Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What’s your name? Introduce yourself.” Tuoba Danxue raised her eyebrows and glanced at her.
“I’m Mu Ning, I’m 24 this year. I have an ordinary family and once trained at the devil training camp for a long time, so I know how to use a gun and a knife. My skills are good as well, so I’ll have no problem protecting Your Highness.”
“Umm, not bad. Do you know whose position you’re replacing?”
An Xiaoning’s gaze was fixed slightly downwards at the ground. “No.”
“It was a female bodyguard as well. She left without staying for too long. Do you know why she couldn’t continue working here?”
“No, I don’t.” An Xiaoning thought to herself, Is this Princess stupid? Of course I wouldn’t know, isn’t she asking the obvious?
“It’s because she went to give birth, of course.”
An Xiaoning remained silent, at a loss for words.
“You’re probably thinking that I bullied her and drove her away right?”
“I don’t dare to have such thoughts.”
Tuoba Danxue laughed lightly. “Even if you do, I won’t know. But seeing how you look, I think you’ll be fine. You can stay then. Zhi Yin, arrange her lodging. The room beside mine will do.”
“Okay.”
An Xiaoning looked at how she acted as if she was her only bodyguard. Otherwise, why would she let her live in the room next to hers?
Or perhaps, she was the only bodyguard that followed her around everywhere. The other bodyguards might only be on duty when she goes out.
The room was huge. One look and she knew she was being treated well.
The windows were not attached with an anti-theft detector, so An Xiaoning was particularly pleased with this.
Because it meant that if she had something urgent, she could just go out from the windows.
After stowing her luggage, An Xiaoning immediately went out again.
Zhi Yin passed her a gun and a dagger.
Looking at the gun, An Xiaoning realized it did not have a silencer. How she missed her silent pistol!
“You have never seen a real gun, have you? Not everyone can touch this. Stop looking at it like that, I’m going out later. You come with me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” She stood there, arming herself with the gun and dagger.
Tuoba Danxue was satisfied with this ordinary-looking female bodyguard. The people around her were mostly plain-looking other than Zhi Yin, her trusted servant, who had refreshing and refined looks. No one looked better than she herself did.
It was typical of a woman to not want the people around her to look better than herself.
It was understandably human nature, after all.
After her meal, Tuoba Danxue brought Zhi Yin and An Xiaoning out.
She was not actually going out of the Autumn Palace.
Simply out of her own house.
The Autumn Palace was not somewhere she could just leave anytime. As the outside was too dangerous, she had to report to her parents whenever she went out.
“Your Highness, don’t tell me you’re going to Second Prince’s place?” Zhi Yin stuttered slightly as she spoke.
“Of course.”
“Your Highness, because you keep going over there, there’re rumors spreading already.”
Tuoba Danxue appeared completely unbothered. “What rumors can there be when I’m looking for my second brother? Whoever dares to start these rumors, I will make them suffer.”
“Your Highness, you don’t have to keep it from me. There’s only the three of us here and no outsiders. Mu Ning definitely won’t dare to let it out. You’re going to find Feng right? Your Highness, I really can’t see you go on like this. If the President finds out about this, he will definitely not let me off easily.” Zhi Yin added, “If the President and Madam learn about this, they definitely won’t allow you to be with Feng.”
Tuoba Danxue remained indifferent. “It’s still too early for that. Even if I’m willing, he might not be. What are you worried about?”
“Your Highness has such pretty looks, it’s only a matter of time before Feng gives in to your aggressive chasing.”
Tuoba Danxue enjoyed hearing her words. She reached out her hand and hung it around Zhi Yin’s neck. “I’m 22 already. It’s the age for me to get into a relationship. People already start falling in love at university, but I have no dating experience at all, isn’t it absurd?”
“But, Your Highness, you haven’t been in a relationship. Neither have I.”
“Then are you dying to fall in love right now?” Tuoba Danxue laughed. “If you take a fancy to someone, I’ll help you. Although I may not be able to decide for myself, I can definitely do so for you. I’ll allow you to start a relationship.”
Zhi Yin broke into a wide grin. “But, Your Highness, you can’t decide for the person I like.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for the President?”
“Your Highness!” Zhi Yin stomped her foot in surprise. “If someone were to hear that, both you and I will be punished! It’s your father that you’re talking about.”
Tuoba Danxue couldn’t stop giggling in delight. “It’s just a joke. Look at you, getting all serious and worked up.”
“Of course I have to be serious.”
“Then, who have you taken a fancy to?”
Zhi Yin shook her head. “I don’t want to say.”
“Tell me, I can help you.”
“Then you have to keep it a secret. You as well…” She turned to An Xiaoning. “Don’t tell a single soul.”
“Yes.” An Xiaoning nodded in acknowledgment, her face extremely sincere.
“Quick, tell me.”
“Your Highness, it’s the First Prince.”
Tuoba Danxue was taken aback. “My eldest brother?”
“Umm. I told you, you can’t help me. But, Your Highness, I don’t harbor any thoughts. I just simply like him. His Highness is so handsome, I’m sure very few girls here don’t like him.”
“But, don’t they like my second brother more? My eldest brother is so serious…”
“I like the Second Prince as well…”
Tuoba Danxue immediately disregarded her words, commenting plainly, “The kind of feelings you’re talking about isn’t love, then. Find someone you really like. I really can’t help you.”
“I’m just saying it for fun. It’s purely admiration.”
Tuoba Danxue noticed An Xiaoning wasn’t speaking, so she asked, “Have you been in a relationship?”
“Yes?”
“How does it feel?”
“Feel?” An Xiaoning slowly explained, “Although I went through and suffered a lot being with him, I still love life and harbor expectations for the future.”
“I like how you put it.” Tuoba Danxue fixed her gaze on her. “Have the two of you broken up now?”
“No.”
“Very good,” she remarked frankly. “Then I wouldn’t have to worry about you being like Zhi Yin and the other girls who have a crush on my brothers.”
Although An Xiaoning kept a calm smile on her face, the thoughts that filled up her mind made her heart race like the scene of a battlefield.
Having a crush on men?
What kind of handsome men had she not seen before?
Putting aside the fact that her husband Jin Qingyan was remarkably handsome, Gu Beicheng had the charming look of a bad boy while Ye Xiaotian, Ling Ciye, and Long Tianze were comparably good-looking as well.
Did she really think that just because she had an ordinary-looking face, she was a country bumpkin?
She really underestimated An Xiaoning, didn’t she?
“Your Highness, with Mu Ning’s looks, I’m sure her boyfriend couldn’t possibly be handsome as well.”
Tuoba Danxue only laughed and did not reply to her, obviously agreeing with what she had said.
An Xiaoning pretended that she had not heard it and fixed her gaze forward, following behind them.
After walking for about half an hour, they finally reached the place where Tuoba Gucheng lived. The three entered one after another.
Looking at this house, An Xiaoning noticed that there was a huge amount of trees planted everywhere. It made one feel serene and peaceful at heart.
Reaching the entrance of the living room, Tuoba Danxue then called out, “Second Brother, you’re actually at home?”