If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

Then, the sons of the Yu, Xie, and Huan families spoke up one after another.

A clumsy attempt at striking up a conversation reveals their true intentions.

Xie Wanyi looked intently at Xi Lingxian and chuckled, "Miss Xi is truly blessed."

Xi Song waved his folding fan and said, "Miss Xie, you are mistaken. Your good fortune is no less than that of my sister. Everyone in the capital knows that the brothers of the Xu and Chen families are determined to marry no one but Miss Xie. Their sincerity is truly touching."

Xie Wanyi's face stiffened.

Xi Lingxian propped her chin on her hand, slowly turned her head, and gave Xi Song a reproachful look.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and apologize to Miss Xie!"

Xi Song pursed his lips. "It was my slip of the tongue. Please forgive me, Miss Xie."

Xie Wanyi clenched her fists and laughed, "How could that be?"

Autumn is approaching, which is the perfect time to eat crabs.

Today's palace banquet features autumn crabs; the noble ladies, fearing that their delicate hands might come into contact with the crab's fishy smell, are mostly unwilling to use the crab-eating tools.

Xi Lingxian was the same. The dress she was wearing today was made of flowing cloud gauze, which cost a hundred gold coins per bolt. She would be heartbroken if it got stained with the scent.

Xi Song doesn't like eating crabs, but she wanted to peel them for her sister. However, she was clumsy and made a mess of it.

Xi Lingxian said disdainfully, "Behave yourself, I'm not eating crabs today."

The sounds of crab-eating tools colliding with crab shells and meat rose and fell, and Xi Lingxian heard two girls exclaim in surprise.

Looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wang Jue sitting a few seats away.

His snow-white robe accentuated his refined and elegant appearance, and the cuffs were slightly rolled up, revealing a section of his wrist with distinct joints.

Those hands were holding a silver crab claw, slowly and deliberately dismantling a crab.

His movements were skillful, clean, and efficient; even the eight crab-eating tools became elegant objects in his hands.

He picked up the scissors, hammer, shovel, and tweezers in turn, moving with unhurried and fluid movements.

The crab shell was caught intact, and the crab roe and meat were carefully picked out and neatly arranged on a plate.

The surroundings gradually quieted down. Some girls glanced sideways, their eyes falling on those long, slender, and pale hands with distinct knuckles. Whispers rose from all directions, extremely low and continuous.

Wang Jue remained oblivious, his expression indifferent, as if the commotion in the hall had nothing to do with him.

The crab meat is snow-white, and the crab roe is golden; it's drizzled with ginger and vinegar.

He summoned the palace maid behind him, whispered a few instructions, and then saw the maid pick up the plate of crab meat and walk towards the women's table.

Seeing this, Wang Shuyuan teased, "Who doesn't know that Sister Wanyi loves to eat crabs? Sister Wanyi, did your brother peel these for you?"

Xie Wanyi's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure either, but she felt that no one else at the table could trouble Wang Jue.

She felt different towards him; as cousins, their bond was something no one else could match.

Thinking of this, Xie Wanyi's face flushed slightly.

The other noble ladies, upon hearing Wang Shuyuan's words, believed her and looked over with envy.

Xie Wanyi lowered her eyes, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear with her fingers.

The palace maid, carrying a plate, turned around and walked past her seat without hesitation.

Xie Wanyi's smile froze on her face.

The plate of crab meat, peeled by the young master himself, was placed steadily in front of Xi Lingxian's table.

The entire hall fell silent for a moment.

Wang Shuyuan stared at the direction the plate of crab meat had gone, her eyes widening involuntarily. She looked at her brother, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.

Xie Wanyi's complexion changed from a light pink to deathly white, and then to a grimace, displaying a rich and varied expression.

"What, what's going on here? I don't quite understand," someone exclaimed in a hoarse voice.

"How could Young Master Wang..."

The Crown Prince and the Heir Apparent both turned pale.

Well done, Wang Jue! He really had ulterior motives.

They still think their Wang family is so noble.

Ignoring the astonished Xi Song beside her, who looked like a fish thrown ashore, Xi Lingxian, who was being stared at by everyone, looked over at the group of people. The people she was looking at seemed to notice her and looked up.

Across the brightly lit hall, everything remained faint, cold, and distant, as he gave her a slight nod.

Xi Song finally found her voice, "Sister, I... I feel so confused."

Xi Lingxian looked at the crab meat and found it utterly unbelievable.

Wang Jue shouldn't be the kind of person who does these things in public; even if she were, it shouldn't be her.

But he did it anyway, which was so unusual.

It seems that he is no different from the Crown Prince and the Prince of Huainan; they are all after the power and benefits that his father and brothers can bring.

No wonder he had been gentle and indulgent towards her for a while before marrying her in his previous life. He was impatient and didn't know how to get this stupid fish to take the bait.

She picked up the wine glass in front of her and drank it all in one gulp.

"Sister." Seeing that she wasn't moving, Xi Song cautiously leaned over, "Why aren't you eating?"

"I suddenly don't want to eat anymore." Xi Lingxian snapped out of her thoughts and casually pushed the food towards her younger brother. "Here you go."

"...I don't like eating this."

Xi Lingxian's expression was noticed by everyone, making them even more puzzled.

Previously, it was the Xi family that was chasing after the Wang family to curry favor, so how come it's suddenly turned around?

"Have you eaten?" Xi Lingxian asked Xi Song. "If you have, come for a walk with me. I feel so bored."

Xi Song wiped his mouth, stood up gracefully, and walked out of the palace gate with Xi Lingxian's arm in his hand.

A gentle night breeze blew through the long corridor outside the palace, dispelling the effects of the alcohol on Xi Lingxian.

"Miss Xi, Second Young Master Xi, you two siblings came here to find some peace and quiet."

Xi Song turned around to look.

The newcomer was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist, and his brows and eyes held the usual arrogance. He was none other than Xiao Jing, the heir apparent of the Prince of Huainan.

"Your Highness, my elder sister feels stuffy in the palace, so I'm accompanying her out for a walk to clear her head."

Xiao Jing walked closer, his gaze lingering on Xi Lingxian's face for a moment, his smile deepening. "Everyone in the hall thought that dish of crab meat from Young Master Wang was for the eldest daughter of the Xie family, but who knew it would be served to the young lady? The thoughts of this Second Young Master Wang are truly unfathomable."

His voice rose slightly at the end, carrying a hint of amusement.

Xi Lingxian curled her lips and said, "Your Highness is joking. The Second Young Master Wang humiliated me a few days ago. He was probably apologizing to me because of my father."

"That's not quite right." Xiao Jing took a step forward. "Miss Xi doesn't understand men. Wang Jue is a man who doesn't show any courtesy to anyone, yet today he peeled crabs for you in public. This can't be explained away with just an apology; he's clearly trying to curry favor."

Xi Lingxian didn't want to continue the conversation and was about to say something when a figure suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.

A snow-white robe, elegant and refined.

Under the moonlight, there is another breathtaking beauty.

She walked over with a slender figure and a leisurely pace.

It is Wang Jue.

His gaze swept over Xi Lingxian and her brother before landing on Xiao Jing. He spoke calmly, "Your Highness, I don't know where I offended you. It seems Your Highness has some reservations about me?"

Xiao Jing crossed his arms and glanced at the newcomer, his tone carrying an undisguised sarcasm. "I wouldn't dare. The Langya Wang family is so illustrious; how could I, the young master, dare to speak ill of the Second Young Master Wang?"

"There's only one thing: does Young Master Wang perhaps think he has the world at his fingertips? When Miss Xi took a liking to you, you were as cold as ice. Now that you've seen the benefits of the Xi family, you're rushing to curry favor with them. Young Master Wang, is this the typical behavior of your Wang family?"

That's enough.

Xi Lingxian's face turned pale and then flushed in an instant, and she bit her lip to suppress the embarrassment in her heart.

"If the Crown Prince and Young Master Wang have something to discuss, please do not involve me; I offended Young Master Wang before because I was young and ignorant, but I no longer like him."

"Please, both of you, stop making fun of me. If there is a next time, don't blame me for being impolite."

Having said that, he turned away angrily, and Xi Song hurriedly chased after him.

Xiao Jing tilted his head, watching the beauty's figure disappear at the end of the corridor. When he looked at Wang Jue, his smile held a hint of provocation. "Young Master Wang, Miss Xi doesn't seem to appreciate your kindness."

Wang Jue didn't take Xiao Jing's words to heart, her gaze fixed on the depths of the long corridor ahead.

"Wang acts according to his own principles, so there is no need for the Crown Prince to worry about him."

The palace lanterns in the distance flickered, elongating the tall, aloof figure of the man.

Xiao Jing gave a low, cold snort, "Then I wish Young Master Wang good luck."

Beautiful women can bring endless glory.

Such a beauty would never be easily given away by Xiao Jing.