Chapter 15- 100% Charm, 0% Cooperation 1
993 Words
Ji Ling and Yu'er turned to see a girl their age, dressed in pale lavender silk embroidered with silver cranes. Her features were delicate, her demeanor graceful-an image of noble refinement. She bowed with practiced elegance.
"No formalities, Meimei," Ji Ling said casually.
"Ah, I keep forgetting," she replied with a charming smile that lingered on him... but when her gaze shifted to Yu'er, the brightness dimmed, replaced by a subtle curve of the lips. A smile that seemed sweet, yet carried an unspoken message.
Yu'er's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. That smile... She knew it too well. Back in Jianghu, whenever she was with Zheng, girls too timid to confront her directly had worn the same look. Polite. Pretty. Fake. A smile that whispered: Stay away from him.
For the first time since arriving in Tiandou, Yu'er felt an ache for home-and for Zheng, her childhood companion who had never once made her feel unwanted.
"Why are you staring?" Ji Ling's voice sliced into her thoughts.
Yu'er blinked. "Huh?"
His eyes narrowed, sharp and unreadable. Before she could answer, Meimei gave a light, tinkling laugh. "It's okay. The princess is probably just surprised to see me. Forgive me."
"You don't need to be so polite," Ji Ling said.
Yu'er whipped her head toward him, brows lifting. Excuse me? She's literally throwing daggers with her eyes, and I'm the problem?
"Ji Ling," Meimei said sweetly, "where are you heading now? Do you mind if I join you and the princess?"
"Yes," Yu'er replied firmly.
"No," Ji Ling said at the same time.
Yu'er's jaw dropped. "What? You asked me to walk with you!"
"Learn to accommodate others and don't be so rude," Ji Ling said flatly before turning to continue down the path.
Meimei gave Yu'er a fleeting look of triumph before gliding after him.
Yu'er stood frozen for a moment, fists tightening at her sides. Then she scoffed under her breath. "Speak for yourself, Prince of Indifference."
Her eyes followed the pair, bitterness pricking her chest. Why is he so polite to her but treats me like an inconvenience? Wait... are they...? No, no, Yu'er, don't be ridiculous. What's it to me anyway?
With a flip of her sleeves, she turned down another corridor. "Enjoy your walk," she muttered, striding away on her own.
Good thing she had spent the whole day exploring yesterday. She didn't need anyone to guide her around the palace anymore.
Ji Ling and Meimei walked side by side through the winding palace paths, their footsteps soft against the stone tiles. Meimei kept her voice light and melodic as she spoke, filling the silence with stories of court life, but Ji Ling's responses remained brief, almost distracted.
They had not gone far when Ji Ling suddenly slowed, then stopped altogether. His brows furrowed. Something felt... wrong.
The air was quiet. Too quiet.
He turned his head, and only then did he realize-Ling Yu'er was gone.
No bright chatter. No stubborn little footsteps chasing after him. Just... silence.
Ji Ling's jaw tightened. "She's trouble," he muttered under his breath.
"What's wrong?" Meimei asked quickly, the sweetness of her smile faltering.
Ji Ling glanced over his shoulder at her, his eyes distant.
"You should go on. I have to go back."
Meimei blinked, then tried to recover her composure. "Why? I'm sure the princess is good on her own. She's a princess, after all-surely she doesn't need you to watch over her."
True. Very true. Yet Ji Ling found his steps already turning away, his chest tightening with something he refused to name. It wasn't duty, not entirely. He simply... didn't want her wandering off alone.
"Go on," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument. Without another glance, he strode back the way they had come.
Meimei stood there, her hands curling tightly in her sleeves as she watched his tall figure retreat. A frown tugged at her lips, the jealousy she'd tried so hard to hide finally spilling through.
"That princess," she whispered bitterly. "She's such a burden."
Meanwhile,
Ling Yu'er wandered the palace paths with her hands tucked behind her back, humming softly to herself. Now that she was free from Ji Ling's cold face and Meimei's fake smile, she felt oddly lighter.
"These palaces all look the same," she muttered, turning down another hallway. "If I get lost, I'll just blame it on Ji Ling. Hmph. Who asks someone to walk with them and then lets another girl tag along? Jerk."
Li Tian's voice echoed in her head: Don't cause trouble, princess.
She rolled her eyes. "I didn't cause trouble. Trouble just follows me around."
Her footsteps slowed when she spotted a small pavilion by the lotus pond. Bright pink flowers swayed in the breeze, their petals dancing on the water's surface. Her eyes lit up immediately.
"Ohh, so pretty!" She bent down, stretching out her hand to pluck one of the blossoms, her silk pink sleeves brushing against the stone railing. "At least these flowers don't give me fake smiles."
Just as she leaned farther over the edge, the stone beneath her slipper shifted slightly.
"A-ah!" she squeaked, wobbling dangerously.
Ling Yu'er wobbled, her arms flailing as she tried to keep her balance. "No, no, no-I do not want my first swim in the imperial pond to be in this dress-ah!"
Just before she could topple forward, a strong hand seized her wrist and yanked her back firmly. She stumbled, landing against a hard chest.
Ji Ling's voice was cool, but there was a sharp edge to it. "What do you think you're doing?"
Ling Yu'er blinked up at him, her heart pounding. "What does it look like? I was admiring the flowers-"
"By nearly drowning yourself?" He arched a brow, his hand still gripping her wrist.
"Well, it's not my fault the ground here is slippery," she muttered, pulling her arm free. "Besides, I didn't ask you to come running after me."
- Writer
