I can't shake the feeling that something is off between Jiang Xuan and me.

Long Zhan and Jiang Xuan were both laughing at my teeth. Shielding my front teeth with my hand, I headed back to my room and ran into Hongxiu. She was carrying some flour, probably about to make some pastries. The moment she saw me, she immediately turned away.

A person who betrays me at a crucial moment—there was really nothing left to say between us. She ignored me, and I couldn’t be bothered to speak to her either.

“Little Xiao!”

I hadn’t expected Hongxiu to call out to me first.

I stopped but didn’t turn around. “What is it, Hongxiu?”

“Don’t call me by name so intimately.”

“Fine, I won’t.”

“Aren’t you curious why I betrayed you?”

“Because you don’t want to be sent to the labor camp.”

Hongxiu was silent for a moment, then said, “I said you reminded me of my little brother, that’s why I dislike you. If my family hadn’t needed to feed my brother, I wouldn’t have been sent into the palace, and I wouldn’t have to do all these things every day.”

So that was the connection. But I’m not your brother, so why transfer your resentment onto me?

“Now you’re back in Cuiwei Palace, favored by Her Grace. You could accuse me in front of her if you wished. Right now, she’d definitely take your word for it.”

A cold smile crept to my lips. “Hongxiu, don’t assume everyone is like you, harming others for your own benefit. When I called you ‘sister,’ I truly regarded you as one. But now, you’ve really disappointed me.”

“Little Xiao!” Hongxiu called out behind me, her tone a little anxious. “I know you bring those meals to Master Long. Using the food I make to curry favor with him—how does that make you look in other people’s eyes?”

I turned and looked at her. “I bring him food because he helped me. I asked you to cook, and I did so politely. I didn’t harm anyone, nor did I try to flatter anyone. Hongxiu, take care of yourself.”

With that, I no longer wished to speak to her and went straight back to my room.

From the drawer, I took out the bottle of medicine that Consort Mei had once sent me through Ping’er. Such a wonderful person, gone just like that—and in such a tragic way! During those days in the labor camp, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the scene of her death. In this palace, human life is truly worth less than grass.

I applied some of the ointment that Lady Zhang Bitong had rewarded me to my hand and lay down on the bed. Having returned to Cuiwei Palace, not only had I become enemies with Hongxiu, but Lanyan and Xiaolu would likely shun me as well. I must be even more cautious from now on.

At dusk, someone came to wake me. Opening my eyes, I saw Yunqing standing before me. I hurried to my feet. “Aunt Yunqing, do you need something from this servant?”

“Eunuch Qiu just came to report: His Majesty will dine here tonight. Her Grace wishes the Ninth Prince to join as well. Go and find him.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Hurry up.”

“This servant understands.”

I quickly put on my shoes and socks and ran out of Cuiwei Palace.

The Ninth Prince’s residence was separated from Cuiwei Palace by just a wall, with a small door connecting them so that the servants of Cuiwei Palace could conveniently attend to him as needed.

When I arrived, the place was empty. The Ninth Prince, with all his limbs intact—where could he have run off to?

I was fretting, considering where to search next, when I looked up and saw him sitting on the roof. Above him, a few kites floated in the air—perhaps some princess was playing nearby.

“Ninth Prince! Ninth Prince! Her Grace wants you in Cuiwei Palace. His Majesty will dine here tonight!”

He acted as though he hadn’t heard me, still gazing at the kites.

I was helpless. Spying a ladder nearby, I climbed up to him. “Your Highness, I’ve come to escort you down.”

“Get lost!” he spat coldly.

“I’m just carrying out Her Grace’s orders.”

“I’m not going.”

I glanced at the kites. “If Your Highness likes, I can make you two kites.”

“You know how?”

I nodded. I was a girl, after all, and enjoyed such things. But in my family, there had never been money to buy kites, so I made a few myself, modeling them after my own designs.

“A prince like me, play with such things? Ridiculous!”

He might act tough, but he was still a boy at heart. Pretending to be indifferent, but stubbornly refusing to admit it.

“Your Highness, please come down. Her Grace is waiting.”

“I said I’m not going, and that’s final!”

Left with no choice, I decided to try a bolder approach and edged closer.

“Little Xiao, why are you getting so close?” Jiang Xuan was stunned.

I smiled at him, baring my teeth.

He couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you trying to amuse me on purpose?”

“If Your Highness is happy, then come down with me. If you want to please His Majesty, you can; if not, you don’t have to. Either way, your wishes are respected, aren’t they?”

“Little Xiao!” Suddenly, Jiang Xuan called me, his gaze so deep it seemed as though it would swallow me whole.

Perhaps I’d said something I shouldn’t have.

“I’ll go down first!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He grasped the ladder and climbed down. Once he was safely below, I gathered my robes and prepared to follow. Unexpectedly, he moved the ladder aside and tossed it away, glancing up with a look of smug satisfaction.

…Jiang Xuan, are you trying to make things difficult for me on purpose? I haven’t wronged you!

“Ninth Prince, please, let me come down!”

“Spend the night on the roof. I don’t wish to see your gappy teeth.”

With that, he left me there, a mess upon the rooftop.

Jiang Xuan was true to his word—he really left me up there. The roof was high, and I didn’t dare jump down for fear of breaking my legs. The more I brooded, the angrier I became. I’d come to fetch him out of goodwill, and he left me stranded. How excessive!

All I could do was sit on the rooftop, shivering from the cold, hugging myself and rubbing my arms for warmth. The moon was round that night, but its light did nothing to ward off the chill. I tried to distract myself by admiring it, but the cold grew worse, and drowsiness crept in.

I couldn’t sleep. I slapped myself to stay awake, terrified that if I dozed off, I’d roll off the roof.

No, I needed to find a way down.

I stood up and carefully edged along the eaves, stepping gingerly on the tiles, searching for a safe way down. But I missed a step and fell straight from the roof.

Falling was bad enough—but I landed in a wooden tub. A tub full of water. A tub with someone in it. Someone bathing.

Of course, a bathing person would be unclothed.

The instant I plunged in, instinct made me flail and grab at anything I could. And then—disaster. I seemed to have grabbed something I definitely shouldn’t have.

When I surfaced, spitting out water, I saw Jiang Xuan’s expression—worse than if he’d swallowed a mouthful of filth.

Yes, worse than filth.

Wait—the important point wasn’t about filth—it was about Jiang Xuan!

I’d fallen into his quarters again, and at that very moment, he’d been bathing.

So what exactly had I just grabbed?

I hesitated—my hand still reflexively tightened its grip.

“Little Xiao!” Jiang Xuan roared, “Let go of your hand!”

“Ah! Let go, let go!” I quickly raised both hands and scrambled out of the tub, standing there, shivering as water dripped from me.

Jiang Xuan did not allow me to leave, and I dared not move.

“Ninth Prince, is something wrong? Your servant heard a commotion inside?” a palace maid called from outside.

Jiang Xuan remained in the tub, his face cold as he stared at me.

If he said I was inside, I’d be accused of disturbing the Ninth Prince’s bath and would surely be punished back in Cuiwei Palace.

I shivered, looking at him. He withdrew his gaze. “Nothing. A wild cat suddenly jumped in.”

“Shall I chase it out?”

“No need. It’s already escaped through the window.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The maid quieted down.

Jiang Xuan stood up in the tub. Not again! I’d already seen and touched everything, but I still couldn’t get used to it. Thank heavens, I fainted just in time.

Half-awake, half-dreaming, I clung to a hand and murmured, “Mother, Zhi is cold. Mother, Zhi misses you. I don’t want to do these things anymore, I just want to be with you... Don’t leave me, don’t…”

The hand slipped from my grasp, and then I felt warm liquid poured into my mouth. I felt comforted and drifted back to sleep.

When I woke, I opened my eyes slightly and saw Jiang Xuan watching me. Terrified, I scrambled to the edge of the bed.

“Since you’re awake, get out of here!”

“Eh?” Only then did I realize I was in Jiang Xuan’s room.

“This servant deserves to die!” I hurried to get up, but dizziness overtook me and I collapsed back onto the bed.

“Forget it. Wait until morning.”

“No, Your Highness, I must return. If anyone sees me here, I’ll be in terrible trouble…”

“At least you know to learn from your mistakes.”

I forced myself up, staggering toward the door.

“Stop.”

I clung to the doorway for support.

“Take this,” Jiang Xuan said, tossing me a packet of medicine with a blank expression. “Decoct it when you get back—you have a fever.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Clutching the medicine, I pulled open the door.

“Little Xiao, if you breathe a single word of what happened tonight—everything—I’ll send you back to the labor camp!”

Everything?

The main thing must be that I grabbed him there.

My hand trembled. After all these years, I’d never before seized a man’s… that. Something was definitely off between Jiang Xuan and me!

No, no! I’m a eunuch, a eunuch!

I quickly assured him, “Your Highness, rest assured—not a word will leave my lips.”