spoiled brat

Chapter 115, Section 114: Lingering Resentment (XIV)

Zhao Zhao failed to kill Li Qingwen that day.

That day, she rode her horse for dozens of miles, inquiring everywhere, and learned that Li Qingwen was faster than her and had returned to the capital in a flash.

A golden opportunity was missed.

For the next few days, Zhao Zhao stayed in her room, ignoring everyone who spoke to her. She pretended not to hear anyone asking her for favors, and completely forgot about the household affairs that she used to be so enthusiastic about managing.

Even when Yuan Zhen revealed the patch of hair that was almost burned off and complained that Zhao Zhao had delayed her from having men, Zhao Zhao remained silent as usual.

Yuan Zhen was at a loss with her, so he had no choice but to tell Xiu Ning about it. After Xiu Ning found out, he sent someone to invite Zhao Zhao to talk to him. Zhao Zhao said sadly, "I won't go. Just say I'm sick."

That night, the wind was cold and the snow was heavy.

Zhao Zhao hugged her knees and leaned against the window to look at the moon. Suddenly, she heard a loud knocking on the door. She ignored it, thinking that she was half-dead and wouldn't open the door even if the King of Hell came.

There was another knock on the door, and Zhao Zhao answered lazily, "Who is it? I'm asleep."

There was no response, only the thumping continued, as if the thumping had become more vigorous because it heard her voice.

Zhao Zhao covered her head with the blanket, but could still hear thumping sounds. She felt annoyed. Who was the fool who came knocking on her door at night?
Remembering the ghost stories she'd heard before—foxes searching at night, vengeful spirits visiting her door—she'd done her share of bad deeds, and had even killed someone. Mustering her courage, she shouted, "Who is it?"

There was still no answer from outside. Sensing her unfriendly tone, she stopped knocking so enthusiastically. After hearing two very soft knocks, Zhao Zhao frowned and said, "You can knock but you can't speak. Are you mute?"

There was a moment of silence; this time, even the thumping sound stopped.

In a flash, Zhao Zhao suddenly remembered something, jumped out of bed without even putting on her shoes, and hurriedly and anxiously bolted the door open.

The oncoming wind and snow blurred her vision, but she could vaguely make out a thin, lonely figure in the white snow—someone she never expected.

Xiu Ning came to find her alone.

Zhao Zhao was filled with regret and anger. She wished there were ghosts outside. How could she have said such things to Xiu Ning?
Despite the freezing weather, she was so anxious that she didn't even put on her shoes. She grabbed an umbrella from behind the door and chased after him, calling out, "Princess!"

Xiu Ning turned around at the sound and saw Zhao Zhao running towards her barefoot in thin clothes, so cold she could barely stand. She was shivering as she held an umbrella over her head to shield her from the snow, and said in a trembling voice, "I didn't know it was you..."

Xiu Ning nodded, indicating that everything was alright, and pulled Zhao Zhao back into the house to put on more clothes and shoes.

Zhao Zhao was curious as to why she had come here, and Xiu Ning used sign language to say: They said you were in a bad mood.

Zhao Zhao brushed the snow off her cloak and said with concern, "Then why do it yourself? It's so cold, and there's no one to shelter you from the wind and snow."

Xiu Ning: If you don't want to see people, I won't bring them.

Zhao Zhao felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and she hated herself even more for what she had just said. She wanted to apologize a few more times, but she was afraid that it would seem too formal and spoil Xiu Ning's late-night mood, so she simply kept quiet.

After getting dressed and put on her shoes, Xiu Ning pulled Zhao Zhao outside, and she asked in a panic, "Where are we going?"

Xiu Ning: Let me show you something.

Zhao Zhao was happy to be a night owl, but in such cold weather, Xiu Ning started coughing after only a few steps. She couldn't help but worry and said, "Wouldn't it be better to watch during the day? The sun is out and the weather is warmer."

Xiu Ning shook his head: You can't see it during the day.

After a moment of silence, he signed again: I'm not living to stay cooped up in my room drinking medicine every day.

For some reason, Zhao Zhao remembered that He Bi said Xiu Ning was also a free-spirited and unrestrained person before he got sick, and her heart felt a little sore, as if all the medicine Xiu Ning had taken over the years had poured into her heart.

She didn't know where Xiu Ning was taking her, so she tried her best to stay by his side and hold the umbrella. Because she was a few years younger and shorter, she had to stand on tiptoe to hold the umbrella high.

Seeing how hard she was struggling to walk in the snow, Xiu Ning snatched the umbrella away and placed it by the roadside for the servants in the mansion to pick it up. He then used sign language to say: "How can you be so weak? Don't treat me like a patient."

Zhao Zhao had been rude before, but she hadn't been so quick to use sign language. Zhao Zhao remembered that this would upset her, and swore to the heavens, "Okay, I won't do it again!"

Zhao Zhao lived on a low hill. As they talked, the two had already reached the bottom of the slope. Due to the heavy snow, the stone steps were completely covered, a vast expanse of white.

Xiu Ning hadn't taken this route when she came, so she was unaware of the hidden dangers. She was about to step down when Zhao Zhao stopped her: "Don't go, you can't go downhill like this."

Xiu Ning looked puzzled and asked with her eyes why.

Zhao Zhao dug a stone out of the snow, threw it down, and slid down the slope barefoot: "The snow was so thick, it's all frost now. I didn't know that before, when you stepped on it, your butt would be burning!"

Xiu Ning asked: "Then let's take another route?"

Zhao Zhao shook her head, said "Wait a moment," and then turned and ran behind the large stone tablet, digging through the snow with a soft scraggling sound, seemingly searching for something.

A moment later, a large wooden plank was pulled out of the snow. It was thick and wide, probably taken from the old table. After some modifications, one end even had a decent-looking wooden handle. Zhao Zhao's eyes lit up: "Use this."

Wooden planks? Xiu Ning was even more puzzled.

But then Zhao Zhao laid the large wooden plank on the top of the slope, sat in front of it, patted the empty space behind her, and said, "Princess, come quickly!"

Xiu Ning guessed what was going on, gathered her skirt and sat down. Zhao Zhao, who often skateboarded downhill, was so excited for the first time: "Bury your head on my back, don't let the snow splash on your face!"

After saying that, he kicked the snow with his foot, and the wooden board shot out, stirring up the snow that hadn't yet frozen on the ground, creating a cloud of white mist!
Xiu Ning didn't bury her head or hide behind Zhao Zhao. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. She reached out to grab the whistling wind, which carried soft, cotton-like snowflakes that seemed to kiss her hand as they slipped through her fingers, so tender and gentle.

Zhao Zhao gripped the wooden handle tightly, adjusting her direction. She heard a soft chuckle behind her ear and couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Just as they were feeling smug, the wooden plank hit something, and the two of them flew out with a bang.

The world spun around Zhao Zhao, who rolled around in the snow, her head spinning, and finally she fell into a snowdrift at the bottom of the slope with a "thud".

She was completely buried in snow, and it took her a while to realize what was happening! She quickly scrambled out of the snowdrift, looked around blankly, but couldn't see Xiu Ning. Panicked, she cried out, "Princess—"

After shouting a few times at the top of his lungs, he realized that he had really lost his mind. Even if Xiu Ning could hear him, how could he respond?

Zhao Zhao panicked and spun around in circles. If anything happened to Xiu Ning, the Ning Prince's Mansion would not let her off the hook, and she would not forgive herself either.

Just as I was feeling panicked, something suddenly hit the back of my head. It didn't hurt; it was soft and fluffy, and snowflakes were falling down in a flurry.

Zhao Zhao turned around and saw Xiu Ning standing not far away, graceful and elegant, her white clothes and black hair swaying.

She wore no jewelry, only two pale yellow silk ribbons to tie her hair. They were clearly not gold or silver threads, yet they shone brightly in the moonlight. She was serene and gentle, like a fairy. In her hands, she held a wooden plank she had picked up and two tree branches that could be used as walking sticks.

Zhao Zhao rushed over to check if she had bumped or hurt herself. Fortunately, she was alright. She said embarrassedly, "I'm sorry... I made you fall."

Xiu Ning didn't care about that and pointed to the top of the slope: How about we do it again?

Zhao Zhao was stunned for a moment, then her dim eyes lit up, and she nodded emphatically: "I'll go with you a hundred times!"

Xiu Ning handed Zhao Zhao a tree branch and chose the frost-covered path to climb to the top of the slope.

This time it was her turn to sit in front. She gripped the wooden handle tightly, patted the back of her, and gestured to Zhao Zhao: Come on, hug me tight. Zhao Zhao blushed for no reason, and loosely hugged her waist, not daring to use too much force, as if holding a handful of snow for fear of it melting.

Seeing that she was timid and hesitant, Xiu Ning knew that she must be thinking about some unnecessary worries again, so he grabbed her hands and tied them around her waist like a knot. With a push of his feet, the two of them rode out on the wooden plank!

They were still walking on the same path as before. The frost had already been polished once, making it even smoother. The wooden planks slid even faster, like birds flying close to the ground. Nothing could hold them back, and everything would be broken!
Zhao Zhao had never tried going this fast before; her bottom almost lifted off the wooden plank. She told Xiu Ning to slow down, and Xiu Ning nodded. He then manipulated the wooden handle to twist and turn on the snow slope, drawing arcs!

Zhao Zhao never expected her to do this, and screamed in fright. She hadn't wanted to hug her tightly before, but now she wanted to stick to her. Seeing that they were almost at the place where they had flipped the plank earlier, she shouted, "There are big rocks in the snow ahead!"

Xiu Ning nodded, and with a light, graceful turn, the wooden plank flew past the stones, breaking through layers of snow waves, and came to a steady stop on a gentle slope below.

Zhao Zhao slid down the wooden plank, quite frightened along the way. Now, looking at the frail and pale Xiu Ning in front of her, she understood that He Bi's words were indeed true—if it weren't for this illness, Xiu Ning would definitely be more unrestrained than her and more carefree than Yuan Zhen.

"It's fun!" Zhao Zhao exclaimed. "Want to come again?"

Xiu Ning shook his head, turned around and found a secluded spot, then buried Zhao Zhao's precious wooden plank with snow.

After the commotion, the two felt warmer than cold. Zhao Zhao skipped and hopped through the snow, asking, "Princess, what are we going to see?"

Xiu Ning replied: You guess.

What's interesting to see on a snowy night?
Zhao Zhao's curiosity was piqued, but no matter how she guessed, she was wrong. Xiu Ning gestured and said: "It's very beautiful. You'll see when you see it."

The two walked to the back garden of the Prince's Mansion. There was a courtyard by the lake, with plum blossoms welcoming the moon and green tiles covered with snow, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

Zhao Zhao had heard that this courtyard was built in a unique way, with walls coated with pepper mud for insulation, and a floor heating system connected to a hollow fire wall, so even the coldest weather would feel as warm as March.

Originally intended for winter use, but since Xiu Ning didn't live there, and it was just sitting empty anyway, it was given to the frail and cold-sensitive elderly servants in the mansion.

Because the residents of the compound are all elderly people, there are no guards outside the gate.

Xiu Ning took out the key from his sleeve, but couldn't get the lock open. Zhao Zhao looked down and exclaimed, "Oh no, it's freezing cold!"

She touched herself and realized that she had rushed out without bringing the flint to melt ice.

But having come this far, they were reluctant to leave. Turning around, they noticed a withered tree near the wall and said, "I'll climb over and open the door."

After saying that, he pulled up his long sleeves, covered his palms, gathered his strength, and climbed up the tree.

The air was thick with moisture at night, and the tree bark was covered with a layer of frost. Zhao Zhao almost slipped and fell. She looked down in alarm, only to see Xiu Ning standing under the tree with his arm raised, afraid that she would fall.

Zhao Zhao indicated that everything was alright, and quickly climbed to the top of the tree, then swung up onto the wall.

Under the cool moonlight, she turned back and smiled at Xiu Ning, a hint of smugness in her eyes. Xiu Ning hadn't expected her to be so skilled and clapped his hands in praise.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Zhao's smugness on the wall didn't last long before she slipped and fell down.

A heavy thud echoed from inside the courtyard wall, indicating a hard fall. Xiu Ning's expression changed slightly, and she turned to call for help.

She had only taken a few steps when the courtyard gate creaked open, and a small head covered in snow poked out, waving at her and whispering, "I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine."

Fortunately, the courtyard was inhabited by elderly people, and no one was too lazy to sweep the floor, so there was a thick layer of snow piled up in the corner of the wall. Zhao Zhao fell in without getting hurt at all.

Xiu Ning chuckled, stepped aside to enter, brushed the snow off her as she led her inside.

In the stillness of the night, the two passed the screen wall and wandered around the corridor, stopping in front of a row of greenhouses. Several rooms on the east side had flickering candles, but the westernmost room was completely dark.

Zhao Zhao found it increasingly strange, racking her brains but unable to figure out what beautiful treasures were in that room that would make Xiu Ning go to so much trouble to bring her here.

A cool sensation touched her forehead, and Xiu Ning covered her eyes with a silk ribbon that had been prepared beforehand.

Zhao Zhao was plunged into darkness and could only be led by Xiu Ning. They went up the steps and into the house, where the warmth of the underfloor heating wall enveloped her, along with the faint fragrance emanating from Xiu Ning.

I could hear the sound of loose bricks, and a surge of heat rushed in, burning like the breeze of early summer.

Why is Xiu Ning lifting the floor tiles?
Zhao Zhao was puzzled. A moment later, the floor tiles were put back on, and she heard Xiu Ning blow out the candles. The blindfold was then removed.

Zhao Zhao saw the stars.

The room is full of stars.

The light flickered and shone, with tiny specks of light floating in the air, like a cascading Milky Way or shattered jade and flowing gold.

Zhao Zhao found herself surrounded by stars, wondering if she had fallen into a dream. She reached out to touch them, but the points of light dodged away. Only then did she realize they were fireflies, each one bright and eye-catching, as if they were carrying tiny lanterns.

I once heard Xiaoduo say that some wealthy families would catch fireflies in early autumn and keep them in glass boxes near earthworms, so that they could watch the fireflies' glow in the quiet of winter snow.

Xiu Ning raised her jade-white hand, and a firefly landed on it, looking as docile as if it were asleep, and its light dimmed a bit.

Xiu Ning handed over the fireflies, and Zhao Zhao carefully held them in her hands. "Princess," she couldn't help but say, "...Why are you so kind to me?"

Over the past few days, Zhao Zhao has been hesitating about one thing—whether or not to leave the Ning Prince's residence.

I initially entered the manor intending to use it as a springboard to find out who my enemy was. Now that I know, and that my enemy is an accomplice of the Prince of Ning's manor, it's best to leave as soon as possible to avoid making a move that could harm the prince.

As for what to do next, Zhao Zhao hadn't thought about it yet... She had considered killing her way to the capital, ambushing him by the roadside, and shooting that beast to death with an arrow, but he was a beast in human form, why should he die so easily? After he died, there might be people crying at his grave, lamenting that he was a virtuous and upright man from a poor family, and that it was truly a pity he died so young.

The room was sparsely furnished, the floor tiles were clean and warm. Xiu Ning gathered her clothes, sat down casually, and gestured, "I'm afraid you're not happy staying in the manor."

Zhao Zhao would have been happy to hear these words before, but now, because she was thinking of leaving, she was afraid that Xiu Ning cared about her so much: "...There are so many servants in the mansion, but not all of them are happy."

In the shimmering light, Xiu Ning looked at her: "Yes, there are always places I can't take care of. I'll also take care of them when they're unhappy."

He added: But they are not you.

Zhao Zhao paused for a moment, avoiding Xiu Ning's gaze: "I was sick a few days ago, feeling delirious. I was afraid of infecting others, so I didn't go out." Remembering that Xiu Ning had sent someone to invite her, she asked, "Did the princess ask me to come that day for something?"

Xiu Ning was silent for a moment, then lowered her eyelashes: It's nothing.

Her reaction was calm enough that Zhao Zhao suddenly remembered that it was Xiu Ning's birthday that day.

Due to the difficult times, Xiu Ning did not like crowds, so last month he decided to keep everything simple. On his birthday, he would only set up two tables of food and wine in the house and invite some close relatives to sit around the fire and chat.

Zhao Zhao vaguely remembered that the little maid who came to invite her that day seemed hesitant to speak, her expression indignant. Just as she was about to say something, Yuan Zhen pulled her away.

Before leaving, Yuan Zhen sighed and said, "You must not regret this... So that's what it meant, so that's what it meant!"
Even if she was furious, she shouldn't have forgotten about it. It's fine if she forgot, but she had to bring it up in front of Xiu Ning.

"I...I was wrong." Zhao Zhao was so ashamed that she wanted to disappear. Looking at the fireflies filling the room, she knelt down with a thud, clutching Xiu Ning's robe and saying, "I only beg you not to be sad."

Xiu Ning shook his head to indicate that he was fine, but Zhao Zhao wished she could strangle herself. She pointed to the sky and swore, "I will never forget again. I will celebrate every birthday of yours with you from now on."

She was so serious that Xiu Ning laughed at her cuteness and asked: Every year?
“Every year,” Zhao Zhao’s eyes gleamed, “even when it rains knives from the sky, I wade through it.”