Xiao Jingchen lowered his gaze to the painting in his hands, his eyes flickering slightly. “I mean, this painting is quite good, very beautiful.”
His slender, well-defined fingers traced over the painting, pausing briefly as they lightly brushed a certain spot.
“The brushwork here lacks some strength,” he suddenly remarked, his clear voice echoing distinctly in the hall, though he did not look up.
Wen Shuyu had, at some point, glided lightly to his side. “Let me see.”
She leaned in closer and closer, the ends of her dark hair carrying a faint, elusive scent of cold plum blossoms that gently swept over the sleeve of Xiao Jingchen’s robe resting on the table.
Under the cover of her wide sleeve, her hand seemed to unintentionally press against Xiao Jingchen’s arm.
Through the thin layer of fabric, their body warmth quietly transferred.
Xiao Jingchen’s fingers paused almost imperceptibly, his fingertips lightly rubbing together, his gaze beneath his eyelashes deepening.
“Brother Crown Prince, look here.”
Wen Shuyu extended a finger, pointing to the outline of a mountain rock. “This part is quite good. If you add a splash of ink here, it would better showcase the painting’s character.”
As she spoke, her warm breath, like a soft feather, brushed precisely against the inner side of Xiao Jingchen’s wrist—an extremely sensitive and private spot.
Xiao Jingchen’s breath seemed to hitch for a moment.
That subtle airflow, carrying the unique plum blossom fragrance from her, wrapped around his pulse.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Xiao Jingchen’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked at Wen Shuyu. Her gaze remained fixed on the painting, her profile appearing unrealistically soft in the sunlight, as if the nearly provocative gesture just now had been his own illusion.
Finally, his Adam’s apple moved again, and he was about to say something.
Just then, however, Wen Shuyu seemed to suddenly realize something and straightened up, pulling away.
The distracting fragrance also withdrew.
Coincidentally, with a “thud,” a brush rolled to the ground. As Wen Shuyu bent to pick it up, she seemed to misstep a few times.
Suddenly, she fell into Xiao Jingchen’s embrace, pressing against his waist, the fragrance assaulting him once more.
“Brother Crown Prince, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
She hurriedly tried to get up, her hand accidentally brushing against something as it had before.
“Hmm…” Xiao Jingchen let out a muffled groan, whether from pain or something else.
She fumbled anxiously, repeatedly asking, “Brother Crown Prince, are you alright?”
As if to inspect closely, her lips inadvertently grazed Xiao Jingchen’s chin, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
Her voice grew even more flustered: “Sorry, really sorry, Brother Crown Prince. I’m so clumsy.”
After this series of actions.
Wen Shuyu heard the usually unflappable Xiao Jingchen grit his teeth, enunciating each word: “Wen. Shu. Yu.”
“Get out!”
His gaze was intense, as if he wanted to devour her.
“Or perhaps you don’t want to leave this study today…”
A “bang” interrupted his words—the sound of the hall door closing. Wen Shuyu had run faster than a rabbit, disappearing from the room the moment he uttered his first sentence.
She even left behind two innocent and concerned remarks: “Brother Crown Prince, wait for me. I’ll go call the imperial physician for you.”
“I won’t be coming back later. I forgot to take the Consolidating Vitality Pill today and feel a bit weak. I’ll go back to rest first.”
He turned, the corner of his mouth suddenly curving upward.
Not long after.
The imperial physician hurriedly arrived at the study with his medicine box: “Your Highness, where are you injured?”
Xiao Jingchen smiled, out of anger.
“Do I look sick to you?”
He spoke softly, no different from usual, but the inexplicable aura around him made the imperial physician’s beard tremble.
The imperial physician shook his head: “No, no.”
Xiao Jingchen rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and ordered, “Go, have them prepare water. I want to bathe. You’re dismissed here, go back.”
The imperial physician quickly retreated: “Yes.”
In the White Jade Pool, the water rippled. Xiao Jingchen leaned back and rose, his soaked black hair clinging to his lean back. Water droplets dripped from his sharply defined jaw, sliding down his rolling Adam’s apple and continuing downward. A few drops fell onto the green bricks by the pool, leaving dark, spreading marks.
After an unknown amount of time, he stood up and draped on his inner robe, then asked Mo Yu, who was waiting outside the hall, “Where is Wen Shuyu?”
Mo Yu walked in and replied, “After the princess consort returned to Plum Garden, she ordered a meal. She should be dining now.”
Xiao Jingchen’s tone was inexplicable: “She’s certainly eating well.”
Mo Yu scratched his head. Why did he feel His Highness was not too happy? Could it be that the princess consort had angered His Highness again?
Before he could figure out what had happened, he heard his master’s voice again: “Go, send someone to buy all the currently fashionable hairpins from every jewelry store in the capital and deliver them to the princess consort. She’s been very fond of wearing hairpins lately.”
Mo Yu quickly responded: “Yes.”
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he was called back.
Xiao Jingchen pondered for a moment: “Get the kind that glows when sunlight shines on them. She probably likes that sort.”
Mo Yu bowed: “I will go immediately.”
When Wen Shuyu received two large boxes of hairpins and jewelry in the evening, she couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of her mouth.
Finally, after her persistent efforts, Xiao Jingchen actually knew to send her gifts. It meant her recent plans had been quite effective.
Xiao Liu also excitedly gathered around, “My lady! Are all these jewelry pieces from Xiao Jingchen? Let’s open them and take a look, my lady!”
Wen Shuyu opened one of the boxes, and the smile at the corner of her mouth abruptly froze.
“My lady, the other box must be fine.”
Xiao Liu’s smile also stiffened. Unconvinced, it opened the other one.
An eerie silence fell in the air…