Chapter 108: Acting Crazy Again

Chapter 108: Acting Up Again

"If you don't believe me, you can go ask her yourself." Xiao Lingchuan leaned back in his chair, a playful glint in his expression, though his tone was dismissive. "But rest assured, while I may not be a saint, I am certainly not a lecherous man who would stoop so low."

How could a clumsy, pale imitation possibly spark even a flicker of interest in him?

Jiang Shuning felt her cheeks burn as if she had been publicly slapped, a wave of shame and anger washing over her.

She only knew that Jiang Lian had been scheming to win Xiao Lingchuan's favor, but she never imagined she would resort to such a base act as seducing him, and even deliberately imitating her appearance...

"Your Highness, I beg your pardon. I will sternly reprimand my third sister upon my return and ensure she never commits such an absurd act again!"

"There's no need for reprimands. Just keep your distance from her in the future." Xiao Lingchuan looked at her meaningfully, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "Lest you be led astray by her."

Hearing this, Jiang Shuning's face flushed even deeper, and she felt utterly mortified.

In the past, to avenge her brother, she too had entertained the thought of using her own body to strike a deal with Xiao Lingchuan.

How was she any more noble than Jiang Lian?

Now, his seemingly casual remark struck a raw nerve. Jiang Shuning felt her dignity stripped away. She hastily made an excuse and fled in a fluster.

The last shred of sympathy she held for Jiang Lian vanished completely at that moment.

Just as she stepped out of Jinghe Palace's gate, she spotted a cute, chubby little deer standing quietly on the palace path. It stared at her with its large, watery eyes, not blinking.

Jiang Shuning's heart skipped a beat. She recognized this deer. Its name was Furball, and it was kept by the Fifth Prince, Xiao Huaijin.

Why was it here?

Puzzled, she instinctively moved towards the deer. Suddenly, a pitch-black cat darted out from behind her, pouncing towards the little deer like a leopard.

It was Black Panther!

Jiang Shuning suddenly remembered that this black cat's fangs carried a potent venom. Being bitten would have dire consequences.

She quickly positioned herself between Black Panther and the deer, fearing the deer might get bitten.

But how could she possibly restrain Black Panther?

It lunged desperately towards the deer, emitting fierce hisses that sent chills down one's spine.

The little deer, frightened, scrambled forward in panic.

At that moment, a familiar figure emerged slowly from the shade of the trees lining the palace path.

It was the Fifth Prince, Xiao Huaijin.

Jiang Shuning's expression changed drastically.

"Your Highness, don't come any closer!" she cried out anxiously while struggling to hold down the agitated Black Panther with her bare hands.

Seeing Xiao Huaijin, Black Panther's hostility intensified, its growls becoming even more ferocious.

It fought desperately to break free from Jiang Shuning's grasp, eager to pounce and sink its teeth into him.

Unaware that the fierce black cat before him was venomous, Xiao Huaijin hurried forward. "Miss Jiang, let go of that black cat quickly! Be careful it doesn't hurt you!"

Jiang Shuning was frantic with worry. Black Panther wouldn't hurt her, but it might very well hurt Xiao Huaijin.

"Fifth Prince, please leave!"

In that critical moment, a deep, hoarse voice suddenly rang out like thunder in the dark night: "Black Panther, come here!"

The previously bristling, ferocious black cat immediately turned docile upon hearing the voice. It left Jiang Shuning and went to the man's feet, rubbing against him affectionately.

Jiang Shuning didn't even need to look back to know the person behind her was undoubtedly Xiao Lingchuan.

Why was it that every time she encountered Xiao Huaijin in the palace, Xiao Lingchuan would witness it?

Wrapped in an aura of chilling menace, Xiao Lingchuan strode towards them step by step, his gaze fixed on Xiao Huaijin. "What a coincidence, Fifth Brother. It seems every time Miss Jiang comes to Jinghe Palace to see *me*, she happens to 'bump into' you!"

He emphasized the words "see me" heavily, his tone laced with a clear declaration of ownership.

Xiao Huaijin seemed not to grasp the deeper meaning in his words. He smiled gently and explained, "Fourth Brother, you jest. Furball ran off while playing, and I came out to look for him. I just happened to meet Miss Jiang."

His gaze then fell on Jiang Shuning, carrying a hint of concern. "Are you alright, Miss Jiang? Were you hurt anywhere?"

Jiang Shuning shook her head slightly. Before she could speak, Xiao Lingchuan had already stepped in front of her, his voice icy as he addressed Xiao Huaijin. "My guest's safety is my responsibility. There's no need for Fifth Brother to trouble himself."

"Fourth Brother is right." The smile on Xiao Huaijin's face stiffened slightly, a barely perceptible dimness flashing in his eyes before his gentle expression returned. "In that case, I won't disturb you and Miss Jiang any longer. Farewell."

With that, he gave Jiang Shuning a slight nod, picked up the little deer named Furball, and turned to leave.

Xiao Lingchuan watched Xiao Huaijin's retreating figure with a gloomy gaze, a storm seeming to brew in the depths of his eyes.

He suddenly turned his head, his sharp eyes piercing Jiang Shuning. "You were so worried Black Panther would hurt him? You didn't even care for your own safety, grabbing it with your bare hands. Weren't you afraid it would bite you and you'd die from the poison? Is Xiao Huaijin truly that important in your heart, that you would risk your life for him?"

Meeting his eyes, now filled with a fierce, hostile energy, Jiang Shuning thought to herself that this was bad.

He was acting up again.

Fearing he might take his anger out on Xiao Huaijin, she hurriedly explained:

"Your Highness, it's not that I was worried about the Fifth Prince. It's that Black Panther carries a potent venom. If it injured the Fifth Prince, the secret of you keeping a cat of Nanyue bloodline might be exposed. Then Black Panther would inevitably be killed, and you would also get into trouble!"

Hearing this, Xiao Lingchuan's expression softened somewhat.

"So, you weren't worried about Xiao Huaijin's safety, but were worried about me?"

Jiang Shuning lowered her gaze. "In my past life, Black Panther and I were very close. I couldn't bear to watch it be beaten to death."

Xiao Lingchuan's face clouded over again with displeasure. "So, you're saying that in your heart, I'm not even as important as Black Panther?"

Jiang Shuning: "..."

Was he now getting jealous of his own pet?

Jiang Shuning really didn't want to get entangled in such a pointless matter. She could only say against her true feelings, "Your Highness is naturally the most important."

Hearing this, a trace of a smile finally touched Xiao Lingchuan's eyes.

"I'll believe you this time, for now. As for the matter of the underground gambling dens, I cannot eradicate them immediately at this moment. However, Xiao Xiuzhan's position as Prince Rui probably won't last much longer. Just wait and watch. A good show is coming!"

Hearing this, a genuinely sincere smile finally appeared on Jiang Shuning's face. "I shall await your good news, Your Highness!"

Xiao Lingchuan then summoned Ling Feng and instructed, "Escort Miss Jiang out of the palace. Make sure no little deer, puppies, or the like lead her off somewhere else, inadvertently fulfilling certain people's wishes!"

Jiang Shuning knew there was an underlying meaning to his words but couldn't be bothered to engage. She pretended not to have heard anything.

She simply didn't believe the Fifth Prince would deliberately use a little deer to lure her into meeting him.

Xiao Huaijin wasn't as scheming as Xiao Lingchuan!

She didn't know that not far away, someone holding a little deer was secretly watching her departing figure.

Xiao Huaijin gently stroked the deer's fur and murmured softly, "Furball, it seems we can't get too close to Jinghe Palace next time. The black cat Fourth Brother keeps is just too fierce."