The palace day was moving peacefully, until—
"Ahhh! Ahhhh! It hurts! My ears!!"
Xiaoxi's cries echoed through the halls. Everyone stopped what they were doing—maids dropped their trays, guards froze mid-step, even Grandma dropped her teacup.
And then the sight appeared.
Xiang Yun—the once-proud, now dusty Prince of Baiyun Kingdom—was marching through the palace, one hand tightly pinching Xiaoxi's ear. Xiaoxi was hopping beside him like a trapped rabbit, yelping dramatically.
Behind them walked Haoran and Lianhua, leading the way like nothing strange was happening.
The palace people whispered like wildfire—
"Who is that man?!"
"Why is he dragging our little chatterbox by the ear?!"
"Maybe he's her secret husband?!"
"No no! He looks too scary—maybe he's a debt collector!"
"Or worse… maybe he's here to kidnap her back!?"
Some even clutched their pearls dramatically, while Brother Chubby Bao, Brother Tiny Dumpling, and Brother Long Noodles peeked from the corner like gossiping old aunties.
Chubby Bao (snorting): "Whoever he is, poor guy. He caught the wild dumpling alive!"
Tiny Dumpling (gasping): "Aiyaa! Does this mean we're losing Sister Xiaoxi? Should we hide her?"
Long Noodles (smirking, stroking imaginary beard): "Hmm… Judging by his ear-grabbing technique, this man is a professional brother. No one else dares handle her like that." 🤣
---
The Hall
Moments later, Haoran entered the great hall, calm as ever. Grandma and the Empress immediately attacked with questions.
Grandma (slapping her knee): "Aiyo, what's happening?! Who is that barbarian pulling our Xiaoxi's ears?!"
Empress (sternly): "Haoran, explain at once!"
Haoran, as cool as ever, simply said two words.
"Her brother."
The hall fell silent.
Grandma blinked, then leaned closer. "Brother?! As in… real brother?!"
Haoran (nodding): "En."
Before they could process, Grandma pointed at Lianhua—who was still covered in dirt and petals, looking like she rolled through a battlefield.
Grandma: "And what in heavens happened to Lianhua?! Why is she looking like a plucked chicken?!"
Haoran's lips twitched. His reply was calm, but sharp.
"She fell… with her brother."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Lianhua: 😳💀
Empress: 😱
Grandma: 🤯
The gossip started immediately.
Brother Tiny Dumpling (gasping loudly): "Wait, Princess Lianhua… fell in love at first sight?!"
Brother Chubby Bao (clutching his belly from laughter): "Fell is right! She fell straight into that man's arms!"
Brother Long Noodles (dramatically fanning himself): "What a scandalous romance between Princess Lianhua and this mysterious stranger!" 🤭
Lianhua: "SHUT UP, YOU THREE!!" 🤣
---
The Big Reveal
Finally, Xiaoxi and Xiang Yun entered the hall. Xiaoxi rubbed her sore ear dramatically, pouting.
Xiaoxi (dramatically posing, with one hand on her chest): "Everyone! Allow me to introduce myself properly!"
Everyone leaned in, holding their breath.
Xiaoxi (pointing to herself proudly): "I am not just your palace chatterbox… not just Frog Prince's pufferfish… I am—drumroll please—Princess Xiaoxi of Baiyun Kingdom!" ✨
The hall erupted in chaos.
Grandma nearly fell off her chair.
The Empress gasped so loudly the maids fanned her with towels.
The brothers dropped their snacks all at once.
Brother Chubby Bao: "Wait wait wait… THIS dumpling is a princess?! No wonder she eats like royalty!"
Brother Tiny Dumpling (covering his mouth, whispering): "Princess Trouble… our Xiaoxi is Princess Trouble!!"
Brother Long Noodles (snickering): "Then that means Frog Prince is doomed. He didn't just catch a wild dumpling… he caught an entire royal storm!" 🤣
The gossips spread like wildfire through the palace. Servants, guards, and ministers whispered in disbelief.
"Princess?! That noisy girl?!"
"The one who tripped in the lotus pond?!"
"The one who made the Crown Prince laugh during council?!"
"That troublemaker is… royalty?!"
Meanwhile, Haoran stood in the corner, arms crossed, lips twitching in amusement as he watched his little pufferfish steal the stage.
Xiang Yun sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. "This dumbo is going to bring down Baiyun Kingdom's dignity singlehandedly."
Xiaoxi (sticking her tongue out at him): "Hmph! At least I bring entertainment!"
And just like that, the entire palace was flipped upside down—the day Xiaoxi's identity was revealed would forever be remembered as the Day of Princess Trouble. 🤭👑