Chapter 153
Chapter 153
After thoroughly sabotaging her bargain-bin Imperial Brother, Shengsheng Zhou felt delighted and refreshed.
On the way back to her palace, she curled her fingers into claws, snatched the sleeping little panda from her hair with speed and precision, and placed him on her lap.
*No response from up above yet? Xiaosui can’t stay a parrot forever.*
Xiaosui flew from her shoulder to A-Pang, who was rubbing his eyes awake. *I actually think it’s quite nice. Being a bird feels fascinating.*
A-Pang yawned. *They haven’t replied. But without a system, how did you get here?*
Xiaosui tilted his head and thought. *A cold voice told me about the mission and said a senior would meet me. When I opened my eyes again, I was here.*
A-Pang considered this. The cold voice was probably the default system. Honestly, what era was this? There were countless voice packs available. Why insist on the default mechanical voice? After so many complaints, why had they still not changed it?
Xiaosui’s situation differed from Shengsheng’s.
A-Pang had personally bound Shengsheng’s soul. Xiaosui had probably been retained by up above because of his excellent aptitude, but they had not yet assigned him a system.
*Customer support has been slow lately. We’ll probably have to wait a few days.*
Shengsheng sighed. *There’s nothing else we can do.*
She was not anxious for Xiaosui’s sake, exactly. If she had to explain, she hoped someone could visit Zhiyu Jiang in her place and contact her occasionally with news from that side.
Zhiyu should have recovered her memories by now.
When Shengsheng went back to find Xiaoyun’s father, it had been to ask him to deliver the Memory-Restoration Potion to Zhiyu.
Newly arrived, Xiaosui was curious about everything in the ancient world.
*Wow, people in ancient times used such enormous ear picks. No wonder their hearing was so good.*
Xiaosui exclaimed as he lowered his head and carefully studied the patterns.
Shengsheng smoothed the tuft sticking up on his head and said helplessly, “That’s for lifting the lid of a teapot…”
“What about lifting a teapot lid?”
A voice gentle as the wind came from behind. Shengsheng whipped around and saw Weiqing Song standing there, smiling faintly at her.
For some unknown reason, he had lost considerable weight over the past few days. He wore no crown today, instead tying up his hair with a pale ribbon. Rather than a Crown Prince, he resembled a handsome scholar who had lost his way in the extravagant palace.
*This guy is ridiculously handsome,* Xiaosui’s voice sounded in her mind.
Shengsheng stroked the feathers of his tail and said to Weiqing, “Imperial Brother, why don’t you make any sound when you walk?”
Weiqing bent down and stroked the little parrot as well. Xiaosui was overwhelmed by the honor, then rubbed his tiny beak against the back of Weiqing’s hand.
He was far more adorable than a certain ill-tempered bird.
Weiqing’s eyes curved with his smile. “This parrot is quite charming. Give him to Imperial Brother.”
Shengsheng immediately smiled. “Of course.”
Even Jian Zhang behind them was startled by that answer. Good heavens, this was definitely not Miss Shengsheng. They had recognized the wrong person! (Weiqing had not yet told him the truth.)
Weiqing paused. Shengsheng extended a hand with a beaming smile. “I’ll sell him to Imperial Brother for twenty taels of gold.”
Jian: “…” My apologies. I’ll slap myself.
Having expected this, Weiqing laughed and shook his head. As he straightened, he did not forget to tap the tip of her upturned nose. “Little miser.”
Goosebumps instantly covered Shengsheng.
*Oh no. Don’t do that. Have you taken the wrong medicine lately, my dear Imperial Brother?*
Weiqing Song had certainly taken no wrong medicine. After several nights of inner struggle, he finally understood that he had never occupied Shengsheng Zhou’s heart. No matter how well he treated her, a lack of love remained a lack of love.
He had even sent Jian Zhang to investigate Mosheng Song’s birth. Only after confirming beyond doubt that she truly was his biological sister did he finally abandon that hope.
No matter how open the customs of Zhen Kingdom, incest between siblings was a grave violation of morality. Weiqing himself, bound since childhood by every royal rule and convention, could never cross that threshold.
In the end, he could only console himself that being her Imperial Brother was not so bad. A bond of blood could never be severed. He and Shengsheng would remain connected for life.
“Imperial Brother, who has been invited to the banquet?” Shengsheng asked with feigned casualness.
Weiqing sat beside her with easy grace, propping up his head beside her as they faced the doorway together.
“Hm, let Imperial Brother think. The Zhu Kingdom emperor loves a spectacle and has already replied that he will attend.”
*No need to say that one. Wherever there’s excitement, there he is. If a mare in the stables gave birth, he’d go take a look.*
“Is he coming alone?” Shengsheng deployed the finest acting of her life and widened her eyes in innocent curiosity.
Weiqing wanted to tell her she was overacting, but ultimately said nothing. He merely replied casually, “In the past, he would bring his favorite Noble Consort. But rumor says the Noble Consort has fallen gravely ill, so he probably cannot come.”
*What happened to him?!*
Shengsheng’s throat tightened. Fortunately, she usually voiced things inwardly before deciding whether to speak. Otherwise, she would have shouted the instant Weiqing finished.
A newly lucid princess caring about another kingdom’s consort would look suspicious from every angle.
“Oh… I see.” Shengsheng suppressed the cry threatening to escape and answered distractedly.
Weiqing’s head was still buzzing from her inward roar. Once he recovered, he wondered when she had begun caring so much about Fusheng Duan.
Then again, even he had been shocked to hear that Fusheng was coughing blood.
When had that man ever behaved this way? Had he truly fallen in love with Shengsheng?
During the rest of their conversation, Weiqing knew her thoughts were elsewhere. In the end, he merely told her to follow his lead at the banquet, then left with Jian.
After he departed, Shengsheng dismissed every attendant and sprawled on the couch like a giant starfish.
*Senior, is the Noble Consort that the male lead just mentioned the villain?* Xiaosui flew to a low table nearby and looked down at the distracted Shengsheng.
Shengsheng gave a quiet “Mm.”
Seeing that she did not want to discuss it, Xiaosui fell silent and flew to the window to study a small flower.
Shengsheng thought she was truly full of herself. What did his illness have to do with her? Here she was wallowing in melancholy while he probably did not care and might even laugh at her for being an idiot.
She had even imagined his illness might be connected to her. Idiot.
Shengsheng Zhou, you fucking idiot.
She sprang upright, brushed off her skirt, raised a fist, and roared, “The wise do not fall in love! Getting filthy rich is inevitable!!”
A-Pang and Xiaosui both jolted.
Are you all right??