Duoduo couldn't help but feel amused.
Xiao Yi noticed the interaction between Duoduo and her maid, and the corners of his lips curled up as well.
"You see, if she goes out, she'll definitely be very worried about you."
"If, by chance, she can't focus on her work and messes up the pastries, what then?"
"Wouldn't that ruin her own reputation?"
"It's better to simply postpone the opening and let things take their course. Who knows, there might be an even greater reward."
Duoduo listened to Xiao Yi's words and nodded.
"Alright, anyway, I can't bear to leave Lüdou."
Upon hearing Duoduo's words, Lüdou immediately turned around and shot Duoduo a bright smile.
"I can't bear to leave you either!"
Duoduo returned the smile.
Xiao Yi glanced at the time. "If there's nothing else, your father will take his leave."
Duoduo immediately stood up and hugged Xiao Yi. "I don't want you to leave, Father!"
"I miss Mother!"
Xiao Yi's heart ached as well.
He gently patted Duoduo's back.
"Bear with it for a few days. In a few days, you'll definitely be able to go home!"
Duoduo let go of Xiao Yi, not quite believing him, and looked at him suspiciously.
"Really? Father isn't lying to me?"
Xiao Yi shook his head. "Your father wouldn't lie to anyone, but he'd never lie to you."
Duoduo pouted.
"Hmph, Father has lied to me more than once!"
Xiao Yi rubbed the tip of his nose, looking a bit sheepish. "This time, I certainly won't."
"Alright, even though Father has lied to me many times, I still trust him!"
Xiao Yi deliberately put on a stern face. "You're getting bolder by the day! How dare you tease your father!"
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
Xiao Yi patted Duoduo on the shoulder, turned his wheelchair, and prepared to leave.
Yunxiao heard the sound and quickly came over to stand behind Xiao Yi.
"Father!" Duoduo called out reluctantly.
Xiao Yi paused for a moment, then signaled Yunxiao to continue without turning back.
Lüdou and Nanny Li both returned to Duoduo's side, and the three of them watched Xiao Yi leave.
"Princess, please don't be sad!"
"Didn't The Prince just say that we would be out soon?"
Duoduo nodded, a little downcast.
"Mm, you and Nanny Li go eat quickly, before the food gets cold."
Lüdou cast a worried glance at Duoduo, then looked at Nanny Li.
Nanny Li gently shook her head at her.
Lüdou and Nanny Li went to eat, leaving Duoduo alone, standing at the entrance of her cell, peering outside.
She was pondering the situation that Xiao Yi had just analyzed for her.
The Emperor had thrown himself into the game, aiming to play a big chess match.
But what was his ultimate goal?
No one could guess!
Her father choosing to wait and see was actually the best approach.
Duoduo remembered that her father had once told her that her grandfather had over a dozen sons!
There were eight who could inherit the throne, including her father.
As Duoduo was deep in thought, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching her cell.
Curiously, she peered outside.
Who could be coming at this hour?
Could it be that her great-grandmother had sent someone to bring her food?
As the footsteps drew nearer, a figure came into Duoduo's view.
Huh?
Why did it look like a man's silhouette?
Duoduo noticed that the way the person moved wasn't like the palace nannies, and she felt puzzled.
But the figure wasn't very tall. Could they be visiting someone in another cell?
Duoduo stared curiously at the figure approaching.
The cell was dimly lit.
Cells lined both sides, with a corridor in the middle.
There was only an oil lamp on the wall at each end of the corridor.
The light from the lamps was very faint.
Those walking through relied almost entirely on instinct.
From a distance, Duoduo couldn't make out the person's face.
She leaned against the bars, watching the approaching figure.
The footsteps grew closer, and Duoduo realized that they seemed to be coming straight toward her.
Her curiosity deepened.
She stared intently, trying to make out the person's face.
Suddenly, she recognized him.
It was Xiao Che!
What was Xiao Che doing here?
Duoduo couldn't help but glance around.
The cell she was in was a solitary room, almost at the very back of the prison.
No one was housed in the cells near hers.
After observing, Duoduo realized that Xiao Che might have come to see her!
Just as she was thinking this, Xiao Che indeed stopped right outside her cell.
Xiao Che looked at Duoduo, who was clinging to the cell bars, gazing longingly at the outside.
For some unknown reason, Xiao Che's heart suddenly felt heavy and uncomfortable.
He had only noticed Duoduo wasn't at school, so he had kept an ear out.
At lunch, he had specifically asked around and found out that Duoduo had been locked up in the Judicial Prison.
He hadn't initially wanted to get involved, because he didn't have the power to meddle.
But after thinking it over, Xiao Che felt he couldn't go against his own conscience.
Duoduo had once saved him, even though it had started with him threatening her.
Xiao Che figured that, regardless, he was also Duoduo's elder.
As an elder, he should at least pay her a visit.
He had originally thought entering the Judicial Prison would be difficult.
Xiao Che had prepared himself to bribe the guards with all the silver he had secretly saved up.
But to his surprise, when he arrived at the Judicial Prison and mentioned wanting to visit Princess Changle,
the guards simply looked him over a few times before letting him in.
Xiao Che was a bit confused.
This Judicial Prison seemed different from what he had imagined.
As soon as he entered, he saw a small figure standing alone by the cell door, looking out forlornly.
His heart couldn't help but ache.
Duoduo's appearance reminded him of himself when he was a child.
Xiao Che studied Duoduo, and Duoduo studied him back curiously.
"Why are you here?"
"Are you alright?"
Suddenly, they both spoke at the same time.
Duoduo finished speaking and laughed.
Her bright smile was like a beam of light, cutting through the darkness in the prison,
and shining into Xiao Che's heart.
"If you can still laugh, that means you're fine," Xiao Che concluded.
He handed the food container he was carrying to Duoduo.
"Here, Eighth Uncle brought you some pastries."
"These are some of the best ones from the Imperial Kitchen. Keep them to fill your stomach."
What Xiao Che didn't say was that these pastries had cost him a full fifty taels of silver.
Duoduo glanced at the guard standing not far away and signaled Lüdou to take the food container inside.
"Thank you!" Duoduo gave Xiao Che a smile.
Xiao Che couldn't shake the feeling that Duoduo's state was a bit pitiful.
He pretended to casually look around.
"This place doesn't seem too bad? Want me to come in and keep you company?"
Duoduo's eyes widened.
"Are you out of your mind?"
