Chapter 100: Can't Get to Sleep

Xiao Youlan caught a different meaning in these words; he tilted his head and said, "You come with me."

Nan Xueyin, however, refused, "I am not going. I want to bathe."

Xiao Youlan peered at her: "What if she likes me and wants to stay in the Eastern Palace to serve?"

Nan Xueyin could not help but laugh: "Then just let her stay."

Seeing the curve of her eyes, the usual cold, clear air about her faded, and a charming allure was ready to emerge.

Xiao Youlan's Adam's apple bobbed; he reached over, grabbed her, and kissed her lips forcefully.

Nan Xueyin pushed him away and wiped the corner of her mouth hard, "What are you doing!"

Now it was Xiao Youlan's turn to smile, "Remember to miss me."

After saying this, he strode toward the outside.

Nan Xueyin was still wiping the corner of her mouth; in truth, Xiao Youlan had only kissed her as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the water, and with that one swipe of hers, any trace of saliva was wiped away.

She stared at Xiao Youlan's back, his words "Remember to miss me" echoing in her ears, and thought indignantly, what is the meaning of this; could it be that he won't return once he leaves?

At the turn of a corner, Xiao Youlan was no longer visible, leaving only a shadow cast on the ground by the lamplight.

Nan Xueyin withdrew her gaze and closed the room door securely.

On the other side.

Jiang Lian'er was bound tightly from head to toe with thick rope; because she had struggled violently earlier trying to escape, her hair was exceptionally messy, and she was currently lying on her side on the ground, panting, looking toward the direction of the door.

She had just tried to bite her tongue to commit suicide, and there were still bloodstains at the corners of her mouth, which were being forcibly gagged by a whole strip of cloth.

Seeing Xiao Youlan, the hope in Jiang Lian'er's dull eyes suddenly burst forth, and a whimpering sound came from the bottom of her throat.

"Crown Prince."

The personal guards watching from the side rose together to bow respectfully.

Xiao Youlan nodded, signaling to them: "Take the cloth from her mouth."

The personal guards complied.

The cloth was removed, and Jiang Lian'er coughed violently.

Xiao Youlan crouched halfway not far from her, "I hear you want to see me?"

Jiang Lian'er coughed until her eyes were red, and with two pools of hot tears, she looked at him and spoke in a pitiful, trembling voice: "Cr-Crown Prince... I... I beg you, let me stay in the Eastern Palace!"

Xiao Youlan was noncommittal about this and instead asked: "Where is your father?"

Jiang Lian'er's eye sockets turned even more miserably red, and her throat choked up before she said: "My father doesn't want me anymore; he... he wanted to sell me. I was at the end of my rope, so I stole Mulan and ran away..."

She did not forget to explain: "Mulan, is... is the name of the black leopard. She is Xiaoyang's mother."

Xiao Youlan gave a hum and asked again: "Why do you know the Ninth Princess of the Loulan Kingdom?"

Jiang Lian'er swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said: "The Princess... the Princess came to my home while preparing a gift for the Empress Dowager. She heard about my father wanting to sell me, and as a fellow woman, she pitied my plight, so she bought me and Mulan."

"Hmm?"

Xiao Youlan's gaze was sharp, "Didn't you just say that you stole Mulan and ran away? How did it become the Ninth Princess buying you and Mulan now?"

Jiang Lian'er was startled, revealing a nervous expression; she pressed her lips together tightly before saying: "It... it is like this: after I ran away with Mulan, I was caught back by my father, and then I met the Ninth Princess and was saved by her."

Xiao Youlan did not press further and changed the question: "At the birthday banquet, why did you incite the black leopard to attack me?"

"Your Highness, you misunderstand!" Jiang Lian'er said in a panic, "I... have never incited it, nor would I dare to attack Your Highness; I admire Your Highness with all my heart. It is just that after Mulan lost her child, she often went mad..."

Xiao Youlan did not speak.

"Your Highness, I beg you, take me in..."

Jiang Lian'er watched him eagerly, more tears welling up in her eyes, wetting her entire small face, "My father is looking for me everywhere outside; he will definitely kill me! I will be very obedient, I will definitely serve you well, no matter what you say, I will do it, as long as you are willing to keep me..."

Xiao Youlan gazed at her for a moment, his thoughts turning, and he gave a hum.

Jiang Lian'er paused, "Your Highness means..."

Xiao Youlan's tone was flat: "You may stay in the Eastern Palace."

Jiang Lian'er was stunned, as if she had not expected him to agree so quickly.

"You can stay, are you not happy?" Xiao Youlan's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I am happy!"

Jiang Lian'er immediately raised a smiling face, and with a large bundle of tears, she looked pitiful even while smiling, "I am extremely happy!"

Nan Xueyin had a comfortable bath and washed her hair while she was at it.

As she wiped her wet hair with a clean towel, she heard movement outside.

Late at night, what is this for?

Nan Xueyin was curious; she draped an outer garment over her shoulders, opened half the door, and looked out.

In the courtyard, three familiar attendants were each carrying a bucket of hot water, walking toward the west side room.

That room had always been empty and unoccupied, but now it was brightly lit, the door was open, and Feihong was standing inside the room, yet poking his head out.

Seeing Nan Xueyin, he paused, but still gave instructions to the attendants: "You lot, be careful; the hot water should not be too hot, nor too cold..."

As he spoke, he stepped toward Nan Xueyin.

"Miss Nan."

Before Nan Xueyin could ask anything, Feihong accompanied his words with a smile: "The Crown Prince has kept Miss Jiang; he wants her to bathe first, as she is dirty and the weather is hot. Miss Jiang suffered some superficial wounds, and the Crown Prince even specially sent for an Imperial Physician to treat her."

Nan Xueyin's expression, however, was very indifferent: "What does that have to do with me."

Having said that, she did not wait for Feihong to say anything more, turned back into the room, and closed the door neatly.

Feihong stood outside the door, looking at the tightly shut door, but his mood was very pleasant.

Although these words were not taught by the Crown Prince, according to his experience from reading storybooks, saying it this way must be useful!

The problem now is: when the time comes and the Crown Prince is happy, what reward should he ask for?

On the other side, Nan Xueyin lay back down on the bed.

She thought to herself that this bed was not particularly large, and previously Xiao Youlan would always come over and insist on squeezing in with her, and he would always hold her tightly, which caused her sleep to always be poor; now that Xiao Youlan was gone, she would surely be able to sleep peacefully.

However, after closing her eyes and lying there for a long time, Nan Xueyin could not fall asleep at all.

She opened her eyes to look at the ceiling above her and could not help but frown.

This was not right.

Nan Xueyin comforted herself, thinking it must be because she had slept for too long earlier and was too awake, which was why she could not sleep.

Until the next day dawned, Xiao Youlan did not come over again, and Nan Xueyin's mind remained completely clear.

She heard footsteps outside the door.

Linglang had come over early to wait for Nan Xueyin to get up, but upon arriving outside the door, she asked in confusion, "Who are you? What are you doing waiting at the doorway?"

"I... my surname is Jiang, and I am called Lian'er."

The young girl's voice was thin, "I came specifically to explain to Miss Nan that the Crown Prince kept me in the Eastern Palace because he felt pity for me; the person he likes is still Miss Nan."