Xiao Yi pulled her to sit down on the stone bench. With a slight raise of his hand, Eunuch Liu took quick, short steps and entered the lake pavilion, holding a fluffy object in his arms.
Cui Yunfeng abruptly stood up and involuntarily stepped back.
What surfaced in her mind was that skinned, bloody rabbit.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Yi looked up and held her small hand, only to find her fingertips were ice-cold.
Cui Yunfeng stared intently at the small creature in Eunuch Liu's arms. Only when she was certain it could move and was alive did she slightly sigh in relief. "What... is that?"
"A white cat presented as tribute from the Western Regions. I specifically asked my mother for it." Xiao Yi took the white cat from Eunuch Liu's arms and offered it to Cui Yunfeng.
"You've loved these fluffy little things since you were a child."
Cui Yunfeng pursed her red lips and stood there, not taking it right away.
"What's the matter, do you not like it?"
Cui Yunfeng gazed at the cat for a few moments, then looked at Xiao Yi.
She did like them when she was a child, but he didn't know that since that incident, she had never touched these fluffy little animals again.
And Xiao Yi disliked them even more. If she didn't take it, that white cat would only end up dead.
"I like it." Cui Yunfeng reached out, took the white cat from Xiao Yi's hands, and held it in her arms.
The cat was unexpectedly docile, lying motionless in her embrace.
Xiao Yi smiled, "Look how much it likes you. When it was at Prince An's Manor, it wouldn't let anyone else touch it. Even I was scratched several times."
Cui Yunfeng lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the back of Xiao Yi's hand, which had been scratched by the white cat.
Although he was perverse and ruthless, he was truly, incredibly good to her.
"I will have someone bring some medicine."
Xiao Yi nodded, his gentle gaze resting on the person and the cat before him, not moving away for even a moment.
Cui Yunfeng paid it no mind; she had long grown accustomed to Xiao Yi's gaze.
After an unknown amount of time, the person sent to fetch the medicine returned. However, the people in the lake pavilion were focused on their own affairs and didn't look up.
The newcomer put down the medicine, opened it, and walked toward Xiao Yi.
"Oh my. Your Highness is injured. What a large wound, it hurts just looking at it. Fortunately, I arrived quickly. If I had been even a moment later, I'm afraid it would have already healed."
"..."
"Eldest Sister." Cui Yunfeng stood up in a panic. The white cat in her arms was startled and darted away.
Cui Yunchu cast a cool, sidelong glance at her.
She really had some nerve. Top Scholar Zhou was still sitting and waiting for her in Songhe Garden, yet she was here in the lake pavilion with Prince An. If word of this got out, what would happen to her reputation?
Cui Yunfeng bit her lip, looking like a guilty child who had done something wrong.
Cui Yunchu knew exactly what kind of person Prince An was.
She definitely couldn't use force to drive him away, so she took two steps forward, reaching out to grab Prince An's hand. "Come, Your Highness Prince An, let me apply the medicine for you. The medicine I apply heals quickly and doesn't hurt at all, it's exceptionally good."
Prince An, who had been sitting calmly, instantly stood up and backed away. His wickedly handsome face was taut and slightly pale.
His brows were tightly knitted, and his eyes were filled with cold, disgusted aversion.
Cui Yunchu was taken aback and hurriedly patted her chest.
Cui Yunfeng said, "What are you doing? You frightened my Eldest Sister."
Xiao Yi, "..."
His lips twitched slightly, and he looked at Cui Yunfeng with an indescribable expression.
It was her Eldest Sister who had frightened him, alright?
However, given how protective Cui Yunfeng was of her family, Xiao Yi very consciously chose to remain silent.
No matter how crazy Xiao Yi was, he never crossed the line when it came to Cui Yunfeng's reverse scales. That was also the reason why Cui Yunchu hadn't died by his hands in their previous lives.
Since he wouldn't kill her, Cui Yunchu became even more unbridled.
"Don't be polite, Your Highness. My second sister is no good at taking care of people, so let me do it." Her voice was melodious, twisting and turning like a rugged mountain road.
The veins on Xiao Yi's forehead bulged slightly, and the hands behind his back were tightly clenched into fists. He was clearly suppressing his temper to the extreme.
Cui Yunfeng quickly pulled Xiao Yi away and put on a smile. "Eldest Sister, why are you here?"
Cui Yunchu was still holding the medicine. Hearing this, she blinked. "I heard that I sprained my ankle, and you came to help me find a doctor. I just had to come and see."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Prince An, and her voice became soft and charming. "This time it was a sprained ankle. Next time, perhaps it will be a fall. Your Highness Prince An, the time after that, will it be my time to pass away?"
Damn it, did they all think she was invisible?
Cui Yunchu gritted her teeth.
"..." Cui Yunfeng silently looked back at Prince An.
Prince An was equally silent.
"Eldest Sister, don't be angry, it's all my fault." Cui Yunfeng stepped forward and gently shook Cui Yunchu's sleeve.
"It's fine. I'm quite happy not to have received news of my impending death."
Prince An's eyelids twitched. He knew Cui Yunchu was dramatic, but he had no idea when she had honed such a sharp tongue.
Through Cui Yunfeng's sister, Xiao Yi profoundly experienced for the first time what it meant to find someone an eyesore yet be utterly helpless against them.
And her skin was thick to the extreme; all insults seemed to sound like compliments to her.
"Your Highness, does your hand still hurt? Let me take a look at it," Cui Yunchu pushed Cui Yunfeng aside and was about to lunge forward.
"Xiao Yi, you should leave first." Cui Yunfeng waved her hands desperately.
Xiao Yi, "..."
If he had a sister like this, he would have sent her to meet their ancestors long ago.
Faced with Cui Yunchu's pestering, whatever illness Xiao Yi had was cured, leaving him with only a deadpan expression.
Letting Cui Yunchu live was truly the greatest merit of his entire life.
Only when Xiao Yi left with his people did Cui Yunchu smooth the stray hair by her forehead and settle down.
"Eldest Sister,"
"If you blink, I'll believe you were forced."
"..." Cui Yunfeng blinked.
Cui Yunchu was filled with helplessness, but now was not the time to get to the bottom of things. "Hurry back to Songhe Garden, Nanny Li has been looking for you this whole time."
Cui Yunfeng nodded, lifted her skirt, and turned around. After taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something and ordered a maid to take the white cat away with them.
Cui Yunchu said, "My reputation has been completely ruined by the Xiao family."
She snorted, turned, and also left.
The lake pavilion fell into silence. A moment later, two men walked out from the other side of the connecting waterside pavilion.
One of them took a few quick steps, his gaze blankly fixed on the departing graceful figure.
"Did you hear all that?" Shen Xiabai asked coldly.
Shen Zilan nodded, his gaze still not withdrawn.
"Such..." Shen Xiabai wanted to say something, but his voice suddenly paused. After a moment, he changed his tune and said, "...How can such a woman compare to Miss Chen from a scholarly family."
Perhaps the incident with the Wang family's son was still vivid in his mind, preventing Shen Xiabai from uttering those unpleasant words.
"I think Eldest Miss Cui is quite cute." Shen Zilan said instead. "The medicine she applies is the best, hehe..."
Repeating this, he even let out a low laugh.
Shen Xiabai turned his head to look at Shen Zilan as if looking at a fool.
She went to grab Prince An's hand—he didn't see any of those deliberately seductive actions at all.
"Youngest Uncle, you just have a prejudice against the Cui family."
Shen Xiabai remained silent. A moment later, he turned and walked away.
Shen Zilan immediately chased after him, uttering astonishing words, "Youngest Uncle, you seem to have a very high opinion of Miss Chen. Are you... very interested in her?"
"If..."
"Either shut your mouth, or you will keep it shut forever from now on."
Cui Yunfeng returned to the Songhe Courtyard. With Cui Yunchu helping to cover for her, Old Madam Cui did not grow suspicious. As for Nanny Li, whom Xiao Yi had sent away using some unknown method, she also appeared completely oblivious.
Only then did Cui Yunfeng finally let her guard down.
Zhou Yuanmo had already gotten up and left. Old Madam Cui asked Nanny Li to personally escort him out.
"Yunfeng, what do you think of the young master of the Zhou family?"
Cui Yunfeng pursed her lips, speechless for a moment.
"Not to your liking?"
"Well... not exactly." As Xiao Yi's words echoed in her mind, Cui Yunfeng felt a chill shoot up from the soles of her feet.
This was exactly what Old Madam Cui had been waiting to hear. She immediately made the decision, "Since that is the case, in a few days, we will finalize the marriage arrangement for the two of you."
"So soon?" Cui Yunfeng exclaimed in shock.
