XH 53
One month 'calmly' passed since the big reveal and things somewhat back to 'normal'. Long Lian did not visit often because she was busy planning her birthday celebration with the Empress.
But that did not stop her from coming over in the mornings and have Xiao Hua become her tree hole again while Xiao Hua was practicing her throwing. Thanks to Long Lian's chatter, Xiao Hua seems to be able to endure training past her usual time limit, and she could feel her arms getting stronger.
Ah~ will she become muscular one day? That thought scared her. Le XiaoTing does not like having a flabby body, but that does not mean she likes a muscular body on herself!
The good news is, she was finally able to hit the wooden board!
There was one big change after the great reveal, and that was the increasing amount of visits from the Eighth Prince, also known as Heise, the murderer of the Long clan. He no longer stalked Long Lian now that he stopped forcing others to hop onto the Second Prince's ship.
He visited just to hang out with Xiao Hua and not so subtly grilling information about the Third Prince from her. Not that she knew much to begin with and they usually end up talking about their original life.
"Shit, he knows that I'm the one that planned his demise!" the Eighth Prince suddenly shouted.
"Who?" Honestly, Heise had driven a lot of his characters to their dead end.
"The Third Prince! He knows that I crippled him, before forcing him to drink poison to commit suicide!" The Eighth Prince suddenly leaned closer to Xiao Hua, who was embroidering something on a white robe. "He hates me, right? He's totally planning for revenge, right?"
"I don't know about hating you, but I'm sure he's using you."
Ignoring the Eighth Prince's 'I'm right!' expression, Xiao Hua continued with her analysis. "He seems to view your novel as a joke, a cheap product that imitates this world."
"I did not imitate anything!"
"But this world seems to be more...descriptive than your novel. Regardless of who's copying who, this world is very much real."
The Eighth Prince pouted adorably as he crossed his arms. "He did not even share his experience. Stingy guy!"
Xiao Hua sighed inwardly before telling the Eighth Prince about her life as Le XiaoTing, diverting his attention from bad-mouthing the Third Prince. Later, she realized she had managed to divert his attention all too well.
Xiao Hua had to put down her embroidery on her lap before the shaking table accidentally caused the needle to poke her finger. After being assured that the needle was placed in a safe place, she glared at the Eighth Prince.
The ten-year-old boy dressed in dark blue robes with a picture of a small dragon embroidered on it was laughing so hard that he had collapsed on top of the table.
What had gotten the Eighth Prince to laugh this crazy is...
"You died because you want to hide your hidden stash?" The Eighth Prince laughed all over again after he finished speaking.
Xiao Hua used her palm to smack the back of his head, which was easily done for the younger boy was still sprawling over the table. "I have no hidden stash!" Even if Le XiaoTing has them, she would not admit it! "I'm reading the comments from your readers!"
Annoyed that the Eighth Prince was still laughing, Xiao Hua smacked his head again, but harder.
Eunuch Heng, who was standing at a side, had winced every time Xiao Hua smacked, punched or kicked the Eighth Prince.
When he first saw how Xiao Hua smacked the Eighth Prince, Eunuch Heng was livid! He would have beat up the younger maid had Da Bei, who seemed to be stuck as Xiao Hua's bodyguard, stopped him with his sword glinted dangerously as it pressed onto the young eunuch's neck.
Added with Xiao Hua's identity, Eunuch Heng had to endure seeing his master getting abused by the violent girl, but strangely, the Eighth Prince did not get angry. Instead, he laughed even harder every time Xiao Hua gets violent at him.
Could it be...the Eighth Prince love being abused?
Eunuch Heng quickly smacked those thoughts away, scolding himself for saying bad things about his master. The current Eighth Prince might not be his original master, but he still adored the transmigrated soul. Both have the same honest gaze and bright smile that was similar to the warm of the sun.
Eunuch Heng could not help but wonder if this would be how the original Eighth Prince would grow up to be if he had not gone mad.
"At least it's original, unlike your death! Gotten run over by a truck is so cliché!" Xiao Hua snapped, all her gentleness was gone. "And why are you texting while driving!"
Suddenly the Eighth Prince's laughter disappeared and replaced with gloominess, surprising Xiao Hua at his abrupt change.
"H-Hey, you alright?"
"My girlfriend sent a message, telling me to break up."
It was that day when he finally released his final chapter and anticipated a call from his girlfriend. He had even made sure his girlfriend knew about the final chapter. But his girlfriend sends a breakup text, and there was not even a single congratulatory line for finishing his novel.
Xiao Hua winced at the bleakness of his tone. "S-Sorry. But there will be other girls better than your girlfriend."
"I don't like girls."
Xiao Hua winced again. She keeps on forgetting his 'girlfriend' was a guy. Honestly, calling a guy as 'girlfriend' created so much misunderstanding.
Is this his attempt to hide his sexual orientation?
Xiao Hua could be flexible and tell him there will be better guys waiting for him to notice them, but it would be awkward in this time period. She doubted that 'cut sleeve' would be accepted in this traditional society.
"Not necessary, right? I mean, you are a fan of Ah Lian."
"If I'm straight, Long Lian will be my first choice," the Eighth Prince admitted. The Eighth Prince suddenly glared at Eunuch Heng and waved a tiny hand at him. "Shoo shoo. Go away."
"Your Highness-"
"I don't want you to listen to this. Go and stand far away."
Eunuch Heng with a heartbroken expression, obediently walked away to give them some privacy. After making sure his eunuch was standing at a spot where he could not hear them, the Eighth Prince immediately gave Xiao Hua a grieving look.
"When I first came here, I thought my girlfriend is trying to make up for my car accident!"
Xiao Hua: "..." I don't understand.
"Eunuch Heng has the same face as my girlfriend!"
Xiao Hua: [☆.☆]!
Suddenly feeling that the topic became very interesting, Xiao Hua sits closer to the Eighth Prince with shining eyes, like a cat that was asking for more milk.
The Eighth Prince hides his face with his palm, letting out a long wail. "So embarrassing!"
"What did you do?" Xiao Hua asked eagerly.
"I woke up in a strange bed and the first person I see is Eunuch Heng. I immediately hugged him and beg him not to leave me. He promised and I was so happy so I kissed him and he was so shocked he runs out of the room screaming. He keeps calling me Your Highness or Prince so I thought he's cosplaying to make me happy and I'm f*cking happy."
Xiao Hua had to use all her concentration to catch his fast mumblings. But he suddenly stopped, no longer speaking.
Giving the still statue a poke, Xiao Hua urged him to continue. "What happens then?"
"My body is what's f*cking wrong!" The Eighth Prince suddenly roared and slammed his palms on the table, scaring Xiao Hua away.
"This kids' body is not mine! I'm muscular, tall and handsome! Why the heck would I transmigrate into a small meat bun?!"
Heise was a healthy twenty-two-year-old man with a handsome face and deep voice! He was one of the top bachelors in the country, with a bright future of being the only heir to his parents' very successful large company!
"A rather cute meat bun." A mesmerizing and gentle voice floated over to their ears, immediately has the Eighth Prince zipped his mouth and Xiao Hua to blush involuntarily.
The Third Prince's footsteps were silent as he walked towards them, wearing a dark blue robe that was similar to the style that the Eighth Prince was currently wearing.
Xiao Hua was surprised the Third Prince would wear dark-colored clothes instead of his favorite light-colored ones. His hair was unlike the usual loose style, but with half of his hair combed back and pinned up with a white jaded hair crown. The hairstyle exposed his face and neck, resembling a handsome and gentle scholar.
"What are you doing here?" the Eighth Prince asked suspiciously. Eunuch Heng had told him that the Third Prince had gone somewhere and would not return until tomorrow.
The Third Prince effortlessly picked Xiao Hua up and sat down on her chair before placing Xiao Hua down on his lap.
The red blush grew more prominent on her cheeks and she glared at the Third Prince. "What are you doing?" Sadly, her fierce tone was translated to being shy when it reached the Third Prince's ears.
After knowing that she was not the real Xiao Hua, the Third Prince suddenly wanted to deepen their skinship! Not only that, she was given new dresses with better quality but they still remained in blue colors. The topic conversation about hairpins between her and Long Lian was heard and relayed to the Third Prince, and the next day, many types of ribbons were gifted to her by the spendthrift prince just because she revealed her dislike towards the hairpins' weight!
Le XiaoTing, the weak-willed maiden, had her heart taken by this prince way too easily!
Return my heart to me, you lolicon!
The lolicon was ignorant of his loli's inner complaints and happily caress her soft cheeks. After continuously feeding his maid with food and healthy soups, she was finally gaining back some weight. Yet the Third Prince still easily carried her around without breaking any sweat or his back!
Xiao Hua, unaware of her own budding beauty with the soft skin and fair complexion, could easily be one of the top ten cutest little girls in Guilin Country.
"I have gotten what I want," the Third Prince answered, surprisingly did not get angry at the way the Eighth Prince had talked to him.
Team Transmigrator started to view the Third Prince as a super nice person and accepting of their situation. What they did not know was the Third Prince used the Eighth Prince to let Xiao Hua lower her guard and ease her shyness around him.
A certain prince is jealous of how close the duo transmigrators are.
Xiao Hua asked curiously, "What do you want?"
The Third Prince smiled, resembling a blooming flower under the sun. "A present for you."
Xiao Hua could not stop herself from blushing at the heart-stopping smile as well as from what he had said.
The two of them seem to be in their own world until the Eighth Prince suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I haven't bought any presents yet!"
Xiao Hua was relieved of the distraction while a certain prince felt a little annoyed at his younger 'brother' interrupting his small breakthrough of his little maid's defense.