Chapter 127: Was She Hinting at Me?

"What is this?"

An Luo had just sent the news of Situ Kuo's return to Cheng Chengxuan when she noticed a small icon appear on the chat interface.

"It's shaped like a camera—does that mean I can take photos now?"

Thinking this, she tapped it excitedly, and sure enough, she could!

It's just that the range is a bit small.

An Luo tried snapping a picture of the vanity table, and heard a click.

The next second, her phone buzzed with a notification.

Buzz!

Gift successfully sent!

An Luo: "???"

What's going on?

What did I just send over?

She hurriedly rummaged through the things on the vanity table, and after a final check discovered:

A comb was missing!

An Luo covered her face.

Who sends a comb as their first gift?

Oh, right—that would be me.

So embarrassing!

She was about to call and explain, but her fingertip paused just before pressing down.

"It's so late—what if he's already asleep?"

"I'll just send a message instead."

On the other side, seeing An Luo's message, Cheng Chengxuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He'd been worried all night, but now he could finally set his mind at ease.

He rubbed his aching temples and was about to rest for a moment, but just as he rose, a flash of white light suddenly swept before him, and something appeared on the table.

The light screen before him displayed:

Gift delivered, please remember to sign for it~

Cheng Chengxuan froze, then slowly reached out and picked it up.

"This is... a gift from her?"

But why a comb?

Could it be...

Cheng Chengxuan's face flushed red in an instant, so hot he felt as if steam were rising off him.

He ran his fingers over the Ox Horn Comb, his star-like eyes shining bright, the corners of his lips curved in a smile he couldn't suppress.

So that's it...

So, was she hinting at me?

That makes sense—a girl's face is thin; how could a girl be the one to say such a thing first?

Yes, that must be it.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard another notification tone and immediately reached out expectantly to tap it open.

After seeing the message, the corners of his mouth that had been curved up gradually flattened, his eyelids drooped, and his eyes were filled with an unconcealed desolation.

So it was just an accident after all.

"I thought..."

He raised his hand and typed a few words:

Alright, do you need me to send it back to you?

An Luo, seeing this on her end, hurriedly refused.

"No, no, no, just leave it wherever you like, or if it bothers you, you can throw it away—I'm really very sorry."

If you send it back, I'll have to spend points to retrieve it—what a loss!

Seeing this message, Cheng Chengxuan's lashes trembled; pressing his lips together, he raised his hand and wrote on the light screen, deleted, wrote again, deleted again, and finally sent just two words.

How could he possibly dislike it?

Looking at the comb in his hand, he carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and solemnly placed it into a box.

Meanwhile, An Luo on the other side stared at his message, thoroughly puzzled.

Won't.

Won't what?

Won't throw it away, or won't take this matter to heart?

After thinking for several minutes without reaching any conclusion, An Luo finally refused to overthink it, simply put down her phone, and decisively lay back on the bed to continue sleeping.

Whatever—I'm exhausted, and right now no one is allowed to disturb her morning doze.

……

The sun rose, and the servants in the Fifth Prince's Residence began sweeping and bustling about; the courtyard gradually grew lively.

Hearing the sounds outside, Cheng Chengxuan shook his head helplessly.

Looks like he won't get to rest.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

"Young Master Cheng, the Imperial Prince requests your presence."

Opening the door, Qingzhu glanced at him, her lips moved, and she quickly whispered a line.

"Young Master Cheng, be careful. The National Lord already knows you've been advising the Fifth Prince. He issued two secret edicts against the Fifth Prince—the first is to spare the Second Prince's life, the second is to have the Fifth Prince kill you."

Hearing this, a trace of coldness swept through Cheng Chengxuan's eyes.

"Good, I understand."

On the way to the Study, Cheng Chengxuan's expression grew increasingly icy.

He didn't really think Shang Xiaomin would actually kill him—Shang Xiaomin wouldn't obey either of those two secret edicts.

But last night he'd been so busy worrying whether Situ Kuo could make it back in time that he'd forgotten—now that the Second Prince had lost, next, he'd start making moves against Grandmother and the others, wouldn't he?

That was what worried him most right now.

While thinking, he arrived at the Study.

After steadying his emotions, Cheng Chengxuan walked in.

"Brother Chengxuan, come and have some!"

Shang Xiaomin was just about to take his morning meal.

Despite not sleeping all night, not a trace of fatigue showed on his face; on the contrary, he looked radiant and full of energy.

Perfectly normal.

After all, joy lifts the spirits.

Cheng Chengxuan gave a slight nod.

"Thank you, Imperial Prince."

He walked to the table and sat down.

"Congratulations, Imperial Prince, on achieving what you set out to do."

"Ha ha!"

Shang Xiaomin burst into hearty laughter.

"Thanks entirely to Brother Chengxuan's careful planning that I, this Imperial Prince, was able to defeat the Second Prince step by step."

Saying so, he picked up the tea cup beside his hand.

"Come, today I'll substitute tea for wine and toast Brother Chengxuan a cup."

Cheng Chengxuan smiled faintly.

"The Imperial Prince is too kind. With your talent and ability, even without this Cheng, you would surely have obtained what you wanted."

Shang Xiaomin smiled and shook his head.

"How could that be the same? Without Brother Chengxuan assisting me by my side, how could I, this Imperial Prince, have defeated the Second Prince so easily?"

"Regardless, please accept my thanks, Brother Chengxuan."

Having said that, he first tipped his head back and drank down the tea in his cup, then looked at Cheng Chengxuan with a faint smile, urging him on with his eyes.

Cheng Chengxuan brought the tea cup to his lips, lowered his eyes, and swept a glance at the tea inside.

He sneered inwardly.

Poisoning me, then trying to kidnap my family—such a way of showing gratitude is truly one of a kind under the heavens!

First I'll play along and let you gloat a while!

Thinking this, he also drained the tea in his cup.

Afterward, he nodded and praised.

"Fine tea."

It's just a pity that adding what shouldn't have been added utterly ruined this rare fine tea.

Shang Xiaomin smiled in satisfaction and waved a hand grandly.

"Naturally. This is this year's Tribute Tea—all of Muyuan combined only has a single jin of it."

"Since Brother Chengxuan likes it, take a jar back with you later!"

Cheng Chengxuan smiled.

"Then many thanks to the Imperial Prince."

Shang Xiaomin waved his hand.

"Let's skip the polite words—the food's getting cold, let's eat."

He had just picked up his chopsticks when Cheng Chengxuan's face suddenly turned pale. He clutched his stomach with one hand, his brows tightly knit, looking very uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Shang Xiaomin quickly set down his chopsticks.

"What's wrong?"

"Feeling unwell?"

Cheng Chengxuan shook his head weakly.

"It's nothing serious, just an old problem of a cold stomach. I'll be fine after resting a while."

"In that case, you should go back and rest first. I'll have the Back Kitchen prepare some stomach-nourishing soup and send it over to you."

Cheng Chengxuan nodded.

"Thank you, Imperial Prince."

Saying that, he slowly walked out of the Study.

After he left, Shang Xiaomin called out toward the door.

"Someone!"

Qingmu and Qingzhu walked in, one after the other.

"Imperial Prince."

"Qingzhu, follow him and see what Cheng Chengxuan does."

"Yes!"

After Qingzhu left, Shang Xiaomin beckoned Qingmu over and gave him a quiet instruction.

"You follow her secretly too. Make sure Qingzhu doesn't notice."

At those words, Qingmu's pupils couldn't help but tremble.

Follow Qingzhu?

Could the Imperial Prince be suspecting Qingzhu?!