When the sunlight shone through the crack of the door flap, Peng Mingzhu finally woke up.
Just like having jet lag, her body needed to get used to the difference in time and climate. Even though she could tell that this was ancient China, she also knew that it was different from the country she was born and raised in.
Today, her plan was to ask Mo Yuanjun to give her books and scrolls on the history of the continent. Once she finished, she would start on the history of each individual country. However, she was sure that the opinions would be biased if she did not personally go to the countries to investigate, so she would have to leave the campsite sometime soon.
Once she finished thinking through what she would do for the day, someone's voice sounded out in front of the tent door.
"Miss Peng, His Highness is waiting for you in the kitchen," the manly voice gruffly informed her.
Hearing 'His Highness', she frowned for a quick minute before immediately getting rid of the frown on her face.
"I understand," she calmly responded, leaving the soldier bizarre.
'Her voice...doesn't sound excited?' the soldier strangely thought before walking off after hearing her response.
Heaving a sigh to get ready for the anguish she would feel soon, she finally got up from the bed and freshened herself.
By the time she finished and reached the kitchen, the sun was shining brightly and Wei Kangnuan was ready to scold her childishly.
However, just when he was about to let his words of anger leave his mouth, he stopped himself.
He stared at her in amazement.
"Y-you...what are you wearing?" Wei Kangnuan asked in shock at her clothes.
"What do you mean?" Peng Mingzhu asked back confusedly. "This is an appropriate dress isn't it?"
As she said so, she twisted side to side to look at her clothes, 'En, nothing's wrong. It's the same pink dress I wore yesterday before going to sleep.'
"Those clothes aren't native to our country," Wei Kangnuan spoke with furrowed brows as he looked her up and down.
"Huh? Then what should I wear?" Peng Mingzhu asked, surprised at the information.
She should not be wrong in her guess on which fashion is popular currently, right? Based on the male clothes she saw the soldiers and the prince wearing, her dress should be most correct with the time.
"The clothes you're wearing comes from the Hao Dynasty," Wei Kangnuan informed her. "You...make sure no one else knows that you're in possession of such clothes."
"Huh? Why?" Peng Mingzhu questioned, still incredibly confused.
"The two dynasties have been at odds with each other," Wei Kangnuan stated. "In the entire continent, there have only existed these two dynasties that support the majority of the power in the continent. However, it's duly because of this that the two empires constantly compete with each other to see who has the upper hand...and I mean in multiple ways, including fashion and jewelries."
"Ah, I see…" Peng Mingzhu mumbled out in understanding.
Then, remembering that it was the prince who summoned her to the kitchen, she reminded, "Your Highness, for what reason did you want me to come to the kitchen?"
"Ah, I wanted you to cook for me," Wei Kangnuan answered with a smile as he remembered the dish she made yesterday.
"Your Highness…" Peng Mingzhu quietly calmed herself.
"Yes?" Wei Kangnuan said when he heard his title being called by her.
"What makes you think I would cook for you?" Peng Mingzhu asked with true interest.
"Because you didn't do anything to me when I stole your food yesterday?" Wei Kangnuan answered.
Hearing his answer, she stared at him flatly. However, when she did so, he stared back at her with happiness. Instead of being the person who held eye contact, she was the one to break it off out of embarrassment as his stare was just too piercing for her.
"Sigh… Fine. I'll cook for you," Peng Mingzhu relented with a shrug. "But, you have to get out."
"Ah? Why!?" Wei Kangnuan exclaimed when she told him to get out of the kitchen.
The reason why he wanted her to cook for him was so that he could cherish her womanly image! How was he supposed to look at her now if she told him to leave?!
"Do you want me to cook for you or not?" Peng Mingzhu asked him while giving him a stare to express her annoyance.
"Alright, alright… I'll get out," Wei Kangnuan sadly said.
When he left, his back looked so pitiful that she felt that he looked just like an abandoned puppy.
Once he left, she finally started cooking two different dishes: congee and youtiao and baked tofu.
Right when she finished cooking, she heard the kitchen door open with an appreciating voice.
"Ah, as long as it's you cooking, I'll never need to have another person tell me that it's time to eat," Wei Kangnuan satisfyingly stated as he looked at the bowl of congee and plate of baked tofu.
Without her having to hand him the eating utensils, he already started to chow down on the food seriously.
"You...slow down. Nobody's going to steal your food," Peng Mingzhu calmed him while grabbing his long hair that was almost about to land in the food.
Hearing her words, Wei Kangnuan looked up from his food and said, "I know that nobody's going to steal it. After all, it's mine. No one in this world can steal what's mine. It's just that your food is so good that I can't help but to rush at it."
"Is it really that good?" Peng Mingzhu asked after tying up his hair with a hairband.
"As a prince who has tasted hundreds of delicacies out there, I will say that I have not tasted anything as good as what you cook," Wei Kangnuan answered once he finished chewing and swallowing what was in his mouth.
"If you ever want to eat my food, just tell me. I'll cook for you," Peng Mingzhu told him, surprising him due to the unexpected show of kindness.
When she saw him stop his chewing and only staring at her, she asked, "What is it?"
"Since we've met, I haven't heard you tell me anything nice," Wei Kangnuan answered. "Happiness...came too unexpectedly."
"I'm not a naturally rude human," Peng Mingzhu commented when she heard his first sentence. "It's just that you really annoyed me with your confession."
"What? I can't confess my feelings to you?" Wei Kangnuan questioned bitterly.
"If I can, I'd like to not get too emotionally involved with people," Peng Mingzhu honestly admitted to him.
Before the conversation could get too personal for her tastes though, she changed the topic, "Since I've cooked for you, can I ask you for something?"
Hearing this, Wei Kangnuan happily stopped his eating and said straight away, "What do you want? I can do anything. Well...almost anything. I do have some constrictions due to being a prince."
"It's not that hard," Peng Mingzhu told him. "I just wanted to ask you if I could read the books and scrolls on the history of the continent and country."
"How much do you want to know?" Wei Kangnuan asked her.
"Everything. As much as I," Peng Mingzhu answered.
"Alright," Wei Kangnuan nodded in understanding. "I'll tell Mo Yuanjun to send the books to your tent."
"Mm. Alright, thanks," Peng Mingzhu replied. "By the way, is there a map of the surrounding territory? A detailed one. I'd also like to know more about the bamboo forest nearby."
"If you want a map on the country and much more, come to my tent," Wei Kangnuan told her.
"Huh? Are there no copies with the soldiers?" Peng Mingzhu asked with a confused face.
"There are," Wei Kangnuan answered. "But there are a few secrets that only I know."
"Hm? I don't think…" Peng Mingzhu began to say.
"The information belongs to me," Wei Kangnuan interrupted her. "I get to choose who gets to know what I know and who doesn't get to know what I know."
Putting her hand on her chin, she thought quickly whether she should go or not. However, when she thought about how there was almost no repercussions for her getting access to secret information, she decided to just go to his tent once she finished looking through the books and scrolls.
"Alright, when are you free?" Peng Mingzhu asked in agreement.
"I'm free whenever you want me to be free," Wei Kangnuan answered her with a happy and teasing smile.
Once again...he was teasing her, but whatever...he is helping her after all.
"I'll come to your tent when I finish looking through the books and scrolls," Peng Mingzhu told him before moving to leave the kitchen.
Just before she could exit the door though, he grabbed her wrist, "Wait."
Being interrupted, Peng Mingzhu asked, "What? Do you have anything else to say or ask for?"
"Yes," Wei Kangnuan nodded shamelessly. "Since I'm helping out, shouldn't I get something in return?"
"Did I not cook for you?" Peng Mingzhu questioned him with dark eyes.
"This is for the free housing," Wei Kangnuan brazenly justified his request, his heart holding excitement from the thought of teasing her. "You still need to pay me for the books and now you need to pay me for the map."
"I'll cook for you again," Peng Mingzhu relented once again.
"Hm… I want you to cook what I want to eat," Wei Kangnuan boldly tried to request for more.
"Alright," Peng Mingzhu sighed. "Anything else?"
"Can you ride a horse?" Wei Kangnuan asked with a glint in his eyes.
"Yes, why are you asking?" Peng Mingzhu looked at him suspiciously.
The moment that she asked the question, his smile became upturned and his eyes became even brighter. In all, his face looked creepy to her at the moment.