The palace was quieter than usual after the chaos of Xiaoxi's revelation and Xiangyun's arrival. Yet the halls were still buzzing with whispers of the princess and her mysterious brother.
– Morning in the Courtyard 🌸
Xiaoxi was carrying a tray of tea for Haoran, tiptoeing with exaggerated care. Haoran, pretending to be stern, kept glancing at her with a twitch of a smile.
Xiaoxi: "Frog Prince! Careful, don't spill the tea… or I might have to teach you how to balance things properly!" 😏
Haoran: "Hmph. As if I need lessons from a little pufferfish."
Suddenly, Xiaoxi tripped slightly, spilling a few drops of tea. Haoran caught the tray with one hand and scooped her up in the other.
Xiaoxi (dramatic): "Oh no! I've been kidnapped again!"
Haoran (smirking): "This is for your own safety… and to punish you for being clumsy."
Xiaoxi giggled, hugging him tightly, while Xiangyun, walking nearby with Lianhua, noticed the strange closeness between them. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing yet, just observing quietly.
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– Xiangyun and Lianhua's Moment 🌙
Later that evening, Xiangyun and Lianhua walked in the palace garden under the soft moonlight. The lanterns flickered like little stars around them.
Lianhua (softly, smiling): "Xiangyun… tonight, you really look like a prince… not just my sister's brother."
Xiangyun (chuckling, brushing some petals off her hair): "I just wanted to appear proper… though with you around, I feel I can be anything."
They laughed softly together, their hands brushing accidentally. Lianhua's cheeks tinged pink. Xiangyun looked at her, his heart quietly warming at her shy gaze.
Xiangyun: "You… have a calm presence. It's… comforting."
Lianhua (biting her lip): "I… I feel the same. I mean… you're different from what I imagined… in a good way."
The two lingered, talking about trivial things, laughing at small jokes, walking closer together. It was a peaceful, romantic moment, until a shadow appeared—Xiaoxi and Haoran, coming to enjoy the balcony view.
Xiaoxi (whispering to Haoran): "Frog Prince, look… they're so cute. Why don't we have romantic talks like that?"
Haoran (teasing, nudging her): "Because we have our own style of romance, little pufferfish. Chaos, drama, and stealing dumplings, remember?" 😏
Xiangyun noticed them laughing and teasing, feeling a strange pang in his chest. He didn't understand fully yet but something about Haoran and Xiaoxi's closeness caught his attention.
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– Evening Dinner 🍲
The palace family gathered for dinner. Xiangyun, now cleaned and dressed neatly, was enjoying the feast. Lianhua kept sneaking glances at him, while Xiaoxi tried to feed Haoran more than he needed, causing playful scolds and laughter.
Xiaoxi: "Frog Prince! Eat more, or I'll… I'll…"
Haoran: "Or you'll what?"
Xiaoxi (smirking): "Or I'll tell everyone your secret weakness!"
Xiangyun, observing all this, finally muttered to himself:
Xiangyun (frowning slightly): "There's… something going on between them, I just don't know what."
The episode ends with Xiangyun sitting back, thoughtful, while Lianhua smiles softly at him, and Xiaoxi continues pestering Haoran with her usual chaos.
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