The young lady had just finished bathing, her snow-white skin tinged with a faint blush, her delicate cheeks so tender they seemed to glisten with moisture.
A lake-green dress accentuated the youthful freshness and radiance unique to a maiden. Her fingers were as soft as tender shoots, her nails gleaming with a healthy sheen and a subtle hint of pink.
She lifted the teacup and took a small sip, leaving a faint lipstick imprint on the porcelain-white rim.
Xiao Yan’s hand, which had been rubbing his thumb ring, tightened slightly, as if restraining something.
“That young man—does Miss Lin not intend to explain?”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Lin Zhaoyue set down her teacup. Her clear, bright almond-shaped eyes met his directly:
“What does Your Highness the Crown Prince wish to hear?”
Her tone was earnest, but her attitude was dismissive. Xiao Yan had no doubt that, if it pleased her, she could fabricate any story—completely unlike the sincere and passionate devotion she had once shown when by his side.
It was as if she had become an entirely different person.
The man’s handsome, sword-like brows furrowed slightly.
Seeing his stern, restrained expression, Lin Zhaoyue feared that continuing the conversation would lead to another argument. Having found the person she was looking for today, she didn’t want to spoil her mood:
“Although I am the future Crown Princess, hiring a household servant doesn’t require reporting to Your Highness the Crown Prince, does it?”
“Hiring a household servant at the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion? This humble one was unaware Miss Lin possessed such capabilities.”
Who in the Black Market didn’t know what kind of business the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion conducted?
As he spoke, the man’s jade-white fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.
Sensing the accusatory displeasure in his words, Lin Zhaoyue found it utterly baffling:
“What? Could it be that Your Highness the Crown Prince is jealous?”
“Lin Zhaoyue, you are this humble one’s future Crown Princess!”
Though Xiao Yan was ruthless and decisive in his methods, his temperament was typically steady, and he rarely lost his temper. Addressing her so formally by her full name clearly indicated he was on the verge of an outburst.
Perhaps driven by a desire for retaliation, Lin Zhaoyue felt nothing but satisfaction seeing him displeased. Just as she was about to provoke him further, a knock sounded at the door.
She glanced at Xiao Yan and saw that after drinking a cup of tea, the man had already regained his composure.
With a bored pout, she adjusted her veiled hat and called out, “Enter.”
The shopkeeper pushed the door open, his face beaming as if he had stumbled upon a treasure:
“Miss, everything is arranged. Please inspect the goods.”
With that, he stepped aside, allowing the young man behind him to come into view.
When this batch of goods had arrived yesterday, the handler had repeatedly emphasized that this one was a peerless beauty. The shopkeeper had glanced at him a couple of times and indeed found him of higher quality than previous offerings. Yet, he hadn’t expected that after being cleaned up and dressed, the young man would be so breathtakingly stunning.
The young man walked in obediently, his eyes carrying a trace of caution. He fidgeted slightly, nervously pinching his sleeve.
He was dressed in a white robe, his smooth, long hair cascading over his shoulders. His willow-like brows framed a face of such exquisite beauty that it blurred the lines between masculine and feminine. His crimson lips curved slightly upward, and his exceptionally light-colored irises made his eyes strikingly beautiful and pure—a stark contrast to Xiao Yan’s deep, inscrutable dark gaze.
A flicker of admiration passed through Lin Zhaoyue’s eyes. Although she had known from her previous life that he was handsome, seeing him again still made her marvel at how extraordinarily beautiful his appearance truly was.
His aura was unique—the kind of noble elegance that could only be cultivated from a childhood surrounded by luxury.
Such a person was either a natural-born prodigy or came from wealth and status.
In her past life, her heart had been entirely devoted to Xiao Yan, and she had never thought to investigate this young man’s origins—until he died saving her right before her eyes…
“Is the guest satisfied?”
Lin Zhaoyue nodded.
“Then, esteemed guest, please bestow a name upon him!”
Bestow a name?
In her previous life, there had been no such event. When he arrived at the Lin Residence, he was already called Xiao Bai.
According to the steward, Xiao Bai was found on the street, lying half-dead in the snow. Taking pity on him, the steward brought him back to see if the Lin Residence would be willing to take him in.
She felt that the Lin Residence could easily afford to feed one more person, so she allowed him to stay.
Her second brother, uneasy about having an unknown person by her side, ordered an investigation, which revealed Chu Bai’s past.
He had been repeatedly sold, escaped, recaptured, and sold again along the way.
Lin Zhaoyue never expected that a small act of kindness back then would lead him to step forward and protect her when she was attacked.
Lin Zhaoyue looked at the youth and said:
“Have you ever had a name? Or perhaps a name you like?”
The youth shook his head, his voice low and hoarse yet filled with anticipation:
“I beg my master to bestow a name.”
Upon hearing the youth call her “master,” Xiao Yan’s expression visibly darkened.
Lin Zhaoyue:…
“From now on, since you’ll be by my side, you may address me as ‘Miss,’ just like Seventeen does!”
“Please, Miss, bestow a name.”
“Then, shall I call you Chu Bai?”
She remembered hearing Chun He mention this name in her previous life, saying she had seen it on the amulet he wore around his neck.
That amulet was made of stitched fabric, worthless, yet he always wore it around his neck. Perhaps the innkeeper had seen it while he was bathing and, thinking it dirty, made him remove it.
When Chu Bai heard these two words, he felt a vague sense of familiarity and warmth, though he couldn’t recall why. He could only nod happily.
After settling on the name, Lin Zhaoyue called the innkeeper outside to discuss the price.
After all, Chu Bai was not a commodity to her, and discussing prices in front of him felt inappropriate.
“One thousand taels.”
As soon as the innkeeper spoke, Chu Bai rushed out from inside the room:
“Innkeeper, you’re swindling us! The most expensive ones among them cost only a hundred taels at most.”
The innkeeper looked at him and snorted:
“How can they compare to you?”
“But it shouldn’t be that much more expensive. You’re clearly trying to take advantage of my Miss because she’s wealthy.”
Seeing Chu Bai’s agitation, Lin Zhaoyue comfortingly patted his shoulder and said:
“I have my own plans. Go inside and wait for me.”
At Lin Zhaoyue’s words, Chu Bai reluctantly went back inside.
“Seventeen.”
This time, Seventeen understood Lin Zhaoyue’s meaning. Just as she was about to draw her sword, a one-thousand-tael banknote was placed before the innkeeper.
The banknote was held by a pair of jade-white hands, its owner expressionless.
“Thank you, esteemed guest.”
As the innkeeper spoke and reached out to take it, Lin Zhaoyue stepped forward, took the banknote, and stuffed it into Xiao Yan’s arms:
“You should keep this for yourself to spend slowly, Young Master! Heart Malady is difficult to cure and requires expensive medicine to sustain. You’ll have many expenses in the future, so don’t end up without money for treatment. Otherwise, the person dear to your heart might just breathe their last!”
In the future, after Xiao Yan was demoted, his life indeed became difficult.
Although Lin Zhaoyue spoke the truth, her words carried a sarcastic tone.
Not to mention her previous life, just a few days ago, he had told her not to covet what didn’t belong to her, and now he wanted to pay for her.
She was truly tired of this behavior—slapping someone and then offering a sweet date!
After speaking, Lin Zhaoyue didn’t look at Xiao Yan’s expression and said:
“Seventeen!”
As soon as Lin Zhaoyue spoke, a sword carrying a chilling aura pressed directly against the innkeeper’s throat:
“Innkeeper, how much did you say Chu Bai cost again?”
The shopkeeper, feeling the sharp sword against his neck, trembled and stammered:
“Two hundred taels.”
“That’s more like it.”
Lin Zhaoyue took out two hundred taels and handed them to the shopkeeper.
In her previous life, after accompanying Xiao Yan through his demotion and subsequent confinement to the Cold Palace, Lin Zhaoyue knew how hard-earned money was.
Moreover, the family’s wealth was earned through the toil of her father and brothers, so she couldn’t squander it recklessly.
Xiao Yan watched from the side, and seeing Lin Zhaoyue’s meticulous and frugal demeanor, a strange feeling stirred within him.
Especially when he noticed the fresh calluses on her palms from practicing swordsmanship, that feeling grew even stronger.