Chapter 41: His Heart Was in Turmoil

Xue Chen was still cultivating.

Then he heard Ning Shengsheng’s maid calling him from outside.

He hadn’t intended to go over and waste his time. He only wanted to seize every moment to cultivate. He had entered the Earth Aperture realm a little later than others, and although his innate demonic power was stronger, without spiritual power, he couldn’t break through illusions effectively.

But…

The thought of those beautiful almond eyes crossed his mind.

Like a ghost, or perhaps out of some inexplicable impulse, Xue Chen followed Songgao to the room next door.

“You’re here!”

The room was bright and warm. She sat by the candlelight, smiling radiantly. Faint pear-blossom dimples rippled on the sides of her cheeks.

“Greetings, Princess.”

He lowered his head and sat opposite Ning Shengsheng.

“Let’s eat! You’re so thin, where will you get the strength to cultivate? Eat more meat!”

Ning Shengsheng put a lot of meat into his bowl.

Xue Chen disliked meat.

When he was young, people in the Heavenly Phoenix Imperial Palace would always find ways to bully him. Some even used him to test the combat strength of their contracted demonic beasts. He was often covered in cuts and bruises.

In winter, it was bearable, but when the weather was hot, old wounds would fester before they could scab over. Gradually, they would emit the smell of rot.

So, whenever he saw meat, he felt like vomiting.

“Hm? Why aren’t you eating?” Ning Shengsheng noticed Xue Chen staring at the meat, lost in thought. “Don’t like duck?”

She picked up a piece of fish for him.

Xue Chen’s brows knitted tightly, and his face grew paler and paler. “Apologies, I am not feeling well.”

With that, he hurriedly left.

Zaoni was puzzled. “Princess, what’s wrong with Hostage Prince Xue?”

“Perhaps these dishes don’t suit his appetite. Songgao, go to the small kitchen and bring a bowl of dessert over to Hostage Prince Xue.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Ning Shengsheng finished her dinner.

Songgao returned.

She was leaning on the soft couch reading a book. Hearing the noise, she looked up and asked, “Did he eat the dessert?”

“Replying to Your Highness, Hostage Prince Xue ate it all.”

“Good. You two go and rest.”

Songgao and Zaoni withdrew. Ning Shengsheng propped her chin in her hands, lost in thought.

She tentatively asked, “System, does Xue Chen not like meat?”

【Yes, Host. When Xue Chen was seven or eight, he was bullied terribly. Seeing meat reminds him of his chronically festering wounds, so he doesn’t really eat non-vegetarian food.】

“Damn it, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

【You… didn’t ask, did you?】

Cough, it was a passive type of system.

“No wonder I keep feeding him and he still looks malnourished. How can he survive just eating vegetables?”

“I have to think of a way.”

Ning Shengsheng soaked in the hot spring. Then she climbed into bed comfortably to sleep. Before closing her eyes, she was still thinking about how to make meat look unlike meat in a dish to trick Xue Chen into eating it.

…

The next day.

Xue Chen came to find Ning Shengsheng to check on the condition of the Huan Li egg.

“Your princess isn’t here?”

“That’s right!”

Zaoni was sweeping the room. Hearing Xue Chen arrive, she stood up and curtsied. “Does Hostage Prince Xue need the princess for something?”

“Nothing important. Does Miss Zaoni know where your princess went?”

“She seems to have gone to a restaurant in town with Sister Songgao. Before she left, the princess was muttering about wanting to eat meat dishes that don’t look like meat.” Zaoni scratched her cheek.

Her expression was full of confusion.

Meat dishes that don’t look like meat?

Xue Chen shook his head. He never knew what was going on in Ning Shengsheng’s head all day.

“Carry on, Miss Zaoni. I’ll take my leave.”

“Alright!”

In the town near Qionglin Garden.

Ning Shengsheng braved the scorching sun, weaving through various restaurants. She went in and asked if there were any meat dishes that didn’t look like meat. If it weren’t for her extraordinary bearing and expensive clothes, the shopkeepers probably would have chased her out.

Songgao saw the princess’s cheeks flushed red. If this continued, she was afraid the princess would get heatstroke. “Your Highness, why don’t you go back? This servant will keep looking.”

“It’s okay. The biggest restaurant is up ahead. Let’s go take a look there.”

“Okay.”

Master and servant came out of the restaurant.

Ning Shengsheng sighed. “Let’s go back first.”

On the way back, she thought of a dish.

Mince the chicken meat, stir-fry it in a pot until fragrant and cooked, then remove it. Add oil to the pan, pour in egg liquid, place the stir-fried chicken inside, fold the egg over the chicken, and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides.

Egg-wrapped meat was done.

She had eaten this for a few days when she was trying to lose weight some time ago.

She would try making it when she got back.

She rushed back to the Moon-Embracing Pavilion in a hurry. Before even going back to her room to rest, she drank a mouthful of tea and went into the small kitchen.

Xue Chen finished his cultivation. He opened his palm; his spiritual power had thickened considerably. In a few more days, he would reach the mid-stage of the Earth Aperture realm.

He got up and changed his clothes. The aroma of food wafted in from the door.

He pushed the door open with both hands.

He froze in place.

“Xue Wuyin, look what delicious food I made!”

The porcelain plate in the girl’s hand seemed a bit hot. Her soft, white fingertips were trembling slightly. Even so, her eyes were curved in a smile.

If he hadn’t observed closely, he wouldn’t have noticed that she had burned her fingers.

“Give it to me.”

Xue Chen took it. It was indeed very hot. He placed the plate on the table.

Ning Shengsheng leaned over, smiling as she introduced it, “I made this myself. Pan-fried egg-wrapped meat. Taste it!”

There’s meat?

Xue Chen frowned subconsciously. But seeing her expectant gaze, he couldn’t bear to refuse. He looked at the golden-colored fried egg in the dish again. It probably wouldn’t taste bad.

Worst case scenario, if eating the meat inside makes me uncomfortable, I’ll just endure it and vomit after she leaves.

He picked up a spoon, scooped up a piece, and put it in his mouth. There was no greasy taste of meat fat. Instead, the aroma of egg and savory spices was more prominent.

He ate it slowly and methodically until the plate was empty. Then, with a slightly embarrassed expression, he said, “I didn’t expect the princess to have such culinary skills.”

“It was delicious, right?”

There was pride between her brows.

“Sigh, visiting so many restaurants was useless. In the end, this princess had to do it herself.”

“You went out… for me?”

He stopped breathing for a moment, his dark eyes filled with confusion.

Before, she was nice to him because of his face. Now that she was going to such lengths… was it still for the same reason?

Xue Chen felt a lump in his throat. He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to ask.

“That’s right! It was for you!”

She didn’t shy away from it. Her black and white eyes blinked. She really didn’t seem to be lying.

Xue Chen believed her.

After a long while, he squeezed out two words.

“Thank you.”

His voice was dry, mixed with a hope he dared not believe.

Ning Shengsheng heard his caution, and her heart sank suddenly. A distress hidden deep in her heart became hard to suppress. She wondered if she was feeling sorry for the character in the novel, or for this young man in front of her who had never been loved.

In just an instant, Ning Shengsheng was certain: the pain in her heart right now was for the Xue Wuyin standing before her.

“Oh my, thank you for what? If you want to eat it, this princess will make it for you anytime.”

She turned her head away, pretending to wave her hand indifferently, but in reality, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Anyway, I’ll be going now.”

She lifted her skirt and left in a hurry.

Xue Chen stared blankly, gazing at her back until that touch of pink disappeared.

“Meow~”

Snowball gracefully jumped onto the table. It looked up at its master. He seemed a little different from usual.

Xue Chen pinched Snowball’s ear and asked in a very soft voice, “She didn’t lie to me, right?”

“Meow-ow~~~”

Snowball moved its round head.

It jumped off the table.

The young man’s fingers gradually tightened, and he suddenly let out a laugh. The laugh looked bitter no matter how you looked at it.

A struggle flashed in his dark pupils.

In this world, there won’t be anyone who is genuinely good to me.

With a sigh, his remaining rationality returned.

His fingers gradually relaxed. The indifference returned to his eyes. He pretended nothing had happened and began to cultivate. Snowball, in the corner, licked its paws.

It knew that its master’s heart—

Was in turmoil!