The Crown Prince's residence buzzed with an unfamiliar energy that morning. Servants whispered as they passed, their eyes darting between the main courtyard and the grand pavilion, where laughter occasionally burst through the carved screens.
XiaoQi frowned as she stepped through the gate, her steps cautious. DongZe's summons had been vague—too vague—and whenever he grew vague, it meant trouble. The last time he'd called her without warning, she'd ended up with three physicians poking her pulse and prescribing endless bitter tonics "for her health."
"This had better not be another of his tests," she muttered, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face as she crossed the courtyard.
Before she could demand an explanation, four figures turned toward her. The first, tall and composed, offered a graceful bow that was almost too polished to be casual.
"So this is the infamous Lady Chen," said Yan DongYun, the second prince, his tone light and cultured, a smile tugging faintly at his lips. "You are far lovelier than the gossip suggested. I see now why our elder brother has been... preoccupied."
XiaoQi's brow twitched. "Preoccupied?"
DongYun's eyes sparkled with quiet amusement. "Ah, forgive me. I meant devoted."
Before she could respond, a louder voice cut in, thick with mischief. "Preoccupied is too kind a word."
Yan DongHao, the third prince, strolled around her with a swaggering grin, his arms crossed behind his back as though circling prey. "I'd say bewitched. Or maybe bitten." He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, "Tell me, Lady Chen, did you really bite him?"
XiaoQi blinked, her mouth falling open. "What—how do you—?"
DongHao's grin widened, delighted by her reaction.
Laughter rang from behind them. Yan Rou, the only princess among them, was perched elegantly on a low table, her silk sleeves fluttering as she clapped her hands. "Oh, she did, she did! Look at Brother Ze's lip—it's still healing! He tried to hide it yesterday, but we all noticed. Imagine! The cold Crown Prince, wounded by a lady's teeth."
XiaoQi's cheeks flamed red. "I—it was an accident!"
DongZe chose that moment to appear, his robes a deep shade of black embroidered with gold, his expression severe enough to still the laughter—though the faintest redness lingered near his lip. "Rou," he said, his tone heavy with warning. "Enough."
Princess Rou covered her mouth, failing miserably to stifle her giggles. "Yes, Brother Ze."
The youngest sibling, Yan DongJin, no more than sixteen, leaned forward eagerly from his seat. "So you're the one who makes him act like a human instead of a statue," he said brightly. "I like you already. Maybe you can teach him how to smile without terrifying people."
XiaoQi rubbed her temples, a weary sigh escaping her. "Heavens, are all of you this shameless, or is this some kind of royal habit?"
DongHao laughed. "Mostly him." He pointed at DongZe. "He's infected us over the years. We've had to adapt with humour to survive the frost."
DongZe's glare was enough to make two servants flinch from the doorway. "DongHao," he said coolly, "I see your tongue still works better than your sword."
DongHao smirked, unfazed. "And yours seems to work a little too well these days."
XiaoQi choked on air. "What is wrong with this family?"
DongZe's eyes flicked toward her, the edge of irritation softening ever so slightly. "Ignore them," he said quietly, stepping closer. "They thrive on nonsense."
"That's because you never give us anything else to enjoy," Rou said cheerfully. "You brood all day. It's exhausting."
"Not all day," DongHao muttered under his breath. "Apparently, he's found new hobbies."
DongZe's jaw tightened, but his ears betrayed him with the faintest hint of red. XiaoQi bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, her earlier annoyance fading under the ridiculousness of it all.
"I can see why you summoned me now," she said dryly, crossing her arms. "You wanted to parade me before your siblings like a strange bird in a cage."
"Not quite," DongZe replied, calm but unconvincing. "They insisted."
"We wanted to see the miracle worker who made you bleed," DongHao corrected, and Rou burst into laughter again.
DongZe exhaled slowly, the patience of a man who had endured this too many times. "One more word, and I will have the guards escort you all to your studies."
DongHao grinned. "Then we'll take that as a yes."
XiaoQi shook her head, torn between exasperation and amusement. "I think I understand your temper now," she said to DongZe, voice teasing. "Surrounded by these four, I'd be dangerous too."
For the first time that morning, his lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. "You have no idea."
XiaoQi had barely settled into her seat when she noticed how suspiciously quiet they all were. The kind of quiet that came before chaos.
Yan DongHao, ever the boldest, leaned back and drummed his fingers on the armrest. "Eldest Brother," he began casually, "since when do you send sweets to a woman's doorstep?"
XiaoQi nearly choked on her tea. Her gaze snapped toward DongZe, who stood near the window, every line of his posture composed—and yet, there it was, the faintest twitch at the corner of his jaw.
Before he could reply, Yan DongYun joined in smoothly. "Not just sweets," he said, his tone all elegance and quiet amusement. "Silk too, if the servants' gossip is true. And rare dyes from the Southern Isles. Extravagant choices for someone who claims to dislike distractions."
Yan Rou set her cup down with an overly dramatic sigh. "And calling her Tàizǐfēi in public," she sang, eyes gleaming. "I nearly choked on my tea when I heard. You? The man who refuses to acknowledge anyone within three paces suddenly parading affection?"
DongZe's ears turned faintly red, though his face remained a picture of cold composure. "Do you all have nothing better to do than gossip?"
Hao grinned like a cat with cream. "On the contrary, dear brother, this is the most entertaining thing that's happened in months."
"Years," Rou corrected brightly.
XiaoQi crossed her arms, hiding her smirk behind feigned innocence. "Oh, but it's true, Your Highness," she said sweetly. "You've been very shameless lately."
The siblings burst into laughter.
DongZe turned to her slowly, his expression unreadable. "Have I?" he asked, voice low and dangerously calm.
Her smile faltered, though only slightly. "You kissed me in front of the court," she said, matter-of-factly. "And now there are sweets, silks, and rumours. I would say that qualifies."
DongHao let out a loud laugh. "Kissed her in front of the court? You didn't tell us that part!"
Rou gasped theatrically, clutching her chest. "You what? In front of Father?"
DongZe's silence was answer enough.
Even Yun, usually composed, hid a faint smile behind his sleeve. "Truly remarkable. The coldest man in the palace turns reckless for a woman. It's almost poetic."
XiaoQi pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter, watching DongZe's composure unravel by inches. "You know," she said lightly, "for someone who scolds me about propriety, you've done quite a fine job of ruining your own."
The way his gaze snapped toward her made her breath catch for a moment. His voice came quiet, with a hint of warning. "You're enjoying this."
"A little," she admitted, unable to help the smile curling at her lips.
Rou clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "Oh, she's perfect! Brother Ze, you should marry her quickly before she changes her mind."
DongJin, who had been quietly observing the whole scene, added cheerfully, "Yes, before she discovers how terrifying he is in the mornings."
That drew another round of laughter, and even XiaoQi had to look away, her shoulders shaking with amusement.
DongZe pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough," he said finally, though his voice lacked its usual sharp edge. "If the four of you have finished your nonsense, perhaps we can—"
"Confess?" Hao cut in, raising a brow. "Or plan the wedding?"
"DongHao," DongZe said, his tone dangerously low.
Hao raised both hands in mock surrender, still grinning. "Fine, fine. But don't glare at us when you're the one turning the palace upside down with romance."
Rou leaned toward XiaoQi and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, "You see? He's pretending to be angry, but his ears always give him away."
"Rou," DongZe warned again, though his ears indeed had deepened to a very distinct shade of red.
XiaoQi couldn't resist a soft laugh. "I must admit," she said teasingly, "it's nice to see the mighty Crown Prince flustered for once."
He turned his gaze to her, calm but sharp. "Careful, XiaoQi," he murmured, stepping closer so that only she could hear. "You may find I'm far less flustered than you think."
The laughter slowly ebbed as the afternoon light softened over the Crown Prince's courtyard. Servants began clearing away empty teacups and sweet crumbs, and the royal siblings, still exchanging amused glances, drifted into lighter conversation.
XiaoQi was adjusting her sleeve when Princess Rou appeared at her side, her bright smile dimmed into something gentler.
"Don't mind him," she said quietly, her voice carrying the teasing lilt of a younger sister but softened by genuine warmth. "He looks like a storm cloud most days, but he's not nearly as heartless as he pretends to be."
XiaoQi tilted her head, wary but curious. "Is that so?"
She hesitated, her tone turning wistful. "You should have seen him when you were poisoned. He didn't sleep for days. Barely spoke. I've never seen him so... terrified."
XiaoQi blinked, caught off guard. Her heart gave a strange, uneven beat. "Terrified?" she echoed, unsure she'd heard right.
Rou nodded earnestly. "He nearly tore the palace apart trying to find whoever was responsible. Father had to restrain him from marching into the dungeons himself." She lowered her voice, eyes glinting with affection. "For someone who pretends to feel nothing, he felt everything that night."
XiaoQi stood very still. The faint rustle of the garden filled the silence between them—the soft brush of leaves, the murmur of a koi pond nearby.
Her gaze drifted across the courtyard.
He stood with his brothers near the pond, hands clasped behind his back, posture straight as ever. DongHao said something that made Yun chuckle, and DongZe answered with his usual calm. But his eyes—those sharp, cold eyes—flickered, briefly, in her direction.
Just for a moment. A glance. Then gone.
Still, it was enough to make her heart skip.
Rou followed her gaze, her smile softening. "See?" she murmured. "He thinks no one notices, but he's always watching you. Even when he pretends not to care."
XiaoQi tried to scoff, but the sound came out weaker than she intended. "That sounds like an overstatement, Princess. He probably watches everyone like that."
Rou shook her head, amused. "No. Not like that." She lowered her voice. "You brought colour into his life, Lady Chen. He's been nothing but duty and silence for as long as I can remember."
The sincerity in her tone left XiaoQi oddly defenceless. She turned away, fingers tightening on her sleeve. "I didn't ask for any of this," she murmured. "I just... wanted to live quietly."
The breeze shifted, carrying the faint scent of lotus from the pond. Across the courtyard, DongZe was still half-turned in her direction, though he quickly looked away when Yun spoke again.
Her chest felt strangely tight. She pressed her palm against it, willing the flutter to stop.
The royal siblings faded down the hall, their teasing voices lingering like ripples after a stone dropped into still water.
XiaoQi, relieved, turned to leave as well, she had taken two steps toward the exit when a firm hand closed around her wrist.
DongZe.
She froze.
"What are you—"
But before she could finish, he tugged sharply.
His grip was not painful, but unyielding, like iron wrapped in silk. He said nothing as he guided her—no, dragged her—down a narrow side corridor veiled by hanging drapes and dim light. The faint fragrance of sandalwood clung to his robes, crisp and clean, though the air between them crackled with tension.
"Let go," she snapped, trying to wrench her wrist free.
He didn't.
The shadows of the lanterns carved his features into sharp lines, the edges of his jaw tense, his eyes dark and unreadable. "You enjoy mocking me with them, don't you?" he said quietly, his tone calm but laced with restrained anger.
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. "Mocking you? You have some nerve. If you will act shamelessly, why shouldn't I mock you?"
His gaze flickered, something hot and dangerous beneath that polished calm. "You bite me before the entire court, and now you turn my siblings into an audience for your amusement."
XiaoQi scoffed, as her pulse raced from his proximity. "If you didn't insist on doing ridiculous things like kissing me in public, none of this would have happened."
His jaw tightened. "You embarrassed yourself as much as you did me."
She took a step closer, chin tilting defiantly. "Oh? And whose fault is that?"
He stared at her, silent, the tension between them stretching taut like a bowstring.
"Why do you always fight me?" he asked suddenly, voice low, quieter now. There was no anger in it, only something softer, edged with frustration.
XiaoQi faltered. "Because you make it impossible not to."
His hand finally loosened on her wrist, though his eyes never left her face. "You're reckless. You throw yourself into danger without a thought for yourself. And still, you refuse to let anyone protect you."
Her heart skipped at the rawness in his tone. "I don't need protection."
He stepped closer. "Everyone does."
The air thickened between them, her breath catching as his gaze dropped briefly to her lips before lifting again to her eyes.
"Your Highness," she said carefully, her voice almost a whisper, "you're too—"
He stepped closer, close enough that the space between them vanished. His hand braced beside her head, trapping her in place without force, only the weight of his presence.
His gaze searched hers, almost desperate for something he couldn't name.
"You drive me to madness," he murmured, the words low, his breath brushing against her cheek. "You provoke me, mock me, defy me at every turn. Do you ever stop to think what you do to me?"
Her throat tightened. "I never asked you to feel anything," she whispered.
"I know," he said, and something dark and hungry flickered behind his eyes. "That's the problem."
Her pulse stuttered. "Y-you... don't you dare—"
He didn't let her finish.