"I just find him an eyesore."
Xiao Yi's words left the Princess Consort of Pingyang somewhat stunned.
Xiao Yi had always been very emotionally reserved. Since when would he reprimand someone just because he didn't like the look of them?
Baihe walked over with a plate of pastries and placed it on the table in front of Xiao Yi.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang pushed the pastries a little closer to Xiao Yi.
"Your Highness, have some pastries to tide you over for now."
Xiao Yi picked up a piece of pastry. "Have some as well. Duoduo and the others will probably take a while to return."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked a bit worried.
"I will have a word with Duoduo later. This could easily delay the rest of our journey."
Xiao Yi took a bite of the pastry. "It's fine. This gives the guards a good chance to rest for a bit before we set off."
"Your Highness, you spoil Duoduo too much," the Princess Consort of Pingyang said in a helpless tone.
"She is my daughter, why shouldn't I?" Xiao Yi's words were incredibly domineering.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang pursed her lips into a smile. "You used to say that I doted on Duoduo too much."
"From what I can see, you are just as guilty of it."
Xiao Yi glanced at the Princess Consort of Pingyang. "Are you jealous, my Princess Consort?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang's face turned red. "I am not."
Xiao Yi curled the corners of his lips and said no more.
The two of them ate their food in silence, creating a very heartwarming scene.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang secretly watched Xiao Yi, who was gazing up at the sky. She couldn't hide the adoration in her eyes.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Xiao Yi heard Duoduo's laughter.
He slightly raised an eyebrow.
They had returned much faster than he had expected.
"Duoduo is back, I can hear her voice." The Princess Consort of Pingyang stood up and looked in the direction the sound was coming from.
Sure enough, Duoduo's bouncing figure soon appeared in their line of sight.
"Did they not catch any game?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang noticed that Duoduo's hands were completely empty.
However, she soon spotted Li Jin and Xu Jinxin, both of whom were carrying things.
"It looks like they had quite a good haul."
A trace of imperceptible envy flashed in Xiao Yi's eyes.
Ever since he fell off his horse, he hadn't been hunting.
Until everything was settled, he wouldn't have the chance to enjoy the carefree days of riding on horseback.
Duoduo quickly ran up to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Mother, for you!"
Duoduo pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind her back and handed it to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked pleasantly surprised. "Duoduo, is this for me?"
Duoduo nodded happily.
"Mother, Yingniang and I picked them together! Do you like them?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang took them and took a deep breath.
"I love them, thank you, Duoduo!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang's eyes grew a little teary, and she turned her face away.
"What about mine?" Xiao Yi suddenly spoke up from the side.
Duoduo froze for a moment. "The wild pheasant eggs from earlier were for you!"
"How rare, Father, do you like flowers too?" Duoduo tilted her head and looked at Xiao Yi.
"I don't," Xiao Yi kept a straight face.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang hurriedly offered the flowers to Xiao Yi. "Your Highness, here."
Xiao Yi didn't take them. He turned his wheelchair and moved toward the carriage.
"Yunxiao, go and see if the food is ready," Xiao Yi ordered.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked back at Duoduo. "Your father is hungry."
"By the way, you guys caught so much game, that's amazing!"
Duoduo looked at Xiao Yi's back, a bit puzzled.
Hearing the Princess Consort of Pingyang's words, she immediately broke into a smile.
"Mother, my teacher and Aunt Xu are so amazing!"
"They caught all of this!"
Li Jin brought the game to the cooking area, and the guards immediately took it to prepare.
Li Jin returned to the carriage, and seeing Xiao Yi's foul mood, he let out an unkind laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Yi's gaze was like a sharp blade.
Li Jin had already figured out Xiao Yi's temper and wasn't afraid in the least.
"Nothing, I was just laughing because when we went hunting earlier, we saw a squirrel."
"The squirrel was holding a pinecone, and then he saw another pinecone."
"He wanted both, and as a result, he fell out of the tree! Hahaha!"
Xiao Yi's face darkened even more.
"Li Jin, do you think I am a fool?"
Li Jin quickly waved his hands.
"No! Absolutely not! I was just telling you a joke to cheer you up."
Xiao Yi's expression softened slightly.
Li Jin sat down in front of Xiao Yi, watching the women chatting and laughing in the distance.
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you, Your Highness!"
Xiao Yi shot him a sideways glance. "What? Now you've decided to curry favor with me?"
Li Jin smiled and shook his head. "Your Highness, you know very well that I am not that kind of person."
"I'm being serious! If it weren't for you, Your Highness, I wouldn't have had so much time to spend with my wife and daughter."
"When I went hunting just now, I felt a bit dazed."
"The life I used to long for has actually been right beside me all along, but I never noticed it."
"Perhaps you were right, Your Highness. Because my starting point was higher than others, what I wanted was different from them."
"What others wanted was what I disdained."
"And what others possessed was exactly what I wanted."
"Fate really loves to play tricks on people!"
Xiao Yi listened to Li Jin's words, deep in thought.
"Not bad! You know what you want now, that's progress!" Xiao Yi teased.
Li Jin rolled his eyes. "If I wasn't certain that you are the Prince of Pingyang, I'd suspect my ears were broken."
"What about the Prince of Pingyang? The Prince of Pingyang is just a title; he is also just an ordinary person."
Xiao Yi curled his lips into a smile that carried a hint of coldness.
Li Jin looked Xiao Yi up and down, then slowly shook his head.
"Your Highness, do you believe in fate?"
Xiao Yi looked at an eagle circling in the sky. "I don't!"
"I didn't believe in it before either, but now I do!" Li Jin smiled.
"I believe you actually believe in it too, Your Highness, you just won't admit it."
After Li Jin finished speaking, he slipped away before Xiao Yi could reply.
"The food seems to be ready, I'll go bring it over."
Xiao Yi watched Li Jin, who was running faster than a rabbit, and twitched the corner of his mouth.
Fate?
What nonsense?
As if he would believe that!
Li Jin ran up to Duoduo, leaned close to her ear, and whispered something.
Duoduo nodded vigorously, and then ran toward Xiao Yi.
"Father, this is for you!"
Duoduo extended her clenched fist in front of Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo. "What is it?"
Duoduo flashed a bright smile. "Father, you'll know once you look!"
Xiao Yi hesitated for a moment. "I don't want it."
Duoduo tilted her head. "Father, could it be that you are scared?"
Xiao Yi's face stiffened. He had seen the little exchange between Li Jin and Duoduo clear as day.
That guy Li Jin was completely unreliable.
Duoduo grabbed Xiao Yi's hand and placed the item into his palm.
