Ye Jingkun pursed his lips, looking at her. After a while, he frowned, "Why?"
She had previously said that she would only give him a gift on her birthday and would come to congratulate him on the day he entered the manor.
Today was neither, so why was she willing to come?
Could she make up for it by not coming earlier? Was there such a saying?
Su Yunmo knew that this person's thinking was different from ordinary people, so she shrugged helplessly, "Since I'm already here, are you sure you won't let me in to sit, but insist that I stand here and come up with a reason?"
Actually, at first, she didn't want to go out with Ye Ningyuan. After getting out of the carriage and seeing the plaque of Prince Kun's manor, she remembered that she still owed him a gift.
She had turned back midway to buy it.
Hearing her say that, Ye Jingkun no longer dwelled on it. He nodded and moved aside to let her pass.
Ye Ningyuan rubbed her chin as she hovered between the two of them, grabbing the little dumpling's wrist. "Momo, you're being too perfunctory."
The little dumpling was stunned. "What?"
"That food, I thought you bought it because you wanted to eat it yourself." Ye Ningyuan snatched the oil paper package.
As the oil paper package was torn open, it revealed a candied hawthorn.
She opened her mouth and bit off the largest fruit at the top.
Ye Jingkun's face immediately turned grim.
"Hey! Spit it out!" Su Yunmo's mouth twitched, and she stepped forward to grab it.
Ye Ningyuan took a step back to avoid her. Before Ye Jingkun could get angry, she raised her eyebrows and said, "Such small trinkets can only be snacks."
"I originally asked you to come over to tour Prince Kun's manor. I didn't expect that you and Prince Kun had such a connection?"
"You owe someone a favor and want to settle it with a candied hawthorn? You can't even get past me. No, you need to be more formal and give something good."
Ye Jingkun's grim expression eased slightly. He glanced at Ye Ningyuan with a complex expression.
Ye Ningyuan raised her eyebrows and looked back at him, curling her lips. Her words, however, were directed at Su Yunmo, "Why don't you cook a meal for us yourself?"
Su Yunmo's eyelids twitched, and she glared at her. "Why should I listen to you?"
Ye Ningyuan sidled over and nudged her with her elbow. "Come on, come on, don't be so stingy. It's almost dinnertime anyway, and you're hungry and want to eat, right?"
"Besides, cooking a meal is a piece of cake for you, isn't it?"
Su Yunmo narrowed her eyes. "How do you know I can cook?"
Ye Ningyuan's eyes widened in surprise. "You can't? I thought you were so smart that you could learn anything without a teacher."
She shrugged and looked at Ye Jingkun. "See, I wanted to create an opportunity for you, but unfortunately, Momo can't cook."
She pretended to sigh. "Prince Kun is truly pitiful. First, he was stood up, and now he's being treated like this for a meal. Momo is such a heartless child."
Su Yunmo's mouth twitched.
This woman!
Ye Jingkun's fingers tightened, and he stared intently at the little dumpling. "Cook."
Su Yunmo slapped her forehead. "I really can't do anything with you two. Go, tell the servants to prepare the kitchen."
Fine, she'd cook. Who was she to complain when she was in the wrong this time?
A light flashed in Ye Jingkun's eyes, and an unknown emotion surged from the depths of his heart.
He instructed the servants to prepare the kitchen.
Everyone in the kitchen was driven out.
Ye Ningyuan thoughtfully brought her a small stool.
Su Yunmo stood on the small stool, chopping vegetables with her small hands.
Oil was heating in the pot, and firewood was placed in the stove.
Ye Jingkun stood not far away, his gaze fixed on the little dumpling.
Ye Ningyuan leaned against the door, chewing on a candied hawthorn.
Su Yunmo, busy tending the fire and chopping vegetables, exclaimed, "Can't you two come and help?!"
Ye Ningyuan shouted back, "We don't know how to do these things. We'd only get in the way, so it's best if Momo does it yourself."
"You… you this person…" Su Yunmo gritted her teeth in hatred but had to wash the chopped vegetables and pour them into the hot oil.
The oil splattered, making sizzling sounds.
The other sounds in the room were drowned out.
Ye Ningyuan bit off the last hawthorn and turned to look at Ye Jingkun. "You seem very happy?"
Ye Jingkun lowered his eyebrows, his face devoid of any extra expression, and did not reply.
Ye Ningyuan threw the skewer on the ground. "No matter how much you pretend to be cold, it's useless. You've been staring at Momo since you came in. Do you really think I'm blind?"
Ye Jingkun narrowed his eyes and turned to look at her. "What business is it of yours?"
"That's a truly heartbreaking thing to say. Can't you just say thank you properly?" Ye Ningyuan sighed in disappointment, looking hurt.
"It seems my idea of selling you a favor is unnecessary. You are a heartless person."
A strange look flickered in Ye Jingkun's eyes, and he withdrew his gaze, continuing to look at Su Yunmo, who was busy at the stove.
Ye Ningyuan walked over, tiptoed to block his view, and curled her lips. "Are you sure you don't want to consider my proposal from last time?"
Ye Jingkun looked at her coldly, his deep eyes carrying a hint of chill. "Move aside."
"If you cooperate with me, you'll have plenty of opportunities to see in the future, so there's no need to be in a hurry for this moment." Ye Ningyuan crossed her arms, showing no fear on her face.
She tilted her head playfully. "I heard you went to Prince Yu's manor the day after Momo missed the appointment? But you were blocked by Ye Jingyu and couldn't see her, right?"
A killing aura emanated from Ye Jingkun.
The smile in Ye Ningyuan's eyes widened. "You don't need to be angry with me. After all, I wasn't the one who blocked you."
"I admit you were right that day. We both want the same thing, but it's precisely because our goals are the same that we can cooperate. And..."
She paused, moved aside, revealing the little dumpling still busy at the stove behind her. "I'm different from Ye Jingyu. I know how to share with people."
Ye Jingkun looked at the little dumpling and took a deep breath.
Su Yunmo, holding a spatula, scooped the dishes out of the pot. "You two, stop dawdling. The first dish is out. You can at least carry the dishes to the table, right?"
Ye Jingkun closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a faint gleam flashed in his eyes. "Deal."
"A wise choice." Ye Ningyuan smiled and turned towards the stove. "Momo, here I come~ What do you want me to do?"
"What do you mean, what to do? Carry the dishes, and tend the fire!" Su Yunmo glared at her.
This woman did nothing but eat for free. She didn't know what they were talking about so animatedly over there.
"Alright~" Ye Ningyuan cheerfully went to carry the dishes.
Ye Jingkun looked at them deeply, then lowered his head to look at his hands.
He had always believed that only inanimate objects that couldn't breathe could stay by his side forever.
But perhaps... there was another way.
He looked up at the little dumpling, his expression becoming more complex.
Besides, he didn't want Momo to die.
Su Yunmo made a total of seven dishes, which was a bit too much for three people.
Ye Ningyuan ate the most, saying as she ate that Su Yunmo had made too many dishes, which was a waste.
Su Yunmo rolled her eyes and stuffed a large handful of rice into the woman's mouth with her hand.
Ye Ningyuan didn't mind, chewing and swallowing it all.
She looked like a beggar who hadn't eaten for days, completely lacking the demeanor of a princess of the manor.