Chapter 126: The Crown Prince’s Peculiar Habits—Bathing Assistance?!

    Bathing!

    Hearing the word alone made Lu Miaoyin blush furiously. Just the thought of it made her feel embarrassed. She had never even held a man’s hand before!

    In reality, Lu Miaoyin was not an ordinary human; she was a lotus spirit, pure and untouched. After she transformed into a human form, she had always lived on Qinglian Immortal Island.

    Her only passion was poetry, and due to her exceptional talent in cultivation, she eventually became the Qinglian Saintess.

    “What’s wrong? Don’t want to?” Su Xueni asked with a teasing smile.

    “I... I do want to,” Lu Miaoyin replied, though still flustered. She was simply shy. These were things she had never even imagined before, let alone experienced.

    “If you really don’t want to, that’s fine too. This kind of opportunity is something others would beg for.”

    “No... Thank you, Sister Xueni. I’ll always remember your kindness!” Lu Miaoyin quickly responded, determined to seize the chance.

    “Good,” Su Xueni smiled. This girl was smart after all, truly a cultured person. Unlike that brash Zi Lianyou, who was all brawn and no brain, constantly needing reminders to know her place.

    Knock, knock!

    With a mixture of anxiety and excitement, Lu Miaoyin knocked on the door to Lin Qi’an’s chamber.

    “Crown Prince, Miaoyin seeks an audience.”

    “Come in.”

    Lu Miaoyin entered, and the candlelight flickered across her flushed, delicate face.

    “Crown Prince, Sister Xueni said she wasn’t feeling well, so she asked me to serve you during your bath,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, so much so that she nearly bit her lip from the embarrassment.@@@@

    Lin Qi’an chuckled, knowing that Su Xueni had surely set her up to come.

    “So the Saintess is willing to be put through this?”

    “I’m not unwilling...” Lu Miaoyin quickly replied.

    She hurriedly instructed two maids to bring in hot water, sprinkled with fragrant flower petals, and added a special body-cleansing liquid to the bath. After setting everything up, she dismissed the maids, closed the door gently, and said softly, “Please, Your Highness...”

    Lin Qi’an stepped into the bath, and Lu Miaoyin began to massage and scrub his back, following the usual steps. Though her technique was clumsy, the soft touch of her hands was undeniably pleasant. There was a certain charm to the awkwardness, enhanced by her innate beauty, like a buff of attraction.

    Lin Qi’an couldn’t help but think of the protagonists in those stories, constantly trying to win over women, often humiliated by the woman’s powerful backers, having to go through endless hardships before finally winning her heart.

    And here he was—standing still, and the Saintess was offering herself up without any effort on his part.

    This is the life!

    As time passed, Lu Miaoyin gradually grew accustomed to her task. She no longer kept her head down in embarrassment and even mustered the courage to glance at the Crown Prince’s muscular physique.

    “Your Highness, I have a request,” she said shyly.

    “Speak freely,” Lin Qi’an replied.

    Is she really this shy?

    With a sigh, Lin Qi’an stood up, picked up the lotus flower that was now Lu Miaoyin, and placed it gently into his tea cup. He decided to leave her be for the time being.

    “Guess I’ll go sleep in Su Xueni’s room tonight,” he thought casually as he walked out of the room.

    After Lin Qi’an left, Lu Miaoyin stayed in the tea cup for nearly two hours. By the time she finally reverted to her human form, the tea had taken on a sweet lotus fragrance. She quickly and quietly slipped out of the room, too embarrassed to let anyone see her.

    ...

    The next morning, Lu Miaoyin was already waiting outside Lin Qi’an’s door at the break of dawn. She wasn’t there for any other reason than to apologize for her awkward behavior the previous night. She feared that her poor performance had displeased the Crown Prince.

    Before long, Lin Qi’an returned, stretching and yawning contentedly. ‘Ah, Su Xueni really is perfect in every way,’ he thought.

    “What’s this? Why are you waiting here so early?” Lin Qi’an asked with a teasing smile when he spotted Lu Miaoyin.

    “Last night... I was disrespectful. Please forgive me, Your Highness,” Lu Miaoyin said, bowing her head in embarrassment.

    “Haha, don’t worry. I’m not that petty.” Lin Qi’an, feeling a bit sorry for teasing her, added with a grin, “There’s no need to overthink it. Your secret is safe with me.”

    Lu Miaoyin couldn’t help but be touched. The Crown Prince was not only understanding but also held no prejudice against her. How could there be another man like him in the world?

    “As an apology, I’ll stay by Your Highness’s side today, ready to serve at any moment.”

    “Suit yourself,” Lin Qi’an chuckled, shaking his head with a smile.

    As he stepped into the room, his eyes fell on the tea cup from the night before, still sitting on the table. He remembered that Lu Miaoyin had been in that very cup. Out of curiosity, he picked it up and took a sniff, immediately noticing the fresh, delicate scent of lotus blossoms.

    “Your Highness!” Lu Miaoyin’s face turned beet red, stammering as she tried to stop him.

    “That water... that water is—” But before she could finish, Lin Qi’an had already taken a sip.

    Instantly, her face flushed like a ripe apple, the redness creeping all the way up to her ears.

    ‘That was the water I soaked in for two whole hours! And now the Crown Prince had just drank it?!’

    “To be honest, it tastes surprisingly good,” Lin Qi’an said, amused by the situation. He couldn’t help but let a playful smile creep across his face.

    This “lotus tea” was unexpectedly delightful!

    Without a second thought, he took another sip, savoring the refreshing flavor that seemed to spread through his entire body, rejuvenating him like a breeze of spring air.

    “Your Highness...” Lu Miaoyin could barely speak, her voice as soft as a whisper.

    She could never have imagined that the Crown Prince would have such... peculiar tastes. But deep down, she felt a strange sense of joy. Through this odd twist of fate, she had discovered something that the Crown Prince liked. At least now, she didn’t feel entirely worthless.

    “If... if Your Highness likes it, I could...” she stammered, her face still glowing with embarrassment. “I could prepare tea like this for you more often.”

    “Hmm, that’s actually a pretty good idea,” Lin Qi’an agreed with a smile.

    He couldn’t help but think about the typical protagonists in those stories—so proper, so gentlemanly with their female leads, always treating them with the utmost care and respect, trying to win their affection.

    ’Where’s the fun in that?’ Lin Qi’an thought, thoroughly enjoying his role as a villain.