Only after entering the inner courtyard did Si Nan dare to raise her face.
Xiahou Jin’s expression darkened imperceptibly. The sudden emptiness in his arms left him feeling a profound sense of loss.
“Third Highness, did you learn how to perform magic tricks? Your face changes faster than theatrical masks.”
Xiahou Jin’s gaze grew even deeper. He had always prided himself on hiding his emotions, yet in front of Si Nan, his composure cracked time and again with ease. For a member of the imperial family, this was a fatal flaw. Once a person had a weakness, it became easy for others to manipulate them and hold their destiny in their hands.
Si Nan was a wild card to him…
After tonight, he resolved, he would part ways with Si Nan and steadfastly refuse to meddle in her affairs ever again.
Meanwhile, Si Nan was curiously taking in the layout of the inner courtyard, her round eyes darting everywhere without pause. Looking at her, Xiahou Jin’s heart couldn’t help but soften.
“If you like them, you may take whichever ornaments catch your eye back to the General’s Mansion later.”
“That wouldn’t be… appropriate, would it?”
Xiahou Jin let out a helpless laugh. “Lower the upturned corners of your mouth before you tell me it’s inappropriate.”
Surprised that someone as aloof and distant as Xiahou Jin could crack such a playful joke, Si Nan looked up in curiosity.
The sharp, deep contours of his face seemed bathed in a soft glow. His handsome brows and slender eyes held a hidden warmth, and the dark ink of his pupils looked like melting ice, overflowing with gentle light. The faint smile playing on his lips felt as refreshing as a spring breeze.
His already picture-perfect, handsome face now resembled an immortal who had descended into the mortal realm, touched by the warmth of human life. With just one glance, he left an indelible mark on her heart, making him impossible to forget.
With her earlobes quietly burning, Si Nan’s heart fluttered in panic. Afraid of falling too deep, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at him again.
A young woman’s blush speaks louder than ten thousand love words.
Watching Si Nan shyly try to hide against him, Xiahou Jin’s brain briefly short-circuited once more…
Upon entering the bedroom, Si Nan eagerly hopped down from Xiahou Jin’s embrace. Xiahou Jin, a beat too slow to react, failed to catch her.
“Watch your foot.”
“I’m fine! Walking on one foot is absolutely no problem for me!”
Xiahou Jin opened the wardrobe, revealing rows of identical moon-white robes.
Taking the robe he handed over, she quickly thanked him, “Thank you.”
“Mm.”
Xiahou Jin sat down nearby, showing absolutely no intention of leaving the room.
“Are you… going to stay here and watch me change?”
“We are both men, is there a need to avoid each other?”
“Who says men don’t need to avoid each other!”
“You can bathe and fool around with Wen Xuan and the others. But with me, you can’t even change a piece of clothing?”
The air was faintly thick with the sour scent of jealousy.
Si Nan instinctively wanted to explain, “I didn’t—”
But she stopped herself. Forget it, let him misunderstand. Their relationship wasn’t close enough to warrant an explanation anyway. Besides, bathing with the others was a calculated move to make everyone believe her male identity; there was no way to explain it properly.
Xiahou Jin’s entire body turned icy cold. A bleak, oppressive atmosphere spread throughout the bedroom, the chill in his eyes freezing into frost.
Why isn’t he explaining? Is it because he thinks it’s unnecessary, or does he feel that I am utterly inconsequential to him?
Sensing the suffocating atmosphere, Si Nan lowered her head guiltily, not daring to meet his eyes.
But wait! Why was she feeling guilty? Xiahou Jin had only helped her a few times; it wasn’t like they were betrothed. Why should she feel guilty under his interrogation?
The more she thought about it, the more justified she felt. Restoring her confidence, Si Nan clutched the robe and defiantly glared back at the dark-faced man.
Ultimately, Xiahou Jin admitted defeat. With a bitter smile, he got up and left the bedroom.
The moment Xiahou Jin left, Si Nan quickly shed her dress and changed into the moon-white robe.
The sleeves were a bit too long, and the hem dragged significantly on the floor. While Xiahou Jin was exceptionally tall and well-built, she wasn’t short either—how could it be this much bigger on her?
When the door opened, Si Nan looked at Xiahou Jin with some embarrassment. She must look ridiculous right now, like a child secretly wearing an adult’s clothes.
“It will do.”
It will do?? Xiahou Jin actually said she looked “acceptable” in this?
“Hmph, of course! This young master is a renowned handsome man in the capital. Naturally, I look good in anything!”
“Go back.”
Xiahou Jin walked straight past her, projecting an aura that kept people a thousand miles away. Once inside, he shut the door directly, without leaving a single word of farewell.
This left a bitter taste in her mouth, accompanied by a faint, sorrowful ache. What was wrong with her? Why was she letting Xiahou Jin affect her emotions like this?
Forget it. She wasn’t someone who lacked self-respect. Since Xiahou Jin didn’t welcome her, she would leave. Si Nan scaled the wall and left directly.
Stealthily returning to the General’s Mansion, she pushed open her bedroom door only to see the candlelight suddenly flicker to life. Madam Li was sitting squarely in the center of the room, with the maid Xiao Ju waiting at her side.
“Mother! Why aren’t you resting so late at night? You came to my room just to scare me?”
Madam Li’s beautiful eyes swept over her and instantly noticed the wrong attire. “Whose clothes are you wearing?”
“They belong to… the Third Highness…”
Madam Li’s delight became visibly apparent. “Really?! Did something happen between you two? How did you end up wearing Ah Jin’s clothes back? Quick, quick, quick, tell Mother everything in detail!”
“It’s nothing. I just took a tumble on the road and dirtied my clothes. It just so happened that the Third Highness was passing by, so he gave me a ride and lent me some clothes.”
“Is that all?”
“Mother, what else did you expect?!”
If it weren’t for the injury on her leg that she was hiding to keep her mother from worrying, Si Nan would have jumped up to question her! Why was it that every time she mentioned Xiahou Jin, her mother became exceptionally interested, her eyes shining with an uncanny brightness as if watching a juicy play?
“Mother, I’m tired and I want to sleep. You should head back and rest early too, otherwise, you’ll get wrinkles on your face—”
Having finally ushered her mother away, Si Nan lay on the bed, staring blankly at the green canopy hanging from the ceiling. Her mind was entirely filled with Xiahou Jin’s cold, beautiful face, keeping her awake for a long time…
Inside the inner courtyard of the Third Prince’s Mansion, Xiahou Jin was similarly tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The moment he closed his eyes, the image of Si Nan dressed in women’s clothing—breathtakingly beautiful and full of charm—flashed through his mind. Even though they had parted ways not long ago, his heart desperately yearned to see her again.
Xiahou Jin got up and poured a cup of cold tea. As the icy liquid slid down his throat, his restless heart calmed slightly.
It must be because Si Nan’s features are too delicate. Dressed as a woman, he is simply too beautiful. Any normal man would react this way upon seeing such a beautiful ‘woman.’ It’s only natural.
Xiahou Jin repeatedly denied the true feelings buried deep within his heart, continuously warning himself that Si Nan was a man, and that he must never harbor improper feelings toward him…
On this restless night, they were not the only two struggling to sleep.
In the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Grand Tutor Li Quan was sitting on pins and needles. He finally managed to see Li Bo return, but seeing him come back alone triggered a wave of panic.
“Father, your son is incompetent. I failed to capture the thief.”
“No matter. The net of heaven has large meshes, but nothing escapes it. Father will find another way to bring this thief to justice!” Li Quan’s wrinkled eyes fixed heavily on Li Bo. “However, your martial arts skills are among the finest in the State of Qian. Those who surpass you can be counted on one hand. If even you couldn’t catch them, they must be a top-tier expert… Who could it be?”
An unnatural expression flashed across Li Bo’s face, his eyes dodging his father’s gaze.
To the Grand Tutor, whose eyes were as sharp and calculating as a viper, no subtle shift in expression could escape notice.
“What happened?”
Li Bo fell heavily to his knees. “Father! Forgive me! Your son fell for a honey trap…”
Li Quan’s tense gaze relaxed. “I thought it was something major. Heroes have always had a weakness for beautiful women. You’ve grown up—it’s a good thing. Just be careful next time.”
“Thank you, Father, for not punishing me. Your son will definitely reflect on this and will never be blinded by beauty again!”
“Go on, go on.”
Li Quan helplessly dismissed Li Bo. This son of his was just like his mother—straightforward, naive, and a late bloomer when it came to romance. However, his son, who had previously shown zero interest in the noble young ladies of prestigious families, had actually had his heart stirred. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of beauty could throw his son into such disarray.
Who exactly was this mysterious woman? Was she a common thief, or did she have ulterior motives?
An underlying anxiety crept into Li Quan’s heart. Although the woman hadn’t overheard any critical information, leaving her alive remained a hidden threat. This woman possessed high martial arts skills, meaning she likely belonged to a specific faction. Who could it be? To be able to investigate all the way to his doorstep…
Could it be the General’s Mansion?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt the General’s Mansion held the highest suspicion. Recently, his machinations had only involved them; it would be entirely logical for their people to follow the clues and find him. However, the General’s Mansion, now lacking Si Gongzhen, usually kept a low profile. He hadn’t expected them to harbor such a powerful hidden expert. They were hiding deep.
Thinking of Si Nan, that profligate playboy, Li Quan narrowed his eyes into thin slits. Could that playboy persona be a disguise as well? If Si Nan was merely feigning a dissolute, dandy lifestyle while actually possessing great capability underneath, then this person would sooner or later become a mortal threat to him. He needed to eliminate him early.
Whether it was a disguise or not, he would test the waters…
Li Quan soon found his opportunity. The Great General had won a battle, and His Majesty decided to host a grand celebration for the general who was far away from home, throwing the entire State of Qian into a nationwide jubilee.
Civil and military officials were all present, raising their glasses and drinking merrily.
Si Nan sat in her seat, silently watching the bustling festivity with a bitter heart. If only Father were here. This celebration was held in her father’s honor, yet the man himself was absent.
The youth, clad in a black robe, bore a sorrowful expression that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding laughter and joy.
To demonstrate his high regard for the Great General, the Emperor had specially placed her seat in the front rows, alongside the princes. Xiahou Jin’s seat was right next to hers; she could see him just by turning her head.
Having not seen him for half a month, that same bitter-sweet ache surged within her upon seeing him again. Yet, the man sat upright, staring straight ahead, completely unbothered by who was sitting next to him.
The sorrow in Si Nan’s eyes deepened.
It turned out she was the only one whose heart had been stirred. Xiahou Jin remained the same Third Highness who didn’t get along with her, cold and detached to everyone. She had actually harbored the illusion that she was special to him. She really needed to stop reading those romance novels; they were making her delusional.
On the massive circular stage in the center, dancers moved gracefully, creating a beautiful and mesmerizing spectacle.
Suddenly, a flash of sword-light erupted. A female assassin broke out from among the dancers, charging toward the Emperor with incredible speed, a dagger in hand. The distance was too short, leaving almost no time for anyone to react.
Sitting just below the Emperor, Si Nan possessed the martial arts prowess to block the strike. Perhaps driven by an innate loyalty to the crown ingrained in her bones, she lunged forward immediately, despite her deep dissatisfaction with the Emperor.
Only after she threw herself in front of the Emperor did she realize she needed to maintain her persona as a useless, incompetent playboy. Forcing herself to hold back her martial arts, she took the blade squarely to her chest.
As the imperial guards swarmed in and forced the assassin back, Si Nan’s face turned deathly pale, and her body went limp as she collapsed backward.