“Miss, Madam is already urging you.”
Zhu Xingxu paused briefly as she straightened her clothes, responding softly.
“I know.”
After hearing her reply, the maid outside fell silent, quietly waiting.
After a while, Zhu Xingxu stepped out.
The maid led the way, her eyes inevitably glancing back.
Zhu Xingxu’s eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes like spring waters, her lips delicate as budding flowers—she looked exceptionally graceful.
Even Jinzhu, who often served her closely, couldn’t help but be captivated by her beauty, staring for a moment.
The maids led Zhu Xingxu to the main entrance, where Madam Xu was already waiting.
Madam Xu’s feelings toward this eldest daughter, who was not her biological child, were always somewhat complicated.
She had little affection for Zhu Xingxu, yet still had to manage her.
Zhu Xingxu’s often casual attitude made Madam Xu uneasy.
She didn’t resemble a proper young lady at all.
“Come in quickly once you arrive.”
Waving her hand, she gestured for Zhu Xingxu to enter the carriage.
Zhu Xingxu greeted briefly and then climbed in.
Madam Xu took the carriage in front.
Once inside, Zhu Xingxu saw her two half-sisters.
Zhu Ruoyi was only two years younger, and upon seeing her, she snorted coldly.
Zhu Can’er was even younger, only six.
Once she settled in, the carriage rumbled to life.
Leaning against the carriage, Zhu Xingxu closed her eyes to rest.
She had been in this world for ten years.
From initial excitement to now, a sense of routine had set in.
In her previous life, she had been a corporate worker.
Working from nine to ten every day, exhausted yet afraid to quit.
If she had quit, the mortgage wouldn’t have been covered.
She longed for a home of her own.
Just when she had nearly finished paying off her mortgage through relentless work, she transmigrated…
Into a novel she had read during college.
The original story was over-the-top; the male lead was the Third Prince, the primary rival of the Crown Prince.
The female lead was a talented illegitimate daughter of a noble family who assisted the Third Prince in defeating the Crown Prince and helping him ascend to the throne.
In the end, the original author, wanting to spare her daughter and son-in-law, added a “golden hand”—after their reign as emperor and empress, they transmigrated to modern life.
At the time, Zhu Xingxu had been completely baffled by that ending.
Wasn’t that a lazy conclusion?
But now…she envied them deeply.
In the past two years, Zhu Xingxu found her life increasingly dull.
Every day began with greeting Madam, taking breakfast, learning trivial things, lunch, wandering about, dinner, washing up, and sleeping.
She missed the convenience and vibrancy of modern life more and more.
Being prone to heat, she often felt stifled.
A wave of heat swept over her as she thought of this.
She tugged at her collar, hoping to cool down.
She longed for air conditioning… Thinking of air conditioning, she sighed.
And she really wanted to play with her phone.
She didn’t want to keep painting landscapes or playing chess and the zither here.
Zhu Xingxu wracked her brain, wondering how the original protagonists returned to the modern world.
Unfortunately, the book was too old, and she couldn’t remember.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted, and Zhu Xingxu startled, opening her eyes and grasping the window frame to steady herself.
Her two sisters also lost their balance, falling to the floor.
Zhu Xingxu pursed her lips and helped them up.
Zhu Ruoyi wasn’t ungrateful. “…Thank you.”
Zhu Can’er’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her.
“Thank you, elder sister.”
Zhu Xingxu smiled, saying nothing.
She knew Zhu Ruoyi wasn’t bad, and Can’er, being young, bore no natural hostility.
Ruoyi, dissatisfied, lifted the curtain to ask the attendant outside.
“What happened?”
The servant quickly replied, “It was just the Fifth Prince’s carriage passing by; we stepped aside to avoid it.”
Ruoyi wanted to ask more but reconsidered and closed the curtain since it concerned the prince.
Zhu Xingxu’s eyes flickered for a moment.
The Fifth Prince?
He seemed to support the Third Prince.
The book didn’t give him much attention.
It only mentioned that he was handsome and spoke little.
Later, he died during a mission assigned by the Third Prince.
Zhu Xingxu sighed and leaned back against the carriage.
That fall just now seemed to give her a clue.
The protagonists in the original story discovered a method to return to the modern world in an ancient text found in the Imperial Garden’s study.
It described the wonders of modern life.
So the male lead had people gather the necessary items and conducted a ceremony through the Astronomical Bureau.
Only then did they arrive in the modern world.
Zhu Xingxu’s heart leapt with hope.
They were going to the Imperial Garden this time.
The Empress held a flower-viewing banquet in the Imperial Garden, inviting all noble ladies of the capital.
Previously, she had disliked such events, feeling out of place among noble women.
So she usually feigned illness to avoid them.
Madam Xu, being a stepmother, wouldn’t force her.
It was the boredom at home that made her agree to attend this time, curious to see the scene.
Zhu Xingxu’s home was close to the Imperial Garden, and soon they arrived.
The carriage driver opened the door, and the maids helped them down.
Jinzhu carefully led Zhu Xingxu out.
The three of them followed Madam Xu into the Imperial Garden.
Along the way, they encountered several noblewomen.
Madam Xu greeted each politely.
Once inside, Zhu Xingxu looked around and finally spotted the study’s upturned eaves in the distance.
She wasn’t certain it was the right place but decided to investigate.
So she slowed her pace, gradually falling behind Madam Xu.
Her two sisters were unaware, busy with handkerchiefs and chatting.
Jinzhu noticed her slowing down. “Miss, we’re falling behind.”
Zhu Xingxu nodded vaguely, murmuring assent.
Jinzhu looked puzzled, unsure of her intentions.
Zhu Xingxu glanced around and, seeing no one paying attention, headed toward the building she had seen.
She had only taken a few steps before a palace maid blocked her path.
“Miss Zhu, the banquet hall is over there.”
The maid’s etiquette was proper, hands folded in front, back straight, but her eyes were downcast.
Blocked, Zhu Xingxu had to return to the banquet hall first.
Frowning, she calculated how to get past.
Jinzhu’s presence had made their target too obvious, leading to discovery.
Reaching the banquet hall, she said to Jinzhu, “Wait here a moment, I’m going to change.”
Then, spotting a path, she dashed off.
Jinzhu, caught off guard, saw Zhu Xingxu running further and further away.
She wanted to call after her but couldn’t raise her voice in the Imperial Garden, anxiously sweating.
Unlike Zhu Xingxu, Jinzhu was not bold enough to follow, and could only wait, resigned.
Zhu Xingxu weaved through the garden paths.
After some distance, she stopped.
On either side, rare trees planted by the imperial household grew.
Shrubs dotted between them, occasionally punctuated by artificial hills and pavilions.
Every plant and stone, every brick and tile, had been carefully designed.
If preserved, this landscape would likely be a renowned garden in later generations.
While admiring it, she observed her surroundings for palace maids or eunuchs who might appear.
After dodging a few, she finally spotted the study.
At the doorway sat a bored eunuch, gazing absentmindedly.
Zhu Xingxu hid quietly in a nearby shrub, picking up a stone and tossing it elsewhere.
The eunuch’s ears twitched at the sound, and he looked toward it.
After a moment, he murmured, “Nothing here.”
Turning his head, Zhu Xingxu threw another stone.
The eunuch frowned and got up to check.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Xingxu slipped in like the wind.
It wasn’t that the eunuch abandoned his post;
The study was in a secluded spot, rarely visited, and during a flower-viewing banquet, even more so.
Zhu Xingxu stared at the enormous study, her scalp tingling.
It had only one floor, but looking around, the end was not visible.
The shelves alone held hundreds of racks, not to mention the books.
She had to search slowly, shelf by shelf.
Fortunately, the books had been organized by category, saving Zhu Xingxu considerable effort.
Some resembled a modern library.
In the modern world, one could simply check a computer to find the exact shelf.
Reaching a shelf deep inside, her eyes lit up.
The books here were unclassified ancient texts.
Their content was odd, and the organizer hadn’t known where to place them, so they were all left here.
Zhu Xingxu picked up book after book.
She hadn’t noticed the deep gaze lurking behind two shelves.
As she focused on a book, a light cough came from behind.
When extremely tense, sudden events could startle someone greatly.
Zhu Xingxu was no exception.
She flung the book down, eyes wide, staring at the newcomer.
The book landed squarely at his feet.
He was tall and slender, slightly thin; even in fine clothing, his pale complexion was noticeable.
His whiteness made his dark eyebrows and obsidian-like eyes stand out, giving him an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance.
Zhu Xingxu studied him, unsure how to address him.
No matter, she bowed first.
“Greetings, noble sir.”
Pei Xie had not fully recognized her, yet his nose caught the faint scent of citrus.
It reminded him of a slice he had as a child in Lu City.
His gaze fell on Zhu Xingxu.
From her attire, she seemed to be a young noblewoman.
But during the flower-viewing banquet, what was she doing here?
“Lost, are you?”
Zhu Xingxu only heard the sound of flowing spring water in the mountains.
His voice was clear and crisp, very pleasant.
If she said she was lost, he would surely guide her away.
But she hadn’t found the book yet.
Biting her lip, she forced herself to say, “I’ve always admired the imperial library, so I wanted to take a look.”
Lowering her head, she tightly closed her eyes.
Even she knew how flawed that excuse sounded.
Pei Xie, seemingly unaware, bent slightly and picked up the fallen book, handing it to her.
Zhu Xingxu awkwardly took it.
She had just intended to return it…
He turned to her. “Do you want to continue reading?”
Zhu Xingxu shook her head. “No… just taking this one is enough.”
Damn it, she hadn’t finished.
But saving her life was more important now…
If he held a high status and reported her, she wouldn’t die, but she’d certainly get punished severely.
Just as she prepared to leave, the eunuch on duty appeared, looking puzzled.
“Huh? There’s a sound here too?”
Zhu Xingxu panicked, scanning for a place to hide.
Pei Xie grabbed her wrist, and they slipped behind the innermost shelf.
His body’s low temperature sent a shiver through her.
So cold… But after the initial chill, she felt surprisingly comfortable.
She thought of her beloved air conditioning.
They crouched in the corner, Pei Xie dangerously close.
Even his breath on her head felt like frost forming.
Zhu Xingxu raised her eyes slightly, only seeing his chin.
It was the first time she had been so close to a man…
Though embarrassed, every muscle tensed, …she didn’t want to leave this comfortable environment.
Summers had a few icy days, and hers had quickly run out.
Unconsciously, her hand pressed against Pei Xie’s arm, seeking more coolness.
Pei Xie noticed, his breath catching slightly.
No one had ever stayed when touching him.
He usually hated being touched.
Yet… this person seemed unbothered.
Was it citrus?
At the same time, the scent of citrus grew stronger, entering his senses.
The eunuch came closer.
Almost at the shelf.
Zhu Xingxu let out a silent sigh and mimicked the sound of wood-eating insects.
Pei Xie, surprised, watched her.
He hadn’t expected her to know such a trick.
The eunuch stopped.
Frowning, he said, “Another insect? Call someone to deal with it in a few days.”
He turned and left.
Both exhaled simultaneously, their eyes met.