Delicious

Tu Yan’s dance must have ended, because thunderous applause erupted from all directions, accompanied by cheers so fervent it was as if the crowd had been injected with adrenaline. Some gentleman even whistled with impressive skill.

One could imagine how breathtaking Tu Yan’s performance had been, transporting the audience to a season of blooming flowers.

Unfortunately, Little Li hadn’t seen it—not that he had any interest in watching.

His face was buried in Ying Bing’s abdomen, his breaths filled with the scent of ice—a refreshing, orchid-like fragrance that seemed to seep into his heart with every inhale, growing more intoxicating the longer he breathed it in...

Li Mo’s vision grew slightly hazy.

Subconsciously, he parted his lips.

Ying Bing moved swiftly, plucking a grape and stuffing it into his mouth, thwarting Little Li’s attempt to take a bite of her icy flesh.

"Li Mo, you’re hungry."

"I’m not."

"Then do you want to go deaf at such a young age?"

"......"

"Switch sides. It’s... it’s time to clean the right ear."

Ying Bing’s cool, expressionless face remained composed, her legs slightly pressed together.

"Alright."

Then she watched as Li Mo stood up and moved to sit beside her on the other side.

Though he had switched ears, his face was still angled toward her abdomen.

Ying Bing: "?"

Moments later, the next performance began outside—Lady Shen’s musical performance, a refined and elegant piece so highbrow that anyone not wearing formal robes would feel out of place just sitting there.

It served as a palate cleanser for those who had just witnessed Tu Yan’s dance.

A perfect balance of indulgence and sophistication.

But beneath the ornate canopy, while some were purified, others... not so much.

"Don’t bite."

"My mouth seems to have a mind of its own. I’ll try to control it!"

"Then my hand has its own ideas too."

"Ack... be gentle."

Similar murmurs drifted from the carriage.

"???"

The audience, who had just settled into a calm appreciation of the arts, now found their moods inexplicably shifting again. What the hell were they doing in there?!

So this was why they hadn’t shown their faces at the Flower Banquet from start to finish.

Broad daylight, in the heart of the imperial capital!

Was no one going to intervene? Where were the organizers?

Oh, right—the organizer was in the carriage. Never mind, then. Best to endure quietly. Surely, at such a dignified event, they wouldn’t dare go too far...

But they were wrong.

"Your turn to lie down."

"I don’t need to..."

"Don’t worry, trust my skills. I taught the full-service techniques at the Moonlit Pavilion. You’re in good hands."

"Then you have to... go slow."

"????"

Moonlit Pavilion’s techniques? And a full-service package at that?!

Those who caught snippets of the conversation all leaned back slightly, their faces as if they’d been run over by a carriage wheel.

The plain, unassuming carriage was tightly sealed, revealing nothing of what was happening inside—making it impossible for anyone to focus on the actual performances.

Secretly indulging was one thing, but doing so while making such obscene noises was downright excessive!

Just then, a blue-haired girl came rushing over, her eyes darting around until she finally spotted the bronze carriage.

Lan Tian was unmistakable, and many recognized her.

She trotted up to the carriage and knocked on the door. Peering inside, she saw Li Mo diligently cleaning Ying Bing’s ears and let out a sigh of relief.

"Patron... Patron Daddy, we’ve got a problem."

Li Mo looked up at her, startled. "What’s wrong?"

Ying Bing exhaled softly. "Take your time."

"I just remembered—my Tide Pearl can only be used once. I already used it up during rehearsals yesterday."

Lan Tian’s usually clueless face was now etched with panic.

She was up next, which meant she had no way to perform as planned.

"With so little time, even if I had another one, I wouldn’t be able to find it."

Li Mo fell into thought.

He wasn’t sure if his system had ever given him this particular investment return, and even if it had, it would take ages to locate.

But time was of the essence.

Fortunately, Little Li was nothing if not a genius. After a moment’s consideration, he devised a solution:

"Lan Tian, you’ve got a pretty good appetite, right?"

"Uh-huh."

Lan Tian nodded, bewildered, unsure why he’d brought this up.

"Then just go onstage and eat. Describe the flavors as you go—pretend you’re at home."

"Th-That’ll work?"

"Absolutely. Hot pot, barbecue—eat as much as you want. It’s a mukbang. Might as well promote the hot pot and barbecue joints I’m planning to open... I’ll coach you on the details."

The concept of a mukbang was far too avant-garde for the imperial capital, let alone the Northern Sea.

But at the mention of food, Lan Tian’s nerves vanished. Her eyes sparkled, and without a second thought about whether this was a good idea—after all, Patron Daddy said so, so it must be fine—she took the stage and immediately set up a hot pot and grill.

"Hey, fam! Today we’re having spicy hot pot and barbecue."

"First, let’s try some garlic. This black stuff is sugar-pickled garlic—super tasty. Here goes... yUe—"

"??"

What in the world was this?!

The audience was stunned, and even the Purple-Robed Eunuch announcing the acts was at a loss.

Wasn’t Lan Tian’s performance supposed to be "Fishing the Moon from the Sea"?

He’d barely gotten out the words "fishing the" before the girl started chowing down!

That said, she was eating with such gusto—a natural-born mukbang talent—devouring her meal with infectious enthusiasm in front of the entire imperial capital.

The sound of swallowed saliva rose and fell among the spectators, their appetites thoroughly whetted.

"Attendants! Bring forth the feast!"

The nobility beneath the canopy sent servants to fetch food, while the commoners outside the inner city migrated en masse to taverns and eateries.

Everyone was suddenly in the mood for a meal.

Little Li was no exception. As those around him began eating, he finished cleaning Ying Bing’s ears.

Truthfully, they were already spotless—there’d been little to clean.

But afterward, her fair, crystalline skin gradually flushed a delicate shade of pink, as if ripening.

And he was hungry.

"Li Mo, we didn’t have breakfast."

"I’m a bit peckish. You?"

"I’m fine."

"Then I’ll grab a bite first."

With that, Li Mo stealthily opened his maw...

"Lan Tian’s so tiny, but her appetite is... ah~"

Ying Bing suddenly curled in on herself, as if her bones had melted.

She tried to jerk away—

But lost her balance and tumbled right back into his arms, delivering herself straight to the ravenous Little Li’s lips. Her body went limp, dissolving like snow in the sun.

Her lashes fluttered, her gaze growing unfocused.

Wait.

So the "bite to eat" he meant was... this?

To make matters worse, his technique was one she’d taught him herself.

Her mind was a whirlwind, yet she couldn’t help but find it strange. In the past, she’d always been able to read Little Li like an open book—she could predict his every move before he even made it.

Had this been before, she’d have seen through his childish schemes the moment they formed.

Yet now, she’d fallen for his tricks again and again, even letting him catch her off guard.

What was happening?

In her past life, no matter how many covetous eyes had watched her, no matter what storms had brewed around the palace, she’d never once been bested.

Now, even a childish fool could catch her off guard.

She hadn’t been reborn for long—how had she grown so careless already?

At this thought, the icy Empress Ying Bing couldn’t help but raise her head to stare at him, her gaze solemn and penetrating:

"Wait... stop for a moment. There’s something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"It’s a secret about the Celestial City..." Ying Bing’s voice grew softer and softer.

By the end, it was nearly inaudible.

Little Li, of course, failed to notice the mix of embarrassment, resentment, and stubbornness in her eyes. Instinctively, he leaned closer.

"The secret is..."

"Ah—!"

Little Li had let his guard down—he didn’t dodge in time!