395: Chapter 395 Gossip: Jasmine Gets on the "Thief's Ship"

On the other side.

Hua Liuli carried a plate of freshly baked osmanthus cakes and gently placed it on the table in front of Jasmine.

"Senior, this plate was just made. I had them add extra candied osmanthus. Please taste it and see if it's soft enough."

Jasmine had been resting her chin on her hand, watching the people in the great hall clinking glasses in boredom.

Upon hearing the words 'osmanthus cakes', her little nose twitched.

She looked down, and her eyes instantly brightened by three points.

The snow-white cakes were sprinkled with bits of golden osmanthus.

Steaming hot vapor wafted up, carrying a sweet fragrance.

It was indeed much more tempting than the previous snacks.

"You have some heart, I suppose."

Jasmine primly picked up a piece and took a bite.

Her brows instantly relaxed.

It was soft and dense, sweet but not cloying.

The aroma of osmanthus melted on the tip of her tongue, just right.

She finished one piece in two or three bites and picked up a second one.

Bai Ling sat on her right, resting her chin on her hands.

She looked at Jasmine eating the pastry as if she were looking at some rare treasure:

"Senior is eating so deliciously."

Jasmine hummed and replied vaguely:

"It's alright. Barely edible."

Hua Liuli and Wu Qingya exchanged a look.

Wu Qingya bent over and brought out a small white porcelain bowl from under the table.

She lifted the lid to reveal warm milk soup, with a little crushed nuts sprinkled on top.

"Senior, this should be more comfortable if paired with the osmanthus cakes."

Wu Qingya gently pushed the white porcelain bowl in front of Jasmine.

"Would you like to try it?"

The fingers Jasmine was using to hold the osmanthus cake paused slightly.

"You all…"

Jasmine put down the osmanthus cake and straightened her little face.

"Are you plotting something?"

Bai Ling blinked her large, innocent eyes:

"No, we aren't. We just think Senior speaks beautifully and has extensive knowledge, and we want to hear more about those fun things you've seen."

"Cut the nonsense."

Although Jasmine said that, her right hand honestly picked up the milk soup, and she took a sip.

The warm, smooth liquid slid down her throat, carrying just the right amount of sweetness; it really paired perfectly with the osmanthus cakes.

"How about this,"

Jasmine put down the porcelain bowl and crossed her legs.

She spoke with an expression that said, 'Seeing as you've served me quite well, I'll reveal a little something.'

"I have a question for you."

Hua Liuli responded gently: "Please go ahead, Senior."

"Do you think that woman Xuanyin will ever fall in love in this lifetime?"

When the words fell, the three of them—Hua Liuli and the others—froze simultaneously.

They had expected Jasmine to talk about the Lava Star Belt or Flame Behemoths.

To talk about those exciting stories of fighting and killing.

But they never expected Senior to cut straight to the core of the gossip the moment she spoke.

Bai Ling was the first to come back to her senses, leaning forward half an inch in excitement:

"Senior! Are you talking about… King Xuanyin, Your Highness?"

"She has never fallen in love before?"

Jasmine chewed the osmanthus cake slowly, speaking with the calm tone of someone who had 'been there':

"As far as I know, never."

"She cultivates the Dao of Charm, and her heart is as cold as a block of ice."

"In her eyes, there are only two types of men: the dead ones and the living ones."

Bai Ling gasped, the admiration in her eyes almost overflowing:

"Then do you think she now… towards our husband…"

Jasmine swallowed the osmanthus cake and picked up the milk soup to take another sip.

Then she acted profound and said: "Hard to say."

"Senior, don't keep us in suspense!"

Bai Ling was so anxious she kept shaking her sleeve.

"Tell us! Aren't you and King Xuanyin old friends? You must know better than anyone!"

Jasmine was shaken so hard that the milk in her bowl almost spilled, so she quickly pressed down on Bai Ling's hand:

"Tsk! What's the rush?"

"When I say it's hard to say, it's because she hasn't figured out her own feelings yet."

"She hasn't even figured it out herself?"

Wu Qingya leaned in at the right moment, her voice soft and slow.

"Does that mean, Senior, that King Xuanyin is actually quite conflicted inside right now?"

"Conflicted?"

Jasmine hummed with a laugh.

"As messy as a pot of stirred-up rice porridge."

"You didn't see the scene from two days ago. The dignified King Xuanyin had her ears turned red just from a single sentence from your husband."

"I saw it with my own eyes."

Hua Liuli refilled half a bowl of milk soup for Jasmine:

"Senior truly has a Wisdom Eye. Then, according to your judgment, how will this end for King Xuanyin?"

Jasmine took the milk soup, drank a sip, licked the corner of her mouth, and said seriously:

"That depends on your husband's ability."

"Xuanyin, that person, looks charming and beautiful on the surface, but her defenses are thicker than a city wall."

"If she really falls in love, she won't easily admit it."

"Someone needs to push her, kick her, and force her into a corner where she has no retreat; only then might she resign herself to fate."

Bai Ling's eyes lit up: "Then Senior, you are the one to push her!"

Jasmine was stunned: "Me?"

"Right!" Bai Ling counted on her fingers.

"You and King Xuanyin have been old friends for thousands of years; she will definitely listen to what you say."

"And you came to the wedding banquet today just to keep an eye on her and see if she would do anything, right!"

"Since Senior cares so much about her, you might as well help her to the end and give her that push!"

Hua Liuli nodded along:

"Sister Bai Ling makes sense."

"Senior, you have a deep friendship with King Xuanyin. If you are willing to help facilitate this, it would be worth more than a hundred words from us."

The fingers Jasmine was using to hold the milk soup stiffened slightly.

She had originally just wanted to watch King Xuanyin's joke with the heart of a melon-eater.

How, while eating osmanthus cakes and drinking milk soup, and being flattered and coaxed by three Juniors,

did she inexplicably become the key person who "must promote this marriage"?

"I…"

Jasmine opened her mouth, wanting to refute.

But Bai Ling's bright, expectant eyes.

Coupled with Hua Liuli's gentle gaze of "Senior is indeed the most responsible".

And plus another piece of osmanthus cake handed over by Wu Qingya at the right moment…

She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

"…You little girls, each one of you has more tricks up your sleeves than a honeycomb."

Jasmine muttered and lowered her head to take another bite of the osmanthus cake.

After chewing for a long time, she vaguely replied: "We'll see."

Bai Ling immediately cheered: "Senior agreed!"

"I didn't agree!"

"You said 'we'll see'! 'We'll see' means you agreed!"

"Which ear did you hear that I agreed with!"

"Both of them heard it!"

Hua Liuli laughed softly on the side to smooth things over:

"It's okay if Senior doesn't want to agree right away."

"We all know that Senior has the kindest heart and dotes on her Juniors the most."

"Whenever Senior wants to eat osmanthus cakes in the future, just give the order."

Jasmine hummed and stuffed the last piece of osmanthus cake into her mouth.

Her cheeks were bulging, and she mumbled unclearly:

"I really have boarded your pirate ship."

But when she said this, the corners of her eyes were clearly curved.