Yu Jiao seemed to have discovered a rather shocking secret.
The notorious prince, feared throughout the land, could be completely won over with a little coquettishness.
The temperamental and unpredictable Yan Wang was, in fact, a pathologically tsundere.
Yu Jiao deliberately chose a luxurious new carriage. Sitting inside, she couldn’t help but curve her lips into a faint smile, the two small dimples on her cheeks subtly appearing.
Looking at Chu Yin, she lavishly complimented him, “My prince really is as striking as a flower on a distant peak.”
He gave her a sharp look. “Shut your mouth. If that mouth of yours doesn’t know how to behave, I’ll break your legs.”
What flower on a distant peak? What kind of words were those?
Was he really that untouchable?
Even a flower on a distant peak could climb down, right?
And yet here he was, coming along to pick jewelry with her.
The more Chu Yin thought about it, the angrier he became, and eventually, he closed his eyes to ignore it.
Yu Jiao turned to look out the window, her smile never faltering, as if having someone threaten to break her legs was a delightful thing.
At the thought of what was to come next… her smile widened even further.
Chu Yin opened a slit of an eye, glanced at her indifferently, then closed it again, letting out a silent snort.
Was she really so happy just to have him accompany her to choose jewelry?
If he gave her a piece of candy, would she hide it at home and keep it by her side forever?
Chu Yin suddenly opened his eyes, startled by his own thought.
He could hardly believe that he had just had the fleeting thought of wanting to keep her by his side forever.
Yu Jiao lifted the curtain and peeked her head around, looking this way and that. Sometimes she turned to look behind her, sometimes she craned forward. Her dimples became increasingly prominent.
Chu Yin grew irritated. Before leaving, she had called him the most handsome, and now she preferred to look at random things outside rather than at him.
The “most handsome” really couldn’t compete with the outside world?
He suddenly remembered the elders in court who, after every session, always said that homegrown flowers could never compete with wild ones.
His expression darkened. Once they returned to the mansion, he would have someone collect all the wildflowers in Yan Capital!
He reached out and tugged her back, straightening her as she tried to lean forward.
“Sit properly. Where’s the Princess Consort of Yan’s demeanor?”
Yu Jiao: “……”
She quietly studied him. Although his body seemed a little unusual, when he wasn’t acting out, he was defiantly proud and arrogant to the extreme.
Dressed in red and sitting cross-legged, with half a pair of black boots visible beneath the hem, he propped his chin with one hand, tilting his head to lecture her.
The next moment, Yu Jiao reached out, pulled his hand away from his chin, and twisted his leg down.
“I think the prince should have the demeanor of the Prince of Yan too,” she said defiantly.
“Pfft!” Chu Yin snorted dismissively, propping his hand and crossing his leg again, lazily lowering his eyelids at her.
Yu Jiao stubbornly tugged again, twisting his leg down.
Propping it back up…
Pulling it down…
They repeated this, neither yielding. Yu Jiao stared at his smug expression, then grasped his hand with her fingers, interlacing them. Sitting on his leg with the leg she had twisted down, she looked pleased with herself and even playfully stuck out her tongue. “Nyah nyah nyah~”
She sat on his leg, holding his hand, lifting the curtain to look outside.
Chu Yin was momentarily stunned but then smiled. This little rabbit truly had no fear; she dared sit anywhere.
The wind blew in, carrying the scent of oranges that filled his senses. It was as if she, entirely innocent, was teasing him deliberately.
Seeing her still engrossed in the wildflowers outside, Chu Yin grasped her hand, looping her legs over his, and pulled her into his embrace.
Yu Jiao struggled but couldn’t break free, so she resigned herself, playing with his fingers instead.
She liked his fingers—long and elegant, like the handsome characters in the comics she adored.
Chu Yin’s were indeed long.
He lifted a hand to touch the faint bruise on her neck, now fading to purple, making her skin even more tempting.
He moved his lips slightly, remembering the soft cries she had made in her sleep from the pain, then silently closed his mouth.
Watching her so absorbed in play, he said, “This Prince, also want to play with you.”
Yu Jiao looked up at him shyly.
“You played with this Prince’s fingers; this Prince, should play back,” he said, his tone justified and confident.
Yu Jiao paused. He did… have a point.
So she boldly put her fingers into his hand. “Here, play with them.”
Chu Yin raised an eyebrow, taking her soft, slender hand, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Yu Jiao sat stiffly on his lap, watching as he enveloped her fingers in his mouth. Her hand twitched uncontrollably.
Chu Yin lowered his head, gently biting and licking her fingertips, switching hands back and forth, again and again.
Yu Jiao’s face was so red it could bleed, her mind a chaotic storm.
He played seriously, feeling the body on his lap freeze. Lazily, he lifted an eyelid to glance at her before returning to his task.
Until her hands were wet, he finally released them, taking a handkerchief to carefully and slowly clean them.
The smacking of his lips was oddly satisfying.
Yu Jiao buried her face in his chest, too embarrassed to lift it, while Chu Yin let out a low, quiet laugh.
Yes, her shy expression was amusing too.
All the way, Yu Jiao didn’t dare touch his fingers again.
Only when the coachman stopped and called out did she lift her head, practically fleeing from the carriage.
Chu Yin followed slowly, pressing his tongue to his teeth, watching her messy steps with a trace of amusement in his eyes.
She was lively and playful, not the slightest bit like the Princess Consort of Yan.
Yu Jiao stopped and looked up at the sign: White Jade Tower.
It was the largest jewelry store in Yan Capital; even a single hairpin was worth a fortune, far above market price, yet people eagerly spent lavishly on complete sets.
And… it belonged to the Yu family.
Yu Jiao obediently tugged at Chu Yin’s sleeve, swaying it and acting coquettishly. “Prince~”
Chu Yin glanced at her faintly. This woman, when she wanted something, acted this way; when she didn’t, she bared her teeth and pretended innocence. He was used to it.
He responded casually, “Hmm.”
“Prince, wait here. Can I go in for just a tea’s time?”
Chu Yin’s expression immediately darkened in anger.
What did she mean by that? Was it embarrassing to stand with him?
He knew her type—someone who didn’t want to be associated with him in the slightest.
Yu Jiao clasped her hands together, looking pitiful. “Prince, don’t be angry. I’ll explain everything properly when we get home. Please, just agree for now~”
The words “get home” were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the sudden flare of anger in his chest.
Fine. If the explanation didn’t satisfy him, he could always break her legs later. He thought this calmly.
He cast a nonchalant glance at her. “Just one tea’s time.”
He drank tea quickly anyway.
Yu Jiao excitedly tiptoed and planted a quick kiss on his chin, then tried to step inside.
Voices whispered around them. Eyes glanced at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity, keeping a cautious distance, unwilling to get close.
Yu Jiao frowned and ran back.
Chu Yin had heard the whispers too but ignored them, his gaze fixed solely on her. Seeing him so accustomed to it, Yu Jiao’s heart skipped a beat.
She tugged his hand gently. “Prince, I don’t like them looking at you. Can you wait for me in the carriage?”
“Pfft, I should gouge out their eyes.”
“……”
Yu Jiao swallowed nervously, then cast a pitiful look at him. Chu Yin, annoyed, reluctantly muttered, “Mm.”
Yu Jiao instantly revealed her two dimples, hugging his arm. “I knew my prince was the best~”
She dashed into the shop, barely stepping in before yelling, “Shopkeeper, bring out the most expensive ones!”
The shopkeeper, seeing her fine clothing and the luxurious carriage outside, immediately bowed and led her in, bringing out the finest goods.
Yu Jiao went from piece to piece, asking for each, having them packed immediately. The shopkeeper was ecstatic, rubbing his hands together, counting his profit.
Yu Jiao took the packaged jewelry and turned to leave.
“Hey! You haven’t paid!” the shopkeeper shouted, several people blocking her path.
Yu Jiao smiled faintly. “I’m Yu Jiao, eldest daughter of the Yu family. This store belongs to my family.”
The shopkeeper snorted. “You’re the eldest daughter? I’m still your father! No money, no jewelry. Even if the Prince of Yan himself came, it wouldn’t matter!”
“Really?”
Yu Jiao smiled even more brightly, turning to Chu Yin. “Prince, he says he wants to be your father-in-law.”