Chapter 43 – There’s a Bug

The man’s eyes were like ink and painting, cold as winter’s night stars—noble and remote from the mundane world.

For a brief moment, Shu Ruohua was captivated by those eyes.

But she quickly snapped back to her senses.

“P-Prince…”

Saliva caught in her throat, and she gulped it down with a “glug.”

She quickly gave Xiao Che a bow. “This… this concubine greets Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Xiao Che clearly didn’t expect Shu Ruohua to bow to him.

He looked startled and instinctively took a step back.

Then, he steadied himself. “You may rise.”

Upon hearing this, Shu Ruohua instantly forgot the gesture of gratitude Qian Ning had taught her and stood up straight right away.

She stretched lazily and said, “Why are you here so early today?”

Xiao Che: “…”

Just now, when Shu Ruohua had bowed so properly, he had nearly thought she had regained her memories.

But now he saw that she was still the same salted-fish version of herself.

He pinched her still slightly chubby cheek and asked coldly, “Are you not happy to see me?”

Shu Ruohua quickly begged for mercy. “I wouldn’t dare! Not at all!”

“Please let go! That hurts…”

Only then did Xiao Che let go, his lips pressing into a faint line. “What were you looking at just now?”

Shu Ruohua’s cheek was still burning. As she rubbed her face, she cursed internally, Damn pervert, nearly squeezed your lady to death!

Then she quickly forced a smile. “Watching the sunset.”

She turned toward the direction of the setting sun. “Look, isn’t it beautiful?”

Xiao Che followed her gaze—but his eyes remained on her face the entire time.

Her cheeks, still a bit plump, were fair and delicate, and under the orange-red glow of the sunset, she looked especially sweet and charming.

He seemed to be slightly entranced.

When Shu Ruohua didn’t hear a response, she called out softly, “Your Highness? Your Highness?”

Only then did Xiao Che snap out of it.

His dark eyes dodged hers as he looked slightly downward, then he strode directly into the house.

Shu Ruohua quickly called after him, “Hey~~~ Your Highness!”

She ran to his side, pretending nothing had happened just moments ago.

Tugging at his sleeve, she said, “Let me take you to the backyard to see our vegetable patch. The potatoes are ripe.”

Xiao Che normally had no interest in such things, but seeing how excited she was, he agreed.

The two of them headed to the backyard together.

Since the sky wasn’t completely dark yet, the vegetables in the field were clearly visible.

Shu Ruohua led Xiao Che around the garden, introducing him to each plant she had grown as they walked.

Xiao Che had never farmed before, so he didn’t notice how unusually fast these crops had grown.

Shu Ruohua then pulled him over to the potato patch.

She picked up a spade, dug around the base of one plant, and unearthed several large potatoes.

Holding two in her hands, she ran back to Xiao Che.

“Look, Your Highness! These are the potatoes I grew. Aren’t they huge?”

Xiao Che gave a stoic nod.

Shu Ruohua beamed, “Let’s have potatoes for dinner tonight. Freshly dug ones are especially tasty.”

Xiao Che nodded again.

Shu Ruohua went off to find a basket, intending to harvest the rest of the potatoes.

However…

Just as she finished digging up the potatoes and loading them into the basket to take back…

There, on one of the leaves…

“Is that… a bug?!”

She murmured instinctively, freezing in her tracks and locking eyes with the tiny insect.

Xiao Che, curious about what was taking her so long, walked over. “What are you doing?”

Just then, Shu Ruohua pinched the bug between her fingers. “Catching bugs.”

As she spoke, she brought the bug right up to Xiao Che’s face.

Xiao Che’s heart almost skipped a beat.

“Ugh…”

“Take it away!!!”

“Take it away from me now!!!”

…

…

(End of Chapter)