Chapter 22: The Little Foodie—Xiaoya (Please Bookmark)

“Don’t worry, your brother will never abandon you.” Fang Xu gently removed the steaming porridge from Xiaoya’s cupped hands and drew her softly into his embrace, speaking in a tender tone.

Standing beside Xiaoya, the older maid’s eyes shimmered with a trace of joy. She could see Fang Xu’s affection for Xiaoya—whatever form it took, it meant their days of hardship might soon be over. Of course, none of them would dare treat Xiaoya poorly now; they understood her status had changed.

Yet Xiaoya herself had no such awareness. The little girl was still lost in the sudden happiness of gaining a brother, unable to extricate herself from the delight.

“Brother, Xiaoya… Xiaoya’s tummy is a little… hungry…” It could only be said that Xiaoya’s personality was truly simple-minded; she’d just acknowledged Fang Xu as her brother and was already asking for things so openly!

Upon hearing Xiaoya’s words, the once-cheerful maid was instantly stunned, even trembling all over. She wondered how Xiaoya could be so utterly clueless.

“Your Highness! Xiaoya is still young and doesn’t understand proper conduct. Please forgive her!” The older maid bowed and pleaded with Fang Xu before he could respond, her head lowered.

Seeing the maid’s reaction, Fang Xu was momentarily bewildered, clearly unsure why she was suddenly saying such things.

“It was Xiaoya’s fault just now! Xiaoya admits her mistake!” Before Fang Xu could even process his confusion, Xiaoya, whose hand he was holding, lowered her head and spoke in panic.

“Uh… Did you do something wrong?” Fang Xu asked, still lost, looking at the frightened Xiaoya. Xiaoya dared not speak further, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

“Oh, so that’s why!” Fang Xu chuckled, amused, as the maid whispered softly in his ear. He looked at the small, bowed Xiaoya with a smile.

“Xiaoya, you did nothing wrong. If there’s anything you want, as long as your brother can get it, I’ll make sure you have it!” Fang Xu gently rubbed Xiaoya’s head and spoke with a smile.

Xiaoya’s anxiety stemmed from her upbringing, which was starkly different from Fang Xu’s nine years of compulsory education. She couldn’t shake the ingrained sense of social hierarchy.

But in Fang Xu’s eyes, since he’d accepted Xiaoya as his adopted sister, those rules no longer applied. Yet his perspective was mistaken, at least in the context of the Qin Dynasty.

Fang Xu didn’t press the matter further. He took the startled, bird-like Xiaoya into the imperial kitchen, the other maids exchanging complicated glances.

They stood awkwardly at the entrance, unsure what to do. Watching Xiaoya, who seemed to have something to say but hesitated, Fang Xu quickly understood her intent.

He invited the maids inside as well, realizing they likely hadn’t eaten either. Since he was cooking for one, he might as well cook for a few; the number hardly mattered.

He then set about slicing meat and stir-frying in a hot pan. His dazzling movements left the maids utterly spellbound.

They’d been to the imperial kitchen before, but compared to Fang Xu’s skill, they truly hadn’t seen its true potential.

Only Xiaoya focused solely on the fragrant dishes before her, swallowing saliva from time to time. Her antics were a little comical but even more endearing.

Fang Xu prepared Dongpo pork, several signature hot dishes, and a bowl of egg-drop soup. In his mind, his mastery of Dongpo pork had reached near perfection—rich but not greasy, full-bodied and tender.

When he finished, Fang Xu called for several young eunuchs to deliver the dishes to the emperor. The poor eunuchs had never seen such fare and could barely suppress their hunger, reminding themselves these dishes were for the emperor.

The sight of these dishes was a true test for the eunuchs, especially the glistening Dongpo pork that made them stare longingly, envying Xiaoya and the maids seated at the table.

Fang Xu took the main seat and began eating. Xiaoya, unable to restrain herself, immediately followed suit as soon as Fang Xu picked up his chopsticks.

She quickly grabbed a neat square of Dongpo pork, its glistening fat seeming to beckon: “Come and eat me!”

“Mmm—Sister, aren’t you going to eat?” Xiaoya asked, cheeks bulging, looking at her maid sister. The sight of oil at Xiaoya’s lips made the maid swallow her own saliva.

“Ahem! Don’t be shy—there’s no one else here, and I should thank you all for letting me meet my little sister. Hurry up and try it while it’s hot!” Fang Xu understood why the maids couldn’t be as uninhibited as Xiaoya.

His words amused him, and the maids realized he was right, seeing that Fang Xu was nowhere near as harsh as they’d feared.

Watching Xiaoya’s enthusiastic eating only made their appetites grow. With Fang Xu’s permission, they eagerly joined the meal, and Xiaoya, not caring whether her mouth was full, joined the rush with them.

Fang Xu could only smile helplessly, but seeing the lively atmosphere, the corners of his mouth lifted. He felt a surge of contentment; he was used to lively gatherings.

With so many people eating together, it was impossible not to be merry. Yet Fang Xu soon realized that such liveliness came at a price.

When the feast ended, Fang Xu looked at the plates, still glistening with traces of oil, and nearly dropped his chopsticks in surprise.

He wondered how many days it had been since the maids and Xiaoya had eaten properly—or if their meals had been so poor. But the clean plates before him forced him to accept the truth.

Only two pieces of Dongpo pork remained in his bowl. Fang Xu could only smile wryly, but just as he was about to eat, he sensed a pair of large, watery eyes fixed on him.

He knew without looking—it could only be Xiaoya. Her tiny cherry mouth hung open, drooling uncontrollably.

“All right, all right, I really can’t say no to you.” Fang Xu, smiling helplessly, placed his last two pieces of Dongpo pork into Xiaoya’s bowl. Xiaoya, just about to eat, paused in surprise.

“Brother hasn’t tasted it yet—let me give you one piece!” Xiaoya, as if making a grand decision, whispered as she pushed one piece of Dongpo pork back into Fang Xu’s bowl.

Fang Xu could only laugh, but curiously, the Dongpo pork in his mouth tasted more delicious than ever.