Part 4
Zong Hao: “…”
Looking at the foolish face close at hand, he thought for a moment and pawed out another one.
Young Master Bai ate it with an “Ah-woo,” then looked at him expectantly again. “Is it tasty?”
Zong Hao laughed in exasperation: Good heavens, are you stuck in a loop with me?
So, under Young Master Bai’s expectant gaze, the Big Cat poured the few remaining grapes from the small bowl directly into his own mouth, chewing slowly while Young Master Bai watched in shock.
Young Master Bai’s eyes grew redder and redder. Finally, with a poof, he turned into a rabbit, clutching his long ears with his paws and sobbing. The weeping and accusation were so melodramatic that anyone who didn’t know better would think the Big Cat had beaten him up.
City Lord White and Big Brother Ning watched this scene with complex emotions.
Big Brother Ning looked at City Lord White: Are you sure your son is over thirty?
City Lord White slowly raised his hand to cover his face: …Embarrassing.
When Ning Yunyi came downstairs, Ning Xiaomiao was squatting in front of the rabbit comforting him. The Big Cat also had a bizarre expression, raising a paw for a long time before finally hooking the rabbit’s long ear.
The result was the rabbit crying even louder.
After Ning Yunyi came down and asked what happened, he looked at Young Master Bai with mixed feelings. “Is he… drunk?” Drunk on one glass of wine? Impressive.
City Lord White had obviously read ancient books and immediately perked up. “Haha, I told you so. How could Ah Cheng cry like a bear just because of a grape? Turns out he’s drunk. Hahaha, I’ll take him back to the castle first. Brother, Brother’s Brother, let’s talk later!”
If he didn’t leave now, he would lose all his face.
City Lord White scooped up the rabbit, wrapped him in his arms, grabbed the suitcase, and ran. As fast as he could.
City Lord White was efficient. He said at noon he would find City Lord Xuan to discuss the branch store, and by late afternoon before dark, it was done. He even selected the location.
Although City Lord Xuan was from F District, there was some interaction between the underground cities of the Capital Star’s districts.
Especially with the overwhelming promotion on the Star Network—the gimmick of the Duke plus the “Sect’s No. 1 Knife” connection and the similar braised meat—City Lord White took City Lord Xuan to the Fourth Underground City in A District. The City Lord there agreed immediately.
He even cleared out two storefronts in the food district immediately, saying they could open whenever.
Ning Yunyi thought about it and decided to send Young Master Bai and Elias to oversee things; he really didn’t trust anyone else.
Just in case, he would be there the entire time from the opening in A District until things stabilized.
After the regulations were set, City Lord Xuan and City Lord White went ahead to the Fourth Underground City to supervise the store conditions.
Ning Yunyi planned to open the day after tomorrow.
Early the next morning, just as he was about to go to A District to check the situation, someone contacted the castle via connection: “City Lord White, Duke Clay says he wants to see you.”
Ning Yunyi gave two words directly: “Not seeing.”
After hanging up, he told the two little ones and took the hovercar to the food district.
He planned to take Young Master Bai and Elias to A District.
Just as he left the castle gates, a luxurious medium-sized spaceship blocked his hovercar.
Just as he stopped the hovercar, the spaceship hatch opened. Clay appeared holding a large bouquet of bionic flowers, dressed in magnificent attire that made him look even more noble.
Ning Yunyi contemplated the possibility of ramming the hovercar through, but finally opened the door and poked his head out. “Move.”
Clay stepped forward innocently. “Not long ago you told me to come again. I came as agreed, and now you won’t acknowledge it?”
Ning Yunyi had a headache. “Your Highness, I am very busy. I really don’t have time to play with you.”
Clay said, half-truthfully, “What if I’m serious?”
Ning Yunyi pointed to his own eyes. “Do you think I believe that?”
Clay sighed. “Fine, to tell the truth, I want to invite you to be my male companion.”
Ning Yunyi: “??”
Clay took out an invitation. “Tomorrow night is the Crown Prince’s engagement party, uniting with the Herman family, one of the three great noble families. I am on the invite list but lack a male companion. I want to invite Mr. White to accompany me to the Imperial Palace to attend the engagement party.”
All of Ning Yunyi’s resistance vanished upon hearing a few key words. He frowned, not showing it too obviously. “Does Your Highness lack male companions? Why ask me?”
Clay looked a bit embarrassed and angry. “Isn’t this all your fault?”
“Me? How is it my fault?” Ning Yunyi pointed at himself.
Clay pursed his lips. After a long while, he admitted reluctantly, “I went on the Star Network and flew into a rage for a piece of braised meat. Everyone in the palace knows. His Majesty even called me into the palace specifically to tease me. Now the nobles above all know about my little incident, but they are also curious about the taste of these skewers and braised meat. So, if you attend with me tomorrow, we can explain that we are… friends, and I was just standing up for a friend.”
Ning Yunyi: “Saving face, huh? Couldn’t Your Highness just say that earlier? But didn’t Your Highness want to marry me before? How did it change to friends?”
Clay hmphed. “Can’t friends become lovers later?”
Ning Yunyi fell silent. Normally he would refuse outright, but… that was the Crown Prince’s engagement party. A palace banquet.
That meant he could enter the palace.
Ning’s mother was the Crown Prince’s cousin, the Emperor’s niece, though the relationship wasn’t very close.
After the Ning family incident, people from the palace had taken her away directly. There was no news of her being moved out of the palace.
So, for a banquet in the palace, would Mother appear?
Ning Yunyi didn’t refuse immediately. He asked, feigning confusion, “Why is the Crown Prince suddenly getting engaged? And to the Herman family?”
There hadn’t been a whisper of news among the people.
Clay thought for a moment, assuming Ning Yunyi was genuinely curious, and explained, “It’s not sudden; they’ve been preparing for months. The Herman family has always been low-key, but many Empresses came from their family. The higher-ups knew about the engagement long ago; no one dared to spread it, that’s all. Even news of this engagement party is being kept quiet, to be announced by the Palace only after it concludes.”
Ning Yunyi understood. Before things were concluded, they didn’t want any trouble.
The Crown Prince getting engaged, followed by marriage—then next, His Majesty would let the Crown Prince participate in real power.
Naturally, many people wouldn’t want the Crown Prince to take power so smoothly. If the news spread, they could blame any sabotage on people outside the palace.
But if the engagement was kept suppressed, then any incident would be the work of someone inside the palace.
Seeing him not speaking, Clay got anxious. “Do you agree or not? Think about it, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You won’t get a chance to enter the palace like this later.”
Ning Yunyi pretended to ponder, then finally agreed as if reluctantly. “Fine. If Your Highness doesn’t feel I’ll embarrass you as a male companion, what reason do I have to refuse? It’s a good chance to expand the skewer business too.”
Clay choked, quite angry. “You really are…”
Ning Yunyi interjected timely, “Want skewers?”
Recommended Reads
thanks for the chapter! 😆💖