The Emperor's Beloved: My Ancestor is the Crown Prince?

Chapter 20 Princess Chang Le, Conquered by Delicious Food

Li Chengqian's gaze was fixed on the lunchbox in his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the smooth, cool metal surface, trying to decipher its secrets. What kind of ingenious mechanism could so perfectly seal in the warmth and aroma of the food?

Little Qingyi, watching her ancestor staring blankly at the lunchbox without eating, couldn't understand what was so interesting about it. "Ancestor, why are you just looking at the food and not eating it? Food is for eating, not for looking at!"

Li Chengqian was not displeased by the child's bluntness; at this moment, he was filled with curiosity about the object itself. "This rice box you've made is truly exquisite. Where did you get it?"

"Uncle Li gave me this box!" Little Qingyi blinked her big eyes, then suddenly thought of a possibility, and a hint of unease appeared on her face. "Does Grandma not like this box? Then... then I'll get you a prettier box next time!"

Li Chengqian remained silent. It wasn't that he disliked the box; he wanted to know how it was made! But how could he explain it to this child?

Li Lizhi naturally noticed the exquisite design of the lunchbox and couldn't help but admire her brother's deep affection for the child. Her gaze fell on the contents of the box: the rice was plump and glistening like jade, even surpassing the quality of the tribute rice she enjoyed in the palace; the few simple home-style dishes were brightly colored and fragrant, lacking any delicacies, yet possessing a vibrant and appetizing quality.

She couldn't resist picking up her silver chopsticks and taking a small bite of the greens. The vegetables were tender and fresh, perfectly seasoned, and most remarkably, they lacked the slight bitterness often found in seasonal vegetables. Instead, they possessed a unique, indescribable sweetness she had never tasted before. Next, she took a bite of the seemingly ordinary braised pork. The meat was tender and flavorful, the rich, savory-sweet taste melting on her tongue—even more satisfying than the most delicious roasted meat she could remember.

"Mmm..." Li Lizhi couldn't help but sigh softly, her brows and eyes relaxing. "Yiyi, this food... is absolutely delicious!"

It seems that coming to the East Palace today was definitely the right decision!

Even Li Chengqian, who had been focused on examining the lunchbox, couldn't help but slow down his investigation and savor the food under the temptation of his sister's praise and the increasingly rich aroma. The rice was soft, sticky, and fragrant, and the dishes had a rich and layered flavor—truly a taste he had never experienced before. Although he ate slowly, his chopsticks never stopped moving.

Seeing that the two were engrossed in their meal, Xiao Qingyi quickly moved closer, her big eyes sparkling with anticipation: "How is it? Isn't it much tastier than yesterday's meat?"

"This food...is truly extraordinary." Li Chengqian gave a very fair assessment. It was not just better than the meat soup from the imperial kitchen yesterday, it was worlds apart.

"If the old ancestor likes it, I'll bring it to you often in the future!" Xiao Qingyi immediately seized the opportunity and made a generous promise.

"No need," Li Chengqian shook his head, his expression returning to its usual calm. "A little taste is enough. I have plenty of food to offer."

Little Qingyi was stunned, her face filled with utter confusion. She tilted her head, completely baffled: "Why? Isn't it better to have good food? Why would Grandma rather eat such unpalatable food than the delicious food I brought?"

"It's not that I don't eat," Li Chengqian tried to explain, "it's just that I don't need to be overly demanding about food; enough to fill my stomach is sufficient."

Now Xiao Qingyi was even more confused, her little eyebrows furrowing together: "Grandma means... no matter how bad the food is, you'll still eat it?" Her little brain started working at lightning speed, trying to understand this "strange" logic, "Then... did the uncle who cooks deliberately make the food bad? Or... does he simply not know how to cook well?"

The more she thought about it, the more reasonable her reasoning seemed. Her eyes widened, and she came to a conclusion that shocked even herself: "Or is it that... Ancestor, you just like to eat really bad food? So that's why that uncle deliberately made such terrible food?"

"Cough—!" Li Chengqian almost choked on his food, feeling as if an invisible arrow had precisely struck his heart.

What does it mean that he likes to eat bad food? In this little dumpling's mind, what kind of strange person is Li Chengqian? He definitely doesn't have such an inexplicable hobby!

"Pfft..." Li Lizhi, who had been trying hard to maintain her dignified demeanor, couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her eyes crinkled as she looked at her brother's indescribable expression and then at Xiao Qingyi's earnest attempt to solve the problem, finding the scene utterly amusing.

"Hahaha... Yiyi is right, your father just doesn't know how to enjoy delicious food." Li Lizhi laughed and pulled Xiao Qingyi to her side, casually taking a piece of warm and translucent mutton-fat jade pendant carved with auspicious patterns from her waist and gently placing it in Xiao Qingyi's palm. "Auntie came in a hurry today and didn't prepare a gift for Yiyi. This jade pendant is for Yiyi, to thank our little darling for her hospitality. This meal is the happiest I've had in a while."

Xiao Qingyi looked down at the beautiful, warm-to-the-touch, flawless white jade pendant in her hand, then looked up at the smiling "Pretty Jie Jie." Although she didn't fully understand her ancestor's "dietary quirks," the joy of receiving the gift instantly overshadowed her confusion. She clutched the jade pendant tightly and smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Pretty Jie Jie! If Jie Jie likes it, I'll bring it back for you next time!"

Looking at the heartwarming scene of "kind aunt and filial nephew" before him, and then touching his chest, which felt like it had been struck by an arrow, Li Chengqian could only silently swallow the last bite of the delicious (but heavy) food.

This meal was truly a complex experience.