But what Leng Ruoli didn't know was that the moment she left, the Emperor and Empress Dowager also exited the palace through another gate.
Upon her return to the Cold King's Estate, Leng Ruoli was led by Xing'er and Ling'er to sit in the small pavilion in Hancheng Courtyard.
However, she noticed that the arrangement of her courtyard resembled the scene from her wedding with Jun Mohan. The small pavilion where she was seated was even more extravagant. Apart from a narrow walkway, the stone table and benches in the pavilion were not covered with anything. Instead, the entire pavilion was scattered with flower petals, and a faint floral fragrance permeated the air.
What day was it today!
Seeing the festive decorations in the courtyard, Leng Ruoli's beautiful face furrowed as she wondered, "Is Jun Mohan going to take a concubine today?"
The thought immediately darkened her mood.
"Jun Mohan, if you dare to take a concubine, I will never forgive you," Leng Ruoli vowed silently in her heart.
However, seeing the smiles on Xing'er and Ling'er's faces, she doubted it. After all, Xing'er and Ling'er were her people, loyal to her. If Jun Mohan were to take a concubine, these two little maids would not be smiling so brightly.
So, if it wasn't for Jun Mohan taking a concubine, what other happy event had occurred in the Cold King's Estate that she didn't know about?
"Xing'er, Ling'er, is there any happy event in the estate today? Why is the courtyard decorated so festively?" Leng Ruoli asked them curiously.
Hearing this, Xing'er and Ling'er exchanged a glance, then turned to look at Leng Ruoli.
"Wangfei, don't you know what day it is today?" Xing'er asked, full of confusion.
Leng Ruoli shook her head, "I really don't know."
"You don't even remember such an important day?" Xing'er was dumbfounded.
But as she opened her mouth to tell Leng Ruoli, Ling'er immediately stopped her.
"Wangfei, you'll know in a moment," Ling'er said to her mysteriously.
Leng Ruoli: "..."
This only made Leng Ruoli more bewildered.
Fortunately, not long after Leng Ruoli sat down, Jun Mohan walked towards her carrying a large bowl. Seeing Jun Mohan approach them, Xing'er and Ling'er, with their usual keen awareness, quickly stepped aside.
"Lier, you're back?"
Hearing this, Leng Ruoli nodded.
She saw that Jun Mohan's cheeks were smeared with soot. As he spoke, the corners of his lips curled up into a gentle smile, his deep purple eyes filled with adoration, and he walked quickly towards Leng Ruoli with the large bowl.
Leng Ruoli's doubts vanished instantly. At this moment, she suddenly found it a little amusing.
"Mmm, what were you doing to get your face like this? You're the cleanest person I know!" Leng Ruoli asked him with a smile.
"Haha, it's nothing. I'm happy today. It's fine if my face is dirty."
"Come, come, Lier, sit down quickly. I've made something delicious for you."
As he spoke, Jun Mohan placed the large bowl in his hands on the stone table of the pavilion.
Leng Ruoli looked down. It was a bowl of noodles with a slightly burnt fried egg on top.
"Lier, Happy Birthday!" Jun Mohan said excitedly.
Leng Ruoli was slightly taken aback by Jun Mohan's birthday wish.
"Today is my birthday?" Leng Ruoli asked, looking utterly bewildered.
"Yes, Lier. Your birth date is today, seventeen years ago," Jun Mohan explained with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruoli searched the original owner's memories. It was indeed the original owner's birthday.
"Sigh, look at my memory!"
Saying this, Leng Ruoli raised her hand and patted her forehead, saying with a smile.
In fact, it wasn't strange at all that she didn't remember her birthday, as she wasn't the real Leng Ruoli. Jun Mohan also knew her secret, so he didn't say much.
"It's okay, as long as I remember! Come, sit down quickly and try the longevity noodles I made for you. If you don't eat them soon, they'll get soggy." Jun Mohan said with a smile.
Hearing this, Leng Ruoli first looked at Jun Mohan's smiling face, then glanced down at the bowl of black noodles on the stone table. She sat down, picked up the chopsticks Jun Mohan handed her, and took a bite of the noodles. They were so salty that Leng Ruoli's brow furrowed, but she still swallowed the noodles.
"Lier, how are the noodles I cooked?" Jun Mohan asked eagerly.
Seeing Jun Mohan's expectant face, Leng Ruoli didn't want to discourage him.
"These noodles are cooked quite well! You've really learned from me."
"But when did you learn to cook noodles?"
After praising him, Leng Ruoli asked curiously.
"Heh heh, when I started learning to cook noodles doesn't matter. What matters is that you eat them happily."
Jun Mohan blushed as he heard Leng Ruoli praise him. He then chuckled, dispelling the awkwardness, looking like a shy young boy.
This was the first time Leng Ruoli had seen such a cute side of Jun Mohan in all the time she had spent with him.
"Thank you, Jun Mohan!"
Even without Jun Mohan saying it, Leng Ruoli could guess that he had started learning to cook noodles in the last two or three days.
Because Jun Mohan had been acting mysteriously for the past two days, hiding from her in the kitchen. Yesterday, she had accidentally overheard the housekeeper muttering that the Prince had nearly set the kitchen on fire.
It was known that Jun Mohan normally disliked going to the kitchen. Unless she was also cooking in the kitchen, Jun Mohan would never be seen in the kitchen of the Cold King's Estate.
Now, looking at the soot on Jun Mohan's face and hands, and the strong smoky smell on him, she knew he was a novice in the kitchen. People who worked in the kitchen often would not make themselves so dishevelled.
Leng Ruoli thought to herself as she ate the longevity noodles Jun Mohan had cooked for her with large bites.
Seeing his Wangfei eating so heartily, Jun Mohan's mouth began to water.
He had been in the kitchen all day, not eating anything, to cook this bowl of longevity noodles. His stomach was rumbling with hunger.
"Lier, are these longevity noodles really that delicious? Can you save me a mouthful to try?"
Jun Mohan swallowed and pleaded.
"No, this bowl of longevity noodles is for me, isn't it? If you want noodles, you can ask the kitchen to cook you another bowl."
Leng Ruoli immediately refused him.
"But I just want to share a bowl with you."
Jun Mohan said stubbornly. As he spoke, he snatched the bowl from Leng Ruoli's hand and took a small sip of the soup. As soon as Jun Mohan tasted the soup, he spat it out.
"This noodle soup is unbelievably salty and bitter!"
"How could you eat it? Lier, don't eat anymore. I'll quickly get you some water, or your intestines will be ruined by the salt."
"Ai..."
"I'm so stupid. I learned in the main kitchen for three days and can't even make a bowl of noodle soup," Jun Mohan said, both dejected and self-reproaching.
"It's okay, you've done very well! I can just get a bottle of mineral water from my spatial dimension. However, if the noodles you cooked today were a little lighter in taste, they would be delicious. Keep trying!"
Leng Ruoli comforted him.
"Lier, I'm truly sorry. I wanted to give you a surprise, but instead, you ended up eating such terrible noodles. I'm also so stupid. After cooking this bowl of longevity noodles, I didn't even taste it. If I had tasted it, you wouldn't be..."
In short, Jun Mohan was filled with self-reproach.