Bao Ji (Lia)
"Today you will paint. Let your imagination run," Instructor Mama announced.
Great. Fantastic.
Because when she says "let your imagination run", mine sprints straight off a cliff.
I peeked around. Some girls hadn't even started. Some were doing a few thin, elegant lines—just lines! And somehow those lines magically turn into masterpieces. How? Are they sorcerers?
Meanwhile I stared at my blank paper like it hypnotised me. Nothing. Zero creativity. My brain was a dry desert.
Then—
"Announcing His Majesty—!"
Of course.
OF. COURSE.
He can't stay away from Bao Si more than three hours. At this point, why doesn't he glue her to his sleeve like a decorative brooch? Problem solved. Constant access.
Wait—no. Horrible idea. That would be the end of me.
All of us knelt.
"Your Majesty."
"Rise," he said with that authoritative, I-own-the-world tone.
He pretended to scan the room.
We ALL knew who he came for.
Just say it, Your Majesty: "I missed Bao Si."
But no—he said,
"I came to check how everything is going."
Right. Sure. The way he stared at Bao Si like his eyeballs would fall out… mhm. Very believable.
Everyone suddenly started painting with the grace of immortal fairies, hoping he'd glance at them.
And then there was me.
Sitting like a confused monkey.
I stared at my empty paper. Blank. Like my brain. Until suddenly—
Two embroidered shoes appeared in front of me.
I looked up.
The Emperor.
Our eyes met.
Stare competition, round one.
"I see Lady Ji doesn't paint," he said.
"With His Majesty's eyes on me, it is very hard to draw," I replied as politely as I could.
"You can just say you can't paint."
This man…
He REALLY pushes my buttons.
"I never said I can't draw."
"Well, you give that impression."
The other women giggled behind their sleeves.
Bao Si watched with those cold, unreadable eyes.
"Petty man," I muttered under my breath.
"Did you say something, concubine Ji?"
"No! Of course not, Your Majesty."
"It sounded like you said something."
"Your Majesty wants to disturb me?"
He blinked.
I continued, reckless mode activated:
"Or Your Majesty wishes to draw but is too shy to admit it?"
My. Mouth. Will. END. ME.
"Then I will not let concubine Ji down," he said calmly…
… and motioned for me to move aside.
"Really? " I squeaked.
But I stepped away.
He painted plum blossoms—elegant, alive, breathtaking.
"WOW!" I blurted.
He smirked, proud.
Then—my horror—he walked toward Bao Si with the painting.
NO.
NO NO NO.
That was NOT my intention!
Bao Si stood, took the painting… and BLUSHED.
BAO SI. BLUSHED.
Her cold goddess expression cracked slightly—pink cheeks.
I accidentally HELPED their romance.
FUCK. ME.
The Emperor looked back at me with a smug, happy look and said:
"Now it's concubine Ji's turn to show her talent."
Fantastic.
I sat down, annoyed enough to set the palace on fire.
I grabbed the brush and angrily moved it around the paper without seeing what I was even doing.
"This is truly beautiful, concubine Si," Instructor Mama praised Bao Si's landscape.
Of course it was. She was perfect at everything.
Then Instructor Mama suddenly stopped in front of ME.
"This—"
"It's ugly. I know," I said, still staring straight ahead.
"This is gorgeous."
"…What?"
I finally looked down.
A dragon.
A stunning, powerful dragon.
I drew that??
Instructor Mama lifted the painting high.
Everyone stared, shocked.
Bao Si looked at me with tightly pressed lips—annoyed?
Jealous?
Hard to tell. But she didn't like that I outshone her.
Then I noticed the emperor.
His eyes were glued to my painting.
"I'm taking this," he said, grabbed it, and left.
Just left.
Didn't even look back at Bao Si.
Anger simmered—how dare he take MY painting?
But… a tiny spark of satisfaction curled in me.
Because he didn't give Bao Si another glance.
Still… I DID accidentally bring them closer earlier with that plum blossom moment.
Ugh. Today was chaos.
Not good chaos.
It would've been such a good plan—annoy him, make him leave, maybe get a punishment (which is honestly better than watching him dote on my cousin).
But NO.
Instead I challenged him, made him show off, and HELPED their romance.
Everything backfired.
I need a drink. Preferably poison.