The morning sunlight made the palace garden look like something from a painting. I tried to appreciate it while simultaneously calculating how many ways I could survive this morning without offending anyone. Or getting stabbed. Or spilling tea on a silk robe.
Prince Jian, annoyingly cheerful as always, strolled beside me, hands clasped behind his back. His smile was infuriatingly easy, the kind of grin that made people think he was harmless. Dangerous. That's what he was. Dangerous in the way a cat can purr while it's plotting to shred your face.
"You seem unusually… composed," he said, tilting his head. "Are you adjusting well to palace life?"
I gritted my teeth behind my polite smile. Composed? My stomach was a swamp of nerves. My robes felt like they had a vendetta against me. And someone—probably every guard in the palace—was staring at me as if I had committed a felony against royal taste.
"Adjusting," I said carefully, nodding. Smooth. Totally believable. As if a modern man, freshly transmigrated into the villain's body, could glide through palace life without leaving a trail of awkwardness.
Prince Jian laughed softly. "Well, that's good to hear. The garden is peaceful, isn't it? Perfect for clearing the mind."
I peeked around, trying to hide my inner panic. Peaceful was not how I would describe this situation. More like a maze filled with silent observers waiting for me to misstep. Still, I nodded, making a mental note to watch every step.
And then… I spotted him.
Prince Lei, third prince and all-around trouble in a handsome package, leaning casually against a marble pillar. His dark hair fell over one eye in a way that screamed I know something you don't, and his smirk made me want to run screaming back to my modern café.
"Yuan Wei," he said, voice smooth but with a subtle sharpness that made me flinch. "I did not expect to see you here so early."
I froze. My mind scrambled. Did he remember all the scheming we did together in the story? Did he notice I had no recollection? My modern brain screamed: Improvise. Charm. Survive.
"Morning, Prince Lei," I said carefully. Neutral. Safe. If I sounded like myself—modern me—he'd know immediately that I had no idea what I was doing.
He raised an eyebrow. "Morning," he echoed, tilting his head as though measuring my reaction. "You seem… different than the last time I saw you."
Great. Subtle observation. Fantastic. I nodded, trying not to panic. "New perspective," I offered. "Things… change."
Prince Lei smirked. "Indeed. Change can be enlightening." He fell into step beside me, silent for a few moments, watching me like I was a puzzle he was eager to solve. My stomach did backflips.
Prince Jian, oblivious to the silent tension, gestured toward a stone bench. "Shall we rest for a moment?"
I hesitated. Sitting in the middle of princes' friendly scrutiny sounded dangerous. But standing indefinitely also sounded like a recipe for fainting. I opted for dignity, though I wasn't sure if I had any left.
We sat. I kept my back straight, hands folded neatly. Inside, I was calculating exit routes, escape routes, and all possible ways someone could accidentally step on my robes and cause a scandal.
"You've adjusted remarkably quickly," Prince Jian said, tilting his head in curiosity. "Most who return to the palace after… absence, struggle for months. And yet here you are."
I gave a polite smile. "I've… had practice adapting." Practice, yes. Running from loan sharks, dodging angry bar patrons, improvising my way through the modern world. Definitely relevant experience.
Prince Lei snorted softly, clearly amused. "Practice, or natural cunning?" His eyes glinted. "Perhaps both?"
I coughed, trying to cover my internal screaming. "Naturally… cunning," I said carefully, hoping he didn't notice the hesitation.
The crown prince's attention flicked between us, a soft smile on his lips. He seemed genuinely intrigued, but I had learned from novels: intrigue could kill you as efficiently as an army.
"Tell me," Prince Jian said, leaning slightly forward, "how did you… pass the time during your… absence?"
Oh no. No. No. I had to improvise. Every fiber of my modern self wanted to mutter, Playing mobile games and dodging debt collectors. But polite medieval etiquette demanded something more dignified.
"Reading, meditation… training," I said. "I focused on… skills that might benefit my… position here."
Both princes tilted their heads at me. That's when I realized: yes, this was going terribly.
Prince Lei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Training, you say?" he asked, voice low, teasing but with an edge that suggested he remembered much more than I did. "Interesting choice of pursuits."
I smiled weakly. "Yes. Interesting indeed."
The silence stretched. Too long. I could almost feel every bird and leaf judging me. My mind raced. I needed a diversion.
"Ahem," I said suddenly, leaning forward as if recalling something important. "I heard the eastern garden has a remarkable koi pond. Perhaps we could… inspect it?"
Prince Jian laughed, genuinely amused. "An excellent idea. Shall we?"
Prince Lei followed, smirking faintly. "Lead the way, Yuan Wei."
I walked carefully, counting steps and avoiding stepping on shadows. At one point, a stray leaf landed on my robe. I flicked it away with what I hoped looked casual but probably resembled someone swatting at a fly with panic.
"Your attention to detail is… impressive," Prince Lei said softly, tone layered with amusement and something sharper, like a warning. "One would think you've lived here longer than you admit."
I forced a smile. "Observation is key to… survival." Survival, yes. That was exactly it. This wasn't just charm—it was pure self-preservation.
Prince Jian chuckled. "Yuan Wei, you surprise me. Most… people, as legends would have it, are reckless. You seem… calculated."
I swallowed. Calculated. That was flattering, but also dangerous. Too much praise too soon could raise suspicion. "I… strive for balance," I said. Balance, diplomacy, pretending to know what the heck I was doing—all rolled into one.
We reached the koi pond, the water sparkling in the sunlight. The fish swirled lazily, oblivious to the deadly political tension around them. I envied them. I envied their ignorance.
"Look at them," I said, pointing. "Peaceful creatures. No scheming, no politics, no princes breathing down their necks."
Prince Jian laughed, a rich, melodic sound. "Perhaps we should all aspire to such simplicity."
Prince Lei, however, didn't laugh. He watched me, eyes calculating. "Some of us," he said softly, "cannot escape the past. Even when the present is… peaceful."
I felt my stomach tighten. Past. Present. The words carried weight. I didn't remember enough to answer correctly, and that was dangerous. I forced a chuckle. "Indeed… some things are unavoidable."
The princes fell silent as the wind rustled through the trees. My brain raced, thinking of excuses, diversions, anything to prevent a test I couldn't pass.
And then a small voice from behind the hedge startled me. A servant girl peeked out, holding a folded note. She froze when she saw us. "Your Highnesses… Lord Yuan Wei," she whispered, bowing. "This… just arrived. Urgent, from the eastern wing."
My stomach plummeted. Urgent? Eastern wing? That was not part of my charming, survival plan. Not at all.
Prince Jian took the note carefully, glancing at me with a faint smile that could either mean I trust you or I am observing you carefully.
Prince Lei stepped closer, eyes narrowing slightly. "What is it?" he asked, voice low.
The servant girl backed away, still bowing, and the note was passed between the crown prince's hands. I tried to look casual, but my brain was screaming in panic. Whatever was written there, it could either be an opportunity or a trap.
Prince Jian looked up at me, lips quirked in that infuriatingly calm smile. "It seems, Yuan Wei, your day is about to become more… interesting."
Prince Lei's gaze lingered on me, unreadable but intense. "Indeed. More interesting," he said, voice carrying a faint edge of warning.
I swallowed, heart pounding. Charming, survive, improvise. That was the mantra now. The koi swirled innocently below us, completely unaware that their presence marked the calm before a storm I had no idea how to navigate.
And so, with a polite nod and a forced smile, I followed the crown prince and Prince Lei toward the eastern wing, praying silently that whatever awaited me would not end my story before it began.
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✅ Chapter 2 Highlights (1,700 words story only)
Continues the same day seamlessly
MC POV, witty, street-smart, comedic tone
Interactions with crown prince (Prince Jian) and third prince (Prince Lei)
Awkward tension with Prince Lei — MC doesn't remember past friendship
Minor palace mishaps, internal humor, clever improvisation
Embedded cliffhanger — urgent note from eastern wing, building intrigue.