Chapter 145: The Master of Tea Arts Is Here to Perform Again

Glancing toward the entrance of Luojing Pavilion, Su Jingluo crouched beside the food box. Picking it up and opening it, she found peach blossom pastries, plum blossom jellies, and several other delicacies whose names she did not know. Unfortunately, they were all smashed to pieces.

"What a pity, such a pity." Su Jingluo squatted by the food box, endlessly lamenting. Who could she complain to when such delicious and beautiful treats had been ruined like this?

"What is there to pity? If not these, we can go and eat fresh, warm ones right now." Seeing Su Jingluo looking so small and slight as she squatted on the ground eyeing the treats, Xiao Jingxuan found her indescribably cute. He couldn't help but crouch down, completely enveloping her within his large cloak.

"Although that's very tempting, I have important matters to discuss with you in a moment." Su Jingluo was a true foodie at heart, but she had serious issues weighing on her mind that she needed to explain clearly to Xiao Jingxuan first, fearing she would forget them once she started eating.

Seeing Xiao Jingxuan and Su Jingluo like this, Lin Wanwan felt a growing sense of unease. She clutched her handkerchief so tightly she was on the verge of tearing it to shreds. Why were the two of them growing closer? Why was Xiao Jingxuan so indifferent to her? At that moment, it felt as though something rightfully hers had been stolen away. Resentment and bitterness surged into her heart.

"Cousin, Your Highness, what are you both doing? If others see the Princess acting so spoiled, they will laugh at my cousin." Lin Wanwan forced herself to adjust her emotions, her voice devoid of any trace of displeasure.

The sight of Lin Wanwan instantly irritated Su Jingluo, whose words dripped with sarcasm. What did she mean by people laughing at her cousin? Her cousin was the one hugging her—how was that somehow her fault?

"Heh, Miss Lin must be mistaken, surely? It was Xiao Jingxuan who insisted on hugging me. What does it matter to me whether he gets laughed at or not?" Su Jingluo stood up coldly, pushed Xiao Jingxuan away, and activated her sharp-tongued battle mode.

"Yes, yes, yes, it is Wanwan's fault. Wanwan is young and ignorant, so I beg the Princess not to take offense. I only worry that as His Highness's majesty is unshakeable, such behavior between the Princess and my cousin will give outsiders room for gossip and reflect poorly on him." Lin Wanwan glanced at Xiao Jingxuan's furrowed brow, assuming he too felt Su Jingluo had gone too far. Her apology grew even more pitiful and plaintive, carrying a fresh wave of subtle attack.

"You're young? You should be older than I am, shouldn't you? Besides, this is the Prince's Estate—what outsiders could possibly be here? The only outsider in this place is you, Miss Lin, isn't that right?" If Lin Wanwan was a master of manipulation, Su Jingluo was the grandmaster of dismantling it.

"Cousin, have I angered the Princess again? Wanwan is truly foolish; she doesn't even know how to speak properly." Lin Wanwan was left momentarily speechless by Su Jingluo's retort. Yet a master remained a master: when one path was blocked, she simply switched to another. Seeing that Su Jingluo was entirely immune to this tactic, her voice instantly turned soft and sweet, dripping with sorrow as she played the pitiful victim to win Xiao Jingxuan's sympathy.

"Indeed, Wanwan, you truly aren't very good with words. Why don't you return to your family estate? The Prince's Estate is somewhat cramped with many inconveniences; you would be better off recuperating at home." Xiao Jingxuan, having just been belittled by Song Yunmo, now felt it would be best if Lin Wanwan did not show up casually, fearing Su Jingluo might think he was still entangled with her. He simply seized this opportunity to send her away.

Lin Wanwan froze, rooted to the spot. Her cousin actually wanted to send her away? At the thought of her indifferent father and harsh stepmother, an intense wave of resistance rose within her. Here in the Prince's Estate, at least she was close to her cousin; just being able to catch a glimpse of him from afar could make her happy for an entire day. It wasn't as though Xiao Jingxuan didn't know how her father and stepmother treated her. Was sending her away now meant to push her back into that living hell with his own hands? Moreover, her illness had not yet fully healed. Had both Su Jingluo and Xiao Jingxuan chosen to abandon her together?