XH 44
Xiao Hua would have preferred to hear 'I'm sorry' from the Third Prince but it was impossible to have a prince to apologize to a servant.
It bothered Le XiaoTing, who had always received an apology from those that had done something wrong to her. No matter how high your position was, or how noble your family name was, as long as you did anything wrong, they need to face their wrongdoings and apologize to the victims. That was what Le XiaoTing firmly believed.
Even that boss of hers was forced to apologize to her when he had borrowed her one and only personal laptop without asking for her permission for a five days business trip. For five days, she had been like a drug addict, suffering novel withdrawals. That happened before she got the courage to read novels using the workplace's computer!
She had used her laptop to read machine translated Chinese web novel. She had the Google machine translation add-on in her laptop but her mobile phone hates the add-on Google machine translation and often not working right. During that moment, she was chasing after the novel written by Heise, the author of the novel she had transmigrated into.
In fact, that novel was one of the few Chinese novels that she could still tolerate to read using machine translation was because they used simple Chinese characters. Actually, she was quite surprised that she could understand Heise's novel despite written in a historical setting, where flowery words or idioms being used would be killed by the machine translation.
That just showed how simple and straight to the point Heise's words were!
Xiao Hua could no longer stay angry at the Third Prince. His words had indirectly told her that he was sorry, or else why would he bother to explain his actions to her?
She could not hear what he had continued to say, because she feels as if her heart had been injected with sweetness and her mind was fuzzy as if trapped inside cotton. Her fingers squeezed his hand that was still in her grip, stopping his words.
His eyes stared at their hands but she did not release her grip, as her brain no longer worked properly to warn her about improper conduct for this time period. She was busy trying to arrange her words to fully convey her thoughts.
"Your Highness," Xiao Hua smiled. "This servant understands Your Highness' actions after you had kindly explained it."
Long Zhu found himself mesmerized by her smile. It was not the awkward or timid smile he usually saw on her tiny face. It was also not the patient smile she usually reserved for Long Lian's gossips.
This smile was filled with understanding for him. He had never seen this kind of smile directed to him before. He had seen respect, trust, and fear, but never understanding.
He discovered he liked it a lot.
Xiao Hua nearly let out a yelp when the Third Prince rubbed her head as if one does to a pet but she found that she liked it. Does it not mean that she was loved when she received head pats?
"Xiao Hua is a good girl."
"Your Highness, this is not appropriate!" Xiao Hua quickly puts some distance between them, feared that she would get addicted to head pats.
The Third Prince feel a little hurt from her reaction. Did she dislike his touch that much?
"Are you able to complete the task given?"
He had entertained the thought to send Xiao Hua far away from him, somewhere she would be safe, but he would be worried about her if she was not by his side where he can see her. But if Xiao Hua was to remain by his side, she will need to learn some self-defense arts.
Long Zhu could force her to cultivate but the young girl does not seem interested in it. Her age was also a little older than the age where children started their cultivation training.
"No," Xiao Hua answered honestly. She doubted that even if she had removed the pouch bags from her wrists, she would not be able to hit the target.
"Then you will need to accept the punishment." The punishment he was reluctant to give to her. He purposely made the training as a task to see if she could defy the odds and escape the punishment.
This task could be given to Long Lian, but he does not wish for his sister to get involved in danger. The second choice was Xiao Hua, who was already pushed into the danger as long as she remained by his side.
Xiao Hua ought to feel irritated but she feels detached from the feeling. That might be due to knowing that she would never talk herself out of the punishment. So what if the Third Prince favored her?
That favor could be removed on his whim anytime, any day. The human rights from her original world could not be applied here.
"Please tell me my punishment, Your Highness." Her words may be polite, but she refused to plaster a fake expression of gratitude on her face for a punishment that she was doomed to receive in the first place.
This young lady dislike you and not afraid to show it! (╬ Ò﹏Ó)
"Try to get close to the Eighth Prince, and find out what he's planning."
Long Zhu could have questioned Eunuch Heng about his Eighth brother's irregularities, but who in the palace does not know how protective he was to his charge? Any question or actions towards the Eighth Prince was examined countless time from every side available.
He had sounded him out once, casually asking why the Eighth Prince seems to adore the Second Prince quite a bit lately. Eunuch Heng's lips were as if sealed, only saying 'This servant has no idea' to block every question that was thrown to him.
Xiao Hua blinked in surprise, her dislike abruptly stopped. Her punishment...was this? Knowing that her punishment would not involve beating had her body relaxed from the tension.
"This servant receives the punishment." So the Third Prince had noticed the Eighth Prince was out of character just like himself?
But then, the Eighth Prince had done a terrible job to act in character. He was supposed to be silly and childlike, but these days, whenever Long Lian visited the Third Prince's manor, the Eighth Prince would arrive not long after.
Long Lian had gained a stalker.
He made an excuse of wanting to hang out more with Long Lian, and whenever things seem to according to his plan; he would secretly smile in a smug way whenever he thought no one was looking.
Xiao Hua would often politely look away when he was in one of his 'episodes' because it hurt her eyes to look at that low-level skill. She was pretty sure the other inner maids had noticed too.
"Find out why he keeps on supporting the Second Prince as well."
"Was it not because the Eighth Prince admires the Second Prince?"
Xiao Hua had not randomly guessed it. It's because the Eighth Prince has that look on his face that was similar to a fan whenever they saw or talked about their idol.
"Admire?" The Third Prince said it with thick ridicule. "The Second Prince had done nothing to gain admiration from Eighth brother."
As expected of a cannon fodder! They have built-in 'hate the heroine and hero' device in them! There's no 'on' or 'off' button!
"This servant will look into it," Xiao Hua said. She was actually quite curious about the Eighth Prince's admiration towards the hero as well.
Did he feel that way because the Second prince had done something awesome for him? Or was it because of the hero's built-in halo that forced the Eighth Prince to worship him?
This young lady is excited to play spy and find out all his secrets! o(>ω<)o
"Being a friend to a prince is not a bad thing. It is understandable when the friendship become genuine."
The Third Prince's gaze was filled with meaning. He was basically telling her that it was alright to be friends with the Eighth Prince. It has plenty of advantages!
"Xiao Hua understands."
The Third Prince had to say it in a straightforward way because he feared that Xiao Hua would not get what he meant.
Poor Xiao Hua, even the Third Prince viewed her as a silly girl.
A/N'S Note:
What do you think of my trolling attempt? (That's the Xiao Hua in my imagination, but much more cuter of course!)
I draw it using paint...it's so hard to draw using a mouse!
But we all still love the old cover... hence it's still remain as the cover.