Ye Siming pursed his thin lips and took the cloth from her then sat down next to her.

His slender fingertips quickly peeled off the chestnut shell.

He pretended to ask casually, “Your hand… is fine now?”

Gu Nuo’er hummed and raised her pinky to check it.

Her fair and tender finger was as smooth as before without any wounds.

“Elder Brother Siming, after hearing what you said, I really feel a little pain! Hurry up and peel the chestnuts for me to eat. Perhaps I’ll be completely healed then~”

Ye Siming gritted his teeth when he heard that. “The little thing that is pushing your luck.”

When Ye Siming handed five to six whole peeled chestnuts to Gu Nuo’er, they were no longer as hot.

She ate happily and didn’t forget to break another piece to share with the dog.

Unexpectedly, the puppy seemed to have eaten its fill and didn’t even try to smell it. It just lay on its side and started snoring.

Gu Nuo’er looked at the chestnut in her hand that had been rejected by the dog. She silently pinched it with her small hand and raised it to Ye Siming’s mouth.

Ye Siming was speechless.

A vein popped out on the young boy’s forehead.

“Do you think that I didn’t see that this is something that the dog didn’t want to eat?”

Gu Nuo’er’s eyes flickered and she said aggrievedly, “Mother said that we can’t waste food.”

Ye Siming snatched the half piece of chestnut and threw it into his mouth. As he gritted his teeth and chewed, he stared at Gu Nuo’er coldly. “Eat your food and stop being a busybody!”

“Is it delicious?” The child asked with sparkling eyes.

At first, Ye Siming couldn’t be bothered to answer.

However, Gu Nuo’er refused to give up.

Ye Siming could only look elsewhere and nod unnaturally. “It’s alright.”

Gu Nuo’er finished the remaining chestnuts happily.

In the end, she reached out her soft hands. “Elder Brother Siming, carry me back to the house on your back.”

Ye Siming ignored her. “Walk by yourself.”

However, Gu Nuo’er wasn’t trying to discuss this with him.

She stood up and grabbed Ye Siming’s back with her chubby arms.

Ye Siming was about to pull her down.

The child said pitifully, “I will fall! I’m full now and can’t walk.”

Ye Siming gritted his teeth and could only support Gu Nuo’er with one hand while propping himself up with the other.

Why was this little thing so difficult to deal with?

On the way back, the little princess would burst out with cheeky and cute words from time to time, making the cold youth so angry that he threatened her again and again.

However, it just caused the little princess to laugh even more happily.

Abbot Zhijue stood under the corridor in the distance and saw this scene.

He slowly lowered his head and clasped his hands together. “Amitabha.”

Relationships form and relationships die. Everything had its own cause and effect.

…

Early next morning, the weather was still gloomy.

Gu Nuo’er woke up very early. Today, she was going to the scripture tower to serve Buddha with Empress Du for half a day.

The act of serving Buddha just meant they had to stay in the tower for half a day to show their sincerity.

Gu Nuo’er was a child. She might not be able to sit still and could feel bored.

Empress Du was unwilling to restrain her, so she got Wanyin to pack a lot of candied fruits and pastries to be brought into the tower with them so that Gu Nuo’er could eat them as a way to relieve her boredom.

At around 7.45 a.m., Abbot Zhijue led a group of monks and guided Empress Du and the little princess Gu Nuo’er up to the back of the mountain.

The scripture tower was situated in the courtyard that was at the very back of Taishi Monastery. It was closer to the deep forest where the place was quiet and distant.

“Your Majesty, Princess, this poor monk will send you till here.” Abbot Zhijue bowed slightly.

Empress Du held Gu Nuo’er’s hand and nodded at him.

According to the rules, only the royal family could enter the scripture tower to serve the Buddha. Even the palace servants and hidden guards had to wait outside.

Two monks opened the doors to the tower while Empress Du took Gu Nuo’er’s hand and led her in.

Wanyin watched behind them and couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Until the door of the scripture tower was slowly closed.