Aoi was pacing in her room, absently tossing a scroll from one hand to the other, her mind heavy with the morning's conversation. Her thoughts, as usual, were a chaotic mess, torn between suspicion and the strange pull she felt toward Zhao Han. She could hear the distant sounds of palace life—the rustling of leaves, the chatter of servants—and yet her mind was focused entirely on the man who seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once.
Why does he have to be so…so mysterious? she thought, rolling her eyes. I can't even tell if he's plotting my demise or trying to give me a tour of his heart.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted her mental ramblings. Great, probably another surprise from Zhao Han…
"Yes?" she called out, her voice more exasperated than she meant it to be. The door creaked open, and there he was, standing with a plate piled high with food. A sudden, stomach-rumbling reminder that she hadn't eaten since breakfast.
"Aoi, your lunch," Zhao Han said, his voice as smooth as ever. "I thought I'd make sure you don't starve today."
She blinked, staring at the plate with all sorts of delicacies, each one more appealing than the last. Her stomach growled in protest, but she managed to hold it together.
"Are you trying to fatten me up?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing grin. "What's the point of a grand meal if you're just going to shove me into a gilded cage?"
Zhao Han looked taken aback for a moment, then shrugged with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Maybe I just like seeing you eat. You look… more relaxed with a full stomach."
Aoi snorted. "Relaxed? The last time I was 'relaxed' was when I was five years old and didn't know how to defend myself. But thanks for the lunch, I suppose."
She plopped herself down at the small table and began eating, though her mind was still swirling with questions. Zhao Han stood there for a moment, watching her like she was a particularly intriguing puzzle.
"Do you want to say something?" she asked, looking up from the plate, her mouth half-full.
"Actually, I do," Zhao Han said, with a grin that made her pause. "I've secured permission for you to become Tàizǐfēi."
Aoi blinked. Twice. "What?"
"Taizifei," he repeated, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You'll be the next Crown Princess."
Aoi set down her chopsticks slowly, her gaze narrowing. Well, that escalated quickly. "So, just like that, huh? No warning, no long speeches, no grand reveal? I thought you were going to at least make me work for it. No drama, no tears? What's going on with you today?"
Zhao Han chuckled, but there was a sharpness in his eyes. "You don't need drama. You just need to sit back and enjoy the ride."
"Right, because I enjoy being shoved into political power with zero say in the matter," Aoi muttered, her sarcasm dripping like honey. "You're really great at reading the room, Zhao Han."
Zhao Han ignored her biting tone, and just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks again, he added, "Also, I've brought you a few servants to look after you. They'll be staying with you from now on."
Aoi froze mid-bite. She slowly turned her head to see the two women standing behind Zhao Han. Their muscular physiques and stone-cold expressions didn't exactly scream "gentle maids."
She blinked a couple of times. "Do they know how to fold towels… or chop heads off?" she asked dryly, eyeing them up and down. "Because with that kind of muscle, I'm expecting them to at least make me breakfast in an efficient but deadly manner."
Zhao Han's lips twitched, but he didn't seem to mind her tone. "No, they're here to protect you. They're untrained in martial arts, so they're perfect for—"
Aoi interrupted, holding her hand up dramatically. "You're right. I wouldn't want them to, you know, accidentally kill someone in the middle of a tea ceremony." She turned to the two women, offering a mock bow. "I can't wait to be surrounded by people who are totally untrained in the art of doing anything remotely useful."
Zhao Han shifted uncomfortably. "Aoi, this isn't—"
"Don't worry, I get it," she said, feigning innocence. "You think I can't protect myself. You've been watching me eat, after all. You know I'm helpless without my morning porridge." She shook her head with an exaggerated sigh. "But I'll take the maids… for now. I'm sure they have some 'special skills' I haven't seen yet."
Yue Ning and Yue Qian stepped forward, their expressions stiff as boards, but Aoi could see the slightest twitch in their eyes at her comment. She wasn't sure if it was embarrassment, annoyance, or some combination of both, but it made her want to poke them even more.
"Yue Ning, Yue Qian," Zhao Han began, "These will be your personal maids."
Aoi grinned. "I'll take the ones that look like they can break down walls with their pinky fingers."
Yue Ning's lips curled just slightly in what could've been mistaken for a smile, and Yue Qian's stoic expression never wavered.
Zhao Han cleared his throat. "Anyway, they'll be staying with you for your safety. And they'll make sure nothing happens to you."
Aoi raised an eyebrow. "That's nice. But do they also know how to make a decent cup of tea, or are we just in the business of preventing chaos and not creating it?"
"Your safety, Aoi," Zhao Han insisted, not catching the sarcasm. "That's what matters."
Aoi shook her head and sighed dramatically, looking at the two towering women. "I think I'll be just fine with them around. After all, who doesn't love a good 'personal protection squad' as a new hobby?"
Zhao Han gave her a long, hard look, but she didn't flinch. The silence that followed was thick with unspoken tension, and as Zhao Han made his exit, he looked back at her with an unreadable expression.
"Rest well," he said softly, his tone serious again. "The next steps are already in motion."
Aoi sat back in her chair, took another bite of her meal, and watched him go, shaking her head.
"I swear, if he thinks I'm just going to roll over and let him do whatever he pleases," she muttered, looking at the two maids who had silently moved to the side, "he's got another thing coming."
Yue Ning and Yue Qian exchanged a glance, their eyes narrowing at the same time, and Aoi couldn't help but grin. This is going to be fun.