As a result, she caught Empress Dowager Zhuang's gaze.
Xiao Jingkong quickly retracted his little head and closed the room's door with a humph!
Empress Dowager Zhuang went to the child's room.
The child was facing away from her, backed into a corner next to a wardrobe.
"Come out." Empress Dowager Zhuang said.
"I won't come out!" Xiao Jingkong huffed, then sneaked a glance at her, "You...you feed me, then I'll come out!"
As soon as he started to act coy, his speech became redundant.
A quarter of an hour later, Empress Dowager Zhuang and the child were sitting in the courtyard.
A small wooden table in front of them held a bowl of steaming millet porridge.
"Eat it yourself." said Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Little Jingkong pouted, tipped back his head, cleared his throat, and put all his effort into a cry: "Wahhh—"
Empress Dowager Zhuang shuddered and spooned some millet porridge into the child's mouth!
Old Jijiu and Xiao Liulang returned from Guozijian and Hanlin Academy.