Chapter 120: Is He… Acting Coy With Her?

Chapter 120: Is He... Being Coy with Her?

"You have entered the palace, so I presume you will also visit the Fourth Prince?" The Empress Dowager's words pulled Jiang Shuning's thoughts back from her memories of her past life.

"Yes." Jiang Shuning nodded slightly and replied softly, "The Fourth Prince saved my life. Out of both gratitude and propriety, I should visit him to express my thanks."

"Is it only gratitude for saving your life? Are you truly not attracted to him in the slightest?" The Empress Dowager shook her head with a hint of regret. "I've met many people in my day, but I have never met a girl as hard-hearted as you. If it were any other woman, she would have long since given her heart and wished to offer herself to him in marriage! My poor Fourth Prince, finally meeting a woman he truly admires, yet no matter what he does, he cannot win her heart!"

Outwardly, Jiang Shuning remained calm, but her heart was in turmoil.

How could the Empress Dowager know that she hadn't been moved?

It was just that she, more than anyone, knew the tragic outcome that followed such feelings.

After the painful experiences of her past life, she had chosen in this life to firmly lock away her heart, avoiding any emotional entanglement with Xiao Lingchuan.

"Your Majesty jests. There is no rule in this world that saving a life must be repaid with marriage. I am aware that I owe the Fourth Prince a great debt, so I will do everything I can to repay him during this time." Jiang Shuning responded calmly and respectfully.

Seeing that her heartfelt advice had failed to sway Jiang Shuning's determination, the Empress Dowager sighed. "Enough, enough. I truly cannot convince you. Very well, matters of love cannot be forced after all. You should go visit the Fourth Prince soon. He will surely be overjoyed to know you are coming to see him!"

"Yes, I take my leave. Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!" Jiang Shuning rose and bid farewell.

After leaving Cining Palace, Jiang Shuning's mind remained filled with a myriad of thoughts.

In her past life, Xiao Lingchuan's relationship with the Empress Dowager, his imperial grandmother, had been extremely distant, almost like strangers.

Yet now, the Empress Dowager showed such obvious partiality and care towards Xiao Lingchuan, which deeply confused Jiang Shuning.

Could it truly be because Xiao Lingchuan passed the test the Empress Dowager arranged that day?

But that so-called "assassin" was merely a eunuch from the Empress Dowager's side in disguise, and Xiao Lingchuan did not actually save the Empress Dowager's life. Why would the Empress Dowager's attitude towards him shift so dramatically based on such a minor incident?

Relationships in the imperial family were never determined by blood ties, but driven by interests. Could it be that they had other, unknown interests connecting them in private?

Ling Feng spotted Jiang Shuning approaching Jinghe Palace from a distance.

He was overjoyed, and he hurried into the hall to report to Xiao Lingchuan, who was training hard and sweating profusely. "Your Highness, Miss Jiang is here!"

"Jiang..." Hearing this, Xiao Lingchuan immediately dropped the long spear in his hand and called for his personal eunuch, urgently ordering, "Quick, go fetch some bandages and wrap my right hand!"

He couldn't let Jiang Shuning discover that his right hand had long since fully healed.

Otherwise, she would definitely not continue to visit him regularly as she did now.

The eunuch rushed over, and together with Ling Feng, they fumbled to wrap the bandage around Xiao Lingchuan's hand.

However, they were pressed for time. Before they could finish wrapping the bandage properly, Jiang Shuning had already arrived at the entrance of the hall.

"Your servant Jiang Shuning has come to visit the Fourth Prince. May I trouble you to announce my arrival?" Jiang Shuning said to the eunuch guarding the door.

"Miss Jiang, please wait a moment."

The eunuch was racking his brains on how to delay, to make Jiang Shuning enter the hall later, when the black leopard suddenly ran over.

As soon as it saw Jiang Shuning, it immediately ran affectionately to her feet, then flopped onto its back, rolling over and acting cute.

Jiang Shuning quickly crouched down and stroked it for a long time until it stood up contentedly. Only then did she rise and walk into the hall.

The eunuch behind her let out a long sigh of relief: In critical moments, the black leopard really came through!

By now, Xiao Lingchuan's right hand was already wrapped in bandages. Pretending to be weak, he sat upright at the desk, picked up a teacup with his left hand, and took a small sip.

Seeing Jiang Shuning enter the hall, he merely asked casually, "You're here?"

"Your servant pays respects to the Fourth Prince." Jiang Shuning bowed to him, her concerned gaze falling on his right hand. "Has Your Highness's hand improved?"

"Same as before, no improvement. Didn't Divine Physician Sun say? My entire arm was broken, tendons and meridians all ruined. How could it heal so quickly?" Xiao Lingchuan lied without changing his expression, his gaze lingering on her. "Why didn't you bring any food today?"

"I plan to prepare some food for Your Highness directly in the kitchen here." Jiang Shuning explained.

"That's even better." Xiao Lingchuan's face was calm, but his deep peach blossom eyes held an unconcealable glint of joy.

Jiang Shuning suddenly took a few steps closer to him, her gaze settling on his right hand wrapped in thick bandages.

Xiao Lingchuan's heart tightened, afraid she might notice something amiss. Subconsciously, he covered his right hand with his left, pretending to be calm as he asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Your Highness, the bandage on your hand... seems to be wrapped rather improperly."

Jiang Shuning frowned slightly, pointing at the messily wrapped bandage on his hand, visibly disheveled.

Xiao Lingchuan coughed lightly to cover his guilt. "It was... it was Ling Feng who wrapped it for me!"

As he spoke, he deliberately glared at Ling Feng.

Ling Feng understood immediately and quickly stepped forward to agree. "Yes! Please forgive me, Your Highness! This subordinate has always been clumsy and has never bandaged a wound before, so... so I didn't do it well. Please forgive me, Miss Jiang!"

Jiang Shuning said helplessly, "Your Highness's arm is so severely injured. If it's not bandaged properly, it might be even harder to heal, leaving lasting problems. How about this, let me re-bandage it for Your Highness."

A flicker of emotion passed through Xiao Lingchuan's eyes. "Then I'll trouble Miss Jiang."

Jiang Shuning stepped forward and carefully helped him remove the old bandage, afraid of hurting him.

Her movements were gentle, her gaze focused, and an unconscious tenderness showed between her brows.

She was very close to Xiao Lingchuan, close enough for him to clearly smell the unique fragrance on her.

His mind began to wander, and his thoughts started to drift.

Her alluring, crimson lips were right before him, like a silent invitation.

Xiao Lingchuan restrained himself for a long time before forcefully suppressing the urge to lean down and kiss her.

When would he be able to do all those intimate things in bed with her without restraint, just like in his past life?

His Adam's apple bobbed, his heart surging. His right hand subconsciously clenched, as if trying to grasp something.

Jiang Shuning keenly noticed the movement of his hand and exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, your hand moved! Could it be that the bones have started to heal?"

As she spoke, she reached out to touch his right hand, wanting to carefully check the growth of his bones.

Afraid she would discover he was feigning injury, Xiao Lingchuan quickly covered his right hand with his left and let out an exaggerated groan. "Ah... my hand hurts so much!"

Jiang Shuning was startled and quickly asked, "What should we do then? Should... we call the imperial physician to examine Your Highness?"

She turned to leave but was stopped as Xiao Lingchuan reached out and grabbed her sleeve.

"No need. As long as you make me something delicious to eat, the pain will go away."

His clear, dark eyes stared directly at her, moist, with a hint of pleading and dependence, very much like the look the black leopard had given her earlier.

A strange feeling passed through Jiang Shuning's heart.

Is he... being coy with her?