“Indeed, it’s very similar. No wonder even I couldn’t tell the difference,” I nodded seriously. “It feels quite special, like I’m being intimate with Mo Qu.”
His face darkened, as black as the bottom of a pot.
The vehicle driver knocked on the carriage door and called out loudly outside: “Princess, Lord Mo, there is a royal carriage in front of the guest inn, and it seems we cannot pass through.”
“Then we’ll take a detour.”
Before the driver could respond, I heard my younger sister’s unique crisp voice as she opened the carriage door. “Second Sister, Second Sister! Where have you been—”
Her expression instantly became dazed. “…come back.”
“Miss Ya, what’s wrong?” Que’er’s voice grew closer, and my sister was startled, immediately closing the door.
An Jin and I looked at each other, quickly getting up and tidying our appearance. Fortunately, it was my sister who saw us, not Que’er.
“Miss Ya, why did you close the door? Isn’t the princess inside?” We could clearly hear Que’er’s curious question.
“She’s not!” My sister answered decisively. “My second sister is definitely not inside! Absolutely not!”
I suddenly felt pressure coming at me. An Jin gleefully whispered to me: “Roll—away—roll—go—my sister has quite an imagination.”
“What?!” Que’er’s voice became sharper. “Mo Qu? And the princess?”
An Jin finally realized this wasn’t going anywhere and reached out to open the carriage door. Que’er and my sister simultaneously looked at us, while the driver lowered his head in fear, gripping the reins and occasionally glancing cautiously at us.
An Jin coughed, first getting off the carriage, then turned back to help me. “Princess, please.”
“Thank you, Lord Mo,” I formally took his hand and descended from the carriage. Que’er and my sister’s gazes were extremely intense, as if they wanted to burn a hole in our clasped hands.
I quickly withdrew my hand, raising my head to appear calm, nodding to An Jin: “Thank you, Lord Mo, for accompanying me.”
An Jin was not to be outdone, immediately adopting an official demeanor, cupping his hands towards me. “Then I shall take my leave.”
After An Jin left, my sister and Que’er both remained silent.
“Just now, it was a carriage—”
