Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“There’s no rush. It won’t be too late to start tomorrow,” said Tuoba Gucheng, who thought that it would be alright even if things remained as they were.
Tuoba Rui looked at An Xiaoning and asked, “I heard that you were the one who saved Gucheng on the mountains and even got wounded during the process. Is that true?”
“Yes,” An Xiaoning answered, looking down at the ground.
“Has Gucheng rewarded you yet?”
An Xiaoning glanced at Tuoba Gucheng and answered, “Yes, he already has.”
“What did he reward you with?”
“Well…” An Xiaoning did not expect Tuoba Rui to ask for further details. Thus, she answered, “He knows that I adore lilies so he gave me a pot of lilies.”
A look of astonishment formed on Tuoba Rui’s face, and Shi Xiaoyu was just as bewildered.
“Didn’t he reward you with money?”
“She said that she was merely performing her duties and thus did not want any money…” said Tuoba Gucheng.
Tuoba Rui took a few more glances at An Xiaoning and said, “Oh, I see. Do stay by Gucheng’s side and protect him well then.”
“I will.”
Tuoba Rui and Shi Xiaoyu left a short while later. Just as they stepped out of the door, Tuoba Danxue guffawed and mocked, “Mu Ning, are you silly? Why would you pick a pot of lilies over money?”
An Xiaoning remained silent. How could she possibly expose Tuoba Gucheng for failing to reward her with money after she had sustained injuries for the sake of saving him?
The only time she turned his money down was when he gave her 50 thousand dollars in a bid to get her to undergo an abortion.
That happened ages ago.
Well, lilies could be taken as a reward too, I suppose , An Xiaoning thought to herself.
Lilies given by His Highness can’t possibly be the same as those sold on the market.
That was the only way she could comfort herself.
She was called to his room as soon as she arrived upstairs.
They were the only ones in the room. “That pot of lilies was a gift for you, not a reward,” he said.
“I know.”
“What would you like as a reward? I’ll make it up to you.”
An Xiaoning could not think of an appropriate reward.
Since he could not afford to give her what she wanted, what was the point of asking for something she did not need?
“I don’t need any compensation. Just like you said, it was only part of my duty. Thus, it was something I was supposed to do anyway.”
“You’re really the strangest woman I’ve ever met.” He inched closer toward her and asked again, “Is there really nothing you want in particular?”
An Xiaoning looked up at him abruptly and questioned, “Can I really ask for anything?”
“Anything except me.”
An Xiaoning snorted with laughter. Why would he think that I would actually want him as a reward?
Was it really that obvious?
That idea has never crossed my mind, okay!
However, she felt a sudden urge to prank him. After all, if it weren’t for him, there wouldn’t be such a huge misunderstanding between her and Jin Qingyan, although he did not have intentions to sow discord between them.
What was the harm in teasing him a little?
An Xiaoning leaned closer toward him, leaving only inches between them. She raised her head and said, “But I do want you, Your Highness.”
Tuoba Gucheng felt his breathing slow down.
“I already said anything except me.”
An Xiaoning reached a hand out to push him, causing him to fall onto the bed.
She then pounced on him and supported herself up with her arms. Staring at him from above, she said, “Your Highness…”
Tuoba Gucheng was dumbfounded and froze in shock, not daring to look at her at all.
An Xiaoning initially thought he would push her away since she was invading his personal space.
Yet, to her surprise, he remained still as a statue.
They continued to stare at each other.
An Xiaoning began to feel a little awkward. After all, she knew that this man before him was her half-brother from another mother.
He was 26 years old while she was 29.
Forget it, I won’t tease him anymore.
Just as she was about to get off of him, he grabbed her wrist all of a sudden, catching her off guard. She was thrown off balance and fell onto his chest.
She could hear his heart beating rapidly.
An Xiaoning regained her senses and said, “Your Highness…”
“Yes… don’t move,” he spluttered.
She ignored him and tried to sit up straight, but to no avail, for he pulled her into his arms once again.
Damn it, I’ve crossed the line this time by playing with fire and getting myself burned , An Xiaoning thought to herself.
She had merely wanted to tease him. Little did she expect to end up stirring such unnecessary trouble.
“Your Highness, I was just kidding just now. You don’t have to take it to heart.”
“Stop talking, I know what you’re thinking.”
You know nothing at all!
We’re not even on the same page.
He finally let go of her a while later and said, “You may go out.”
An Xiaoning glanced at him and nodded before leaving.
Tuoba Gucheng lay down in bed, thinking to himself that something must have gone wrong with his esthetic standards.
He actually thought that that country bumpkin was pretty.
I must have lost my mind.
I actually even thought of hugging her and not letting her go.
What was wrong with him!?!
Could it be that I had fallen for her?
Nah, it can’t be.
Impossible…
How could he possibly fall for such an ugly face? But then again, why…
A whirlpool of questions flooded his mind.
Tuoba Gucheng leaped up and headed to the bathroom to wash his face.
After staring at his reflection in the mirror, Tuoba Gucheng looked away and walked out of the bathroom.
An Xiaoning made herself a cup of tea to give herself a little boost. However, she was again caught by surprise by an uninvited guest before she could even manage to take a sip.
Tuoba Gucheng closed the door and turned the lock from the inside.
Sitting on the bed, An Xiaoning asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong with you?”
“Was what you said earlier true?”
An Xiaoning shook her head and answered, “No, I was just trying to tease you.”
He stared at her solemnly and said, “Regardless of whether it’s true or not, don’t spout such things again, lest you implicate yourself in unnecessary trouble. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir! I wouldn’t dare to play such a prank anymore in the future. Please rest assured, Your Highness!” An Xiaoning answered earnestly.
Tuoba Gucheng scanned her from head to toe, thinking to himself that she seemed to be a little neurotic.
He picked up her teacup in a bid to take a sip. She hurriedly stopped him, “Your Highness, this is my cup of tea. If you’d like to have tea, I’ll make you some using your cup.”
“I don’t mind that you’re dirty, how dare you be saliva-conscious with me?”
“No… aren’t you mysophobic? I’m merely sparing a thought for you,” she explained.
He ignored her and downed her entire cup of tea.
He then left her room, just like that…
An Xiaoning had no choice but to brew another cup of tea.
She sat down again quietly, holding the teacup in her hands as she sank deep in thought.
—
It was the 6th of August.
Tuoba Gucheng’s wedding was reported across all media platforms.
They had even filmed a live-stream of the wedding.
It was a joyous occasion for the Royal Family, and the entire nation rejoiced along.
An Xiaoning was dressed in a full-black uniform, just like the other bodyguards.
Being the only female bodyguard by Tuoba Gucheng’s side, she naturally appeared in most of the photos and videos of the wedding.
The first thing she did in the morning was to inform Tuoba Gucheng that she had a sore throat and thus would not be speaking much that day.
Moreover, she had also called the Lin family to inform that while she would not be able to attend the wedding, she would still be sending the monetary wedding gift.
She told Gu Beicheng to deliver it on her behalf.
The Lin family told her that it was alright and instructed her to rest well.
Ever since she woke up in the morning, An Xiaoning had never once stopped walking and constantly followed Tuoba Gucheng throughout the rest of the day.
She would tag along wherever he went.
When it was time to welcome the guests, it was only inevitable to bump into some people.
Such as Gu Beicheng, Lin Mingxi, and Mr. and Mrs. Gu.
Such as the Xu family, Xu Youran, and Gu Dongcheng.
Such as… Jin Qingyan.
