“Brother Song!”
Liu Qingyin’s pale face was tense, her fingers twisting the handkerchief. As she gazed at Song Tingchen, her eyes gradually reddened. “I’ve been terribly anxious since hearing about Junzhu’s condition. I must see her to feel at ease. Brother Song, you know… I once had a younger sister who—”
Her beauty appeared delicate and fragile, like a magnolia flower adorned with morning dew.
Song Tingchen’s brows were furrowed as if coated with frost, perpetually exuding an untempered chill. He knew that Liu Qingyin’s three-year-old sister had succumbed to persistent high fever.
Since then, she had shown boundless patience toward young children.
Just as Song Tingchen parted his thin lips to speak, a deep, clear voice interrupted, “This prince hasn’t yet expressed gratitude in person. Why is General Song in such haste to depart?”
Song Tingchen turned, his brows slightly furrowed. After a pause, he clasped his hands in salute. “Your Highness Prince Chen.”
Liu Qingyin followed with a curtsy, her voice clear and melodious. “Your Highness Prince Chen.”
Prince Chen raised his fan, signaling them to dispense with formalities.
Liu Qingyin rose gracefully, stealing a glance at him through lowered lashes.
Prince Chen stood tall and elegant, his noble aura imposing. The slight upward tilt of his eyes resembled peach blossoms brimming with sunset glow in spring. Compared to Song Tingchen’s cold austerity, Lu Zhiheng’s handsomeness carried three parts more warmth.
If Song Tingchen was the chill of frost and snow,
Then Lu Zhiheng should be the sunset glow that gilds the entire city as dusk approaches.
A blush spread across Liu Qingyin’s cheeks. Meeting royalty for the first time, she couldn’t help feeling nervous. Struggling to compose herself, her voice still trembled slightly when she spoke. “Your Highness, has Junzhu… has she improved?”
Lu Zhiheng nodded, showing no reaction to her trembling voice. “The fever has subsided, though she remains somewhat listless. Thank you for the Danyao you sent, Miss Liu.”
Liu Qingyin secretly sighed in relief.
Fortunately, Prince Chen didn’t look down on her for her nervousness or consider her petty.
She offered Lu Zhiheng a radiant smile, perfectly portraying delicate vulnerability that evoked pity.
“Children who’ve just recovered from fever often appear this way. I believe Junzhu will feel much better after some rest.”
Lu Zhiheng neither agreed nor disagreed. A servant presented a tray bearing a sandalwood box containing land deeds and thick stacks of banknotes.
This was his prepared token of gratitude.
Liu Qingyin’s face instantly stiffened.
Even without looking, she knew this reward could purchase ten Soul Return Pills with ease.
But accepting it would imply she had exchanged the elixir for money.
Liu Qingyin immediately assumed an expression of anxious unease, refusing to accept the tray the maid offered.
“Your Highness, I merely sent the Danyao upon hearing of Junzhu’s illness. It was a trivial effort, not worth mentioning.”
“I cannot accept such gifts from Your Highness.Having said this, she turned to Song Tingchen with pleading eyes, her eyes reddening. “Brother Song, please explain to His Highness. I truly cannot accept such valuable rewards.”
Song Tingchen’s brow furrowed slightly.
His earlier intention to depart stemmed from wishing to avoid this very scene.
Liu Qingyin sought protection, but Prince Chen Lu Zhiheng had been willful and capricious in his youth. Though he had tempered these traits, the ingrained cynicism and disinclination to involve himself in others’ affairs couldn’t be erased overnight.
He was worried that Lu Zhiheng would simply pay them off with silver, which was why he wanted to take his leave—so that Lu Zhiheng would owe Liu Qingyin a tremendous favor.
If Prince Chen missed the chance to express his gratitude in person, any later attempts would inevitably require him to look after Liu Qingyin in the future.
Unfortunately, before he and Liu Qingyin could depart, Lu Zhiheng had already ordered the silver to be prepared.
Seeing Liu Qingyin’s fragile and helpless gaze, Song Tingchen’s eyes darkened as he took over the conversation.
Song Tingchen addressed Prince Chen, “Your Highness, Qingyin has always been kind-hearted and acts without expecting anything in return. Such a generous gift from you is something she would never dare accept.”
Lu Zhiheng glanced at him.
Perhaps because he was now a father, His Highness Prince Chen was no longer the unruly, disrespectful scion he once was, but his words remained sharp. “What is General Song to Miss Liu?”
“How can you make decisions on her behalf?”
Song Tingchen’s gaze deepened abruptly.
From Prince Chen’s half-smiling tone, he detected a hint of mockery. It seemed this prince held a faint hostility toward him.
Even Liu Qingyin sensed it.
Yet—Liu Qingyin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, her expression revealing confusion.
If His Highness Prince Chen truly harbored animosity toward Song Tingchen, why had he instructed his household to prepare everything so lavishly?
Along the way, even without prior experience visiting a prince’s residence, Liu Qingyin could tell from the servants’ demeanor that they were preparing everything according to the standards of receiving honored guests.
Just as she was puzzling over this, a servant rushed in, sweating slightly, his expression tense but his tone barely concealing excitement.
“Your Highness, Miss Su is here!”
Lu Zhiheng paused, the corner of his eye twitching slightly.
Why is she coming now?
“Didn’t… didn’t she say she would come tomorrow at Haishi (9-11 PM)?”
If Su Tan were to arrive now, she would definitely run into them!
The servant looked troubled, somewhat bewildered by Lu Zhiheng’s question. “This… this subordinate doesn’t know. Miss Su merely arrived early but didn’t explain why.”
Lu Zhiheng’s jaw tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line.
He seemed lost in thought.
The matron holding the tray, keenly perceptive, forcibly pressed the items into Liu Qingyin’s hands.
“Miss Liu, you saved the Junzhu. His Highness ought to express his gratitude. Please accept these gifts. Otherwise, if word gets out tomorrow, those who know might say you’re kind-hearted, but those who don’t might accuse His Highness of seizing your Danyao (Elixir)!”
Forced to hold the tray, Liu Qingyin felt a surge of frustration stuck in her chest, unable to rise or fall.
She looked up at Song Tingchen.
Unexpectedly, his brows were furrowed as if coated with frost, and he said to her, “Qingyin, take the items. Let’s go back.”
Even if Song Tingchen lacked perception, he could now see that the servants’ tension in the prince’s residence today was entirely due to that Miss Su.
And now, Prince Chen, because of Miss Su’s imminent arrival, revealed a trace of unease, as if he hadn’t fully prepared for something.
At this moment, he and Liu Qingyin lingering here would only be superfluous.
Miss Su—Song Tingchen’s gaze grew profound.
In the past, when Su Tan was still unmarried, mentioning “Miss Su” in the capital would bring her to mind first.
Now, he didn’t know who it was.
But it certainly couldn’t be Su Tan anymore.
“Then I’ll have someone escort General Song and Miss Liu!”
Lu Zhiheng seemed pleased with Song Tingchen’s suggestion and surprisingly offered him a smile.
Whether it was Song Tingchen’s imagination or not, he couldn’t be sure.
He even noticed a look of relief on Lu Zhiheng’s face.
Song Tingchen frowned slightly. Had he not known it was impossible, he might have wondered if that Miss Su was actually Su Tan.
After all, Prince Chen seemed particularly unwilling to let him cross paths with that Miss Su.