“Miss, won’t you send some to the two princes and the princess?” Yu Mo asked.
“No, they’re mine,” Wei Linxia replied, puffing her cheeks.
Seeing her dark expression, Yu Mo didn’t dare ask further and had the servants carefully dry and store the lotus pods. After a hot bath and drying her hair with several towels, Wei Linxia crawled into bed, still shivering.
Wrapped up with only her round face visible, she looked pale despite the bath. Yu Mo found a copper hand warmer and placed it in her bedding.
Warmed up, Wei Linxia began to regret her words to Xi Zhaoting, fearing he would hate her. She pulled the covers over her head and sighed deeply.
When the sunlight brightened, Princess Yan came to call her. Wei Linxia’s hair was dry, and Yu Mo skillfully braided it into two buns. As Yu Mo was about to tie a frost-colored ribbon, Wei Linxia quickly stopped her, preferring her usual hanging curls.
“Yu Mo, put on the ribbon. Otherwise, without a decoration, it would look ugly,” Princess Yan said.
“Miss, look, the princess says it looks good,” Yu Mo quickly finished the hairstyle.
“Your face was a bit dark yesterday, but today it’s almost bloodless,” Princess Yan remarked.
“Nothing,” Wei Linxia said as she stood up, wearing her unfamiliar hairstyle, and followed Princess Yan to breakfast. Xi Zhaoting, Wei Fenzhì, and Li Weiheng were already there. Shortly after, Xi Linxuan arrived, clearly not having slept well. Li Weiheng curiously asked why Wei Linxia’s face was so pale, but she just shook her head, secretly glancing at Xi Zhaoting, who was giving her an unfriendly look.
She was in trouble now, with Xi Zhaoting holding something over her.
Xi Linxuan noticed her fleeting look of regret and Xi Zhaoting’s constant attention, which bred displeasure in him.
After breakfast, everyone discussed their plans. Li Weiheng mentioned seeing a lotus pond and suggested finding some lotus pods. Xi Zhaoting quickly agreed.
At the lotus pond, Li Weiheng discovered a stone stake and excitedly stepped onto it, calling Xi Zhaoting to follow. Princess Yan joined in, with Wei Fenzhì protecting her, leaving only Xi Linxuan and Wei Linxia on the shore.
“You can go; you don’t need to keep me company,” Xi Linxuan said, eager to move freely and pick lotus pods.
