Ye Jingkun paused in his motion of wiping her hands, his eyes flickering slightly. "Alright, let's eat."
Today, he didn't particularly wish to hear Ye Jingyu's name from her.
Su Yunmo didn't notice his unusual behavior, generously picked up her chopsticks, and put food into her mouth.
Ye Jingkun dismissed the servants who were attending them and closed the door.
The window was open, and a breeze occasionally blew in. It wasn't very cold, but there was a hint of coolness.
Ye Jingkun watched her eat, picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and drank it in one gulp.
The little dumpling was indeed starving. As she stuffed food into her mouth, she looked up at him. "Aren't you hungry?"
Ye Jingkun shook his head. "I ate some things at Mother Consort's place, so I can't eat anything else now."
"That's perfect, then this whole table is for me." Su Yunmo raised her eyebrows and, with a grin, pulled a plate of chicken legs towards herself.
Seeing her childlike actions, a hint of helplessness flashed in Ye Jingkun's eyes.
He shook his head with amusement, instinctively reaching out to wipe the oil stain near her cheek, but then withdrew his hand as if remembering something.
A sound came from outside the window.
It wasn't loud, as if a reminder.
The little dumpling was engrossed in eating and didn't notice.
Ye Jingkun glanced towards the window, his eyes flickering.
He lowered his gaze to the wine cup in his hand, then shifted his attention to the little dumpling, a complex mix of hesitation in his eyes.
Su Yunmo sensed his gaze and looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
Ye Jingkun shook his head and handed the wine cup to her. "Want to try?"
The little dumpling pouted. "I'm still young, I can't drink alcohol."
"It's fruit wine, not entirely alcohol," Ye Jingkun said, shaking the wine cup.
The aroma of the sweet wine, with its slightly sweet and sour notes, emanated, truly lacking the scent of alcohol.
The little dumpling licked her lips, her attitude firm. "Still no, I'm a good child. Don't tempt me to do wrong."
Even as she said this, her gaze remained fixed on the wine cup.
A smile flickered in Ye Jingkun's eyes. He deliberately raised his voice. "Since that's the case, then forget it."
He withdrew the wine cup.
Su Yunmo had already planned to 'reluctantly' accept if he persuaded her again. Seeing him withdrawing it, she quickly reached out her greasy little hand to stop him.
"Hey, hey, how can you be so clueless about a woman's heart? Why are you taking back something you offered so quickly?"
She pouted, a little displeased.
Ye Jingkun curled his lips and teased, "I think you don't count as a woman right now."
In every sense of the word.
Su Yunmo's eyelids twitched.
She couldn't refute this statement.
So, she snorted at Ye Jingkun and snatched the wine cup from his hand. "Even if I'm not now, perhaps I was in a past life."
She couldn't exactly tell him that she had already lived for over a decade.
Ye Jingkun was stunned for a moment.
Past life?
"It smells good, so I'll try it." The little dumpling stuck out her tongue, squinting. "It's not often I come to your place, how can I not try your household's specialty?"
If the Prince Kun's mansion had nothing else good, its plum blossom wine was exceptional.
Its reputation had spread on the day he established his mansion. She had heard about it earlier and wanted to try it, but had never found an opportunity.
Since it was being offered today, it would be rude not to drink it.
She took a small sip.
A peculiar sweetness spread in her mouth, making her pores feel as if they were opening up in the cold winter.
A gust of wind blew in, and the air around her wasn't cold at all; instead, it carried a hint of warmth.
The little dumpling sighed contentedly and drained the rest of the wine in the cup.
Then, she raised her small hand and presented the wine cup to Ye Jingkun. "Fill it up for me again."
Ye Jingkun held the wine pot still. "Are you sure? Although this is fruit wine, it still has some kick. You're still young. Just this one cup is enough."
"One cup is drinking, two cups are drinking. Don't be so stingy," Su Yunmo pouted. "It's rare to be happy today, hurry up."
"Alright then." Ye Jingkun shook his head helplessly and, following her wishes, refilled her cup.
Su Yunmo then drank the fruit wine while eating.
By the end of the meal, she had drunk an entire pot of fruit wine herself.
As soon as the pot of fruit wine went down, she felt a little dizzy, as if floating on air, and her footing was unstable.
"Are you alright?" Ye Jingkun reached out to touch her forehead.
The little dumpling puffed out her cheeks and batted his hand away. "Don't... don't touch me. Men and women... should not touch each other."
Ye Jingkun knew she must be drunk.
"It seems to be very late. I should go back," the little dumpling rubbed her forehead and jumped down from the chair.
Before she could jump, Ye Jingkun reached out and caught her. "You're drunk. Shall I escort you back?"
"Who says I'm drunk? I'm not drunk at all," the little dumpling retorted stubbornly, but her speech was already slurred.
Ye Jingkun glanced towards the window.
A figure flashed outside the window.
Ye Jingkun brushed away the stray hair from the little dumpling's forehead. "I don't believe you. How can you prove you're not drunk?"
The little dumpling felt a buzzing sound in her ears, her consciousness unable to focus.
She blinked and followed Ye Jingkun's words. "How do you want me to prove it?"
"I heard you have a treasure? Can you show it to me?" Ye Jingkun coaxed her gently.
"Treasure?" The little dumpling tilted her head, trying hard to recall what 'treasure' was. After a while, she instinctively covered her chest.
"No, you want to trick me. I'm not that foolish, I won't show it to you!"
Ye Jingkun's gaze fell on her chest, his eyes darkening. "If you don't want me to see, then I won't."
"Mmm... don't look, don't look. Going home... going home to sleep~" The little dumpling whimpered and instinctively leaned her head into Ye Jingkun's embrace.
She found a comfortable position by instinct, hugged his shoulders with her small hands, and slowly closed her eyes.
After a while, her breathing became steady.
Ye Jingkun extended a finger and gently touched her face. It was soft, with a tempting smoothness.
"Before you get lost in Momo's adorable appearance, can we attend to business first?" Ye Ningyuan stepped in from outside the door.
Ye Jingkun frowned and looked up.
The person walked in with their arms crossed. As they got closer to the table, they casually took half a piece of uneaten meat from the little dumpling's plate.
She didn't mind the dirt and directly put the half-piece of meat into her mouth.
Ye Jingkun knitted his brows, took the glazed lock from the little dumpling's embrace, and threw it over. "What do you want this thing for?"
Although he wasn't entirely sure of its function, he had heard some things about the glazed lock.
Since this item had already recognized Momo as its master, it was merely an accessory to others, completely useless.
Ye Ningyuan caught the glazed lock and examined it carefully from all sides. "We had a deal. I brought her to you, and you help me get what I want. I'm not responsible for explaining anything else."