The next morning, the palace was buzzing with whispers. Something was clearly off between Haoran and Xiaoxi. During breakfast, Haoran kept his face cold and stiff, refusing to even look in Xiaoxi's direction, while she nervously sneaked glances at him.
Grandma leaned toward the Empress and muttered, "Why does our serious Haoran look like he swallowed bitter gourd?"
Lianhua almost choked on her porridge. "Ohooo, this looks like a lover's quarrel!" she whispered, excitement glittering in her eyes. Even the brothers were listening in, smirking at every little move from the pair.
After breakfast, Haoran stood up without a word and left the hall. Everyone's eyes widened. Before anyone could stop her, Xiaoxi immediately ran after him, her sleeves fluttering behind. Lianhua, of course, couldn't resist the temptation and followed as well, muttering under her breath, "This is better than any palace drama!"
Outside, Haoran walked quickly, his expression unreadable, while Xiaoxi trailed after him, trying her best to win his attention. "Froooog Princeee, don't be angry with me!" she called out dramatically. "You look scarier than the palace guards when you frown like that!"
He ignored her, making her run faster to block his path. "Fine then, I'll make you laugh! Why did the duck cross the lake? … To avoid you maybe!" She pouted when Haoran's lips curved ever so slightly, though he quickly hid it.
Unbeknownst to them, Lianhua was following closely, trying not to giggle as she watched Xiaoxi perform her "forgive-me drama."
Just then, a man appeared from the opposite street. His clothes were torn, his face and body covered in dirt, but beneath the mess, his sharp features stood out. He was still undeniably good-looking. The moment his eyes landed on Xiaoxi, he stiffened, as if recognizing her. He began following quietly.
At that exact time, Lianhua, who was still spying, turned a corner. She and the strange man collided, and in the chaos, she lost her balance. He caught her by the waist, but both of them stumbled and fell together. A flower cart passing by tipped over, showering them in petals until they were a complete mess.
Hearing the crash, Xiaoxi and Haoran turned back. Both of them froze at the sight—Lianhua was lying on the ground with the mysterious man on top of her, their faces inches apart, still staring at each other as if the world had stopped.
Xiaoxi gasped and shouted, "Sister Lianhua! What are you doing there?! Why are you rolling in flowers with a stranger?!"
Lianhua jumped up, her cheeks blazing red, brushing petals out of her hair. "I-It's not what it looks like! I was only following you two!"
Haoran raised a brow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "And instead, you found yourself a man. Impressive."
The mysterious man straightened himself, bowing slightly. His clothes were messy, but his voice was deep and smooth. "Forgive me, miss. I didn't mean to cause trouble." His eyes, however, lingered on Lianhua with a strange intensity, as though fate had tied a red string between them.
Xiaoxi leaned closer to Haoran, giggling as she whispered, "Looks like our sister has her own romance now."
Haoran smirked, replying softly, "Trouble runs in your entire family, little pufferfish."
And just like that, another story seemed to have begun within the palace walls.