Outside, it was a world of ice and snow; inside, an air of awkward intimacy hung between them. The two sat in silence, neither saying a word for a long while. Night had fully fallen when the landlady brought their al. Lan Ningzhen stepped out to receive it and thanked her. Xie Jue spread the small table on the heated bed; evidently, eating and sleeping both took place here. Though Xie Jue disliked it, he begrudgingly adapted to the local customs.
The al consisted of lump soup made from yellow wheat flour, along with piles of beef and lamb. There was not a single vegetable—completely unsuited to Xie Jue’s tastes. Since arriving in Beiman, he’d suffered from excessive heat more tis than he could count, all due to the incessant eating of beef and lamb. But there was no alternative; the als here were what they were. He avoided the at entirely and picked at the lump soup instead.
"Don’t be picky. Eat more at; it’ll help you maintain body warmth," Lan Ningzhen broke the uneasy silence. Xie Jue glanced at the two plates piled high with at and felt like he’d already eaten, but he said nothing and picked a piece to chew slowly.
Lan Ningzhen stared at his cheek and couldn’t resist poking it with her finger. Xie Jue looked up and glared at her. "What are you doing?"
"You can feel it now?"
Xie Jue paused, realizing that after hours of busyness, his frozen cheek had regained feeling—much sooner than he’d anticipated. Though it still itched and pricked, the pain was far less severe than it had been when his face was initially frozen stiff. His surprise was visible. Lan Ningzhen remarked, "Apply the ointnt for another two days, and your face will fully recover."
Xie Jue couldn’t help but say to her, "Thank you!"
Lan Ningzhen replied with mock surprise, "Oh my, what did I just hear? Did I mishear? Mr. Helian actually said thank you? I taught you to ice skate, treated your wounds, cleaned this room until it was spotless, boiled water for you, and nearly did your laundry—and finally, you’ve said thank you."
Xie Jue, feeling a twinge of guilt from her words, stubbornly retorted, "If you hadn’t insisted on taking outside, my face wouldn’t have frozen, and none of this would’ve been necessary."
"True, it’s my fault. I’m cleaning up my own ss; I have no complaints. I’m even willing to wash my hands, cook, and serve Mr. Helian out of the goodness of my heart. But you should still thank . Beiman will only get colder, and with your delicate features, it’s inevitable that you’ll end up frozen stiff one day." Lan Ningzhen winked. "And if it happens inside the manor, your disguise will be uncovered, no matter how hard you try to hide it."
Xie Jue realized she had a point. He had anticipated all manner of ergencies upon coming to Beiman, but the stark difference in climate between Beiman and Yanyang—and the Yanyang people’s lack of familiarity with Beiman’s harsh weather—had taken him by surprise. This ti, he truly owed Lan Ningzhen his gratitude, as the experience of freezing unnerved him enough to study how to better protect his skin from further frostbite.
"Your face is truly beautiful—no wonder you need to keep it hidden." Lan Ningzhen, finding excuses for him, teased, "Oh dear, Mr. Helian, I’ve discovered your little secret. Are you going to kill to keep it quiet?"
Lan Ningzhen theatrically patted her chest. "How terrifying!"
Then, as if worried she’d flatten her chest with the pats, she quickly glanced downward to inspect herself before retracting her hands, hunching her shoulders, and grinning cheekily at Xie Jue.
Xie Jue, confronted with her unwelco revelation, felt so guilty that he failed to notice her antics. Indeed, he had contemplated silencing Lan Ningzhen, yet here she was, saying it aloud without hesitation.
Xie Jue said coolly, "Do I co across as such a ruthless person to you?"
"You absolutely do!" Lan Ningzhen muttered under her breath, barely audible. "You’ve already wanted to kill twice in just one afternoon!"
"What did you say?"
"I said you’re as beautiful as you are kindhearted, and it was petty of to think otherwise," Lan Ningzhen replied, tactfully adapting with a smile that curved her brows prettily.
Xie Jue scoffed, having completely abandoned the thought of killing Lan Ningzhen. "You’ve rely uncovered my disguise. Why would I want to kill you? Killing you would only bring more trouble—how would I explain things to the Second Prince? I left the city with you, and naturally, I must return with you. Without you, even if I’m important to the Second Prince, he’d still demand my life in return."
"Finally, you’re seeing sense." Lan Ningzhen laughed and threw him a flirtatious glance. "Indeed, killing would be far more trouble than it’s worth. Winning over, charming —that’s your only hope for keeping silent."
Once again, Xie Jue found himself openly teased. He knew she spoke the truth and intended to follow her advice, but hearing it spelled out so plainly left him feeling awkward. How was he supposed to play this out?
He couldn’t allow himself to constantly be led by Lan Ningzhen, dependent on her whims.
"Miss Lan is a Goddess—graced with nobility and beauty. I, on the other hand, hail from Qianling Town, of lowly birth. Even if we shared mutual affection, the Right General and the Beiman King would never permit you to marry a Prince Manor advisor," Xie Jue said indifferently, testing the waters.
"You’re absolutely correct!" Lan Ningzhen responded with mock regret, completely ignoring conventional responses. Smiling, she added, "Then you’ll simply have to work harder and rise higher—it’s the only way to be worthy of !"
Xie Jue: "..."
He had expected Lan Ningzhen to say sothing like, "My marriage is mine to decide. If I love you, your humble background doesn’t matter." Yet, she was far more grounded, urging him to strive for success instead.
Another rit added to her tally!
Xie Jue cursed himself internally—What am I thinking? She’s a Beiman girl! How can I admire her?
Lan Ningzhen gave him an encouraging smile, her gaze soft and playful, increasingly finding him adorable. She wanted so badly to tease him further but knew she had to tread carefully to avoid revealing too much. As she prepared to test him again, Xie Jue asked suddenly, "You’ve washed yourself—why haven’t you removed your makeup yet?"
Lan Ningzhen: "..."
Indeed, Lan Ningzhen had been wearing heavy makeup since the first ti she appeared before Xie Jue. Her skin always looked as though it had been dusted with a layer of powder, making it appear far fairer than most. Her brows were ticulously painted into elegant willow-leaf shapes, thin and curved, while her lashes were long and curled, dusted with fine powder that sparkled faintly. Her beauty was undeniable, her features like a portrait co to life.
He had never seen her bare-faced. Still, he assud that the gap between a girl’s natural face and her makeup wouldn’t be too drastic. Confronted by his question, Lan Ningzhen montarily froze, and Xie Jue began to sense sothing strange stirring in his mind.
Why was that?
Beiman won rarely wore makeup, not even the Princesses living within the palace walls; the cold weather made daily application and removal of costics inconvenient. Yet Lan Ningzhen maintained her painted face every single day, making her one of the only won Xie Jue had seen in Beiman with a made-up appearance.
The first was the beauty-minded Sixth Princess—but even she didn’t wear makeup daily.
Lan Ningzhen’s reaction was undeniably peculiar. Xie Jue grew more curious, but before he could inquire further, Lan Ningzhen sighed softly and lowered her gaze. When she raised her eyes again, they glistened, faintly damp with sorrow.
She could cry on demand!
This unexpected display shocked Xie Jue. To think that a woman as spirited as Lan Ningzhen could cry—and cry so delicately!
Lan Ningzhen spoke sadly, "I must confess, my right cheek bears a large, black birthmark. It’s unsightly, and I have no choice but to cover it with powder. I fear showing my true face, worried that people would loathe . In truth, I’m very plain."
Xie Jue: "..."
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