Duoduo's eyes were filled with confusion.
She didn't understand why the Prince of Pingyang would say such a thing.
After the Prince of Pingyang finished speaking, seeing Duoduo's bewildered face, his hand tightened around the jade thumb ring he wore.
"Enough, just stay the way you were in the beginning, and that will be fine."
After saying this, the Prince of Pingyang seemed a little uncomfortable. He turned his wheelchair and headed into the room.
"Tomorrow will be very busy. Go back and rest."
Utterly baffled, Duoduo curtsied to the Prince of Pingyang and walked out.
It was still early, and she didn't know where to go.
Baihe, who had been waiting outside the door all along, walked over and curtsied to Duoduo.
"Miss, the Princess Consort has asked you to go over and try on your clothes."
A smile appeared on Duoduo's face.
If there were places she wanted to go most in this princely estate, one was to see Lüdou, and the other was to see the Princess Consort.
"Let's go," Duoduo nodded.
Baihe followed behind Duoduo in surprise. She realized that Duoduo's way of walking and acting was no different from that of an ordinary noble young lady.
If she hadn't known what Duoduo used to be like, she would have completely believed it.
The way Baihe looked at Duoduo changed.
The maid guarding the door saw Duoduo and rolled up the curtain.
"Your Highness, the young miss is here."
The Princess Consort, who was looking through the items on the table inside, immediately smiled.
She put down what she was holding and waved to Duoduo.
"Duoduo is here? Come quickly and try on the clothes you'll wear tomorrow!"
Duoduo walked quickly to the Princess Consort's side. Seeing the clothes on the table, she couldn't help but let out a Wow!
"Pretty, isn't it? This is custom-made from the best embroidery house in Xianyang."
"Come, Mother will help you put it on to see if there's anything that doesn't fit right, so the maids can alter it in time."
As the Princess Consort of Pingyang spoke, she picked up the neatly folded clothes from the table and shook them out.
It was a bright red ruqun dress, embroidered with two colorful phoenixes in gold thread.
A look of awe flashed in Duoduo's eyes as she let Baihe help her take off her outer garment.
Duoduo changed into the new ruqun, and Baihe styled her hair into a bun.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked Duoduo up and down.
"Baihe, take down the bun and style it into double loops instead. Then, let the hair at the back hang down; you don't need to comb it up."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Baihe complied, undid the bun, and restyled Duoduo's hair into double loops.
The Prince of Pingyang nodded in satisfaction.
"Mhm, this looks much more pleasing to the eye."
Duoduo flashed a sweet smile at the Princess Consort of Pingyang in the mirror.
From a box on the side, the Princess Consort of Pingyang took out the jewelry she had bought for Duoduo and put it on her.
Seeing the jewelry, Duoduo suddenly remembered the little fish she had seen that day.
She lowered her head and looked at the mark on her palm.
Ever since she discovered the little fish was missing that day, a mark had appeared on her palm.
At first, she thought it was imprinted there because she had held the little fish too tightly.
However, it had been several days, and the mark on her palm still hadn't disappeared.
Duoduo rubbed the mark hard, and it seemed to fade a little.
But after a while, the mark reappeared.
Sigh!
Duoduo let out a sigh.
"What's wrong? Do you not like it?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang heard Duoduo's sigh.
Duoduo hurriedly showed a smile. "No, Mother, I weally like it."
"I just think it's too expensive, and these ornaments are so heavy!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang laughed.
She looked over the newly dressed up Duoduo and nodded in satisfaction.
"Mhm, looking at you like this, Duoduo is truly beautiful!"
Duoduo smiled sweetly, "Mother is beautiful too!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was amused by Duoduo's words.
She gently touched Duoduo's face. "Yes, we are both beautiful!"
Duoduo's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
"Alright, take these off now. You'll have to wear them all day tomorrow."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang began taking off the jewelry piece by piece.
Duoduo opened her mouth wide. "Ah? For a whole day?"
"That's right. After we eat, you can take off some of them, but the rest can't be removed until the evening."
Duoduo hung her head in despair. "Alright."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang couldn't stop laughing at Duoduo's expression.
"It's just this once. Endure it a bit and it will be over."
Duoduo had all the jewelry taken off her, but she couldn't bear to take off the dress.
"Mother, can I wear it a wittle longer?"
"Of course you can. It seems you really like this dress?"
Duoduo nodded. "It's pretty!"
Saying so, Duoduo held the hem of her skirt and twirled around happily.
The Prince of Pingyang nodded cheerfully.
"Mhm, it is indeed pretty!"
"But the prettiest of all is still Duoduo!"
Duoduo covered her face, smiling until her eyes were shaped like crescent moons.
Eventually, Duoduo reluctantly took off the dress.
Because she had to go take a bath.
Duoduo walked to the side of the bathtub, and Baihe picked her up and placed her inside.
Inside were various red petals, emitting a rich fragrance.
Duoduo sniffed hard. "It smells so good!"
Baihe undid Duoduo's hair and rinsed it to wash it.
Duoduo leaned against the edge of the bathtub, happily kicking her two little legs.
Not letting one hand stay idle, she scooped the petals in the water and poured them over her body.
Baihe washed Duoduo's hair clean and then dried it with a towel.
"Miss, it is about time. Let this servant help you up."
As Baihe spoke, she prepared to grab the cloth towel on the side to wrap Duoduo in.
Duoduo shook her head instead.
"Baihe, you go out. I still want to pway and soak for a while."
Seeing Duoduo with a serious little face, Baihe curtsied and walked out the door.
Duoduo let out a cheer, put her hands in the water, and scooped up a handful of petals, preparing to smell them.
Suddenly, she felt her palm start to burn.
Duoduo hurriedly dropped the petals to check her burning hand.
She found that the burning hand was the one with the fish mark.
The burning spot was exactly where the fish was.
Duoduo brought her hand in front of her face and looked at it carefully.
There were no wounds, nor were there any other abnormalities.
However, her palm was not only hot but also itchy.
Duoduo put her hand into the water, and then used her other hand to rub the hot spot vigorously.
Splash!
In an instant, Duoduo got a face full of water splashed on her.
She and the fish in the bathtub stared at each other, wide-eyed.
Duoduo looked up at the ceiling; the ceiling was completely intact.
This meant that this fish did not fall from the sky.
Duoduo then looked front, back, left, and right. She was the only person in the room.
That meant this fish was not thrown in by anyone else.
Then, where did this fish come from?
Moreover, Duoduo inexplicably felt that this fish looked somewhat familiar.
Duoduo cupped her cheeks and thought for a moment.
She poked the fish that was swimming happily in the bathtub with her finger.
"Where did you come from?"
The fish twisted its tail and splashed water all over Duoduo's face.
Duoduo got angry. She reached out with both hands and grabbed the fish in one swift motion.
"This is my bathwater, not your pond!"
"Speak, where did you come from? Otherwise..." Duoduo rolled her eyes in thought.
"Otherwise, I'll roast you and eat you!"
The fish seemed to understand Duoduo's words, as it flicked its tail.
