Chapter 3
“Miss Ning, have you been comfortable here? Please tell me if anything troubles you.”
Yes, I couldn’t blame the princess and her admirers for misunderstanding.
The crown prince had installed me in his own residence. Who wouldn’t read something into that?
The original supporting character had been dazzled by the handsome, exalted prince and even dreamed of becoming his consort.
The result, of course…was a horrible death.
What woman couldn’t a crown prince with such power have?
Why would he single out a musical entertainer?
Even an idiot could see there was a catch!
Unfortunately, this was a chaste romance. Not only was there no sex, its protagonists’ eyes were positively brimming with innocent stupidity.
In fact, to the crown prince, I was merely a pawn.
He treated me so gently because he wanted to win my heart.
Then I’d obey his every word, making it easy to plant me beside one of the other princes as his spy.
His own sister mattered greatly to him.
But power was just as indispensable.
The general and scholar couldn’t match that depth of calculation.
With a man like that, endless shyness and retreat would only bore him.
You had to know when to attack.
Unlike my previous silence, my present hesitation caught his attention.
“Please, speak freely.”
I lifted my long sleeve and showed him my pale arm. My faint natural fragrance distracted him for a moment.
Pointing to several red spots, I murmured, “The bed is too hard. I really can’t bear it.”
Zhao Jingheng unconsciously rubbed the spots twice. I trembled under his touch.
My fragrance grew stronger.
“An oversight on my part. I didn’t realize you were so…delicate.”
His voice was a little husky.
Had it not come from the crown prince himself, that remark might have sounded like lecherous harassment.
I understood what he meant.
Even the lowest servants in his residence enjoyed good food and clothing.
And since he was deliberately trying to please me, he’d expressly told his steward not to neglect me.
I touched the silk quilt beside me. It was indeed excellent.
He simply didn’t understand my constitution…extremely delicate, extremely sensitive.
In time, he’d discover those qualities for himself.
He went to fetch some ointment and told me to stroll in the garden first.
Among the abundant flowers, I unexpectedly ran into this romance’s heroine.
It should have been an awkward encounter, but seeing her grubby little face, I couldn’t help laughing aloud.
I knew this part of the plot.
The prince’s recent neglect had left the princess anxious and insecure.
Distracted, she’d stumbled while walking.
That made her even more upset, and she’d burst into tears.
After crying, she decided she shouldn’t have fallen for nothing.
So she’d come straight to the prince’s residence, dirty face and all, to win her brother’s pity and guilt.
On seeing me, the princess pressed her lips together and looked stern.
She was hostile toward me now, but too softhearted to do anything particularly nasty.
Besides, her brother had specifically told her to treat me courteously.
Yet when she thought I was laughing at her bedraggled appearance, she immediately snapped, eyes red, “What are you laughing at?”
The maid beside her glared at me too.
I shook my head and sent a maid for a basin of water.
Then I took the young girl’s hand and led her to sit in the pavilion.
The princess was rather pitiable herself.
Her mother had died early, and she and the crown prince had been entrusted to Noble Consort Yun when they were very young.
But they weren’t her own children. The princess had scarcely experienced a mother’s love.
Her father adored her, but was busy with affairs of state all day.
Lately, her brother had neglected her as well.
She’d never felt so lost.
Holding her soft little hand, I teased, “The crown prince doesn’t dote on his princess anymore.”
“I’ve stolen all his attention.”
Those two sentences brought back the tears she’d finally managed to hold in. Her lower lip stuck out far enough to hang a bottle from it.
I stopped teasing. I didn’t want to make the little thing truly miserable.
Dipping a towel in the water, I gently wiped the dirt from her face.
“You’re usually such a sweet, clever princess. How did you get yourself so muddled this time?”
Bewildered by my sudden succession of actions, she stared at me blankly, face still smudged.
Oh no. She was adorable. I wanted to squish her!
I took back my earlier declaration. Her cuteness was practically killing me.
Did the general and scholar deserve a princess like this?
They did not!
Sweetheart, did she have any idea how much I was sacrificing for her?
“You mustn’t judge everything by appearances. The crown prince may not be interested in me personally.”
A tear clung to the corner of her eye. “Hm?”
“If you and I both fell into a river one day, who do you think he’d rescue first?”
“You, of course.”
“How could an outsider compare with all those years as brother and sister?”
“…Really?”
Unable to resist pinching her cheek, I said, “Don’t belittle yourself, Princess. You’re worth it.”
“But I do think…”
“What?”
I thought of her as a younger sister. Naturally, I had to teach her something useful.
Leaning close, I whispered for her ears alone, “Remember this, Princess. Men are contrary creatures. The more attention you pay them, the more they ignore you.”
“If you want to hold their hearts, learn when to pull back.”
“It works on lovers and brothers alike.”
No one normally taught her things like that. She stared at me, mouth agape.
I took the opportunity to give her two more little squeezes.
Coming to her senses, she glared indignantly and covered her face. “Why do you keep pinching me?”
Oops. I’d spent so long in the modern world I’d forgotten the difference in our stations.
“Because you’re too cute. I couldn’t help it,” I admitted.
“…How can you say things so bluntly?”
Her cheeks pinkened. She was embarrassed.
“But you smell so nice.”
Her round little head moved closer, affectionately resting against my shoulder.
I had no words.
A quiet cough suddenly sounded behind me.
Turning, I saw the crown prince holding the ointment.
I didn’t know how long he’d stood there without speaking.
The princess had taken my lesson very much to heart.
She whispered to me, “I’ll come play with you another day, Sister.”
Then she stood and walked past her brother without looking at him.
As she passed, she gave a loud “Hmph!”
The prince rubbed his nose. It wasn’t often anyone made him this awkward.
“What have I done to upset her now?”
I didn’t answer, only reached for his ointment.
He wouldn’t let go, studying me thoughtfully.
I didn’t understand.
“You were wrong about one thing, Miss Ning.”
“If you really fell into the water, I’d certainly rescue you first.”
“Weiwei swims very well.”
His tone was teasing.
There was even a little lingering intimacy in it.
“Your Highness does love to joke.”
I bantered shyly.
Inside, though, I laughed coldly.
Back when I was having fun in the water with my erotic novel’s hero, he probably hadn’t even been on the scene!