Zhu Xiuxiu didnât reply. She picked up a piece of pastry, sniffed it, and then put it back.
"Hey, Ji Youcheng, still wearing your veil even at home? How much do you cherish that face of yours?"
"If you want to see my face, just say so. Whatâs the point of deliberately provoking me?"
Ji Youcheng ripped off his veil, thrusting his incredibly handsome face right in front of Zhu Xiuxiu. "Look! Iâm not going out today, so stare all you want!"
Zhu Xiuxiu gazed at the stunningly handsome face and reached out to pinch it. "Such a handsome face, what a waste for only me to see it! You should just take off this veil for good. Let everyone see how beautiful the renowned owner of the Bright Moon Pavilion truly is!"
Ji Youchengâs face instantly froze. He ground his teeth in anger.
He hated it when people called him beautiful. A man should be rugged and masculine, shouldnât he?
But he was even more beautiful than most women. When he was young, some people with peculiar tastes even mistook him for a girl disguised as a boy!
"Zhu Xiuxiu! Are you looking for death?"
Ji Youze snarled, his words squeezed out between clenched teeth.
Zhu Xiuxiu pursed her lips into a smile. "So, one canât even say youâre beautiful? If anyone called me beautiful, Iâd wake up laughing from my dreams."
"You..."
Ji Youzeâs anger flared, but he forcefully suppressed it. "Fine! You win! Youâre ruthless!"
"Oh no, the Princess is missing again!"
The anxious voice of a young maid drifted from a distance.
Hearing this, Zhu Xiuxiu and Ji Youcheng immediately sprinted towards the sound.
"What did you say? The Princess is missing again?"
The young maid, clutching a piece of paper, anxiously told Zhu Xiuxiu, "Third Mistress, the Princess... sheâs missing! I just went to her room and found..."
A gust of wind blew, and a handsome man appeared before her. The young maidâs words caught in her throat, and she stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes widened, unblinking, as the paper in her hand fluttered away.
"So beautiful! Is he an immortal descended to the mortal realm? Am I dreaming? Am I seeing an immortal?"
Zhu Xiuxiu glanced at Ji Youcheng, then bent to pick up the note the maid had dropped. It read in scrawled characters: "Iâm going with Second Uncle to find the pretty sister."
Zhu Xiuxiuâs head buzzed.
That little girl, unable to write the characters for âuncle,â had drawn two large circles instead!
ăMeanwhile, in Ji Youranâs carriage.ă
The carriage was heading towards the Xie Family residence. Not long after they set off, the carriage jolted. The horses pulling it whinnied, and the coachman yelled, "WHOA!"
He was scared out of his wits and took a moment to compose himself.
Ji Youran heard the coachman grumbling from outside.
"Whose child is this, standing right on the Main Street trying to stop a carriage? No adult supervision either! What if they got hurt?"
"Hey, hey, hey... Little miss, what are you doing getting into our carriage? Iâm telling you..."
"Second Uncle!"
The coachmanâs voice was abruptly cut off. A soft, sweet voice called out, "Second Uncle!" and a small head peeked into the carriage, followed by a fluffy, snow-white little bundle!
"Suisui! What are you doing here? Are you alone?"
Xiaosuisui immediately sat down beside Ji Youran. "I came out by myself! Second Uncle, are you going to the Xie Family? Suisui wants to see how you treat the Gu Insect poison!"
Ji Youran pressed his temples. "Suisui, you came out alone? Did you tell anyone at home?"
Xiaosuisui nodded vigorously. "Second Uncle, donât worry, Suisui told them!"
Xiaosuisuiâs idea of âtelling themâ was simply leaving that note. Meanwhile, Zhu Xiuxiu was holding it, having gathered all the servants in the Mansion, seething with anger.
"Explain yourselves! Have your eyes grown on the tops of your heads? The Princess is not a small child! How could none of you notice her leaving the Mansion?"