Lin Feilu obediently answered, "It has. I must've worried you, Brother Jingyuan." Without waiting for Lin Jingyuan to respond, she quickly tugged his hand and pulled him further inside, pointing to the little rabbit and happily exclaimed, "Brother Jingyuan, look here! A little rabbit!"
Lin Jingyuan pretended not to recognize it. "Where did this rabbit come from?"
Lin Feilu replied, "Eldest Imperial Brother gifted it to my brother!"
So it was a gift for Lin Zhanyuan.
Since the sore point was cleared up, Lin Jingyuan happily sat down beside them. Once Lin Feilu was done appeasing him, now it was her turn to be on the offense — she lamented in a grieving tone, "Brother Jingyuan, you haven't come to see me as of late."
Green Tea Princess Technique: Turn the tide quickly with a counterattack!
Sure enough, Lin Jingyuan's eyes were full of guilt as he explained, "Recently my studies have been very strenuous. Everyday I have to study at the Imperial School."
Lin Feilu asked, "What is an Imperial School?"
Lin Jingyuan answered, "It's where the children of royals and nobles study."
Lin Feilu: Got it, it's a large NPC assembly point.
She began to show interest.
She pretended to be oblivious while retaining a curious expression as she innocently asked, "Then can I go there too?"
Lin Jingyuan's expression froze.
The Imperial School was not a place where ordinary people could simply enter. Although it was technically a place where children of royals and nobles gathered to study, in truth, only those who were granted permission by Emperor Lin were qualified to attend. It was a symbol of status and a manifestation of the Emperor's favor. Thus, an unfavored princess like Lin Feilu would not be qualified to enter the Imperial School.
Lin Jingyuan naturally understood this, but to tell her the truth would be the same as hurting her. He felt sorry for Little Sister Lu. Wearing a remorseful expression, he exclaimed, "There's nothing good about that shabby place, why bother?! It's not even a fun place at all!"
Lin Feilu did not prod any further; she smiled wistfully and submissively uttered an "Oh."
This made Lin Jingyuan feel even more ill inside him.
After staying in Mingyue Palace for over two hours, Consort Xian had sent someone over to fetch him to return home and practice his calligraphy. Lin Jingyuan was left with no choice but to reluctantly leave. Wrapping herself in a little cloak, Lin Feilu personally escorted him all the way to the palace gates. With enthusiasm, she waved him goodbye, "See you again, Brother Jingyuan."
She looked at him pitifully. As though she was afraid the eunuch beside him could hear her, she whispered, "Come over more often and play with me, okay?"
Gritting his teeth, Lin Jingyuan stomped his foot and made up his mind. He spoke aloud, "I will pick you up tomorrow morning; you can come to school together with me!"
Lin Feilu's eyes lit up, "Can I go?"
Lin Jingyuan replied, "Of course you can! After all, just because you can't go inside, it doesn't mean you're not allowed to roam the outer perimeter!"
Thus, when the next morning came, Lin Feilu was neatly dressed and wrapped in a small white cloak that was fastened with a cute little ribbon. Setting her sights on a new path forward, she followed Lin Jingyuan who came to pick her up.
Truth be told, she had been poking around the harem for some time now. This royal palace was so vast that it had to be divided into several different domains. She knew how to conduct herself properly with restraint and behaved appropriately, as such, she would never go beyond her boundaries unless she was absolutely confident about the risks and chances.