Chapter 27: The Prince’s Hidden Side
Lin Xueyi had no idea that a simple question would lead to such an unexpected situation.
"Your hand is too stiff," Rong Shuyan scolded.
Lin Xueyi looked down at the brush in her hand before secretly pouting. She had only been holding the brush for a few moments, yet her wrist already felt sore.
Rong Shuyan dipped his brush into the ink and calmly continued copying the classic for the Emperor. Every stroke flowed smoothly across the paper without the slightest pause.
Meanwhile, Lin Xueyi sat beside him with a sheet of practice paper, doing her best to copy the simple characters he had asked her to write.
She glanced at his elegant handwriting, then looked at her own.
"..."
[Why does mine look like a chicken walked through wet ink?] Lin Xueyi complained inwardly. [My teacher was right all along. I really have no talent for literature!]
"It’s normal for someone who rarely holds a brush to have such an... interesting writing style," Rong Shuyan said without even looking at her.
[Was that a sarcastic remark?!] Lin Xueyi pouted even harder. [Yanyan, I was worried about your hand just a moment ago, and now you’re making fun of me!]
"That’s because this consort’s father wanted me to learn embroidery instead of calligraphy," Lin Xueyi said, quickly making up an excuse.
[That’s a lie,] she admitted inwardly. [The original Lin Xueyi’s father wouldn’t even let her touch anything sharp because he was afraid she might ruin her hands.]
[He believed that if his daughter didn’t have soft, delicate hands, no man would want to marry her. Maybe that’s also why she rarely had the chance to practice writing.] practiced writing either.
The more Lin Xueyi thought about the original Lin Xueyi’s life, the more she realized that she had been just another victim of this patriarchal world.
Even so, no matter how difficult her life had been, it didn’t give her the right to try to kill a husband who had never done anything to hurt her at first.
"You’re holding it wrong again." Rong Shuyan’s calm voice pulled her back to reality.
Lin Xueyi lowered her head and looked at the brush in her hand. "I am?"
"You’re gripping it too tightly."
She frowned and loosened her fingers a little. "Like this?"
Rong Shuyan watched her for a moment before giving a small shake of his head. "No."
Before Lin Xueyi could react, he slowly reached out. His long fingers gently wrapped around her hand that was holding the brush.
Lin Xueyi froze. [He’s holding my hand. He’s holding my hand. HE’S HOLDING MY HAND!]
Her mind instantly turned into complete chaos. [Calm down, Lin Xueyi! He’s only teaching you! This is a normal lesson! Don’t make it weird!]
Unfortunately, the more she tried to calm herself, the faster her heart beat. She could even feel the warmth of his fingers through her skin.
Rong Shuyan frowned slightly as Lin Xueyi’s thoughts echoed nonstop inside his head. Even so, he kept a calm expression, as if nothing had happened.
"Your thumb should rest here," he said softly as he adjusted her fingers. "And don’t press too hard with your index finger."
[What did he just say?] Lin Xueyi wondered.
[I can’t focus! I can’t pay attention to anything he’s saying when he’s this close!]
[Damn it! Is it because I’ve been a virgin for so long that I’ve become this touch-starved?!]
She could even catch the faint scent of medicine mixed with sandalwood coming from him.
"Princess Consort," Rong Shuyan called gently, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Try writing again."
"Y-Yes!" she answered, her voice shaky. She quickly took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
Rong Shuyan slowly let go of her hand, but even after he did, Lin Xueyi could still feel the lingering chill of his touch resting against her skin.
At that moment, something suddenly crossed her mind. [So... his hands really are that cold...]
No wonder his room always felt as hot as a furnace. She suddenly remembered that back when Rong Shuyan had been trying to save money, he had even cut back on firewood. Because of that, there were nights when he couldn’t sleep because he was shivering too much from the cold.
[Good thing I suggested giving a simple, cheap gift like this!] Lin Xueyi thought. [Otherwise, he might’ve turned into a snowman if his room wasn’t this warm.]
"That looks good," Rong Shuyan suddenly said.
His eyes fell on the fresh ink strokes Lin Xueyi had just written on the practice paper.
"If you keep practicing, you’ll be able to write calligraphy with ease one day," he added.
[I don’t even want to practice this anymore!] Lin Xueyi complained inwardly. [It’s so boring. If Yanyan weren’t here with me, I would’ve already died of boredom!]
After all, she wasn’t the kind of person who had the patience of the Great Wall of China.
Even so, for the next three days, she kept practicing so she could stay by Rong Shuyan’s side while he copied the classic for his Imperial Father.
She didn’t spend the whole day with him. Most of the time, Rong Shuyan could only write for about five hours before his body began to feel as if it were being stabbed by countless needles. Even then, those few hours were more than enough for Lin Xueyi to quietly observe him.
[I never expected there to be so many things about him that the novel never mentioned.]
The novel only said that Rong Shuyan liked wearing dark-colored robes. It never mentioned that dark blue was actually his favorite color.
She had also discovered that he had an unexpected sweet tooth.
Every time tea was served, Rong Shuyan would quietly add two spoonfuls of sugar before taking a sip. If there happened to be candied fruit or sweet pastries on the table, he would always reach for them first without even realizing it.
The image of the cold and distant Prince Rui secretly enjoying sweets felt strangely cute.
[Yanyan is really adorable!]
Crack.
The brush in his hand suddenly snapped in half.