âSweetie, youâve finally returned. Your aunt misses you dearly!â
The Dowager Empress tightly held onto Sulanâs hand as she exclaimed.
âAunt! Lanâer also misses you!â
âIf you miss aunt, then why havenât you returned during these past five years?!â
âAunt, itâs not that Lanâer didnât want to return. Aunt is aware how much Lanâer loves to dance. If Lanâer had not mastered her skills at the Jing Hong Institution, Lanâer would have been an embarrassment if she had returned.â
âOh dearâŠ..â
âAunt, donât be angry! From now on, Lanâer pledges that she will remain by your sideâŠ.â
âHahaâŠâ
The Dowager Empress and Lanâer had finally reunited after five years. Seeing this, Leng Zi Hao was delighted.
âIt has been five years. Cousin Lan has turned into a sweet, fair, and graceful woman. Your stunning performance must have stolen countless hearts away.â
The Emperor and the Dowager Empress continued to converse with Sulan. Below, the music and dancing resumed.
However, no one was interested in the performances anymore. Everyone was busy discussing the beauty by the Dowager Empressâs side.
Especially the men. After all, noblemen all desired beauties. Although men wanted wise and virtuous women as wives, the hot ones stimulated their beastly sides!
Based on everyoneâs comments, Le Yao Yao found out that the lady in red was the Dowager Empressâs brotherâs daughter. The Dowager Empressâs brother and his wife passed away many years ago. Hence, their daughter became an orphan. So, the Dowager Empress pitied the child and raised her as her own. In no time, twelve years had gone by. Sources say that Sulan loved dancing and requested to attend the Jing Hong Institution to study dance.
In society, everyone wanted their sons to be dragons and their daughters to be phoenixes. All wealthy parents were willing to pay whatever price it took in order to gain a spot in the Jing Hong Institution. After all, those who graduated from the institution were giants amongst men.
However, the Jing Hong Institution was a reputable name. They had heaps of applicants. As a result, money wasnât enough to guarantee a spot.
Those who were accepted into the institution were personally selected by the teachers. All applicants had to go through an audition process to demonstrate their abilities and talents. If the teachers wanted them, they would be taken under their wings and trained.
No wonder her performance was so spectacular! She had trained in the Jing Hong Institution for the past five years!
After listening to all the gossips around her, Le Yao Yao couldnât help but gaze at the lady in red again.
She noticed that although the lady in red was by the Dowager Empressâs side, her eyes kept turning towards the King of Hell.
Looks like this Nian Sulan is interested in the King of HellâŠ
The Dowager Empressâs birthday banquet continued for the entire night. It wasnât over until everyone had finished their dinner.
Since Le Yao Yao had been super busy planning and preparing the plays lately, she was exhausted.
She had stood for the whole day, and now her back and waist were sore. She was walking very sloppily.
Currently, she was following the nobles as they left the Hall.
The horse carriage was already waiting for them at the entrance gate.
It was quite late, and everyone was tired. All they wanted to do was to return and rest.
Le Yao Yao inhaled a deep breath of fresh air and realized she was hungry again.
The King of Hell and his crew were taking huge strides. On the other hand, Le Yao Yao was holding on her flat tummy as she chased after them.
Although she had eaten a bit earlier, her stomach was already empty.
Her stomach kept making *gulugulu* sounds. Gradually, Le Yao Yao felt weak and her steps became slower and slower.
Iâm so tired and hungryâŠ.
While Le Yao Yao was thinking, suddenly, Dongfang Bai halted his steps and turned around. Perhaps, he sensed something was wrong with Le Yao Yao. He caringly asked, âBrother Yao, are you alright?â
When it came to Dongfang Bai, Le Yao Yao was always honest. So, Le Yao Yao touched her flat tummy and told Dongfang Bai the truth.
âBrother Bai, Iâm hungry.â
Le Yao Yao was making a pitiful face like a starving dog. She looked so cute.
Seeing this, Dongfang Bai laughed.
âIf thatâs the case, why donât we go for a midnight snack at the Ruyi tavern!? I happened to be a little hungry as well.â
âOhhhh! Brother Bai, youâre awesome!â
Unexpectedly, Nangong Jun Xi heard their conversation and yelped.
âWhat?! Youâre hungry AGAIN? Are you a pig? You can eat so much!â
âEhâŠ.?!â
âServant is not a pig. Servant is currently going through puberty. So, naturally, servant has to eat more! Plus, if servant was a pig, has 7th Prince ever seen such a cute pig before?!â
âPSssh, you? Cute?â
Nangong Jun Xi snorted. âStop being a narcissist!â
âServant has the right to be a narcissist!â
Le Yao Yao angrily glared at Nangong Jun Xi. Then, she turned and instantly replaced her scorning face with a smiling face.
âBrother Bai, am I cute?â
âHaha, of course! Brother Yao is the cutest!â Dongfang Bai chuckled.
âHehe. Brother Bai always tell the truth. Thatâs why I like brother Bai so much!â Le Yao Yao beamed.
Unexpectedly, the moment she said that line, Le Yao Yao felt a sharp glare on her. She began to shiver.
Le Yao Yao could see the King of Hell giving her the killer glare. He was silent though.
What the heck is up with him now? She wasnât even talking to him. He had been giving her the icy face the whole night!
Le Yao Yao was fuming on the inside. But she had no idea that the King of Hell was angry because of what she had just said.
âHeâ said he likes Dongfang Bai?
Oh God! He was correct!
Could it be that he wasnât as good as Dongfang Bai?
Could it be that he didnât treat him as good as Dongfang Bai?
First, he said he wanted to leave him. Now, he says he likes Dongfang Bai!
What an ungrateful servant!
So now, the King of Hell was releasing an intense cold aura. Not only did Le Yao Yao felt it, Dongfang Bai and Nangong Jun Xi could both sense it as well.
âYu, are you alright?â
âYeah. Senior brother, are you okay?â
Leng Jun Yu gritted his teeth and icily responded, âIâm fine.â
âThen letâs head to the Ruyi tavern, senior brother!â
Nangong Jun Xi could tell Leng Jun Yu was moody. But he had no idea why. So, he decided to leave it. Since the little servant was hungry and he couldnât sleep anyway, they might as well head to Ruyi tavern for a snack.
But before Leng Jun Yu could respond, a clear and feminine voice rang from behind them.
âCousin Yu, please wait.â
The group paused and turned around to look.
Underneath the white moon, with the lit lanterns, was a graceful figure. Her movements were dazzling like a fluttering butterfly.
This beauty looked approximately seventeen years of age and she was chasing after them. It was none other than Nian Sulan!