Zhu Lin smiled upon seeing how Lei Wanxi was hiding his smiles. "Prince, you can smile openly. You indeed are the cutest among all," Zhu Lin asserted.
"I know. I am dear to everyone's heart in the Palace. Thank you for the compliment, Zhu Lin," Lei Wanxi stated. "Do you want to eat sweets?" He asked her with excitement.
"I would like to eat sweets. The salty custard hurt my taste buds," Zhu Lin answered. Lei Wanxi called a maidservant inside. He ordered her to clean the table and bring sweets for them.
"Zhu Lin, why do you like me?" Lei Wanxi asked, out of nowhere. "You did not tell me the reason behind your likeness towards me. I live a tension-free life and only enjoy it," he clarified his question.
"There are many reasons, but the most prominent ones are– Prince Wanxi's cheerful personality and his love towards his royal family," Zhu Lin answered. Lei Wanxi was delighted to hear praise words from the mouth of Zhu Lin regarding him.
The maidservant had come with sweets and placed two plates on the table. Walking backward, she left the chamber.
Lei Wanxi picked a green-colored sweet and brought it near Zhu Lin's mouth. "Open your mouth," Lei Wanxi requested. Zhu Lin did so and took a bite of the sweet. He smiled and pulled his hand back.
As he ate the remaining sweet, Zhu Lin asked him why he ate it. "Because I wanted to!" Zhu Lin answered.
"I already had eaten a piece of that," She complained.
"So?" Lei Wanxi questioned and picked another sweet. He handed that to Zhu Lin. "Are you thinking that we had an indirect kiss?" He suddenly asked, and she widened her eyes.
"How could the Prince talk that way?" Zhu Lin scoffed and started to fan herself with her hand. "Doesn't the Prince think it's hot here?" Zhu Lin questioned him.
"Is it?"
"Hmm."
"I think you are feeling hot because I talked about the kiss," Lei Wanxi stated and smirked.
Zhu Lin was dumbfounded to hear that. "Do you want me to kiss you?" She heard Lei Wanxi, so she turned her gaze towards him. He was patiently waiting for her answer.
She sometimes lowered her eyes, sometimes averted them while the other times peered at him. It all happened in a fraction of a few seconds. The blush on her cheeks was getting prominent. No one made her feel this way. She fidgeted with her fingers when heard Lei Wanxi.
"Do you want to see your face in the mirror?"
She confusedly peered at him.
"You are looking hilarious," Lei Wanxi affirmed and started to laugh. Zhu Lin frowned, and Lei Wanxi tried to control his laughter.
"Forgive me for laughing. It is my first time seeing you nervous and blushing. Else, most of the time, you carry a serious expression, or you can say one expression most of the time," Lei Wanxi answered.
Zhu Lin touched her cheeks from the back of her palm and said, "Any woman would get nervous if you talk this way with her." She huffed and murmured, "I thought for a second that he would kiss me."
"I shall leave." Zhu Lin stood up from the chair when Lei Wanxi grasped her wrist and pulled her towards him.
"Ahh," she let out a small scream and landed on him. Their faces came dangerously close to each other. Zhu Lin's hands were on Lei Wanxi's shoulders while his hands were on her waist.
"It is strange to see Zhu Lin getting nervous," Lei Wanxi stressed the word Zhu Lin and moved the back of his finger on her jawline. Bringing it under the chin, he stopped and pulled her face a little towards his face.
"I heard your murmur, 'I thought for a second that he would kiss me.' Let's have our first kiss," Lei Wanxi stated and leaned closer to her lips. Zhu Lin closed her face, so did Lei Wanxi.
Their lips were at hair width distance apart, almost going to touch when they heard a voice. "Brother Wanxi! Brother Wanxi!" They both opened their eyes and looked towards the door and again at each other.
"Weng Yu?" Lei Wanxi murmured. His reflex acted fast, and he pushed Zhu Lin with such a great force that she hit the floor.
Weng Yu came inside and saw the awkward situation between them. Zhu Lin was on the floor while Lei Wanxi had a shocking expression on his face.
"Did Brother Wanxi again fight with the Princess?" Weng Yu asked.
Lei Wanxi immediately stood up and shook his head. "She was standing up from the chair, but her foot slipped, and she fell on the ground," Lei Wanxi told a white lie, looking at Zhu Lin, who chuckled.
"Why doesn't Brother Wanxi help the Princess?" Weng Yu asked.
"Ah, I am doing," Lei Wanxi replied and forwarded his hand to Zhu Lin, who yanked it away. Lei Wanxi laughed a little and then looked at Weng Yu. "She is full of attitude," he stated. Zhu Lin stood up, looked at her dress if it was alright, and left the chamber.
"It seems the Princess is angry at Brother Wanxi," Weng Yu said as he looked back. Zhu Lin had walked out of the chamber.
"Why are you here, Weng Yu?" Lei Wanxi asked, who turned towards him and smiled.
"Brother Wanxi, I am here to show you this painting. I made it myself," Weng Yu delightedly said and came near Lei Wanxi. He opened the rolled sheet and spread it on the table.
"Wonderful, Little Brother Yu! You drew an incredibly beautiful peach blossom tree," Lei Wanxi complimented Weng Yu.
"Really, Brother Wanxi? I think I could not mix up the colors perfectly," Weng Yu asserted.
"You will learn to do that too. It is magnificent," Lei Wanxi encouraged him. Weng Yu smiled and rolled the sheet.
"Thank you, Brother Wanxi. I am glad that you liked it. The Fourth Brother is not in the Palace else, I have asked him for more tips," Weng Yu said and sighed.
"Sister Lili has an incredible knowledge about art. Brother Yu shall go to her. Sister Lili will definitely guide Brother Yu," Lei Wanxi suggested to Weng Yu.
"Oh, yes. Sister Lili knows art. Let's go, Brother Wanxi," Weng Yu affirmed.
"Forgive me, Little Yu. But I have important work," Lei Wanxi told Weng Yu.
"Okay, Brother Wanxi. Thank you for giving me your time." Weng Yu bowed and left the chamber.
"I need to meet Zhu Lin.. Hopefully, she will not beat me up," Lei Wanxi mumbled.
