XH 110
Long Lian, Xiao Hua, and the Third Prince stared at Yang Ling, their food forgotten. The sight of a desperate man eating the bowl of noodles and vegetables...was strangely intriguing.
Xiao Hua forced herself not to clap when Yang Ling finally finished his dinner. His face had lost most of its colour, with a shade of light green over his face.
Will he puke? She will need to shove a large bowl beneath him to avoid dirtying the floor!
The Third Prince stared at Yang Ling until he was sure the younger boy managed to hold his dinner and did not vomit. Only then did the Third Prince continue with his meal.
Placing a piece of roasted duck on Xiao Hua's bowl and using that as a subtle sign in telling her to start eating, the Third Prince informed Long Lian. "You should quickly eat and return to the palace. It's not safe to travel in late nights."
Staring at her third brother in confusion, Long Lian wondered what her brother was talking about. She was used to returning to the palace late in the night after hanging out with Xiao Hua and never once she got attacked.
Long Lian narrowed her eyes. Or something is changing?
Despite there were tons of questions she wanted to ask, Long Lian gave a sound of agreement and eat her meal, but it was tasteless in her mouth. Xiao Hua wondered about it too but she kept her mouth shut by stuffing food into her mouth.
The dishes were cleared mostly by Long Lian and Xiao Hua decided to brew tea for them. If her tea making could improve their health, then they should drink more.
But could she drink it too?
Although she was allowed to dine together with the Third Prince and Long Lian, she was not the one that brewed the tea during mealtime. Only when the Third Prince retired to his study did he asked for her tea.
Normally after she had brewed the tea for the Third Prince, she would follow Duan Xi Ying to train a little before practicing her embroidery or hanging out with Long Lian.
Without instructing, Duan Xi Ying already knew what Xiao Hua wanted and already prepared the necessary items for the tea brewing. The previous tea set was discreetly removed to be replaced with hers. The Third Prince naturally caught their actions but he made no move to stop Xiao Hua from brewing since he missed her tea as she had not brewed any tea during their trip to the Xuanwu Kingdom.
Xiao Hua refilled their cup with the new tea and watched their reaction in anticipation. Long Lian was the first to drink it, and after taking a sip, she immediately realized it was brewed by Xiao Hua. Giving Xiao Hua a happy smile, she drank it all and allowed her cup to be refilled.
The Third Prince's intoxicated expression was the same but Yang Ling's reaction was completely new and shocking.
"Woah, what tea is it?" Yang Ling demanded with fire in his eyes. "It tastes so good and energizing! I feel as if I just took a long nap!" Even the nausea feeling and the lingering taste of the food on his mouth disappeared without a trace!
He motioned wildly with his hands to have someone refill his cup and Xiao Hua took the task since the teapot was closer to her.
Her actions were followed by a pair of angry eyes that belonged to the Third Prince. His smile was gone and the gentleness that was the label to identify him was replaced with a dark fury that could choke a weaker person. Fortunately, it was targeted on Yang Ling or else Xiao Hua and Long Lian would immediately faint from it.
Too occupied with the tea, Yang Ling, the intended recipient of the fury was completely oblivious to the deathly aura aiming at him. He was smitten by the tea that his guard had completely collapsed.
"Hmmm! This is too good ah!"
Xiao Hua gasped when the teapot in her hand disappeared. The Third Prince's mouth curled to form a sneer that Long Lian just so happen to caught it and shivered.
For Yang Ling to take the teapot from his little flower's hands... seeking death!
"Long Zhu, where did you buy this tea leaves from? You've found my perfect tea! I could easily drink this every day, every hour, every second! Please tell me!" Yang Ling refilled his fourth cup with his face slightly flushed with bright eyes that screams intoxicated.
Normally, if the drinker likes the drink made by the brewer, the brewer should be happy and proud. Xiao Hua was originally happy, but Yang Ling's actions seem as if she was a drug dealer instead!
Her hand twitched in desire to smack the teapot away from Yang Ling's grip but someone beat her to it. The owner of the light blue wide sleeves that had smacked the teapot to the wall had Xiao Hua gaped stupidly. The teapot was fortunately not made by porcelain or else it would have broken into pieces from the impact.
"Yang Ling," The Third Prince said dangerously, with an equally dangerous gaze like a predator looking at his prey. "You will be staying in your room, not allowed to step out of your room as your punishment for failing to win the first place of the archery. Da Liu, tell Advisor Yang to keep an eye on his son for this prince."
"Yes, master," a deep voice from a dark corner in the room answered.
The flung away teapot and the sudden punishment brought Yang Ling back to his rational mind. "What? Why am I punished again? Isn't the noodles my punishment?!"
"I never said it is," The Third Prince said coolly. "You are the one that assumed it."
"That's completely unfair and cruel!"
"Bring Yang Ling back home before Advisor Yang gets worried."
In a blink of an eye, Yang Ling was tied up in a thick rope, easily being lifted up by Da Liu. Everyone ignored his screaming protest as Da Liu carried him out and personally carried him back to his home.
"Third brother..." Long Lian hesitated. She does not know what to say on behalf of Xiao Hua for she thought Xiao Hua was rather silly to let Yang Ling taste her tea.
"Xi Ying, escort Princess Long Lian back to palace. The rest of you, clear the table."
Duan Xi Ying stared at Xiao Hua, her eyes asking her what she will do next. Xiao Hua gave her a shaky smile and a brief nod, telling her she can handle it.
But Long Lian does not feel right to just leave like this. "Third brother, Xiao Hua does not mean to-"
"Long Lian, return."
The Third Prince stood up and with a flick of his sleeves, he walked out of the room. "Xiao Hua, come with me."
Towards the worried Long Lian, Xiao Hua mustered up a confident smile. "I will see you tomorrow, Long Lian."
Xiao Hua followed behind the silent Third Prince back to the Spring Courtyard, all the while trying to stop her shaking. She has her own reason for letting Yang Ling to taste her tea, but could her reason be accepted by the Third Prince?
Instead of going to his study as she assumed, they stepped inside his bedchamber. She does not dare to sit down when he does. He was not looking at her, but on the table as if it's more interesting to look at compared to her.
She knew that it would be better to speak first, but Xiao Hua could not bring herself to open her mouth to start explaining. The thought of him not accepting her reason and his look of disappointment was daunting.
"I am angry." The Third Prince finally speaks. His voice, in contrast to his admittance, was as calm as still water.
"I'm sorry," Xiao Hua said softly. Somehow, hearing his calm voice instead of anger gave her a sense of helplessness that threaten to crush her. "I have a reason for giving the tea to Lord Yang Ling, but I should have asked for your permission first."
The Third Prince raised his eyes to look at her. "I would not give you the permission even if you ask for it." When he saw Xiao Hua brewing the tea, his yearning to drink her tea had him forgotten about Yang Ling getting a chance to taste the tea as well.
"W-why..."
The Third Prince's fist tightened on the table. "I get angry when someone drinks your tea. The voice inside my head screams that your tea belongs to me."
Xiao Hua: '...' Shit, did he just admit he's crazy?
"I had to act gentle and kind, willing to share my wealth and help people out. But I'm actually possessive of my things and tired of being nice to people that wish for my ruin."
The Third Prince stood up and slowly walked towards her. He stopped a foot away from her and reached out to touch her soft cheeks.
But Xiao Hua could feel the difference between his touch with the previous ones. This one was a touch of possessiveness, rubbing his hand over her, marking his claim.
Really, she was not a bone for dogs to fight over with, but this touch of his shaken something primitive in her that screams for her rub her body against him, to be submissive and accepting of his every touch.
He leaned down until his breath warmed her lips, so close as if to tease her, to make her beg for his addicting kisses. "You are mine, every part piece of you... I refuse to share."
Xiao Hua trembled sweetly at the possessive confession. Oh mummy, your daughter is madly in love with this possessive man.