Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day, I was dragged out of bed by the Fifth Prince.

We had to enter the palace first thing in the morning to pay our respects to the Emperor and Empress.

I was still half-asleep, sitting at the dressing table with my head bobbing like a pecking chick.

Afraid we would be delayed, the Fifth Prince reached out, propped up my chin, and urged impatiently, “Hurry up and put her makeup on!”

Zi Xiao was already being careful enough.

But the Fifth Prince had so much to say that even she was left helpless.

“Draw her brows like distant mountains. It’ll make her look colder.”

“Go lighter on the rouge. Her looks are already vivid enough.”

“Use the Flying Immortal bun. Don’t use gold hairpins!”

Zi Xiao stopped what she was doing and couldn’t help saying, “Your Highness, why don’t you do it yourself?”

She truly could not understand it. On any other day, the Fifth Prince never even spared other girls a glance.

Why did he have so much to say today?

Besides, I was this beautiful. Lightly powdered or richly painted, I looked good either way.

Zi Xiao felt I would be beautiful no matter how she dressed me up.

The Fifth Prince glanced at my drowsy self and gave a faint curl of his lip. “Other men dress up their beloved. What is this fool to me? Why should I paint her brows and comb her hair?”

Zi Xiao thought to herself that even an eight-hundred-year-dead duck would not have a mouth as stubborn as the Fifth Prince’s.

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, she swiftly finished my makeup.

When it came time to change clothes, the Fifth Prince suddenly shook me awake.

He tossed the outfit into my arms and said expressionlessly, “Go change by yourself.”

I bit my lip and lowered my eyes.

The Fifth Prince immediately barked at me again, “No crying! Otherwise, you don’t get breakfast.”

Fine.

Breakfast was more important.

We had only known each other for one day, and this man had already found my weak spot. How was I supposed to live like this from now on?

I went off listlessly to change.

Who would have thought my sleeve would catch on the hair ornaments on my head? I called out, “Your Highness, come help me, quickly.”

He rolled in on his wheelchair.

Afraid he wouldn’t be able to reach, I simply sat on his lap.

Impatience filled the Fifth Prince’s brows, and his movements were a little rough.

I hurriedly said, “This outfit is very pretty. Don’t tear it. Take it slow, there’s no rush.”

The Fifth Prince’s tongue remained sharp. “Even if I have fallen this far, I still won’t lack a single outfit for you.”

But the movements of his hands did, in the end, become much gentler.

Leaning against his shoulder, I looked at the side of his face and said softly, “I know Your Highness is a good person. You treat me very well. I just don’t want to delay us by changing clothes and cause you to be scolded.”

The Fifth Prince straightened my hair ornaments for me and said nothing.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and said very solemnly, “Please rest assured, Your Highness. Although I am not as steady as my legitimate elder sister, I will still do my best to be a proper Princess Consort and protect Your Highness.”

The Fifth Prince gave a soft scoff. “It’s so early in the morning, yet your mouth is already smeared with honey, coaxing me like this.”

His mouth was stubborn, but the tips of his ears were clearly red.

I nibbled at his earlobe and said in an especially small voice, “Your Highness, I wanted to ask last night. Your lips are so pretty. They must feel very nice to kiss. Can you let me try?”