The Crown Prince had never been stood up before. This was the first time, and by someone he'd liked from the moment they met. He was miserable.
Hearing this, Ming Lingyi almost snorted with laughter.
But she managed to hold it in.
She had a feeling that if she laughed now, she'd never be able to placate this Little Bun again.
"Who says I didn't keep our promise?" Ming Lingyi said.
At her words, Li Yan's grape-like eyes widened in surprise.
Ming Lingyi squatted in front of him and once again held out her hand.
Li Yan looked at the hand before him. It was slender and fair, the lines on its palm clear, and it looked very soft.
'Are we going to hold hands?'
Li Yan suddenly felt a bit of anticipation, and then he placed his small hand into the palm that was offered to him.
Ming Lingyi smiled.
Of course, she had saved some plum blossom cakes for Li Yan. Yesterday, seeing the Little Bun's satisfied expression as he ate had made her happy.
Walking behind the small stall, Ming Lingyi took out two plum blossom cakes from a bamboo basket.
"What did you think of the taste yesterday?" Ming Lingyi asked as she handed the plum blossom cakes to Li Yan.
Li Yan commented like a little adult, "They're very good. Definitely the best treats in Shangjing City."
Ming Lingyi laughed out loud.
She had Xiao Chun string together the remaining Copper Coins from yesterday's change, placing it to the side and gesturing for Li Yan to put it in the pouch at his waist.
Li Yan furrowed his brows. "Your Jade Plum Snow Cakes are worth this price. You don't need to give me change."
"But I set the price," Ming Lingyi said. "They're twenty Copper Coins each for everyone. I can't make an exception and charge you more."
She said with a beaming smile, thinking, 'If I could, I wouldn't even take these twenty coins. But being so nice to a Little Bun I've just met for no reason would only make people suspicious.'
Li Yan pouted. After finishing one of the cakes, he untied his pouch and put the copper coins inside.
"I heard someone bought ten..." Li Yan said.
'He didn't know where this sudden competitive streak, or perhaps 'possessiveness,' was coming from.'
'Someone else got ten, so why do I only get two?'
He clutched the single remaining plum blossom cake and pouted.
'He planned to save this one for Jianzhen. After all, he had promised him yesterday, hadn't he?'
Li Yan didn't realize he was acting spoiled again.
But watching Li Yan like this, Ming Lingyi couldn't resist the urge to reach out and poke his round, bun-like cheek.
When Ming Lingyi's finger touched that soft little face, she smiled with satisfaction.
But the Little Bun she had just touched froze on the spot.
His eyes were wide open. Li Yan probably never imagined that some woman would be audacious enough to lay a hand on him, the dignified Crown Prince!
In his stunned silence, Li Yan missed the chance to question Ming Lingyi immediately. By the time he snapped out of it, she had already pulled her hand back.
"How dare you," he said.
Ming Lingyi let out a laugh.
"Who gave you permission to... to touch Our—my face?" Li Yan said stiffly.
If his little ears hadn't turned red, and if Ming Lingyi hadn't noticed, his words might have carried a bit of weight.
Unfortunately for him, Ming Lingyi had noticed.
"Am I not allowed to?" Ming Lingyi asked.
Her question completely stumped Li Yan.
'There didn't seem to be any rule saying people couldn't touch his face. And touching someone's face wasn't exactly a crime, was it?'
'But—but it still wasn't proper!'
Li Yan's little brows furrowed so tightly they nearly twisted into a knot.
Ming Lingyi stopped teasing him and addressed his earlier concern. "I saved two for you because that should be enough. These cakes are just snacks. You can't just eat snacks and skip your proper meals, or else little kids won't grow tall."
Li Yan huffed, as if grudgingly accepting her explanation.
"I will grow tall," he said.
As if worried Ming Lingyi wouldn't believe him, Li Yan couldn't help but add, "My fa—my father is very tall! So I'll definitely grow very tall too!"
Ming Lingyi: "..."
Suddenly hearing about Li Yun, she quickly concealed the flicker of displeasure in her heart.
"Alright, I believe you," Ming Lingyi said.
Li Yan glanced at the sky. Night fell quickly in winter, and he couldn't stay too long, or the people waiting outside would worry. "I'm leaving now," Li Yan said, looking at Ming Lingyi. "Tomorrow, I want ten plum blossom cakes, too," he said seriously.
Even though Ming Lingyi had already placated him, Li Yan still felt a little sour about it.
'What others had, he had to have too.'
'Especially when it was something sold by the gentle-looking woman in front of him.'
'He should be her biggest customer. That was the only way to show how important and unique he was.'
Li Yan said this in a fit of pique, not realizing at all that this itself was a form of possessiveness.
Ming Lingyi couldn't help but laugh. "Can you eat all those by yourself?"
Li Yan counted on his fingers. "I have lots of people at home. I can share with them."
He was referring to Yu Yi, Yanxia, and the others who took care of him in the Eastern Palace.
As for his Father Emperor, Li Yan hadn't counted him in at all.
If his Father Emperor found out he was eating random things outside, he would surely be reprimanded.
Besides, in a few days, he probably wouldn't even see a shadow of his Father Emperor.
It was like this every year. Li Yan was already used to it.
Even on his own birthday, his Father Emperor would not leave Kunning Palace.
Ming Lingyi nodded and agreed.
On the way back after packing up the stall, Xiao Chun remarked, "I wonder whose child that is. He's so handsome."
She couldn't think of any other adjectives, only that the young master talking to her lady looked more refined and handsome than other children, like a chubby porcelain doll. No wonder her lady couldn't resist reaching out to poke his cheek.
Hearing this, a faint smile touched Ming Lingyi's lips. She thought so, too.
Two days before New Year's Eve, Ming Lingyi decided this would be her last day running the stall.
The main reason for setting up her stall at the entrance of the Imperial College wasn't to make money, but to see Li Yan.
Tomorrow was Li Yan's birthday, and Ming Lingyi guessed the teachers at the Imperial College would give the Little Crown Prince a day off.
That day, Li Yan wasn't kept late by the Grand Tutor. As soon as class was dismissed, he made a beeline for Ming Lingyi's stall.
Xiao Chun was already very familiar with the process of taking money and selling the cakes, so Ming Lingyi didn't go up to help. She had brought an extra stool today and was sitting in the back, resting.
When Li Yan arrived, he saw Ming Lingyi weaving a blade of grass she had found somewhere. The withered, yellow stalk twisted and turned between her slender fingers, a dazzling sight. In just a moment, the long blade of grass had transformed into a lifelike little bird!
Li Yan was amazed.
Such tricks, often dismissed as "frivolous distractions," were things no one around the Little Crown Prince would dare perform in front of him. This was the first time Li Yan had ever seen something like it.
When Ming Lingyi looked up, she smiled and waved at him.