After Yuet Ming stormed off from the dinner table, she reappeared in front of everyone in the afternoon as if nothing had happened.
After a thorough wash and careful dressing, she looked even more elegant and refined, her poise as noble as a white lotus. She almost clung to Qi Rong's side day in and day out. Now she would hand Qi Rong a cup of tea, then she would present him with self - made snacks. She even had sumptuous dishes prepared and sent to the officials in the front to show her appreciation.
She acted exactly like the mistress of the place. While the beneficiaries all praised her, they couldn't help but wonder about the relationship between Yuet Ming and Qi Rong.
Watching Yuet Ming fawning over Qi Rong from afar and then looking at Yun Xi, who seemed indifferent to everything, Hong Luo felt extremely anxious.
"Miss, how can you be so calm? If you don't step up, the prince will be snatched away by that Miss Yuet!"
They say, "It's hard for a man to court a woman, but easy for a woman to court a man."
Seeing Miss Yuet's blatant admiration and attentiveness, Hong Luo was afraid that the Prince of Xian would fall for someone else.
What would happen to her own miss then?
Compared to Hong Luo's anxiety, Yun Xi appeared calm and composed.
"Hong Luo, what's destined to be yours will surely come to you; what's not, won't. If something doesn't belong to me, even if I get it by force, I'll lose it one day."
So, it was better to just let things take their natural course from the start, have fewer obsessions, and avoid getting hurt in the end.
As Yun Xi spoke, she was munching on the food distributed from Yuet Ming's offerings, her cheeks puffed out. She couldn't help but secretly praise it in her heart.
Although Yuet Ming was quite calculating, her cooking skills were not bad. She was among the top in the female academy.
"Is the food delicious?"
A cold voice suddenly sounded. Yun Xi looked up and saw that Qi Rong had somehow walked up to her side, with Yuet Ming following behind with a displeased look on her face.
Looking at Qi Rong's suddenly gloomy face, Yun Xi choked on her food and swallowed it.
She was puzzled but still nodded and didn't spare her praise for Yuet Ming.
"Miss Yuet's cooking is really good. I haven't tasted such delicious food in the capital's style for a long time."
Hearing Yun Xi's praise, a look of pride flashed across Yuet Ming's face, but she still said modestly,
"Miss Yun is overpraising me. As for cooking, as long as you're willing to put in a little effort, it's not that difficult."
"Compared to these simple dishes, Miss Yun's fermented glutinous rice balls are more distinctive. Every time I saw them in the cooking class at the female academy, I was really amazed."
Yuet Ming's tone was gentle, but her words were laced with hidden meanings. She seemed to be being modest and praising Yun Xi on the surface, but actually she was mocking Yun Xi's poor cooking skills.
Every time in the cooking class at the female academy, since Yun Xi couldn't cook other dishes well, she would always make the only thing she could, fermented glutinous rice balls, to make up for it.
Now that Yuet Ming had pointed it out in front of Qi Rong, even Yun Xi, who didn't care much about her reputation, couldn't help but blush. Then she quickly hid it.
It was really strange. She clearly loved to eat and almost never said no to any delicious food, but she just couldn't learn how to cook.
She was really lucky to have a good chef found by her grandmother in her mansion. If she had to cook by herself, she might lose interest in delicious food...
Although Yun Xi clearly heard Yuet Ming's veiled mockery, she still pretended not to understand and deliberately said shamelessly,
"What's so difficult about fermented glutinous rice balls? If Miss Yuet wants to learn, I'll teach you another day."
Yun Xi's generous offer to teach immediately made Yuet Ming angry. She never thought that the other party would be so brazen! How dare she say she would teach her?
"No need. I don't like fermented glutinous rice balls."
Yuet Ming's expression was stiff, but she still managed to maintain the grace of a well - bred young lady and didn't retort to Yun Xi.
"That's really a pity."
Yun Xi shrugged, looking truly regretful, but there was a glint of cunning in her eyes.
"I want to eat. Make them for me tonight!"
As soon as Yun Xi finished speaking, Qi Rong's cold voice rang out again. His eyes, fixed on Yun Xi, were pitch - black, and his tone was like a command, brooking no argument.
"Why should I make them for you?"
Yun Xi retorted, fearlessly meeting Qi Rong's cold gaze.
Did he think that just because he had a gloomy face, he could have whatever he wanted? He was being so self - conceited!
Compared to her, there was someone right beside him who was always willing to cook for him. Why should she be so tactless and try to take that person's place?
Yun Xi was angry that Qi Rong accepted everyone's offerings, and she didn't want to busy herself around Qi Rong like Yuet Ming. So she didn't want to let Qi Rong have his way!
"Because what you just said displeased me. I'm giving you a chance to take back those words."
Qi Rong said coldly, angry because of Yun Xi's indifferent words to him before.
He loved her whole - heartedly and never thought of giving her up to someone else! Just imagining such a scene made him furious.
However, to her, he seemed disposable, which made him angry and also a little heart - broken!
Looking at Qi Rong and Yuet Ming standing side by side, looking like a perfect match, Yun Xi felt that the air around her had become stagnant. It was hard for her to breathe.
"Who cares about your madness."
Yun Xi patted the skirt of her dress and was about to get up and leave, but Qi Rong grabbed her wrist.
"Let go."
Yun Xi struggled and glared at Qi Rong.
"Where are you going?"
There was a faint flicker of fire in Qi Rong's black eyes. He was enraged by Yun Xi's attempt to avoid him.
"My feet are on my body. I can go wherever I want."
"Brother Rong, talk nicely. There are other people watching."
Seeing this, Yuet Ming stepped forward and held Qi Rong's arm, reminding him in a soft voice.
Looking at the hand holding Qi Rong's arm, Yun Xi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, which made her face turn a little pale. But she still held her ground and confronted Qi Rong, not willing to give in at all.
"Good, very good."
Qi Rong narrowed his cold eyes slightly, sharp and cold. The disappointment in his eyes when looking at Yun Xi was hard to hide.
He let go of Yun Xi's wrist and turned away. His tall back was surrounded by a chilling coldness.
"Miss."
Hong Luo anxiously tugged at Yun Xi's arm. Yun Xi was in a daze and quickly held back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes.
"Hong Luo, let's go."
Without looking at Qi Rong who was leaving, Yun Xi tightly held Hong Luo's hand and turned around to walk in the opposite direction.
"Yun Xi!"
Yun Xi had only taken a few steps when Yuet Ming suddenly called out to her.
Yun Xi stopped in her tracks. Yuet Ming continued,
"I'll wait for you in the mulberry grove by the Ling River at noon today. I have something to tell you about your father. If you still care about your father and your sister's lives, come to the appointment on time."
Hearing this, Yun Xi's pupils suddenly constricted. She turned around and glared at Yuet Ming, about to ask for clarification, but Yuet Ming didn't explain further and just turned around and left.