All the way to the Fourth Prince’s palace, he didn’t utter a word, and even when they arrived, he kept a stern face. Qingqing wondered what she had done to offend him, and once he sat down, she cautiously asked, “Have I somehow offended the Fourth Prince?” The Fourth Prince’s expression softened slightly, though his tone remained indignant, “I thought you were just a pitiable young girl, not someone who would use others. Hmph…” Qingqing found his attempt at looking mature somewhat amusing but held back her laughter. Pretending to be wronged, she said, “Qingqing knows she has offended the Fourth Prince, but it was unintentional. Yesterday, the Crown Prince called me an ugly woman, and it’s been on my mind…” Although she had moved past the sadness, talking about it brought tears to her eyes. Despite his cold exterior, the Fourth Prince was soft-hearted. Already impressed by Qingqing’s talents and moved by their conversation the previous day, he felt an indescribable emotion towards her. Seeing her like this, he panicked, stood up, patted her shoulder, and comforted her, “Don’t cry, beauty isn’t just about looks.”
The Crown Prince Apologizes to the Ugly Woman (Part Three)
The more he spoke, the sadder Qingqing became, and the sadder she got, the more she cried. Unbeknownst to them, she had leaned on the Fourth Prince’s shoulder, both unaware of their closeness. Over the years, Qingqing had been neglected by her parents, enduring much hardship and few had shown genuine concern for her. The Fourth Prince, since his mother’s death, had also kept his feelings bottled up. Two people with their own stories, both equally pitiful, easily became friends. Perhaps it was genuine sympathy, or perhaps they sought emotional balance in each other. Knowing there was someone as pitiable as oneself might make one feel that life was fair.
