Chuntao was cleaning the shelves in the private library of Nianzu when she heard the creak of the door. She stepped left and saw Nianzu had come there. "Your highness," she murmured, who scanned his eyes throughout the library.
"Miss Chuntao, you cleaned the library yourself? Why did you not ask a few Palace maids for help?" Nianzu queried her as he came towards her.
"Your highness, I thought not to disturb them. I mostly am free, so I thought to clean it myself," asserted Chuntao; her head was lowered.
"I would like to converse with you. The other day, many things happened that I could not talk to you," pronounced Nianzu, keeping a tiny smile on his lips.
"Forgive me, your highness. Because of me, your name got dragged," Chuntao apologized. Nianzu knitted his brows as he recalled everything that Lei Wanxi told him and then the bitter words of Bingbing.
"It has affected your image more than me. I am a Prince, so no one will dare to say anything to me. But for you, it's the opposite. That's the kind of society we have! A woman gets blamed no matter what the situation is! I should have been considerate while bringing you to the Palace. People pointed out the finger on your character! You did not do anything wrong so, never feel shameful or guilty of those things. Forgive me that you underwent all this," Nianzu sincerely apologized to Chuntao.
"His Highness shall not apologize. His highness always helped me," replied Chuntao. "I should have listened to his highness when he told me to be aware of men," Chuntao stated.
"You cannot go out of this Palace for a year since the Crown Prince has given orders. I can talk to him if you do not want to stay here." He waited for Chuntao's response, who, after contemplating for some time, answered him.
"Your highness, I would like to go with the order of the Crown Prince and serve you."
Nianzu was happy to hear the decision of Chuntao. "Shall we put the books back on the shelves?" Nianzu questioned her.
"I will do it. You shall leave for your chamber. Do you want to read something? I will bring the desired book for his highness," Chuntao humbly replied.
"There is a book called- 'The Last Summer Night.' Please pass me this book," Nianzu requested. Chuntao smiled and went towards the other side of the shelf.
She checked the book on the first shelf, followed by the second and third. She put her finger under her chin and looked at the other shelves. "I saw that book a few minutes ago. Was it on the other side shelf?" Chuntao murmured.
"Miss, I think the book is over there," Nianzu replied, pointing his finger towards the last shelf. Chuntao nodded and quickly went to the end shelf. Nianzu recalled that he had put the book at the top shelf where Chuntao could not reach because of her small height. He too went there and saw Chuntao was on her toes, trying to grab the book from the top shelf.
"Miss," he went ahead and stood behind her. He raised his hand and easily grabbed the book from the top shelf. "I forgot that you could not reach the top." Chuntao was on her feet now and turned back, while Nianzu lowered his head. He found out how close he was to Chuntao.
He grabbed the book and quickly stepped back. "Forgive me," he said and left from there. Chuntao's heart was thumping, and she brought her hand over her chest. "Why?" She murmured.
Nianzu could be seen in his chamber, sitting on the floor mattress. The book was still in his hand while he was thinking about what happened in the library. He never got close to many women in his life that's why this feeling was foreign to him.
"Your highness-"
"Huh?" Nianzu reacted in a strange way, which befuddled Eunuch Chung. "Are you alright, your highness?" He worriedly asked.
"Hmm." "Why are you here?" Nianzu questioned him.
"It is your tea time so, I brought the tea for you," Eunuch Chung replied and looked at the maidservant, who was holding a tray in her hand.
"Prepare the tea for his highness," Eunuch Chung instructed the maidservant, who placed the tray on the table there.
Eunuch Chung saw the shocked expression on Prince Nianzu's face. "Your highness, are you alright? Is there something in the library? Why are you carrying such an expression? Did Miss Chuntao make any mistake?" Eunuch Chung asked all possible questions that could come to his mind.
"Nothing. Eunuch Chung, send some servants to help her," Nianzu ordered. Eunuch Chung bowed and walked out of the chamber.
'I never observed her that closely. I shall refrain from going near her,' Nianzu thought in his mind when the teacup was put before him.
"Your highness, the tea is ready," the maidservant humbly said. Nianzu nodded and told her to leave. He picked the porcelain cup, but that incident kept flashing in front of his eyes. "Ahh," the tea was hot, and his tongue burned. He put the cup on the table. He grabbed the book and walked out of the chamber.
Oppositely, Chuntao was arranging the books on the shelf. 'I should keep a distance from his highness. If someone would have seen us that close then, it could be a problem,' she mumbled and heard the footsteps. Three servants walked in along with Eunuch Chung.
"Wrap up the work quickly. Servants will help you," Eunuch Chung informed Chuntao. She nodded, and soon the work got completed.
Locking the library, Chuntao went to Nianzu's chamber but did not find him there. She put the key on the table and turned to leave when she saw a scroll lying near the table. She picked it up and placed it on the table when the words in it grabbed her attention.
She opened the scroll and read it. She read each character carefully with a few pauses in between. "...Princess of Huan Province," she read. "It's a marriage proposal," she folded it and placed it on the table. She stood up from the floor and left the chamber.