She suddenly remembered something from her past life, when she was still the maid accompanying the female lead to her marital home. The male lead’s attitude toward her seemed to have undergone a subtle, indistinct change.
At the time, caught in the midst of it all and being someone who acted without considering the consequences, she had completely failed to notice the nuances.
But now, stepping out of that memory and viewing it from a third-person perspective like a painting, she suddenly noticed many thought-provoking details in the scene. For instance—
Had his smiles toward her always been so “lingering” before?
Xi Hongrui’s mind raced. Her eyes widened, and she knelt down with a flustered expression to beg for forgiveness: “Please forgive me, Prince! This servant forgot to watch where she was going and has offended you…”
Seeing her panic, Ning Lan’s gaze softened further: “Rise. What’s gotten into you today, girl? You weren’t like this before. I recall among the servants in your quarters, you were always the loudest. Who has wronged you?”
A thought struck Xi Hongrui, and in that instant, everything became clear. She looked up at the male lead’s gentle, concerned expression and nearly laughed aloud.
So that’s how it is! So that’s how it is!
No wonder, she thought. As the Prince, he had access to all sorts of people—why would he specifically choose to elevate her status?
The author’s explanation was that the male lead was having a disagreement with the female lead at the time, so he deliberately took one of her maids as a concubine to provoke her. However, the female lead remained unmoved, leaving the male lead utterly frustrated.
This plot point was truly clever—it made the female lead appear unshakably dignified while the male lead humbled himself, and it painted her, the villainess, as scheming and futile in her efforts. The readers in the comments section cheered and celebrated.
But upon closer reflection, in this confrontation, the male lead was merely acting out of jealousy, feeling that the female lead didn’t care about him.
Yet, unintentionally, the female lead ended up surrounded entirely by the male lead’s people.
Although she herself was ambitious and enamored with power and status, from her very appearance she had provoked the female lead and readers who sided with her, stirring their indignation.
But she was a servant raised in the Prime Minister’s household, with her entire family under the Prime Minister’s control. Even if she were restless and sought to steal the female lead’s “husband,” it wouldn’t change the fact that she was the female lead’s maid.
Yet, with this lighthearted act of jealousy, the male lead transformed the female lead’s family-raised servant into his own private concubine.
In her past life, without realizing it, she had completely earned the “young lady’s” disdain. Isolated and without support, she could only focus her efforts on winning the young master’s favor, competing with the female lead for his attention.
Now, thinking back, it wasn’t just her who ended up isolated.
The moment she grasped the crux of the matter, Xi Hongrui found Ning Lan’s face utterly ridiculous.
Such a prominent male lead—was he actually trying to seduce her?
If those readers knew that the “noble male lead” they so admired would stoop to such “lowly arts,” smiling flirtatiously with a mere servant, she wondered what expressions they would make.
Hahaha!
For a moment, Xi Hongrui felt immensely pleased, as if she had finally retaliated against those spectators in the comments section who had criticized and looked down on her. They called her lowly—well, take a good look at your even lowlier male lead!
So, faced with the male lead condescending to seduce her, what should this little maid do?
The carefree smile vanished from her face in an instant, as if she had just recalled the incident a few days ago when she was punished with ten strikes of the bamboo cane.
Although Ning Meng was the one truly at fault, the young lady hadn’t pleaded on her behalf, and these days she had been keeping her distance…Xi Hongrui grew increasingly aggrieved the more she thought about it, her face falling as she muttered, “No, this humble maid’s life is worthless—who would dare give me grievances…”
Ning Lan’s lips curved almost imperceptibly, maintaining an amiable demeanor as he reached out to pull her up.
“That’s good to hear. Since you’ve entered my residence along with your young lady, you are now under my care as well. If you have anything to say, speak freely to me. Don’t keep your grievances bottled up. A young lady like you would lose her charm if she went around with a long face all day.”
“Pfft—”
Xi Hongrui couldn’t help but laugh, obediently rising to her feet, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
Unlike most noble young ladies in the capital who pursued slender and graceful figures, Xi Hongrui’s body was full and voluptuous.
Her face was round like a peach, paired with large, expressive eyes that tilted slightly upward, making her resemble a ripe peach—one bite would release a flow of fragrant sweetness.
This appearance, blending an enchanting girlish charm with sensuality, was no wonder the emperor had taken an interest after just one glance.
Ning Lan’s eyes darkened slightly, but he continued smiling. “Is this the midnight snack for your Crown Princess Consort? Perfect timing—I was just going to see her. Shall we go together?”
“Yes!”
Xi Hongrui responded cheerfully, though she shot a glance at Pei San, who was pushing the wheelchair, let out a “hmph,” and turned her head away from him.
Pei San: …
The spot on his thumb pricked by the rose thorn seemed to burn with pain again.
In the past, whenever he saw this little minx acting so arrogantly, he would have retorted with a few sharp words. But now, for some reason, he felt inexplicably guilty and short of breath in her presence. He let out an almost imperceptible “hmph” and lowered his head.
Ning Lan glanced curiously at his attendant. Pei San, feeling his master’s gaze, flushed even more and immediately averted his eyes, avoiding Ning Lan’s look.
Ning Lan withdrew his gaze and watched Xi Hongrui leading the way, glancing back at him every few steps. The corner of his lips curled into a faint smile.
The group chatted and laughed along the way—or more accurately, Xi Hongrui did all the talking and laughing—and soon arrived at the Crown Princess Consort’s quarters.
Since transmigrating, Lin Wan had spent her days drinking tea, admiring flowers, and feeding fish. Though novel at first, she quickly grew so bored she couldn’t even sleep.
Seizing the opportunity, she shut herself in her room and began doing what every transmigrated woman does—making scented soap.
Just as she was feeling bored, Xi Hongrui’s distinctive, tinkling laughter echoed from outside. Lin Wan couldn’t help but frown upon hearing it.
Setting her things aside, she walked to the outer room as Xi Hongrui bounded in energetically, holding out what she had brought.
“Young lady… Crown Princess Consort, Aunt Ning Meng said you haven’t had much appetite lately, so I specially made your favorite walnut pastry mountain!”
Lin Wan looked at her eager, expectant face and turned her gaze to the delicate pastry mountain in the bowl. Well, it was ice cream…
Though the weather had been hot recently, why serve her ice-cold food late at night? She lifted her head and noticed Ning Lan and Pei San following behind.
No wonder Xi Hongrui had been laughing so happily earlier—this girl’s heart was probably no longer here at all.
Motioning for Xi Hongrui to set the food aside, Lin Wan turned to Ning Lan and said coolly, “What brings the Prince here at this hour?”
Ning Lan smiled. “Can a husband not come to see his wife?”
Lin Wan’s ears grew warm.Initially, she just wanted to survive in this ancient era without any support, so she relied on her identity as the Crown Princess Consort of the Rui Wang Heir to protect herself, forming a cooperative marriage with him where neither could find major faults.
Never did she expect that after getting familiar, this Rui Wang Heir was exactly like the male lead in a time-travel novel, exuding charm at all times.
Seeing the atmosphere between the two, Pei San and Xi Hongrui tactfully withdrew.
While leaving, Xi Hongrui accidentally bumped into the person beside her and turned back angrily.
Pei San froze at the sight of her pouting expression, not daring to move at all.
Xi Hongrui glared at him and took a big step away.
Pei San felt somewhat annoyed, but for the sake of pride, he pressed his lips together and said nothing.
He thought it would quickly become quiet like before, but for some reason, Pei San kept sensing a sweet fragrance in the air, like the natural scent from that girl, drifting into his nostrils.
Unconsciously, it felt as if his blood was heating up along with this fragrance.
Pei San finally couldn’t resist glancing over, and that glance was enough—the young girl over there seemed to be secretly looking at him too.
Caught in the act, her big eyes immediately widened as she flusteredly shifted the blame: “What are you looking at!”
Boom—
Pei San’s mind exploded.
When he looked again, he noticed the young woman’s face was flushed red, and the way she looked at him was like a little kitten—both fierce and soft.
With this expression… could she actually like him?
Pei San instantly felt as if he had swallowed several pounds of honey. Though he usually retorted with sharp words, this time he miraculously didn’t argue back.
He lowered his head and muttered quietly, “So what if I look? Are you so precious that I have to pay to see you…”
Upon hearing this, Xi Hongrui flared up, glaring at him furiously: “Yes, you have to pay! Keep looking and I’ll dig your eyes out!”
Pei San glanced at her again and pretended not to care as he turned his head away.
She looked even prettier when angry, huh.
As time passed, Pei San’s gaze kept drifting involuntarily.
But the girl seemed genuinely angry now, crossing her arms and completely ignoring him.
Pei San felt both frustrated and strangely sweet.
Oh well, he was a grown man—no need to argue with a young girl. Maybe he should be the one to yield first when he got the chance~