That evening, Song Jia cooked vegetable soup and barley porridge, while Nian Shou went out and brought back an apple pie from the village's bakery, celebrating their successful escape from the slave encampment.
Song Jia had pawned the gold and silver she found in the castle's treasury and exchanged them for money, which ensured that they would be able to comfortably live the rest of their lives without any worries.
"How could you be so lucky?" Nian Shou's eyes had gaped at the number of glittering treasures that Song Jia nonchalantly showed him. "And you found this? Without anyone knowing that it was here?"
"...kind of."
Song Jia rubbed her nose. Of course it wasn't as simple as that. Before she woke up, the whole castle was hidden inside a magical barrier that made it invisible to the common people. It was the curse of the hundred years sleeping princess.
But that was all in the past ah, nothing to do with the present. That ornamental knife which was made specifically to kill her kind, also had nothing to do with her. She was a new Jia, and the rest of her complicated history, with all its mysteries, are all but passing clouds, one must not pay attention to them.
After dinner, she offered to help Xiang Feng take his bath. Such a small and skinny body, she couldn't help but click her tongue in disapproval. A little boy like him must be chubby and cute, just like a delicious, pork-filled meat bun.
Song Jia reached out to take off his shirt, but Xiang Feng turned bright red and stammered, "I...I can do it myself!"
Song Jia paused, and smiled understandingly. Little children ah, they think they're already adults when the smell of their mother's milk had not yet dried. [1]
"Okay, just call my name if you need any help."
She went out and took her own bath. Song Jia took off her contact lenses, and removed the deep rose ribbon she used to tie her hair back. Both Nian Shou and Xiang Feng decided that Song Jia take the priest's washroom because she was a girl, and Song Jia didn't disagree. She was fine living with Xiang Feng, but Nian Shou had the same age as her. It would be bad if she continued to act so carefree.
There was a clawfoot bathtub at the center, full of hot water that Nian Shou had heated and drawn. Song Jia admitted to herself that he indeed proved to be useful, more useful than she thought he could be.
Her hair fell down to her waist, and Song Jia slowly sank her whole body into the bathtub. She scooped up a handful of water and watched it flow through her fingers, her mind going into a daze.
Princess Bai Xue was a formidable opponent because her mother was a witch; her mother took the throne after the original queen died and became the king's second wife. Princess Bai Xue became the product of their union, and did not become any less powerful than her mother because of her diluted blood. In fact, she became the most powerful witch of her generation.
Xiang Feng stayed loyal to her until her death, after which he then committed suicide by jumping off a cliff. Song Jia wondered what it was that made him so devoted to her. A bewitching spell? Or...
Song Jia took a deep breath and ducked her head underwater. Now that she became Xiang Feng's guardian, she should do her best to pick a nice wife for him.
Bad witches were definitely a big no-no for a daughter-in-law candidate, ah~
After Song Jia finished bathing, she dressed into a flowing white nightgown with long sleeves and a high collar. She was in the middle of brushing her hair when she came across Xiang Feng and Nian Shou sitting on opposite couches in front of the fireplace, studiously ignoring each other.
Song Jia pursed her lips. Since they were going to live together from now on, this simply cannot do. She plopped herself between them and said, "You two, let's play a game~"
Nian Shou spared her a disinterested glance, "Are you a child?"
Nian Shou's gaze stilled. He drew in a sharp breath, and straightened up. He pointed at her face with a shaking finger.
"Your eyes...they changed color!"
"En, en, the color of my eyes is originally like this." Song Jia waved him forward. "Now, let's play a game."
"But they changed color! Your eyes were brown before!"
"En, I disguised them so that I won't stand out. Now let's play a game."
"But how could your eyes change their color?!"
"Whether my eyes are brown or not, what does it have to do with you?" Song Jia grabbed his hand and pulled him down to sit next to her on the carpeted floor, "Let's just play a game, ah."
Song Jia also gestured to Xiang Feng. "You too, come down from there."
The two of them reluctantly joined her, and Song Jia excitedly showed them the ribbon in her hand.
"Let's play hide and seek!"
Nian Shou groaned. He placed one arm over his eyes.
"I knew it would be something like this."
"Let's pick a person to play the seeker by rock, paper, and scissors," Song Jia continued, ignoring him. "Xiang Feng and Nian Shou, you two go first."
Left with no choice, the two people made a fist and opened their hands. Xiang Feng picked rock, while Nian Shou picked paper.
"Aha!" Nian Shou waved his hand triumphantly.
Xiang Feng lowered his eyes to his closed fist. No one saw the bright light that flashed quickly across his eyes.
"Okay, Xiao Feng, now it's between you and me."
As Song Jia leaned forward towards him, her hair that had the same color as sunlight slid down to frame her face, her sky-blue eyes focused on him. Creamy skin with a pale blush of rose, perfect bow-shaped lips.
Xiang Feng's mouth twitched into a bitter smile. He ducked his head, tugging at his hair to pull it over his scar.
[1] Immature and inexperienced; wet behind the ears