RPAGF Chapter 1084 Lost
Chapter 1084 Lost
He didn't know why that woman always managed to so easily stir up his emotions. He was clearly discontent with the marriage, but seeing her stubborn eyes and hearing her unyielding words, he felt a strange feeling in his heart. Just then, Li Dequan tiptoed in, holding a bowl of sweet-scented osmanthus yogurt. He cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, the Empress sent a bowl of sweet-scented osmanthus yogurt over, saying it's for your throat." Xiao Jingyan didn't even look up, his tone cold, "Throw it away." His mind was completely preoccupied with disaster relief, and he had no desire for any snacks, especially since they were sent by Shen Qingci. Li Dequan looked at the bowl of sweet-scented osmanthus yogurt, which was fragrant and looked delicious. He advised cautiously, "Your Majesty, this is made by the Empress herself. I could smell the fragrance of this pastry just now at the door of the imperial kitchen. I heard that the Empress was busy making it for a long time. I see that this pastry is very fragrant, maybe it tastes good. Your Majesty, please try it?" Xiao Jingyan stopped writing and looked up at the sweet-scented osmanthus pastry in Li Dequan's hand. The pastry in the bowl was milky white, sprinkled with a layer of golden osmanthus flowers, which looked particularly delicate and tempting. The fragrance drifted into his nose through the air, arousing his appetite. He remembered Shen Qingci's attitude in Kunning Palace yesterday, and how she remained neither humble nor arrogant in the face of his indifference. He suddenly felt curious. What would the pastry made by that stubborn and proud woman taste like? "Oh?" Xiao Jingyan raised his eyebrows and said, "Bring it here." Li Dequan quickly placed the sweet-scented osmanthus pastry on the desk and stepped aside. Xiao Jingyan picked up the spoon, scooped a mouthful, and put it in his mouth. The yogurt melted in his mouth, and the light aroma of milk and the fragrance of osmanthus filled his mouth. It was sweet but not greasy, and the taste was delicate and smooth, which instantly dispelled the irritability in his heart. His eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but scoop another mouthful, one mouthful after another, and before he knew it, he had finished a bowl of osmanthus yogurt. He put down the spoon, licked his lips with satisfaction, and thought to himself, this Shen Qingci has a good cooking skill. Li Dequan laughed secretly when he saw it from the side. He had followed Xiao Jingyan for so many years, but this was the first time he saw His Majesty eating so happily. Xiao Jingyan noticed Li Dequan's smile, coughed, put on a straight face, and said in a serious tone, "It's okay, not that bad. Li Dequan, tell the Queen not to send these things to the Imperial Study Room all the time in the future. They delay my official duties." Li Dequan suppressed his smile and quickly responded, "I obey your order and will tell the Queen right away." But in his heart, he thought that since His Majesty was saying one thing and thinking another, he would probably have to look forward to the Queen sending snacks every day in the future. Li Dequan left the Imperial Study Room and walked quickly towards Kunning Palace. At this time, in the courtyard of Kunning Palace, Shen Qingci was sitting on a stone bench with a book in his hand, but his eyes kept looking towards the door, obviously waiting for news from Wanyue. As soon as Wan Yue entered the room, she saw Shen Qingci's anxious look and couldn't help but walked forward with a smile: "Your Majesty, I'm back." Shen Qingci quickly put down the book, stood up, and pretended to ask casually: "How is it? Has His Majesty eaten? How does he react?" Wan Yue suppressed her laughter and said in Xiao Jingyan's tone: "His Majesty has eaten it, and he said...he said that the cheese is okay, not that bad. He just asked Your Majesty not to send these things to the Imperial Study so often in the future, delaying him from handling official business." Shen Qingci pouted and said stubbornly: "I knew he wouldn't say anything nice! I wouldn't send it. If I hadn't seen that he was in a bad mood yesterday and was afraid that he was tired from handling government affairs, I wouldn't bother to care about him." But despite saying this, she couldn't hide the smile on the corner of her mouth, and her eyes sparkled. She secretly thought to herself that this arrogant emperor husband was quite cute. Wanyue looked at Shen Qingci's happy expression and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, please don't be so stubborn. If His Majesty really didn't like it, why would he finish the whole bowl of custard? In my opinion, His Majesty still likes the snacks made by Your Majesty." Shen Qingci glared at her, but did not refute. She sat on the stone bench, looking at the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, and suddenly felt that the days in the Forbidden City seemed to be getting more and more interesting. In the imperial study, Xiao Jingyan looked at the empty white porcelain bowl, and felt a little lost. He picked up the memorial, but after looking at it for a long time, he didn't read a single word. In his mind, he kept thinking about how Shen Qingci looked when she was making custard, and her stubborn and unyielding eyes yesterday in Kunning Palace. He couldn't help but wonder, how many sides of that woman did he not know? He picked up the pen, but did not write on the memorial. Instead, he gently drew an osmanthus flower on a blank piece of paper. After finishing the painting, he felt something was wrong, so he quickly crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket, but a faint blush appeared on his face. On this day, within the red walls of the Forbidden City, the air seemed to be filled with a sweet scent because of a small bowl of osmanthus yogurt. Shen Qingci and Xiao Jingyan were displaced people and needed funds from the court for disaster relief, but the treasury was empty. How to raise funds became a headache for Xiao Jingyan. He rubbed his swollen temples, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a sip of tea. The tea was the best pre-rain Longjing tea, but he felt it had no taste. He remembered the way Shen Qingci confronted him yesterday in Kunning Palace, and he felt inexplicably irritated. Wanyue smiled and replied, "Okay, Your Majesty, don't worry, I will report His Majesty's reaction to you truthfully." Wanyue carried a bowl of osmanthus yogurt and followed the eunuchs from the imperial kitchen to the imperial study. The Imperial Study, located on the east side of the Forbidden City, was where Xiao Jingyan conducted his government affairs. Inside, Xiao Jingyan sat at his desk, overwhelmed by a pile of memorials. Most of these memorials concerned local disasters, such as the recent floods in the south. Late autumn in Xinggang City always carried a piercing chill. A sporadic drizzle had fallen in the morning, but the afternoon rain had stopped, only to be replaced by a stronger wind, sweeping the roadside sycamore leaves across the asphalt. Some, crushed by the wheels of the vehicles, left dark brown streaks, a stark reflection of Su Wan's shattered mood. She stood at the bus stop halfway up the mountain, watching the exhaust fumes from the last bus dissipate at the end of the mountain road. Her fingers unconsciously clenched around her resume. It was an A4 sheet of paper, repeatedly folded and unfolded, its edges frayed and the printed text fuzzy. The words "Work Experience" were especially noticeable under her fingertips: "Restaurant Kitchen Helper" and "Housekeeping and Cleaning" were barely legible. This was Su Wan's nd job interview. Two weeks ago, her mother was diagnosed with acute cholecystitis and needed immediate surgery. The surgery, plus the subsequent hospitalization fees, would cost at least yuan.