Chapter 23: Chapter 19: The Assassin May Be Late, But Blindness Is Never Absent

Shen Jingxian still didn’t know that she had inadvertently gotten one step closer to her dream.

Leaving Yinghua Hall, aside from returning to the Enlightenment Hall, there was actually another possibility, which was to enter a higher-level school ahead of schedule.

But the laid-back Shen Jingxian hadn’t realized it yet, and when she did, it was already too late.

Feeling somewhat uneasy, Shen Jingxian completed her afternoon classes, only to find at the door that the Empress hadn’t come to pick her up today; only the guard who brought her in the morning was still waiting at the door.

The little Shen Jingxian walked up to the guard with her tiny steps and asked, “Brother Guard, hasn’t my mother come yet?”

The guard never thought that he would be called ’brother’ by a Princess in this lifetime. At that moment, a feeling he had never experienced before surged within him—a feeling called lolita complex.

“Re, replying, to Your Highness, the, the Empress has not yet arrived.”

Shen Jingxian nodded, thinking that as the mother of the nation, it might indeed be impractical for the Empress to pick her up every day.

No matter, she was already a 4-year-old adult, and she was sure she could return safely to the palace with her 50 guards.

Yes, there were actually 50 guards lurking around Shen Jingxian.

The one standing at the door so conspicuously was the least skilled among them, put out there to draw the attention of those with ill intentions, while the other 49 were disguised as various things and were stealthily surrounding Shen Jingxian.

Hey, that one squatting in the tree over there, you’re too unprofessional, I can see you.

Shen Jingxian, with her short legs, hands behind her back, prepared to leisurely walk back, perhaps taking a look at the kingdom her father had laid out for her (not really).

But just as she took a step, she suddenly remembered the fear she experienced walking to school that day, with the snacks and toys her father the Emperor had been coaxing her with being slowly given out, and they hadn’t been finished yet.

Some of those snacks would spoil in a couple of days, right? No way, such waste of food is unacceptable.

As a loyal practitioner of the Clean Plate Campaign, Shen Jingxian could not tolerate the waste of food, so walking back was not an option—a royal palace resident should hitch a ride!

Oh yes, her elder Brother and Second Prince were also around.

Just as Shen Jingxian was thinking this, the Second Prince, dressed in a Python Robe, happened to walk past her.

Shen Jingxian immediately reached out to grab the Second Prince’s clothes and looked up to speak, only to find the Second Prince glancing at her sideways with icy cold eyes, as if he were looking at a pile of trash.

?

Looking at her like trash?

Could it be possible? Even if she were trash, she would be the prettiest trash.

“Second Brother…” Shen Jingxian softly started, if an ordinary person heard her speak like this, they’d be at least a quarter dead from the cuteness, but the Second Prince showed no reaction, his cold gaze undiminished.

Shen Jingxian realized that her Second Brother really disliked her.

But why?

In the original text, the Second Prince and the Princess became foes because the Second Prince had a weak constitution, frequently catching cold. On a certain day, he accidentally fell into water and caught a chill, yet all the Imperial Physician rushed to treat the Princess who had bumped her head on the same day, delaying the Second Prince’s treatment and causing his body to be left with a chronic condition, having to rely on medication for the rest of his life, which was the main reason he hated the Princess.

But in the present narrative, the story hadn’t reached that point yet, so why was the Second Prince looking at her like that already.

What had she missed?

Shen Jingxian stared into her Second Prince’s eyes with her big eyes, not frightened by the coldness in them, but instead showing a silly smile.

As the saying goes, one does not punch a smiling face; given that the Second Prince was the sickly character in the original text, she couldn’t afford to provoke him, why couldn’t she make him smile.

Still silent, the Second Prince kept his silence, and just as Shen Jingxian’s face was on the verge of cramping from smiling, another voice suddenly saved her.

“Your Highness, could I have a word with you.”

Never in her life did Shen Jingxian think Wen Ranchen’s voice would sound like a heavenly melody. She turned excitedly, showing Wen Ranchen a big smile and cheerfully replied, “Sure!”

Looking at Shen Jingxian like this, Wen Ranchen felt something filling him inside, his mouth couldn’t help but curve upward.

As Shen Jingxian left, she even said ’bye’ to the Second Prince, though he ignored her and boarded his carriage.

Hmph! What an unlikable little brat.

Wen Ranchen was much cuter.

Shen Jingxian looked at Wen Ranchen and asked, “Brother Chen, what is it you called me for?”

Wen Ranchen chuckled and said softly, “I just thought there was something odd between you and the Second Prince, so I sought an excuse.”

Shen Jingxian hadn’t expected Wen Ranchen to have such keen observation skills, especially since she had been smiling radiantly and the Second Prince’s gaze was very cryptic; without close proximity, it was impossible to detect that coldness.

As expected of the male lead!

Following his words, Shen Jingxian appropriately showed a disappointed expression, nervously twisting the hem of her skirt, “Second Brother…seems to dislike me. Does he hate me?”

Seeing Shen Jingxian like this, Wen Ranchen ruffled her hair, “The Second Prince doesn’t hate Your Highness; he’s just too tired from his studies and eager to go home and rest.”

“Really!”

“Really, hasn’t Your Highness returned to the palace yet? The Empress hasn’t come?”

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingxian lowered her head again, leaned in close to Wen Ranchen, and whispered, “Mother didn’t come today; I’ll probably have to walk back to the palace.”

Wen Ranchen slightly furrowed his eyebrows and immediately replied, “No way.”

Seeing Shen Jingxian seemed startled by him, he softened his voice, “Your Highness is of noble bearing, even with guards, it’s too dangerous to walk back directly. Let me take you back.”

Shen Jingxian was waiting for these words, and immediately showed a bright smile, “Okay!”

Thus, Shen Jingxian became the first girl to ride in Wen Ranchen’s carriage!

Wen Ranchen’s carriage had its own unique scent.

Shen Jingxian couldn’t help but ask, “What’s this nice fragrance? I often smell it on Brother Chen.”

“It’s a concocted scent with detoxifying effects.”

Oh, understood, it’s the residual fear from almost being poisoned blind before.

Shen Jingxian nodded in understanding and didn’t ask further. Standing on tiptoe, she opened the carriage window and watched it move along, her eyes sparkling, her chubby little face looking quite pinchable.

Wen Ranchen couldn’t resist.

Indeed, it was very pinchable.

But facing Shen Jingxian’s incredulous gaze, Wen Ranchen became embarrassed and diverted his hand from pinching her cheek to lifting the curtain for her, “Your Highness, just sit here.”

Seeing Wen Ranchen so understanding, Shen Jingxian didn’t hold it against him for suddenly attacking her face.

Joking aside, whose face could be pinched by just anyone?

While Shen Jingxian was enjoying the view outside the window, Wen Ranchen suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Indeed, with a thud, Wen Ranchen fell.

Quickly turning her head, Shen Jingxian found that a third person had somehow entered the carriage.

Holding onto the principle that important villains absolutely wouldn’t die at four years old, Shen Jingxian calmly greeted the intruder, “Hi.”

The stranger greeted back, “Hi.”

Shen Jingxian: …

“So, what brings you here? Money? How much? I can give it to you.”

Initially expecting the person to be after riches, Shen Jingxian hadn’t anticipated that he suddenly fixed his eyes on Wen Ranchen and declared, “I’m here to blind the boy with poison!”

This, why did it feel so familiar.

Shen Jingxian suddenly realized that this person and that previous assassin might just be the same individual.

Showing a somewhat fearful look, Shen Jingxian blinked her eyes at the assassin, “Big brother, can you let him go?”

The assassin scratched his head, smiled awkwardly, “But I’ve already poisoned him.”

Shen Jingxian: !!!!!

Why are your hands so quick!!

Oh my male lead!!! How are you blind again!!!!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep