Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Ling Xi sat alone in her bedroom, calming her mind with the help of books. Just as she felt at peace, a soft knock sounded at the door.

"Princess, this servant has brought the young master some hangover soup."

"Come in."

She closed the book and saw Qiuyue carrying a bowl of hangover soup, bowing as she entered; steam rose from the bowl.

"Did Guard Lu order you to prepare this?"

"Yes."

Lu Ming was a rather considerate and thoughtful guard, even more attentive than Perrin.

"Just put it on the table, I'll talk to him about it later."

"Yes."

Qiu Yue was very respectful. Ever since the Crown Princess moved into Chuixing Courtyard, none of the servants dared to neglect this princess of Chu. She carefully placed the soup bowl down and quietly withdrew.

Ling Xi stared at the bowl of steaming hot food, momentarily lost in thought.

Since he's made a hangover soup, it seems he's really quite drunk.

A thought suddenly popped into my head: what if he got so drunk that he passed out and something happened to him in the bath...?

Judging by the time, Xiao Ce had been inside for about 15 minutes. Ling Xi's heart suddenly tightened, and a sense of panic surged up within her; she could no longer sit still.

She got up and walked to the door on the right, gently pressed her face against it, and listened intently to the sounds inside, but all she could hear was silence.

Ling Xi hesitated for a moment before gently pushing open the bathroom door. The room was filled with steam, and it was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of the candlelight could be heard; there was not a sound of human voices.

She looked towards the bathtub and saw Xiao Ce leaning against the edge of the tub, head tilted back, eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

Thank goodness, thank goodness, she felt a sudden sense of relief; at least she hadn't drowned.

"Your Highness."

"The Crown Prince?"

She called out twice, but received no response. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly walked over.

As she got closer, she could see him more clearly. His dark hair was damp and fell over his shoulders. He was shrouded in a thin mist and was completely unaware of her intrusion.

Is she really fast asleep?

She slowly crouched down, the warm, shimmering water reflecting lightly on his face. Ling Xi's heart stirred inexplicably; she suddenly realized how incredibly handsome he was. His nose was straight and high, his brow bones sharp, even the curve of his lips was impeccable—like her brother, he was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Xiao Ce?"

We still need to wake him up, lest something really happens.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Xiao Ce suddenly opened his eyes, and she stopped speaking, her mouth agape, speechless.

There was no longer any trace of drunkenness in his eyes; perhaps the long soak in hot water had sobered him up somewhat. Yet he simply gazed at her silently, showing no surprise at her presence in the bathroom.

Ling Xi frowned slightly. Could it be that he wasn't fully awake yet, and was still thinking he was dreaming?

"Xiao Ce?"

She raised her hand and waved it gently in front of him. The next instant, he flicked his wrist and precisely caught her waving hand.

"you……"

Before she could finish speaking, he suddenly pulled her into the bathtub with force.

Suddenly, water splashed up on the surface of the pool, splattering onto the jade stones along the edge. Ling Xi lost his balance and was swallowed by the water the instant he fell in. He was then pulled out of the water and was completely soaked from head to toe.

"Cough cough cough..."

She coughed uncontrollably, her ears were ringing, and water droplets kept sliding down her cheeks, making her look utterly disheveled.

"What are you doing?!"

She raised her hand and hastily wiped away the water droplets around her eyes, her beautiful eyes filled with barely suppressed anger, a stark contrast to his calm and composed demeanor.

But he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a half-step closer, and a mist swirled between them.

"That's a question I should be asking you."

His voice was deep, tinged with a hint of languor, yet clearly carrying a touch of pressure.

"I was taking a bath peacefully when the Crown Princess barged in. What does she want?"

What could she possibly do to a grown man like him? How could this person turn the tables on him?

Just as she was about to speak in rebuttal, Xiao Ce suddenly exerted force and pulled her sharply, instantly switching their positions. He pinned her against the edge of the bathtub, holding her firmly in place.

"What exactly are you doing here?"

He lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on her intently, as he drew closer.

Ling Xi's eyes fell upon his bare upper body. His usually cunning and lively fox-like eyes now darted around in terror. She had never seen anything like this before, and could only hurriedly put her hands against his chest.

"You've misunderstood. I was just worried you might get drunk and drown in the bath, that's why..."

Looking at the nervous and uneasy person in front of him, Xiao Ce felt a strange sense of relief. He slightly curved his thin lips, with a hint of languor from drinking, and leaned closer, his warm breath mixed with moisture and a faint smell of alcohol washing over her face.

"Afraid I'll drown?"

He leaned down slightly, his gaze casually falling on her slender hand pressed against his chest, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

"When did you start caring about me like this?"

Wisps of steam swirled between the two of them. Ling Xi felt a tightness in her chest and lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his unfathomable phoenix eyes.

"I...I really meant well."

Her voice was weak, tinged with a hint of panic as she tried to explain. Her fingertips touched his warm, firm skin, and she realized what she was touching. Just as she was about to pull her hand away, he reached out and gently held her fingers.

"Kindness? Then I should thank the Crown Princess properly."

The two grew closer and closer, to a distance that Ling Xi could not bear. Even though she had no feelings for Xiao Ce, he was still a handsome man. With such a handsome man in front of her, it was hard for anyone to resist. Who cares about gender?

She instinctively stepped back until her back was pressed tightly against the cold edge of the pool, and her whole body tensed up instantly.

"I meant well, please don't get so close..."

Ling Xi's ears were already burning red, and even her explanations became hesitant and stuttering.

Instead of backing away, Xiao Ce raised his hand and gently pinched her chin, forcing her to look up and meet his gaze. His eyes were as dark as night, churning with emotions that were hard to decipher, and the oppressive feeling that came over him was impossible to ignore.

Their eyes met suddenly, and the air around them seemed to freeze for a moment. They looked at each other in silence, their hearts churning with emotion.

His eyes were as deep as a cold pool, clearly hiding a faint anger, while her eyes were clear and innocent, gradually revealing a trace of bewilderment.

Ling Xi's eyes were exceptionally beautiful, with slightly upturned corners that possessed a natural allure. At this moment, a faint mist clung to her eyes, reflecting the flickering candlelight, creating a captivating interplay of light and shadow. With just one glance, he effortlessly swayed his reason.

Xiao Ce's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily as he suppressed the surging emotions in his heart. The hand that had been holding her chin slowly moved down her jawline. Ling Xi felt as if the skin on her neck was on fire, burning hot and numb.

Xiao Ce gently wrapped his large palm around her neck, his movements so tender, as if he were holding a unique treasure.

Ling Xi stared at him blankly, watching his handsome face grow larger and larger before her eyes, until it seemed to cover her eyes.

It wasn't until she felt a warm, soft touch on her lips that she realized what he was doing.