Xiao Xiao hadn't missed the little expressions Heavenly Maiden had made earlier, or the way her mouth had moved.
He could barely hold back a laugh.
He'd originally wanted to tell Heavenly Maiden not to feel self-conscious around him.
But then he thought about it. Maybe it was best to pretend he hadn't noticed.
He turned to look at little Taotie.
Seeing the little monster looking eager to pounce, he found it amusing.
"Go ahead and eat."
Taotie was just about to dive headfirst into the pile of sugar-roasted chestnuts—
When a tail shot toward it like lightning.
Taotie tumbled across the table in a few clumsy somersaults.
Taotie sprang to its feet, its face full of fury.
Its exposed fangs gleamed with a chilling edge.
A Jiu didn't seem to care.
It leaped gracefully onto the table.
It cast Taotie a sidelong glance, then looked away.
Taotie: ...
A few seconds later—
Hmph.
Taotie silently clung to the bag and reached in for a sugar-roasted chestnut.
It didn't even bother peeling it.
It tossed the whole chestnut straight into its mouth.
"Crack, crunch~"
Though it was eating sugar-roasted chestnuts, Xiao Xiao felt like the little monster was eating broad beans.
It crunched them loudly.
"Fei Fei~"
Fei Fei offered Xiao Xiao a peeled sugar-roasted chestnut.
Xiao Xiao paused in surprise.
Then he smiled.
"Thank you."
He patted the little monster's head.
Then he took the chestnut.
"Fei Fei, just eat them yourself."
"I can eat them on my own, too."
"Fei Fei~"
The little monster nodded happily as it watched Xiao Xiao eat the chestnut it had given him.
It obediently stopped offering chestnuts to Lord Xiao Xiao.
Instead, it started eating them itself.
"Hiss~"
The white snake casually flicked its tail.