“Someone is coming, you’d better go!”
Qin Jiu Jiu looked at the window. He had entered through that not-so-tight window last night.
“Auntie?”
It was the person outside the door knocking.
Xie Jing’s gaze towards the door was filled with a hint of gloom. Qin Jiu Jiu was afraid he would cause trouble. After all, she truly didn’t know what a villain who feared nothing would do.
She could only lower her voice, “If you’re good, I’ll leave the door open for you tonight…” As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Jiu Jiu saw the gloom in the young man’s eyes vanish. His eyes were now bright, fixed on her, as if he were contemplating the truth of her words.
“I mean it!”
Fearing he wouldn’t believe her, she emphasized her statement.
At this moment, the person outside the door clearly became more impatient. It seemed the Fifth Prince was urging them.
The young man appeared to have let down his guard. He nodded, signaling his agreement.
Qin Jiu Jiu then released her hand, gesturing for him to quickly escape through the window.
The young man took the clothes Qin Jiu Jiu handed him. He didn’t mind her turning around and quickly put them on.
Xie Jing didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Qin Jiu Jiu’s neck, holding her from behind, and whispered seductively, “Little Jiu’er, you must keep your word~ Also, I heard that Fifth Prince is a handsome man. If you dare…”
Qin Jiu Jiu was anxious and hastily agreed, “I know, I won’t even look at him! Alright?”
The young man let out a soft laugh, seemingly satisfied. He then loosened his arms around her and slowly left the room.
After Xie Jing left, only Qin Jiu Jiu remained in the room, along with the mess.
Qin Jiu Jiu, ignoring her aching back and legs, quickly tidied the scattered clothes on the floor and the disheveled bedding on the bed. Only then did she respond to the knocking at the door.
“Hey! I’m opening the door!” When she opened the door, it was indeed someone from the Fifth Prince’s palace.
The maid had a hint of displeasure on her face, but ultimately said nothing, only complaining softly, “Auntie, why are you so slow? It’s already very late. His Highness the Fifth Prince has woken up and is waiting for Auntie to serve him!”
As the Fifth Prince’s personal maid, she was naturally expected to serve him closely.
Qin Jiu Jiu quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’ll go right away!”
The maid had no choice but to immediately take Qin Jiu Jiu to the Fifth Prince’s sleeping quarters. Although she felt a bit resentful, the Fifth Prince, while appearing kind and approachable, was actually stubborn. Those palace maids and eunuchs who had defied him in the past all met unfortunate ends.
Thinking of this, the maid instinctively glanced at Qin Jiu Jiu.
“Auntie, follow me!”
The maid led Qin Jiu Jiu to the Fifth Prince’s palace and then left.
It was very quiet inside the palace. Qin Jiu Jiu had no choice but to brace herself and enter.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw a young man who bore a striking resemblance to Xie Jing sitting on the bed, looking somewhat unrestrained.
“Greetings to His Highness the Fifth Prince!” As Qin Jiu Jiu approached, she realized that Sheng Huai’an was only wearing his inner garment. This was nothing, but more importantly, he hadn’t buttoned it properly, and the open collar revealed a large expanse of his chest.
Qin Jiu Jiu, adhering to the principle of not looking where she shouldn’t, quickly averted her gaze.
Sheng Huai’an, however, seemed oblivious. Not only did he not button his garment properly, but he stood up and stood directly in front of Qin Jiu Jiu. His chest was right at the level of her face.
Her gaze had nowhere to escape.
Sheng Huai’an was very close to her. As Qin Jiu Jiu felt uneasy, she heard the person above her speak, “What are you standing around for?”
What was she supposed to do?
In her panic, Qin Jiu Jiu looked up, meeting his gaze from above.
“Are you planning to let me go out like this?”
Qin Jiu Jiu finally reacted and quickly scanned her surroundings, searching for a place to put the clothes.
“Behind you!” As if he understood her intention, he spoke first.
Qin Jiu Jiu quickly turned back to retrieve the clothes. It was a silver-white robe with a bamboo pattern.
When she turned back, she saw him with his eyes closed, arms spread, in a posture of readiness.
He was very tall. Qin Jiu Jiu pretended to be unconcerned and draped the robe over his shoulders from behind him, then moved to the front and slowly helped him put on the robe.
She pretended not to notice the slightly open inner garment underneath.
“Did you just join the palace?”
Hearing this question suddenly, Qin Jiu Jiu instinctively nodded repeatedly, then realized something and elaborated, “This servant has indeed only recently joined the palace and has not yet received training from a governess.”
After hearing this, the person didn’t speak further, as if he had heard but not truly listened.
Qin Jiu Jiu paid it no mind. After all, her explanation was meant to account for her current unskillfulness. As long as it didn’t arouse suspicion, it was fine.
Next was the sash. Qin Jiu Jiu’s arms went around his waist, reaching behind him, and then back to the front, where she finally tied the sash for him.
“Your technique for tying the sash is quite skilled…”
Hearing this, Xiang Wei’s heart fluttered.
If she hadn’t studied, how could she tie a man’s sash?
This was clearly something Xie Jing had taught her hand-in-hand. How could she possibly say that?
A faint blush appeared on Qin Jiu Jiu’s fair cheeks. She remained silent and did not speak.
Sheng Huai’an let out a soft laugh, which eased the awkwardness.
“I was just asking casually, don’t be nervous. By the way, what was your name again?”
“Qin Jiu Jiu.”
She hadn’t used the name Qin Yun Wan. That name felt somewhat unfamiliar now. Even Xie Yun and the others called her Jiu Jiu, so she had used her original name.
“Jiu Jiu? How interesting.”
He clearly didn’t know which character it was, yet he called it interesting?
Qin Jiu Jiu didn’t think too much about it. Fulfilling her duty, she asked, “Your Highness, do you wish to wash up?”
Several people were waiting outside the door for Sheng Huai’an to wash.
“Summon them!”
Qin Jiu Jiu walked out the door and waved her hand, and those people entered the room.
…
“Little Jiu’er, come out with me!”
Hearing this address, Qin Jiu Jiu’s heart skipped a beat.
Others either called her by her full name, or more affectionately called her Jiu Jiu. The Fifth Prince, like Xie Jing, called her Little Jiu’er.
She was momentarily flustered.
“Yes!”
It must be a coincidence!
As expected, before they left the room, she saw the same maid who had led her here earlier. She clearly heard Sheng Huai’an call her, “Little Xuan’er~”
Qin Jiu Jiu’s disturbed heart finally settled.
she had thought this person was truly connected to Xie Jing!
After all, the two of them had such a similar face.
She would have to tell Xie Jing about this someday.
“Greetings to His Highness the Fifth Prince!”
Qin Jiu Jiu looked up, and the words “Empress Palace” in large gilded letters on the plaque above the door appeared in her eyes.
“Is His Highness the Crown Prince inside?” Sheng Huai’an asked.
The eunuch shook his head and then whispered something into Sheng Huai’an’s ear, but Qin Jiu Jiu couldn’t hear a single word.
“Little Jiu’er, come in with me!”