"Oh, it's just a few little dishes!" Xia Ru said with a laugh.
As the saying goes, no one slaps a smiling face, so even if she disliked it, she still had to invite them in. Moreover, they had once saved her life. That made it even harder to be impolite. After all, being a minor consort to the Emperor was tough for everyone. They had no ill intentions, so if she still acted like a bantam rooster, that would be terrible!
She force-fed herself two bowls of poisonous "chicken soup" for the soul.
Xia Ruqing managed to produce a somewhat more natural smile, although she still disliked the Emperor's other minor concubines. But at least it wasn't awkward anymore.
Honored Lady Xi entered with a smile. Upon seeing the table laden with a few delicate dishes and a jug of wine, her eyes immediately lit up.
"Elder Sister Xia, you really are amazing..."
"I don't even dare to drink alcohol!"
Xia Ruqing smiled. "This is grape wine; I just asked the shopkeeper for it!"
