Chapter 362 - The Light Within His Hear (1/2)

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The feeling of a tiny and soft body hitting his body and being enveloped by his chest made his heart stop beating for a second before it violently started up again. This strange feeling made him feel a tiny bit panicked——was there something wrong with his body? When he got back to the mountain residence, he should have one of the imperial physicians take his pulse.

He lowered his head and saw a pair of large eyes shining with tears. It was as if he was looking into a clear, pure spring that had sunlight pouring into it. Her eyes had the clarity of water melted from the purest snow and ice at the top of a mountain. Zhu Junyang started feeling his heart starting to beat faster and faster. The little lass had a pair of eyes that could speak volumes. Long eyelashes framed them, and it made her seem like a cheerful little spirit. Every time they flickered, he could sense her inner emotions and feelings. Sometimes they would even glitter adorably whenever she came up with a naughty idea. They truly made people either hate or love her.

Zhu Junyang secretly inhaled a deep breath and looked at the bright red nose on the little girl’s face. He spoke in a voice that had overtones of tenderness and complaint, “Why aren’t you paying more attention when you’re walking? Luckily you only bumped into me. If you hit a rock or large tree, you might have had an open wound...you’re already not beautiful, so if you had a big wound on your face, how much worse could you look?”

Yu Xiaocao felt flames of fury rise inside her, ‘If you didn’t suddenly stop moving, do you think I would have hurt my nose ah? You claim I’m not beautiful, hmph! Do you think everyone is like you? With a face so devilishly handsome that you attract everyone around you? Where am I not beautiful huh? I’m a very adorable and sweet looking little girl, okay?’

Yu Xiaocao was quite satisfied with her current looks. Her skin was soft and tender and glowed with health. She had a pair of clever and large eyes and long eyelashes framing them. Her nose and mouth were both delicately shaped. In her previous life, her skin was on the duller side so she looked more average than the average person. She was still young right now and hadn’t grown into her full potential. ‘A girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood. In the future, my looks will definitely stun you!!’ Yu Xiaocao gleefully thought as she threw out any notion of modesty or shyness.

Zhu Junyang watched as the little lass first became furious, huffing and puffing in rage, and then suddenly silently giggling in glee. The only thing he could think now was this, ‘A woman’s heart is as deep as the ocean. It’s impossible to understand a female!’

He thought for a bit and continued with the previous topic, “Xiaocao, didn’t you want to say that you wanted to thank me? You wouldn’t be only saying that because you felt happy and gave me an empty promise right?”

“My words are as good as gold. Since I said I wanted to thank you, then I absolutely will. Tell me, what do you want? As long as I’m able to fulfill it, I will!” Yu Xiaocao kept thinking about how the young royal prince’s actions had inadvertently caused her younger brother to be taken in as the last disciple of Headmaster Yuan. Her heart was full of happiness.

Zhu Junyang’s eyes shifted a bit and he smiled, “I also know that I’m not lacking for anything and don’t have anything that I particularly want. How about...how about this, you can promise to do something for me as a sign of your gratitude? How's that?”

“What do you want done? Don’t make it too hard, my abilities have limits!” Yu Xiaocao silently thought, ‘You’re a high and noble young royal prince. If you can’t do it, how could I, the daughter of a farmer, help you instead? If it’s too hard, don’t look at me.’

The smile on Zhu Junyang’s face had a devilish tint to it, “As for what it is? I don’t actually know yet either! You can hold onto this debt for now. When I come up with something, I’ll tell you then!”

Yu Xiaocao felt like she could start seeing the outline of an illusory fox behind the young royal prince again. She frowned and gently rubbed her nose that was still a bit tender and said, “It needs to be something that can be done by me. If I can’t do it, then when the time comes, don’t blame me for being unable to fulfill it ah!”

As he gazed at the little rascal of a girl, Zhu Junyang suddenly felt as if the weather today was very good. The sun seemed to be even more bright and gentle than before and there was a refreshing breeze blowing around. Even the dried up and yellowing grasses and leaves on the ground seemed better looking compared to yesterday. Royal Prince Yang, who was now in a good mood, said, “Don’t worry! It’ll be something that you can definitely handle!”

Yu Xiaocao didn’t take it to heart and only felt like the foodie would only ask for some new delicacies to be made. She had cracked the hard nut that was Buddha jumps over the wall, was there any other dish that would perplex her? At this time, she didn’t realize that she had promised herself out in the future…

Zhu Junyang happily went back to the mountain residence. Princess Consort Jing, who was currently in the garden admiring and taking care of the flora, could tell her son was in a very good mood. She placed down the water can in her hands and revealed a gentle and sweet-tempered smile, “Yang’er, did you come across something good? You seem very happy.”

Zhu Junyang walked over to his mother and took the water can from her as he described everything that happened today to his mother with a smile on his face. Princess Consort Jing widened her eyes and somewhat unhappily stated, “What? How come you didn’t tell me, your lady mother, that you were all going to eat Buddha jumps over the wall? I also really like that boy, Little Shitou. How come you didn't tell me this morning that you were going over to the banquet to celebrate his accomplishments of passing the county-level imperial exams and becoming a county-level official ah?”

Zhu Junyang rolled his eyes at his mother in his heart as he thought, ‘Lady Mother, for the sake of eating some Buddha jumps over the wall, you are really too much! How many times have you seen Little Shitou before? Only a few times! Other than Xiaocao, you haven't really seen anyone else in the Yu Family, alright? As the princess consort of an imperial prince, if you showed your face just to eat some food, my father would break my legs if he found out!’

Although this dynasty had repeatedly raised the status of women, most wealthy and noble families followed the traditions and kept women and men apart when they had guests over. The female host would always be behind a screen when she received guests...the banquet that happened today mostly had men over. Naturally, Yu Xiaocao, as a half-grown girl, was the only exception.