Please, don't despise them."
He carefully pulled the silk tree blossoms from his sleeve. The pink petals looked crushed, as if battered by an autumn rain, or perhaps like a kitten that had been caught in a storm—ragged and messy, yet their sweet fragrance remained, instantly filling the room.
So, Xie Zhixue liked silk tree blossoms best. But the flower’s meaning was that of eternal love and matrimonial harmony. Could these be a token of affection between her and that man?
In an instant, Yuwenzhang’s eyes turned icy. He clenched his fists, and the temperature in the small kitchen seemed to plummet. Xie Zhixue shivered violently, and before she could regain her senses, she saw Yuwenzhang stand up and head toward Ping'an. He was tall, and every step he took felt heavy with oppression.
Ping'an knelt before him like a newborn puppy, small and helpless. Xie Zhixue panicked, grabbing Ping'an’s hand to pull him into her arms. Yuwenzhang raised his boot and stomped down hard on the blossoms Ping'an had worked so hard to pick. Pink juice seeped out, staining the leather of his shoe.
A fierce, malevolent light flashed in Yuwenzhang’s eyes. He said with utter disdain, "I do not like silk tree blossoms. From now on, I am not to hear those three words in my presence!"
"Bad man! How can you be so overbearing!"
Ping'an, true to the fearlessness of the young, saw his carefully chosen flowers crushed to pieces and flared with anger. Regardless of the danger, he rushed up to grab Yuwenzhang’s leg. "Bad man! You don't like them, but Mother does! I didn't pick them for you, so why did you ruin my flowers? I hate you!"
Ping'an rained little punches onto Yuwenzhang’s leg, but the man didn't move an inch.
Xie Zhixue’s face turned deathly pale. She scrambled to pull Ping'an away and knelt down in a rush. "Your Highness, Ping'an meant no disrespect! Please, I beg you, forgive him!"
She kowtowed repeatedly, her body trembling with terror, her lips drained of all color. Yet, Ping'an’s gaze remained defiant, devoid of the slightest hint of fear.
"You have quite the nerve."
Yuwenzhang gave a cold laugh and suddenly reached down to lift Ping'an into the air.
"Your Highness!"
Xie Zhixue’s heart felt as though it were being squeezed by a ruthless hand. She was at the breaking point of anxiety. "Your Highness, I beg you, do not hurt Ping'an! I beg you!"
He was her only child, her only pillar of support. If anything happened to him, she knew she would not be able to go on living. The boy in Yuwenzhang’s grasp was still struggling, trying to bite his hand, though he couldn't reach.
"Are you not afraid of me?"
"Why should I be afraid of you!" Little Ping'an’s voice was thin but firm. "You are a bad man who bullies my mother, and I don't like you. Sooner or later, I will take revenge for her!"
"Ping'an, stop talking!" Xie Zhixue felt as if she were about to faint, her heart fluttering uncontrollably.
Yuwenzhang laughed, though the expression was tinged with cruelty. "And how do you intend to take revenge on me?"
"Whatever you do to my mother, I will do to you! You ruined the flowers she loved most, so I will ruin the thing you care about most!"