Su Xian’s eyes were full of tender affection. “Want a drink? Lianxin…”
Duoduo quickly stopped her. “Mom, I want to make it myself!”
“You and Dad wait here. Lü’dou and I will go make it!”
Duoduo jumped down from her chair and called out to Lü’dou as they ran off.
Su Xian looked helplessly after them. “That child, always acting on a whim.”
Xiao Yi put down the watermelon in his hand. “It’s a good thing, the child being filial.”
Su Xian shot him a playful glare. “That’s not what I meant.”
Xiao Yi tapped lightly on the armrest of his wheelchair.
“In a bit, I’ll have Yunxiao arrange two guards to protect you closely.”
Su Xian quickly shook her head.
“Your Highness, I have Lianxin and Baihe by my side. That’s enough.”
She wasn’t used to having other men around her.
Xiao Yi thought for a moment, then briefly recounted what had happened to Duoduo that day.
Su Xian’s face turned pale with fright.
“Your Highness, you should assign several guards to Duoduo!”
“I don’t leave the residence, so I don’t need them.”
Xiao Yi shook his head.
“Earlier, I had Yunxiao look for servants skilled in martial arts.”
“But the people he found weren’t proficient enough.”
“I originally planned to wait until they were better trained before bringing them back.”
“But given the current situation, I think it’s better to have them come to you now.”
“Martial arts can be practiced anywhere. Once they enter the residence, Yunxiao can continue training them.”
“Let them get used to you, and you must also get used to taking them everywhere you go.”
Seeing that Su Xian still wanted to refuse, he continued.
“Duoduo may be young, but her martial arts skills are not lacking.”
“I’ll also arrange people for her.”
“Only when both of you are safe can I rest assured.”
Xiao Yi’s final words successfully silenced Su Xian’s wish to refuse.
“Then, Your Highness, you should also have more people around you.”
“Only when you are safe can I and Duoduo feel at ease!” Su Xian said with genuine concern.
“Mm,” Xiao Yi hummed in agreement.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Duoduo walked in holding a glazed cup, inside of which was bright red watermelon juice.
“Oh, this is so beautiful,” Su Xian said, immediately captivated by its appearance.
Duoduo was delighted.
“I think so too! Dad! Mom! Take a sip!”
She placed the cup in her hands before Xiao Yi.
Then, she took another cup from Lü’dou and handed it to Su Xian.
Su Xian studied the red watermelon juice, which seemed to give off a chill.
“Did you add ice?” She felt the coolness of the glazed cup.
Duoduo picked up her own cup of juice.
“Dad’s had ice cubes added, but Mom can’t have anything too cold, so I chilled the cup in ice for a while.”
“Try it—how does it taste?” Duoduo looked at her parents with eager anticipation.
Xiao Yi raised the cup and took a small sip.
A cool, slightly sweet flavor slid down his throat.
The summer heat seemed to vanish from his body in an instant.
“Not bad! Very refreshing!” He took another sip.
Su Xian sipped slowly, enjoying it just as much.
“This is better than eating watermelon directly, and it doesn’t get your clothes dirty.”
Seeing their reactions, Duoduo gleefully took a big gulp of her own.
“Mom, let’s save some and send the rest to Aunt Xu, okay?”
Su Xian gave her a playful look. “In such a hurry?”
Duoduo smiled sweetly.
“Aunt Xu and the others are working in the smoke and heat—they must be really hot.”
“If they could have a cup of this cold watermelon drink, they’d be so happy!”
Xiao Yi nodded. “Duoduo is right.”
Su Xian looked at the father-daughter pair helplessly.
“Lianxin, set aside one basket of watermelons and send the rest to Madam Li’s place.”
“Also, send some extra ice along.”
Duoduo glanced sneakily at Xiao Yi.
“Dad, I want to go too!”
Afraid he might refuse, she quickly added, “I’ve already finished my homework.”
“I’ll ride in the carriage, deliver the watermelons, and come right back.”
Xiao Yi looked at the cautious Duoduo and thought for a moment.
“Go early and come back early.”
Duoduo was thrilled. She hadn’t expected her father to agree so easily.
She jumped down from her chair, ran to Xiao Yi, gave him a quick hug, and turned to dash off.
“Lianxin, Lü’dou, let’s go!”
The two maids quickly bowed and followed after her.
Su Xian noticed the hint of a smile at the corner of Xiao Yi’s mouth.
“Your Highness, Duoduo only got out of danger today. How could you let her go out again?”
“What if the people watching the mansion haven’t given up yet?”
Xiao Yi looked up at Su Xian.
“An eagle can’t grow in a henhouse.”
“We will eventually grow old. We can’t protect her forever.”
Seeing that Su Xian still didn’t agree, he continued.
“Pingting, if what happened to Duoduo today had happened to you, what would you have done?”
Su Xian fell into deep thought.
What would she have done?
She probably would have waited where she was, waiting for the driver to hail another carriage.
And then she would have fallen into their trap…
She looked at Xiao Yi with a look of shame.
“Your Highness, am I very foolish?”
Su Xian’s words made the curve of Xiao Yi’s lips deepen.
“You’re not foolish. The reason I told you is to show you that Duoduo is smarter than we think.”
Su Xian nodded in agreement.
“It’s all because of your teaching, Your Highness!” she said sincerely.
She thought back to how she had originally disagreed with Xiao Yi’s strict requirements for Duoduo.
She had even misunderstood him, thinking he was too harsh because Duoduo wasn’t his biological child.
A girl had been taught more than an ordinary boy.
But now, she could see that Xiao Yi had been right.
Xiao Yi’s eyes were full of amusement. “If you’re willing, I can teach you too.”
Su Xian blushed.
Seeing her embarrassment, Xiao Yi changed the subject.
“I heard you’re preparing a gift for Father Emperor?”
Su Xian blushed even more.
“I think Duoduo is right. I should prepare a gift for the Emperor.”
“Nothing too valuable, just a token of my feelings.”
“I don’t have many skills, but my needlework is passable.”
“So I planned to make the Emperor a pair of shoes.”
Xiao Yi’s eyes flickered.
“I also lack shoes.”
Su Xian’s gaze swept over Xiao Yi’s feet.
The shoes on his feet were ones she had just made for him.
Ever since his fall, Xiao Yi had been in a wheelchair, so his shoes didn’t wear out easily.
Su Xian blinked. Was the prince actually vying for favor?
“I’ll make you a pair of boots, Your Highness. They’ll be ready for you to wear when autumn comes.”
“Mm, don’t work too long on them. It’s bad for your eyes.”
Was he appeased so easily? A smile spread across Su Xian’s face.
“Your Highness, why don’t you also prepare a birthday gift for the Emperor?” Su Xian cautiously suggested.
“Mm,” Xiao Yi simply hummed in response. “How is your fist technique progressing?”
