Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The young lady before him, her face flushed like rosy clouds, stood before him, barely reaching his shoulder.

It seemed as though he could simply reach out and draw the beauty into his embrace.

Today, she was unusually dressed in a red velvet gown, making her appear even more radiant as hibiscus, her skin like fine jade.

The man’s gaze was intense, as if it could pierce through her. Feeling somewhat unsettled, Luo Yi’er reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, turning her head slightly in an attempt to hide her slightly warm cheeks. In a daze, she seemed to hear the man’s light chuckle.

Perhaps the atmosphere was growing a bit too intimate. Luo Yi’er turned around first, her back facing Fang Jinling, leaving him with a graceful silhouette.

Her clear, gentle voice trembled slightly: “I’ll lead Your Highness on a casual stroll. Although the Marquis’s plum grove isn’t as renowned as the Prince’s mansion’s, it still has its own merits.”

The man behind her did not rein in his smile: “Either is fine.”

The bluestone path, still damp from the recent snow, was somewhat slippery. Luo Yi’er’s pace was slow.

She intended to go to the plum grove to have someone collect the zither. Fang Jinling followed her. When they reached the grove, she turned to have someone remove the zither.

“Ah!” Luo Yi’er suddenly gasped. Fang Jinling had no time to react to what had happened; instinctively, he pulled her into his embrace.

After quickly scanning her for any issues and finding none, he frowned and asked in a low, somber tone, “What’s wrong?”

Luo Yi’er crossed her arms protectively over her chest, flustered as she leaned into his embrace, her cheeks flushing with a rosy hue.

She lowered her head, nearly burying it against his chest, and whispered softly, “Snow… snow fell into my clothes…”

Just then, accumulated snow from the plum tree above her had slid off the petals and fallen, landing precisely on her back.

The sudden cold shock had made her cry out. The plum branch that had shed the snow trembled slightly, as if pleased with the lightened load.

Her soft, shy, trembling words caused Fang Jinling’s eyes to darken. His gaze fell on her fair, slender neck, his breathing growing faint and shallow.

Following the blush spreading down her neck, his eyes traveled to her fair back, concealed beneath her clothing.

Slowly, he raised a hand and traced it down from her neck, startling Luo Yi’er into a shiver. Her hands seemed to clutch at his lapels, both tense and weak,

“Y-Your Highness, what… are you doing…”

His gaze fixed on that skin as smooth as fine jade, his eyes deepening dangerously, his voice growing slightly hoarse: “I’m helping you remove the snow.”

The slightly raspy voice made Luo Yi’er’s ears burn as if they would drip blood. They were still in the plum grove; someone could come by at any moment.

Nervously, she burrowed deeper into his embrace, too shy to face anyone, yet also afraid he might truly act recklessly.

Her voice was extremely soft and low, carrying a tremor, “…Your Highness, you can’t…”

Fang Jinling’s movements paused slightly. Sensing her genuine fear and shyness, his fingers curled slightly.

In the end, he changed his gesture to encircling her slender waist, holding her tightly against him.

With his other hand, he unfastened his own cloak and draped it over her shoulders, resting his chin atop her head. His voice was husky and low, comforting her, “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”

The body in his arms still trembled slightly. He closed his eyes, concealing the emotions within them, and spoke softly to reassure her, “…Don’t be afraid.”

That chill gradually faded. Still nestled within his embrace, Luo Yi’er’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. Her lowered eyes held a flicker of emotion.

After a long moment, she released her grip on his lapel and withdrew from his embrace. She stood somewhat awkwardly beneath the plum tree, her fair, delicate hands tightly clutching her handkerchief.

The cool fragrance in the plum grove was refreshing yet carried a chill. Fang Jinling remained silent for a long time. For a moment, the plum grove became overly quiet.

Luo Yi’er had always been exceedingly patient, yet now, for some reason, she felt a growing sense of unease.

She shifted her gaze slightly, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his fingertips lingering on the jade pendant at his waist.

Luo Yi’er’s eyes flickered, and she instinctively glanced at the pendant on her own waist. For an instant, she wanted to ask him why he was this way toward her…

Yet, in the end, she held back the words. Her gaze was gentle and shallow; even as her face remained flushed, a thread of clarity remained in her heart.

Unmerited kindness made her uneasy.

It wasn’t like Madam Chu’s affection, born of mother-daughter kinship. Nor was it like Qingya’s, given with certain intentions.

The fingers clutching her handkerchief turned slightly pale. All the enchantment in her heart faded into lightness.

Fang Jinling stood with her beneath the same plum tree. His dark, sleek robes made his expression seem even more detached. Only when looking at that person did a sliver of warmth leak into his eyes.

He saw the many concerns in the young lady’s heart.

He raised a hand to brush away the petals that had drifted onto her hair. The young lady looked up at him in surprise, her eyes sparkling brightly. Instantly, his heart softened entirely.

He pulled her toward him, pressing her against the plum tree. His hand moved upward, threading through her dark, thick tresses as he lowered his head to kiss her pink lips, slightly parted in astonishment.

A flicker of panic rose in the young lady’s eyes. Her hands pressed weakly against his chest, soft and utterly without strength.

Suddenly, it seemed as though only the two of them existed in this small world. The red and black hems of their robes tangled indistinguishably, as if red had stained a patch of black, a dense, inseparable blend.

He pressed against her pink lips, turning and lingering, carrying a trace of carefulness and tenderness.

This time, he did not hurt her again.

The corners of her eyes were tinged with a delicate crimson, even more beautiful than the vibrant red of the plum grove around them. His eyes held a faint sense of satisfaction.

Holding her by the waist, he drew her into his embrace. While the young lady still stared at him in a daze, he tilted his head, a faint smile playing on his lips, and whispered softly into her ear,

“This is bullying…”

Instantly, her face flushed crimson. The delicate crimson at the corners of her eyes carried a hint of alluring charm, mixed with a touch of shy annoyance as she pushed him away.

He watched her turn away, her face flushed, his gaze gradually growing dark and profound.

If the young lady continued to retreat, he would indulge her.

After all, she would eventually untie the knots in her heart.

If she could not, he would wait, as long as she remained.

From the moment he had sought that imperial decree, he should have protected her. He should never have made things difficult for her.

Some commotion outside seemed to startle the two within the plum grove. Luo Yi’er released the plum branch she had been clutching as if for cover.

She turned around, her red lips lush and alluring, her glances carrying a certain enchantment. Her cool fingertips lightly touched her slightly warm cheek.

Lowering her gaze, she avoided looking at the man before her, her voice soft and trembling,

“…Your Highness, let’s go out.”

As the two stepped out of the plum grove, they saw servants bustling about in apparent panic.

Luo Yi’er no longer had the mind to dwell on everything that had just happened in the plum grove.

Frowning delicately, she reached out to stop a servant and asked, “What happened?”

The servant naturally recognized her. Despite the flurry, they stopped, bowed, and replied, “Replying to Third Miss, it’s the Fourth Miss—she fell into the water.”

Luo Yi’er’s eyes flickered. Luo Yu fell into the water?
To cause such a commotion?
Then she heard the servant continue: “Fourth Miss was rescued by Prince Wen!”

As the servant’s words fell, Luo Yi’er suddenly froze.

Luo Yu fell into the water, rescued by Prince Wen.

It seemed like a familiar scene.

Abruptly, she tightened her grip on her handkerchief, her eyes widening slightly.

Wasn’t this the scenario from the female lead’s previous life in the book?

At the princess’s estate, Luo Qian had fallen into the water, rescued by Prince Wen, thus beginning their connection, and, against all expectations, she had become Prince Wen’s consort.

It was precisely because of this that the subsequent series of events had unfolded.

Luo Yi’er unconsciously furrowed her brows slightly.
Why had the protagonist changed?

And it had become her usually inconspicuous fourth sister instead?

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a trace of doubt in her heart.
Was this a coincidence?
Or was it planned?