Li Rui was not surprised when Xi Ying suddenly moved his eyes to look at her.

However, she was surprised when he suddenly questioned her.

"Xiao Ling's mother, whom do you dislike more? The children who drool in their sleep or the people who lie?"

Xi Ling immediately followed his father's eyes and looked towards the door. His eyes brightened when he saw his mother.

Li Rui smiled seeing this more and walked towards her son.

She made him stand on the bed as she opened the strings of his clothes.

"Both actually. However, if the child who drools is Xiao Ling then Mother doesn't dislike it. Xiao Ling will always be mother's favorite."

Xi Ling was very happy after hearing this and looked at his father proudly who really didn't have much of a good face.

Li Rui undressed Xi Ling and then put some light clothes on his body.

A moment later, Liu Lan came to the door. Seeing that her mistress was removing Xi Ling's clothes she said

"Bath for Young Master is ready, My Lady."

Li Rui nodded her head. She covered Xi Ling in loose clothes and then asked him to climb down from the bed.

It was still very cold so Liu Lan immediately covered Xi Ling in a cloth and then took him outside the room.

As soon as they left, Xi Ying pulled Li Rui towards him and then made him sit in his lap.

"Here have this."

Li Rui saw that his palm had some dry fruits so she picked one with her hand and put it inside her mouth.

His eyes were her pink lips as they moved lightly whenever she chewed on the fruit.

Putting his chin on Li Rui's shoulder, Xi Ying whispered huskily

"Hm..so Xi Ling is your favorite.."

Li Rui stopped for a moment as she turned her head a little sideways to look at Xi Ying's face. From his face, he didn't look angry but ..just a little sad.

Li Rui turned her head back to look at the front wondering just how should she answer this question.

"I ..actually .."

Xi Ying's eyes dimmed a little when he saw the conflict on her face. He didn't want her to struggle so much.

He kissed Rui's cheek softly and then whispered

"Leave it. I am happy that you don't want to hurt me by saying the truth."

He, indeed, was happy because it meant that Li Rui cared about him. Other than that, what the answer was to the question he had asked, he already knew it.

And it was something that he had earned for himself so he could only accept it for now.

"Let's go and have breakfast."

Saying this, he lifted Li Rui a little and made her stand on the ground. After that, both of them exited the room with Li Rui glancing at Xi Ying every few moments.

.

.

.

Xi Ling entered the dining room when Xi Ying had just started to serve the dishes in Li Rui's plate. He pouted when he saw that everyone had started without him.

Without even asking, he knew that it must be his father who had taken his mother to the dining room and then asked her to start eating.

Xi Ling felt wronged because of being left alone.

On the other hand, Xi Ying didn't sense his son's current mood and dragged a chair for him. However, the little bun ignored his father's kind intentions and instead walked towards his beautiful mother.

"Mother, Xi Ling wants to eat from mother's hand."

Li Rui glanced at Xi Ling's innocent face. She smiled and then put Xi Ling on the chair beside herself.

Xi Ying looked at his son with narrowed eyes.

Xi Ling was very happy now. He smiled and shook his small legs as he saw his mother serving the food on his plate.

However, after the food was served, Li Rui put a pair of chopsticks in his hand and said gently

"Didn't Xiao Ling say two days ago that Xiao Ling is now a big boy?"

Xi Ling immediately nodded his head.

Yes, he had said this.

Li Rui smiled again however the words she said made the little bun regret his words from two days ago.

historical

"Good. Big boys eat with their own hands. See..Mother and Father are also eating on their own, right?"

Xi Ling didn't want to agree but he had to nod his head again under his mother's gentle eyes.

He suddenly wished to take her words back but remembered his father's words that an honest and wise person never steps back from his words.

So he could only vent his frustration off on his food by poking them again and again with his chopsticks.

On the other hand, Xi Ying snickered silently on seeing this scene.

His own bun was daring to fight with him for his wife. The little bit of jealousy he had felt on hearing that Xi Ling was his wife's favorite vanished away slowly.

His wife was simply very wonderful.

--------

After finishing the breakfast, Xi Ying told Xi Ling what all things he need to read and write from the book. He always checked the work he will give to Xi Ling after coming back from the Imperial Court.

However, since Li Rui was now here, he would just give him the work, and then Li Rui will already check it and tell him his mistakes before he comes back.

Li Rui accompanied Xi Ying to the exit of Plum Courtyard and looked around when Xi Ying didn't find any servant or maid, he suddenly pulled her closer and planted a kiss on her lips.

Stroking her hair lightly, he whispered

"Take care. I will try to come back as soon as possible."

The surprised and shy Li Rui again pretended to look calm in front of this affection, however, her red cheeks gave her away.

She nodded her head softly.

Xi Ying smiled and lastly put a kiss on her forehead.

"Go back now."

Li Rui silently turned around and went back inside the courtyard.

Xi Ying suddenly wished to go back with her. However, he knew that he needed to go to the Imperial Palace also.

With a sigh, he turned around.. The smile left his lips and he again became the cold and indifferent prime minister of Xin.