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Susu had just taken a bite of her cookie when she saw the Empress Dowager coming and happily rushed towards her.

"Nana."

Following Susu was Little White, who trailed behind her like a shadow; wherever Susu went, Little White was sure to follow, never leaving her side.

The Empress spotted Susu from a distance, and as she saw her running over, she couldn’t help but worry about the child tripping.

Susu’s gait was unsteady, and she was prone to tripping while running. Last time she fell, her little hands were all scraped and red, which pained the Empress deeply.

Throwing aside any concern for regal poise, she ran to meet Susu, "Susu, slow down, don’t fall."

Lady followed behind, watching the Empress’s anxious behavior; she tightened her grip on her handkerchief, recalling how the Empress had never been so worried about her when she was a child.

When Susu reached the Empress, she stretched out her arms wanting to be held, "Nana, hold baby."

"Alright." The Empress bent down to pick up Susu, finding her weight a bit of a struggle compared to the ease of holding her when she was around one-year-old.

But who could resist her darling granddaughter? Even if carrying her was hard, she had to, or soon Susu would grow too big to be held in her arms.

Susu puckered her lips and planted a "smack" on the Empress Dowager’s cheek, her eyes and eyebrows curving in a smile, "Nana."

The Empress looked at her beloved granddaughter’s gesture and laughed, "What are you eating?"

Susu raised the cookie in her hand, shaking it proudly, "Cookie, very yum."

The cookie was made by Shen Chuwei, who taught Chun Xi to bake it with milk, keeping it low in sugar and delightfully crisp—Susu loved it.

The Empress eyed Susu’s chubby cheeks and teased, "Careful, you might turn into a little round ball."

With a bite of her cookie, Susu lisped, "Ball ball, fun."

Lady was baffled as to why her aunt adored the little princess so much.

Seeing the white tiger trailing behind the little princess still scared her, but since her aunt seemed not to be afraid of the tiger, she mustered her courage to take a few steps forward and suggested, "Aunt, the sun outside is quite strong, let’s go inside. "

Seeing Susu’s little face turning red from the sun, the Empress nodded and, holding Susu, headed toward the Study Room.

Lady immediately followed close behind, fearing that if she lagged, the white tiger might pounce and tear her to pieces.

As they approached, Lady saw Taotao and Chu Lingfeng playing at the door and sneered, understanding why Lady kept running here—it was because the Top Scholar was present.

Lady must be unable to endure the loneliness and aimed to engage the Top Scholar’s affections.

In the Study Room, there was only the Top Scholar, and with Lady not outside, a lone man and a single woman together, who knows what inappropriate things they might be up to out of sight.

She looked at the Empress with a smile, "Aunt, I’ve heard that the tutor for Taotao is this year’s newly-appointed Top Scholar."

"I have heard of it too. They say the new Top Scholar is the youngest in history, only nineteen, an exceptional talent indeed."

The Empress hadn’t met him yet and took this opportunity to visit Susu and Taotao.

Chu Lingfeng saw the Empress approaching and promptly bowed, "Your Highness, this subject pays respects—may the Empress be blessed with endless peace and safety."

Taotao hadn’t seen the Empress Dowager for a few days and was so delighted that she forgot to bow, rushing forward two steps to tug at the Empress’s sleeve.

"Nana."

The Empress squatted down, put Susu down, and pinched Taotao’s little face, which, although not as chubby as Susu’s cheeks, was still soft and plump.

"Taotao, is studying tiring?"

Taotao shook her head, "I like it."

Lady glanced around and not seeing Lady and Scholar Song, inquired of Chu Lingfeng, "Where is Scholar Song?"

Chu Lingfeng replied, "Master Song is inside the Study Room."

Lady turned to the Empress and suggested pointedly, "Aunt, shall we go have a look?"

"Let’s go inside for a look." The Empress, holding one hand of Taotao and the other of Susu, walked into the Study Room.

Lady hurried to follow them eagerly.

Upon entering the Study Room, they saw two people standing together, adjusting their clothes.

Realizing someone had entered, both individuals paused, momentarily startled.

Lady saw Lady and a handsome young man together, apparently fixing their attire, and the young man, seeming somewhat youthful and tender, had to be the Top Scholar.

No wonder Lady came here so often—the Top Scholar indeed had an attractive allure.

Feigning surprise, Lady asked, "Lady, what are you doing here?" then gesturing towards them as though uncovering a scandalous secret, "What are you two doing alone in the Study Room?"

While speaking, Lady intentionally raised her voice so that everyone could hear.