Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 140

Prince Anle frowned and said disdainfully, "Why are you crying? Did Dugu Xihui bully you?"

"No... I'm a little cold and a little hungry." Zi Jin quickly got up and turned to walk outside, but was grabbed by the arm by Prince Anle.

"You dare to hide from me." King Anle's face was even colder than the weather.

Zi Jin frowned slightly, glancing at her arm, which was aching from being gripped so tightly by Prince Anle: "Let go!"

A flicker of annoyance flashed in Prince Anle's narrow eyes. In all the years he'd known her, he'd never seen her so aloof and cold. Back then, she was always meek and submissive, always doing as he pleased, believing whatever he said without ever arguing or resisting. Her eyes were always smiling when she was with him; she should never look like this.

Prince Anle squinted at Zi Jin for a while, then disdainfully released his hand and casually patted her: "You've grown quite bold in just a few days."

Dugu Xihui strode over and pulled Zi Jin into his arms: "Has Miss Yu offended the Prince?"

King Anle's pupils contracted again and again as he looked at Zi Jin nestled obediently in Dugu Xihui's arms, his anger barely contained: "I braved the snow and ice to come and visit the king, is this how a king treats his guests?"

Dugu Xihui looked coldly at Prince Anle, a deep sarcasm on her face: "Your Highness..."

"It's getting dark, I'm very hungry, I want to eat," Zi Jin interrupted Dugu Xihui softly.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony. Your Highness, will you stay with me?" King Anle turned to look at Jun Lin.

Jun Lin frowned as he looked at Zi Jin, who was hiding in Dugu Xi Hui's arms, and nodded casually.

Zi Jin watched Anle Wang's every move with unease, slowly letting go of her fear. She left Dugu Xihui's embrace without leaving a trace, rubbing her hands, which were red from the cold, and saw a familiar face kneeling not far away.

Jin Yu held a wooden tray with four hand warmers on it.

A smile appeared on Zi Jin's face. She winked mischievously at Jin Yu, then quickly stepped forward without asking any questions. She tucked a hand warmer into her bosom, picked up another one and held it in her hand, giving Jin Yu a playful smile: "Jin... why are you kneeling in the snow in this cold weather? Get up quickly, this hand warmer is quite heavy, I'll get you two. This guard is so thoughtful."

Seeing Zi Jin's greedy and mischievous behavior, Jun Lin smiled indulgently.

Dugu Xihui and Prince Anle exchanged a thoughtful glance with Jin Yu.

Jin Yu glanced at Prince Anle, then stood up and said, "Miss, this hand warmer was prepared by His Majesty for everyone; it was not made by Jin Yu."

Zi Jin's face instantly darkened, her hands went slightly numb, and she didn't know whether to throw away or keep the hand warmer in her arms. "Hmm." She walked casually toward the front yard, then suddenly turned to Dugu Xihui and said, "It's getting dark, and it's freezing cold. Let's have a barbecue. Let's light a few big fires in the yard and call all the cooks to the garden. I'll tell them how to prepare." After saying that, she strode toward the front yard.

Seeing Zi Jin walk away, Prince Anle slapped the wooden tray out of Jin Yu's hand: "Meddlesome." The hand warmer scattered, and charcoal embers littered the ground.

A cold glint appeared on Dugu Xihui's face, and the smile on her lips grew even more sarcastic: "You people from the Sikou family really have connections everywhere. The Sikou King knows what we're doing without even leaving his house. Look at the warmth of these hand warmers. We just stopped playing around, and he gave each of us one. We're all benefiting from the Prince's favor." Dugu Xihui emphasized the word "each."

King Anle turned around and gave a fake smile: "Who are you standing up for? Do you think I don't know what you're up to?"

Jun Lin frowned as he watched the conversation between the two, his hand slowly clenching into a fist.

Unresolved emotions and inescapable demonic obstacles, the cycle of cause and effect—when will we meet again? The vows of being like birds flying wing to wing, branches intertwined—made on that day. (Part Two)

The vow of being like two birds flying wing to wing (Part Two) Inside the room, the two hand warmers had been thrown aside, their red and black charcoal stains spreading across the floor. Zi Jin changed out of her half-soaked robes, her body trembling uncontrollably: "I'm not afraid... I'm not afraid... not afraid at all... Even if they all come, I'm not afraid, not afraid... At worst, it's just a life... I'm not afraid... I'm not afraid... This time, I will never retreat even half a step... Not even half a step..."

Slowly straightening her clothes, Zi Jin casually tied her hair into a bun with a hairpin, patted her stiff face, took a deep breath, and put on her usual smile, but her eyes were frighteningly silent.

Several bonfires were lit in the four corners of the garden, and there was a larger bonfire in the middle.

The chef had already skewered all the food that could be grilled onto long bamboo skewers, and placed salt, seasonings, and oil within easy reach. Zi Jin casually picked up a chicken wing, carefully brushed it with oil, and sat down by the largest pile of charcoal in the middle, leaning against the fire to grill the chicken wing in her hand.

The servants in the garden, imitating Zi Jin, roasted the meat in their hands over the embers in the four corners. Four lanterns were lit in the pavilion beneath the artificial hill, where Dugu Xi Hui and Prince Anle were playing chess. Jun Lin, who had been watching the game, saw Zi Jin sitting alone by the fire from afar and walked over without thinking.

Jun Lin imitated Zi Jin, picked up a piece of beef and placed it directly on the fire, then sat down opposite Zi Jin: "What are you thinking about?"

Lost in thought, Zi Jin looked up at the person opposite her and the slightly burnt beef in his hand, and burst out laughing: "You didn't grill it right, let me teach you."

Jun Lin stared blankly at Zi Jin's smiling face, the corners of his mouth slowly turning upwards.

Zi Jin shoved the chicken wings from her hand into Jun Lin's hand, took the beef from his hand, and carefully brushed it with oil: "If you don't put oil in it, it will burn and won't taste good when grilled."

Jun Lin stared at Zi Jin without moving, his eyes filled with a gentle, flowing joy.

"Go through some things, why are you staring at me?" Zi Jin said, frowning.

“You have never smiled at me… I… I…” The usually arrogant Crown Prince Jun Lin actually showed a hint of embarrassment on his fair face.

"What do you mean, 'you'! If you rummage through things, or they'll burn, you can have them all." Zi Jin's eyes flashed with an unnatural glint as she spoke, feigning fierceness.

Jun Lin's smile deepened as he mimicked Zi Jin's manner, flipping the food in his hands: "Where's the jade pendant I gave you? Why aren't you wearing it?"

"It's lost," Zi Jin said nonchalantly.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Jun Lin's eyes, then he smiled and said, "So what if we lost it? We can just play another pair."

Zi Jin's face was full of annoyance: "I treated you like that back then... how can you act like nothing happened today... what are you laughing at? Who are you laughing at?"

Jun Lin's face was full of smiles, his phoenix eyes filled with tenderness: "I don't blame you. I've never been good to you, so it's understandable that you don't believe me. Besides... you didn't hurt me back then, but instead stopped my bleeding, which shows that you still care about me. From now on, I will only be good to you, and you will never abandon me again."

Zi Jin stared blankly at Jun Lin, then abruptly looked away, turning the beef in her hands over and over again, saying seemingly nonchalantly, "Don't think you know me so well... No matter what, if there is danger again, I will still abandon you... Besides, I could have stopped west... him back then, but I didn't, and seeing you injured made me incredibly happy."

“Jin’er, why are you lying… When you stopped my bleeding, your hands were trembling, your face was full of pity, and your eyes were full of reluctance. If I had been nicer to you back then, you would never have abandoned me… You have to believe me, from now on I will only be nice to you, and then you will never be able to bear to abandon me again. Is that right?” Jun Lin looked intently at Zi Jin’s face and asked in a low voice.

Zi Jin slowly lowered her face, her eyes shimmering with tears, a hint of doubt rising in her heart. She then said, "Don't be silly... This time, I will never trust anyone again..."

"What are you talking about?" Dugu Xihui sat down next to Zi Jin and asked softly, holding a hand warmer.

King Anle casually sat down next to Jun Lin, stretched out his hand, and focused on warming himself by the fire.

"without……"

"I'm asking Jin'er how she got injured, how she was rescued, and how she ended up in the Yu family," Jun Lin interrupted Zi Jin, casually flipping through the things in his hand.