“Raise…” Zhao Li Xin said with indifference. He was unimpressed by her graceful manners. The thing he hated the most was when his quality time with his little savior was disrupted. Being a busy man, he didn’t always have time to accompany Lory and that is why he treasured every single moment he spent with her. He was annoyed that the pretentious woman dared to interrupt them.

Lory could see the animosity in Zhao Li Xin’s eyes. However, Lory knew Zhao Li Xin needed to curb his anger as Lao Min Na was the star of the day. There was also the fact that Lao Min Na was under the Third Prince’s protection.

​​

Lory couldn’t guess Zhao Li Xin’s strength but she knew there was a reason he pretended to be weak. She couldn’t let him blow his cover easily. Lory reached for Zhao Li Xin’s hand under the table and held it to calm him down. His anger gradually subsided when he felt her little soft hand.

Lao Min Na gaze landed on Lory, seated next to Zhao Li Xin, and assessed her. The woman wore a maid’s uniform which could mean she was Zhao Li Xin’s personal maid, but it was odd… Zhao Li Xin never let women get close to him, especially if they were young. This woman wasn’t a heaven beauty as she above average and she didn’t have any Qi. The woman seemed to be a waste which made her wonder why he treated the ‘maid’ differently. Lao Min Na was puzzled and couldn’t help but feel upset.

“What do you want…?” Zhao Li Xin impatiently asked as his anger surged. He didn’t like the way Lao Min Na looked at his little savior.

Lao Min Na jolted at Zhao Li Xin’s threatening voice. She quickly gave a perfect smile and asked politely, “Is she your maid, Your Highness?”

Lory could feel Lao Min Na’s hatred and jealousy towards her. Lao Min Na spoke like she had caught her boyfriend cheating. Lory sipped her tea and decided to ignore Lao Min Na who still standing outside the pavilion. 

“What has it got to do with you?” Zhao Li Xin scoffed. He got irritated when people probed into his personal matters.

“This one means no harm, Your Highness. I just thought it was inappropriate for a servant to sit with her master. This could tarnish your reputation, Your Highness,” Lao Min Na made it seem like it was all in Zhao Li Xin’s best interest.

Her words might have sounded kind and generous to others, but Zhao Li Xin thought they were malicious. It felt like Lao Min Na was trying to humiliate his little savior. Lao Min Na’s actions crossed his bottom line once again.

“What I do has got nothing to do with you. Who do you think you are… my consort? I warned you not to overestimated yourself, especially before me…” Zhao Li Xin’s eyes darkened. His speech was calm but sharp, destroying Lao Min Na’s self-esteem. Lory almost spurted out the tea in her mouth as she gazed at Zhao Li Xin’s indifferent face. 

‘Damn! That’s cruel!’ Lory screamed with excitement in her head.

Lao Min Na’s face turned ugly. She hated how the Sixth Prince looked at her. His eyes were filled with disdain and ridicule. Her accomplishment might not be much compared to Zhao Li Xin’s but they couldn’t be worse than those of the waste woman.

Lao Min Na’s heated gaze turned to Lory who ignored Lao Min Na’s provocation. Lory didn’t understand why Lao Min Na hated her yet Lao Min Na was the one who beat her black and blue.

“Second Miss Lao, you will get cold if you stand there. Why don’t you come in and drink some tea to warm yourself?” Lory smiled kindly at Lao Min Na. Lory could be perfect when she needed to be graceful. The ‘smiling demon’ Fredhard had enforced tough lessons on that subject. 

“This is fine, isn’t it? Milord…” Lory smiled coyly at Zhao Li Xin as she fluttered her thick eyelashes. Lory did this deliberately to provoke Lao Min Na. However, she didn’t think of the effects it would have on Zhao Li Xin.

‘KABOOM!’

Something exploded inside Zhao Lin Xin’s head. He couldn’t tell what the new feeling inside him was. His heart pounded like he had fought nonstop for weeks. His mind went blank. He froze as he watched the big beautiful clear eyes shining like precious gems. At that moment he felt like he could do anything for her… Anything!

“Milord…” Lory thought Zhao Li Xin’s reaction was weird. He seemed like she had broken him.

Her sweet voice woke him from his stupor. He smiled become more dazzlingly, “Whatever you say. It’s fine with me…”

Mong Ki and Mong Yi were stunned. They had never seen Zhao Li Xin smile like that before, not even as a child. It was the most genuine and innocent smile they had ever seen on Zhao Li Xin’s face. It seemed Lory’s position in their lord’s heart was higher than they thought. It was a good thing they had decided to curry favor with Lory from the beginning.

The Mong brothers looked at each other and nodded with resolution. They understood each other’s thinking. They needed to treat Lory better than they treated their lord. It was for their own benefit.

Lory was also attacked with Zhao Li Xin’s dazzling smile. His closeness shut her brain down for a moment. She always knew his smile was lethal to her. It was one of the reasons she always averted her eyes when he smiled. However, she didn’t manage to look away in time and was hit by the full force of his smile. Lory was lost.

“I… Thank you…” Lory felt like smoke was coming out of her head. They both shared a lovingly gaze and didn’t see Lao Min Na’s furious expression as she watched the scene. Lao Min Na was always seen as the most beautiful woman in the country, even other women couldn’t take their eyes off her. Lao Min Na had never paid much attention to the praise but she was always confident with her appearance. However, the people before her treated her like a light bulb. That alone was enough to make her angry.

“Thank you for your invitation, Your Highness, but I have something else to do,” Lao Min Na deliberately ignored Lory’s invitation. Lory didn’t bother as she thought Lao Min Na was being childish.

“Then… Farewell, Mis Lao,” Lory bowed respectfully but her politeness infuriated Lao Min Na more. Lao Min Na clenched her fists and walked away. She vowed to remember this humiliation and return it tenth folds to the lowly servant someday. Lao Min Na forgot the person who humiliated her wasn’t Lory but Zhao Li Xin. However, she subconsciously knew it was impossible to win against him so she directed her anger to someone else.

Lory sighed with relief after Lao Min Na’s figure disappeared behind the red pillar. She was bothered by Lao Min Na’s attitude more than ever for some reason. Lory crossed her arms at her chest. “Why do I feel this wouldn’t be the last we see of her…”

“You want to see the last of her? I don’t mind helping you…” His eyes glinted dangerously.

“No, it’s fine,” Lory giggled when she heard his words. She thought Zhao Li Xin was joking with her. Lory tilted her head and squinted her eyes as she probed Zhao Li Xin, “But… What is your relationship with her…?”

“The nonexistence one…” He said bluntly. Lory was secretly relieved as she believed him. The heart wasn’t comfortable with the thought of Zhao Li Xin with Lao Min Na being together.

Zhao Li Xin dotingly patted her head and said gently, “Don’t let your imagination ran wild.”

“I’m not…” Lory tried to deny what she was thinking but her red face betrayed her. She wondered how he could tell what she was thinking.

Zhao Li Xin didn’t tease her too much but seeing her upset face satisfied him. He wondered why he felt many different feelings when he was with her. He couldn’t decipher them all for now but he knew every single feeling was precious.

“Let’s meet my ‘dearest’ mother, shall we?” He half-mocked himself. He then turned to her and warned again, “When I enter the room, you’ll stay with Mong Ki and Mong Yi. Don’t go anywhere, okay?”

“I won’t! You worry too much…” Lory puffed her cheek.

Zhao Li Xin sighed. If he could, he won’t want her anywhere close to his mother. The woman was worse than a beast. He didn’t want his mother’s presence to taint his little savior, “Ok. Let’s go then…”