Chapter 279: Pinky
When she woke again, it was already past eleven.
Shi Lan turned off her chip. Seeing that Ye Ming was no longer in the room, she pulled her underwear out from under the pillow.
As she put it on, a slight stinging pain pricked her chest. She pursed her lips, the blush on her face deepening as she recalled how Ye Ming had seemed particularly fond of that spot last night.
She covered her face. ’To think that Ye Ming, who usually seemed so slow to warm up and reserved, could be so uninhibited in bed.’ Of course, he was still very considerate and gentle, so much so that he would carefully ask how she felt at every step.
It was, however, incredibly pleasant—so much so that she had almost forgotten to perform his Deep Healing last night. Later, as dawn broke and the Beastman knotted within her, making it impossible to separate, she finally remembered the important task and successfully lowered Ye Ming’s collapse value to 0.
Shi Lan reined in her thoughts and lay in bed for a while longer, waiting for the discomfort in her body to subside before getting up.
She went to wash up first and discovered that Ye Ming had already laid out toiletries for her by the sink. Whether she wanted a toothbrush or a cleaning lozenge, the choice was hers.
Following her usual habit, Shi Lan chose the toothbrush. After she finished, she opened the bathroom door to find a robot waiting outside. The robot had pink eyes and a sweet, gentle, mechanical female voice. "Greetings, esteemed Master. I am your personal butler. From this moment on, you may summon me for anything you require. Now, please grant me a name."
Shi Lan, who was terrible at coming up with names, offered one just as uninspired as her last. "How about... Pinky?"
"Understood, Master. Pinky is now creating an account profile. You can view me on your chip’s robot management page to summon me online."
The robot management page was similar to a Bluetooth connection; it would connect automatically whenever she was within the robot’s authorized range.
Now, Shi Lan’s chip held both the master control access for the Night Nether Palace and a separate profile for Pinky.
She nodded in understanding. Pinky then scanned her body and quickly transformed into a robotic chair. "Master, I’ve detected a slight tremor in your legs and overall physical fatigue. Please have a seat. Pinky will take you to a Treatment Pod to rest."
"Alright."
Shi Lan didn’t refuse. Her body was still covered in marks, and it would be inconvenient to go out later without using a Treatment Pod to clear them.
As she settled onto the seat, she asked, "Where’s Ye Ming?"
"His Highness Ye Ming was summoned by the Monarch a short while ago. He instructed me to stay here and protect you."
Pinky’s voice was girlish, sweet, and soft. Xiao Du had never encountered a robot with such distinctly feminine vocal characteristics; most of them had androgynous voices. It emerged curiously from the spirit sea and perched on Shi Lan’s shoulder, tilting its head as it eyed the robotic chair she was sitting on.
Sensing it had emerged, Shi Lan lifted it in her hands, holding it before her eyes. She affectionately stroked its head, then gave its chubby body a gentle squeeze. It felt soft and springy.
"Xiao Du, have you gotten a little bigger?"
Caressed by its beloved master, Xiao Du’s body flushed pink once more, and the little green sprout on its head curled up shyly.
It nuzzled against Shi Lan’s palm. ’It’s all thanks to you, Master! I’ve been absorbing lots of Spiritual Poison lately, so I get to eat my fill every day.’
Hearing this, Shi Lan was reminded of the "methods" of absorption, and her face instantly flushed red again. Looking at Xiao Du gave her the distinct feeling she was corrupting a child.
She quickly cleared her throat and stroked it again. While it lay blissfully in her palm, she smoothly changed the subject.
Once they reached Ye Ming’s private treatment room, Xiao Du obediently returned to the spirit sea. Shi Lan lay down inside the pod, and her personal robot, Pinky, stood quiet guard beside it.
A little over ten minutes later, Ye Ming returned from the main hall, his meeting concluded. His first stop was their room to check on Shi Lan. Noticing that the all-purpose robot he’d had delivered to the door was gone, he knew she was awake.
He opened the door to find she was, indeed, not there.
Ye Ming’s thoughts shifted, and he headed for the treatment room. Seeing the robot standing guard by the Treatment Pod, he approached.
Pinky recognized Ye Ming as safe and trustworthy, so it didn’t stop him. Besides, the Treatment Pod’s defensive systems were formidable when sealed. It was nearly impossible to breach by force; even a Beastman with 3S Spiritual Power like Ye Ming would need a great deal of time.
Ye Ming asked, "How long has Lanlan been in there?"
Pinky replied, "Master entered just over ten minutes ago. She will likely require another half hour."
"Mm."
Ye Ming nodded. Seeing that Pinky was on guard, he went downstairs.
He went to the kitchen and dismissed the robot on duty there.
As an exemplary heir, culinary skill was a basic requirement. However, his work was usually too demanding, leaving such tasks to the robots.
Still, Ye Ming knew his way around a kitchen. His movements were fluid and precise as he began to cook.
The Imperial Capital School offered free enrollment for females, and as such, it had the highest female population of any school. It also offered the most extensive curriculum and materials focused on them.
Take the culinary arts class, for example. While it appeared to teach cooking skills, the curriculum’s recipes were predominantly types that females preferred. Since males were expected to serve their wives in the future, catering to female tastes was paramount.
However, most interstellar males were more interested in martial pursuits, and with specialized domestic robots available, cooking was merely an elective. Ye Ming, however, had taken many of the electives offered at the Imperial Capital School.
He was the Imperial Crown Prince and the future heir. Naturally, he had to be exceptional to be worthy of the title and to set a proper example for his people.
Downstairs, Ye Ming focused on his work, but he remained mindful of Shi Lan’s treatment time. Estimating she would be finished soon, he covered the food to keep it warm, paused his finishing touches, and hurried to the treatment room.
Shi Lan had just sat up in the Treatment Pod, feeling refreshed and comfortable. As she was about to get out, Ye Ming came in and casually lifted her into his arms.
"Lanlan, I’m back."
"Sorry I couldn’t be with you when you woke up. I had to attend a meeting."
Shi Lan nestled in his arms and shook her head. "It’s alright. You’re the Eldest Prince; it’s normal for you to be busy. Besides, I have Pinky. It kept me company just fine."
"Oh, Pinky is its name."
She pointed at the robot, whose pink mechanical eyes were practically blinking into heart shapes. "Yes, Master! I love this name! It’s perfect for a little lady like me! You are so brilliant and thoughtful, Master, to have given me such a wonderful name!"
Xiao Du, being a spirit body, couldn’t speak aloud, but it retorted indignantly in Shi Lan’s mind. ’Nonsense! My name is the best one!’
Xiao Hei mumbled something in reply, but Xiao Du just shook its head. ’No. Your name comes after mine.’
Shi Lan hadn’t expected them to have such a strong reaction to a simple name. She could barely suppress her laughter, especially since Pinky’s praise for her "good" naming sense was making her feel a little embarrassed.
She buried her face in Ye Ming’s chest, her body shaking with suppressed laughter.