Mama's Princess is Daddy's Beloved

"Umm … Here is one more bag for His Highness and the Crown Prince. I didn't know what I should take for them, so I prepared something myself." Li Xue said, smiling slightly with a bit of modest shyness as she turned to look at the king. Only to find him smiling at her in return.

His smile put Li Xue in some thoughts. Was he smiling because she brought him the gifts? But she wasn't sure of it at first. Only in the morning when she felt like it would be bad only to present the New Year gifts to the queen, she quickly prepared something for them as well. Now seeing him smile like this, she knew how right she was to do that.

Otherwise, she could not dare think of the offense she would have done not bringing it. Shaking her head internally, her smile deepened as her hands went to scratch lightly on the side of her brows.

Chen Rui flicked off her inevident tears from her eyes while giving a peal of small laughter she asked, "You brought them something, that's itself is enough. None of them deserve it."

"Hehe … this is the least I could think of. I didn't plan to bring it first." To moderate the playful words of the woman, Li Xue quickly said as she put the bag on the table for the queen to see. 

Her Royal Highness squinted her eyes a bit at the girl and then looked down at the back before fiddling into it to take out whatever was inside. "You said you prepared it yourself. What did you prepare? I hope this is not something prettier than what you have given to me. I am a bit of a jealous personality and wouldn't like it."

Li Xue smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Ma. Whatever I have prepared is in enough quantity and you may also have it. There is nothing to be jealous about."

Chen Rui smiled. "I can also have it? What have you prepared?" She asked with some surprise before pulling out a nicely packed delicate golden box and then lifting its lid open. Shin Tinming also walked his way to take a look at the box.

"They are some plain dessert dishes prepared by me. I am not sure if you would like it or not, but I am sure of one thing that these are under the note of health guidelines that I took from Mr. Cao. So it will be fit and safe as per everyone's taste." Li Xue said and at the same time, the queen's eyes went to look at the beautifully prepared and set desserts in the box.

Inside the box was the set of six beautifully prepared Carmello-nutty sweetness, kept over the vanilla baked cookies, well decorated by slightly roasted golden sliced nuts and a chocolate bead. No doubt it was looking pretty and extremely delicious ready to be savored. 

"Whoa! I have heard of you being a capable gourmet chef especially in the category of desserts but never thought that we would get the chance to taste them, given you already left your cooking behind. But who knows that getting you in our life like a daughter will give us a chance." Chen Rui said, smiling with her best. "But this must have taken your time. You really didn't have to do this. Just a gift for me was enough".

Li Xue shook her head as she denied it. "Actually it didn't take much of my time. Since working in the restaurant, I am already experienced in preparing them at a short notice time. So it was just work requiring some time from me."

She said and her royal highness just understandably nodded to her then turning to her husband, she said, "Look, did you understand it now? This was what I have been saying about having daughters. Girls are bound to bring happiness to their parents, unlike boys. No matter what they would do, they would always hold a part and time to think about something to bring everyone to smile."

Shin Tinming had no words to say. It was hard to decipher his thoughts from his expression but whatever it was, his eyes were simply not leaving the desserts. Nodding simply to his wife, he agreed to her words with a hum and then pulled out his phone to snap a picture of the golden box.

His action dumbfounded both the ladies but to their dumbfoundedness, the man clarified. "The desserts would be soon gone. I am sure after that you would need a picture to save in the album. So I did it for you."

He said and Chen Rui looked at him with some meaning that neither he was able to understand nor she was ready to explain.

While at the same time from a distance, Shin You Jun came holding the little one's hands. "What is happening here?" He asked. his eyes staring at the cashmere scarf at first and then going to check inside the golden gift box, his mother held in her hands. "Ma, I thought we would never accept gifts from anyone? You even put Su Ce's gift somewhere in the darkest corner of the palace without giving a proper look at it. Then why are you so excitedly looking at her brought things? Are you making her an exception today?"

Li Xue didn't understand it at first. Mustn't the royals receive gifts from others? Yes, they must be, after all, they were royals and many people used this trick to remain in the good books of the family. Then?

She looked quizzically at the queen, whose eyes had turned all sharp and piercing at his son. "You Jun, haven't I already said to you to weigh your words before bringing it on? Then why do I find you always skipping it?"

"Ma, I …"

"Enough, Li Xue is not like others to us. She is the daughter of this palace and has brought something for us, That too preparing on her own. You should learn from her instead of making such useless unneeded comments". Chen Rui said and it only left the young boy at the tough spot.

Why did he again forget that he has to restrain himself from saying anything against this one woman? Was it that hard for him to take care of?

He shook his head and then looking at Li Xue, he smiled and bowed his head said in a tone of gratefulness, "Elder sister, you brought gifts for us. Thank you! Next time I would be mindful of following your path" He said and his words and tone stunned Li Xue for a moment.

But then, before she could say anything, she was taken aback by his next action. Without hesitating, the boy turned and from the dessert box, picked up one dessert piece and savored it.

"Mhmm … Must say you are definitely not at all bad at cooking. You have prepared it really well. It's delicious."

With his praises, Li Xue got more stunned. Praise for her like this? That was something simply impossible from this young Crown Prince.

What was this boy planning for? She could already sense something from his attitude but couldn't guess it out from his switching vocals. Her eyes went to look at her little one down, who was holding his hands, and seeing her blink her eyes with innocence, she could only confirm her assumptions. And something in the smile of the boy was also giving her the vibes.

There is definitely something that she was unaware of. But what was it?