Shu Nuan must have felt his stare. Her eyelashes trembled a few times, like a butterfly’s wings fluttering, and she opened her eyes. Her eyes were misty with confusion as she looked at him. Soon, however, her eyes widened in realization, and she jumped up to her feet in fright. She bowed her head and shouted, “Pri-Prince!”
Sheng Qianmo calmly replied, “En.”
Unaffected by her exclamation, he kept staring at her.
Shu Nuan tried to remember the woman’s instructions. She walked up to Sheng Qianmo with a red face, and said softly, “Is the Prince going to rest?”
Sheng Qianmo didn’t reply. However, Shu Nuan summoned her courage and started to help him untie his robe. Fortunately, Sheng Qianmo was very cooperative during the process.
Then, Shu Nuan brought hot water and knelt down in front of the bed. She lowered her head and took off his shoes to wash his feet. However, Sheng Qianmo stopped her.
“I’ll do it myself.”
Shu Nuan kept kneeling in front of the bed without moving.
“What’s your name?” Sheng Qianmo asked with great interest.
“Shu Nuan.”
She then tried to explain her name properly.
“Ninth Young Lady of Shu, Shu Nuan. Nuan meaning spring.”
Sheng Qianmo’s lips gently curved upwards, as he teased, “Your name is quite contradictory.”
Shu Nuan gave some thoughtless reply.
As soon as Sheng Qianmo was ready to bathe, Shu Nuan took out the water. She went back to the bed and knelt down again. She glanced at him secretly, and stretched out her small hand anxiously to untie his belt.
What that woman had said to Shu Nuan was playing back over and over again in her head. She moved to take off his belt while lowering her head steadily in line.
However, Shu Nuan’s hands trembled as she fumbled around trying to loosen the belt.
Before she could loosen his belt, Sheng Qianmo grabbed her two soft little hands that fiddled on his waist, and asked in a heavy voice, “How old are you?”
“Sixteen,” she softly replied in a short manner.
Sheng Qianmo released his grip, and said, “Get up.”
Shu Nuan was stunned, but still bowed her head and stood up.
“Go outside and sleep on the bed there,” Sheng Qianmo ordered.
Shu Nuan was somewhat uncertain about his temperament, and asked cautiously, “Did this slave make a mistake?”
“No, you did a good job,” Sheng Qianmo’s voice was calm, like a lake without ripples. “Go.”
Hearing Sheng Qianmo’s gentle reply, she was relieved and went out.
There was indeed a bed on the inner side of the screen separating the room. Although it was not as big as the one inside, it was more than enough to lay on. In fact, it was much better than the one in her current residence.
Shu Nuan didn’t sleep much normally. She was used to getting up early to work in the backyard and finishing the work before she would eat.
So, Shu Nuan got up early the next morning. Unexpectedly, when she woke up, she heard a voice from the other side of the screen.
She saw Sheng Qianmo put on his clothes before turning to come over. Shu Nuan promptly lowered her head.
Sheng Qianmo glanced at her, and said, “Go wash up and change your clothes, then have breakfast with me.”
Shu Nuan froze!
She looked up at Sheng Qianmo, wanting to speak, but not daring to.
“What’s the matter?”
“Don’t I have to go to work?” Shu Nuan couldn’t help but ask.
Sheng Qianmo seemed to haven’t thought that Shu Nuan would still be thinking about working. He smiled, and said, “No, you can stay in Sheng Courtyard in the future.”
Shu Nuan was still in disbelief but nodded right away, then obediently washed and changed her clothes.
After the breakfast with her, Sheng Qianmo went to the imperial palace.
Earlier at Shenghe Palace, Sheng Qianmo had already ordered the servants. Therefore, Shu Nuan’s things were moved to Sheng Courtyard right away.
When the girl from the embroidery room, Xue Ying, got a break from her busy schedule, she sneaked over to meet Shu Nuan outside Sheng Courtyard.