Chapter 28: The Prince Looks Too Handsome Today
The more time Rong Shuyan spent with Lin Xueyi, the more he realized something had changed in him. He couldn’t quite put it into words, but he genuinely didn’t mind being alone with her.
Maybe it was because he had grown used to the endless stream of nonsense running through Lin Xueyi’s mind. Or maybe it was because, for the first time in a long while, he had someone he could simply talk to without worrying about status or formalities.
After all, everyone in Prince Rui’s manor saw him as their master. They respected him too much to speak freely in front of him, carefully choosing every word they said.
Lin Xueyi wasn’t exactly carefree with her words either, but her thoughts were a completely different story. Inside her head, she said whatever she wanted without holding back.
[Yanyan is really adorable!]
Crack.
The brush in Rong Shuyan’s hand suddenly snapped in half.
"Your Highness, what’s wrong?" Lin Xueyi asked in alarm. Rong Shuyan looked as though he were trying very hard to hold back a terrible stomachache while sitting in his chair.
"Nothing," he replied after taking a moment to calm himself down. He placed the broken half of the brush that was still in his hand on the table and said, "The brush had simply become too old and brittle."
Lin Xueyi quickly reached for another brush and handed it to him. "Here, Your Highness."
Rong Shuyan accepted it with a slow nod. "Thank you."
This time, nothing unusual happened. He dipped the fresh brush into the ink and calmly finished writing the final sentence of the classic. His elegant strokes flowed smoothly across the paper, completing the gift they had prepared for the Emperor’s birthday.
After setting the brush aside, he looked over the finished pages one last time before giving a small nod of satisfaction.
"It’s done," he said.
Lin Xueyi couldn’t help but clap for him. "You finally finished it, Your Highness! This consort is proud of you!"
Rong Shuyan frowned slightly because the way Lin Xueyi spoke to him made it sound as though she were talking to a little kid.
Even so, he didn’t mind it too much. He carefully set the completed manuscript aside so the ink could dry before turning to look at her.
"You should get some rest early tonight," he said. "We have to leave for the palace early tomorrow morning. The journey will take some time, and tomorrow’s banquet won’t be a short one."
At the mention of the palace, Lin Xueyi immediately straightened her back. [Right... tomorrow is going to be a very exhausting day.]
After all, they would be surrounded by countless two-faced nobles. She was certain many of them would spend the banquet smiling politely on the surface while gossiping about Rong Shuyan and her the moment they turned away.
The excitement she had been feeling just moments ago slowly faded. Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "I understand, Your Highness."
After a brief pause, she looked at him and smiled gently. "You should get some rest early as well."
===
Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, Lin Xueyi couldn’t fall asleep.
The thought of tomorrow’s banquet kept circling in her mind, making her more and more restless. Every time she closed her eyes, scenes from the original novel flashed through her head.
She tossed and turned for what felt like hours before exhaustion finally won.
By the time she drifted off to sleep, it was already almost Yinshi1.
Because of that, when it was time to get ready for the trip to the palace, Lin Xueyi spent almost the entire time half-asleep.
She even dozed off while her maids carefully applied makeup to her face, arranged her hair, and helped her into the robe that had been specially prepared for the formal banquet.
To be honest, Lin Xueyi had no idea what she was wearing because she had kept her eyes closed through almost the entire process, only waking up now and then before drifting back to sleep again.
The moment she was finally fully awake, Lin Xueyi realized she was already inside the carriage with Rong Shuyan, who had been sitting across from her the entire time.
She blinked a few times, still trying to shake off the last traces of sleep, before lifting the curtain slightly to look outside.
The streets were already bustling with activity. Carriages carrying officials and noble families traveled in the same direction, while rows of imperial guards stood watch along the road.
Lin Xueyi gasped in surprise. [We’re almost at the palace already?!]
"How long was I asleep?" she asked herself.
Rong Shuyan suddenly answered her question, "Since the moment we got into the carriage."
Lin Xueyi jolted in surprise when she heard his voice. As she turned to look at him again, she gasped once more. Rong Shuyan truly looked radiant.
[Am I still dreaming or what?!] she screamed inwardly. [Why is there such a handsome prince sitting right in front of me?!]
Oh, wait a minute.
Rong Shuyan really was a prince!
His long black hair had been neatly tied back and secured with an elegant golden crown. Combined with his handsome features, it gave him the calm and dignified presence of a true prince.
He wore a dark blue robe embroidered with intricate golden cloud patterns along the sleeves and hem. The fine threads caught the sunlight whenever the carriage swayed, giving the robe an unmistakable elegance.
For a long moment, Lin Xueyi simply stared at him. [No wonder everyone in the novel kept praising his looks.]
[He already looks handsome every day, but dressed like this...]
[He’s unbelievably handsome.]
Rong Shuyan remained calm on the outside, though he could clearly hear every word of praise echoing through her mind.
He wasn’t blind. He knew he had a handsome face.
But when Lin Xueyi kept praising his appearance over and over again, he couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.
"Is there something on my face?" Rong Shuyan asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.