Nan Chaoyu came back to her senses. Her expression was a bit strange. "Are there many people who like your young master?"
"Of course." Xiaotian was most qualified to talk about this. "I'm always the one who helps the young master drive those girls away. But those girls are all attracted by my young master's looks. You're different."
"How am I different? Your young master is really good - looking!"
Nan Chaoyu squinted her eyes. Remembering Mu Qihan's cold and peerless face, she thought it would be really abnormal if no one liked him.
"Xiaotian, since you're so idle, go and help Ajiu!"
"Y - Young master..." Xiaotian turned around tremblingly and saw Mu Qihan looking at him expressionlessly. Immediately, he begged for mercy, "Young master, I was wrong. Please don't drive me away!"
Mu Qihan shifted his gaze to Nan Chaoyu's face. He saw the girl looking at him boldly. "Xiaotian is telling the truth. We had a good chat."
"..." Mu Qihan paused for a moment and was rarely at a loss for words.
He was really seeing for the first time someone who was so self - assured even after being caught by the person involved.
It really lived up to the saying that as long as you're not embarrassed, it's others who will be.
Xiaotian beside him was a bit frightened, afraid that the young master would take out his anger on him accidentally.
Who would have thought that Mu Qihan just gave him a disdainful glance and said coldly, "Don't let it happen again."
"Thank you, young master!"
The man following Mu Qihan saw this, bowed to Nan Chaoyu, and then said to Mu Qihan, "Then this subordinate will take his leave first."
"Alright, Young Master Mu, let's go. It's time for dinner."
Nan Chaoyu turned around. The wide skirt of her palace dress drew an arc on the ground, as if it fluttered into Mu Qihan's heart.
Even though this complicated outfit added a touch of softness to her, it couldn't suppress her temperament at all.
Instead, it added a different kind of charm to her.
Nan Chaoyu had already walked out, but Mu Qihan still didn't move.
Xiaotian beside him saw his young master looking at the girl's back and seemed to sense something different. He boldly said, "Young master, Miss Nan looks really good in this outfit today, doesn't she?"
Mu Qihan glanced at Xiaotian. "If you have the time to think about these things, you'd better think about how not to be tricked next time."
After saying that, he lifted his foot and followed.
He left Xiaotian behind to ponder. Tricked?
Who tricked him?
*
The dishes were all prepared by Tinglan. They were all the dishes Nan Chaoyu liked.
However, the dishes Nan Chaoyu liked were also the ones Mu Qihan used to like. She just didn't know if he still liked them now.
"Please take a seat, Young Master Mu."
At this time, Nan Chaoyu was once again the polite Miss Nan as she was when they first met.
But somehow, Mu Qihan felt a bit awkward.
He pursed his lips and sat opposite Nan Chaoyu. "Didn't you say we were old acquaintances? Why are you still using such a formal address?"
"… Qiqi!"
Mu Qihan twitched the corner of his mouth and barely resisted the urge to take back his words just now. "Call me by my name!"
The corners of Nan Chaoyu's eyes curved. Her beautiful peach - blossom eyes were full of smiles. She crisply called out, "Mu Qihan!"
"Um!" Mu Qihan's heart skipped a beat, and he suppressed the strange feeling in his heart.
"Since that's the case, you can also call me by my name!" Nan Chaoyu didn't expect Mu Qihan to accept her actively. In her happiness, she couldn't control her mouth. "You can call me Xiaoyu or Chaoyu. I don't mind."
Mu Qihan found it a bit funny. This girl really knew how to push her luck.
Xiaotian saw his young master being defeated and also found it a bit funny. But Tinglan standing behind Nan Chaoyu was a bit shocked.
She had never seen her princess so interested in a man. She even let him call her by her maiden name.
You should know that in the Holy Light Empire, the legitimate children were very noble.
And her princess was the only legitimate princess, a proper heir to the royal family.
Her status was even more noble. Except for the emperor and the queen, no one was qualified to call her by her name directly. But now the princess was letting an outsider call her by her name. This was simply an act of overstepping.
Tinglan glanced at the master and servant opposite and couldn't help but say, "Princess, this is not in line with the etiquette."
The good mood was interrupted. The smile on Nan Chaoyu's face faded a bit. She put down her chopsticks. "Tinglan, I don't need you to serve here. You can go down first."
"Princess!" Tinglan didn't expect that her words would make the princess unhappy and directly let her go down without even bothering to find an excuse.
She had been with the princess for such a long time. Although the princess didn't let her interfere in external affairs, she took care of all the personal matters of the princess.
How could the princess treat her like this!
Nan Chaoyu's face darkened completely. "Are my words no longer effective?"
"I dare not!" Tinglan bit her lips, curtsied, and retreated.
Before leaving, she glanced at Mu Qihan reluctantly.
This man looked decent, but he was so good at bewitching the princess.
Seeing Tinglan leave, Nan Chaoyu picked up the serving chopsticks again and picked up a piece of shrimp for Mu Qihan. "Sorry for making you laugh."
Mu Qihan shook his head. "Everyone has their own aspirations. Those who don't share the same path don't walk together."
Xiaotian behind heard this and somehow always felt that it was pointed. He quietly retreated to the door, so as not to be implicated later.
Nan Chaoyu nodded. A touch of sarcasm appeared on the corner of her mouth. "You're right. The Holy Light Empire is rotten inside. It still adheres to those absurd old - fashioned rules, not knowing that the outside world has already changed completely. It's really ridiculous."
A look of surprise flashed in Mu Qihan's eyes. He didn't expect that she would have such a view. No wonder she disdained her princess status.
Except for that maid, all the people around her called her mistress.
"Do you think what I said is right?"
"I don't know much about the internal affairs of the Holy Light Empire, but the rise of the Five Cities cannot be ignored."
At first, on the Profound Ice Continent, the Five Cities were all under the jurisdiction of the Holy Light Empire. But now, except for Dream Sea City, which had a close relationship with the Holy Light Empire, the other four cities were like strangers to the Holy Light Empire.
"Great minds think alike." Nan Chaoyu hooked the corner of her mouth. Her eyes sparkled. She said playfully, "It seems that Qiqi and I have a telepathic connection."
She looked exactly like a romantic young master flirting with a girl.
Mu Qihan's hand holding the wine cup paused. He quietly put down the cup. "What do you think of the engagement with the Xie Mansion?"
"…" This man really held grudges. Wasn't it just calling him Qiqi?
Did he have to poke at her sore spot?
Nan Chaoyu calmed down and stopped teasing him.
Mu Qihan watched the angry girl stabbing at the rice in the bowl. A flash of smile passed through his eyes.
She was really unable to take a joke!
The two had a quiet meal. Tinglan led people to clear the table and served tea.
The steward walked in with two invitations. "Mistress, Young Master Mu, these are the invitations sent by the Lord of Li City. The City Lord's Mansion will invite you two the day after tomorrow."
Nan Chaoyu took them and said strangely, "Has the Second Lord of Li wrapped up the matter so soon?"
"The people of the Xie family surrendered without resistance."
Nan Chaoyu nodded. It seemed that the Xie family had placed their only hope on Xie Zhenming.
Thinking of this, she turned to look at Mu Qihan. "Shall we go?"
Mu Qihan nodded. "I promised the city lord, so I should fulfill my promise."