Zhan Qingcheng finally noticed this girl’s strange behavior — why was she speaking to him so coldly now?

“Are you still upset?” He loosened his hold on her slightly, gripping her slender shoulders with both hands, his tone earnest.

“What would it take for you to not be upset? Just say it, and this prince will do it!”

He was so sincere, his warm breath falling against her face, that it made Feng Jiu’er suddenly feel earnest as well.

But, she… Jiu’er shook her head, looking utterly innocent: “I’m not upset at all! Ninth Prince, I feel honored to have been able to save you.”

Truly, not the slightest bit upset. The problem was — could he let go of her first? Was he always this used to talking to young ladies at such close range?

If it weren’t for how strikingly handsome he was, and how earnest his expression, Feng Jiu’er really would have been angry by now — she was a proper young lady! She wasn’t that easygoing!

But the Ninth Prince, looking like this right now… Jiu’er let out a soft breath. She would swear that no young lady alive could possibly stay angry at him.

Handsome men had this gift — no matter how outrageous their behavior, as long as they put on a sincere, innocent face, they could be forgiven for anything.

Still, if it were at all possible, could he please not push things this far?

“Your Highness, let go of me first.” Held by the shoulders like this, she felt rather like prey, deeply uncomfortable.

Zhan Qingcheng’s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes narrowing once more. Why was the way she looked at him now so unfamiliar?

“Why won’t you call me Ninth Imperial Uncle?”

“But I’m not one of the imperial family’s juniors.” Feng Jiu’er blinked, looking entirely innocent. “Jiu’er wouldn’t dare.”

“This prince permits it!” This wasn’t a matter of daring — hadn’t she always addressed him this way before?

“But…” Seeing a flicker of displeasure cross his eyes, Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and reluctantly murmured, “Ninth… Imperial Uncle.”

Huh! What a strange feeling — this form of address didn’t feel unnatural at all. In fact, the more she said it, the more it seemed to feel familiar.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle!” she called again, a little playfully.

Zhan Qingcheng couldn’t tell what was wrong. She was still clearly his girl — that stubborn, mischievous quality was unmistakably her! So why did everything feel so off?

Why did it feel so different from before?

“Are you truly all right now?” His gaze fell once more to the open front of her robe, and he was about to reach out.

Feng Jiu’er gave a quick, startled cry: “Ninth Imperial Uncle! You told me to call you that, and I agreed — but Your Highness, I’m still an unmarried maiden!”

Honestly! Reaching out to touch her so casually like that — how could he be so excessive!

“This prince will simply marry you, then.” It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen her body before — why couldn’t he touch it?

Feng Jiu’er was stunned speechless by those words. After a good while, just as his fingers were about to touch her, she suddenly snapped back to her senses and quickly pushed his large hand away.

“Your Highness, don’t go around scaring people like that, I…”

“Girl, what exactly are you fussing about?” Zhan Qingcheng scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bed.

“Ninth Prince… Ninth Imperial Uncle, what are you doing?” Feng Jiu’er was thoroughly alarmed; being carried toward the large bed like this felt far too wicked!

Zhan Qingcheng said nothing. She kept deliberately putting distance between them, and his patience was nearly at its end!

Jiu’er was set down on the bed. She felt as though her skill had grown considerably, yet in front of the Ninth Prince, it seemed entirely useless.

The clothes on her body were simply tugged away by him, the motion not especially rough, but she found herself utterly unable to resist!

“Ninth Prince, don’t! You—”

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip as he turned her over, leaving her lying face-down on the bed in a state of indescribable disarray.

Zhan Qingcheng’s gaze, however, fell on her lower back, where a phoenix mark flickered faintly into view.

The phoenix imprint on her body had actually been awakened and brought to the surface.

The phoenix’s rebirth from ashes — risking death to be reborn! Had she been bored through the heart by the poison worm, only to be saved by the phoenix’s rebirth?

But why, then, was there such unfamiliarity in her eyes when she looked at him?

“Girl, do you still remember who this prince is?” His voice carried a touch of weathered hoarseness, falling from behind her.

“Ninth Prince, don’t joke with me like this!” Feng Jiu’er clenched her palms, her face full of anger!

“Tell this prince — what exactly happened to you?” Why, after only a few short days apart, did it feel as though she had become an entirely different person?

The person was clearly still the same person, but the way she looked at him was wrong, the way she behaved toward him was wrong — she even seemed to be guarding against him at every turn.

How was Feng Jiu’er supposed to know what had happened to her — clearly, it was he who was being strange right now!

At last, Zhan Qingcheng released her. Feng Jiu’er immediately pulled her robe, which had slipped down to her waist, back up, fumbling to straighten and fasten it.

“Ninth Prince, you…”

“This prince is very tired.” Zhan Qingcheng sat at the head of the bed, looking at the girl who had moved far away from him; there was, indeed, a heavy weariness etched between his brows.

“This prince is hungry.”

“…” She had every right to be furious — she had been forced to save him at the risk of her own life, nearly losing it in the process, and upon his return, he had done nothing but behave so improperly toward her.

And yet, the moment this man opened his mouth to speak, his charm was simply impossible to refuse.

A single “this prince is hungry,” and she found herself wanting to lay the finest, most precious delicacies in the world before him for his enjoyment.

This man truly was a devilish temptation — even a glance or two too many, and one would find oneself helpless against him.

“Your Highness…” His half-closed eyes snapped open with a chill, and Feng Jiu’er immediately bit her lip and corrected herself: “Ninth Imperial Uncle, I’ll go have someone prepare your evening meal right away.”

Though — it was already the middle of the night. Had he really not eaten dinner at all?

“No running off.” He closed his eyes, leaning back against the headboard, wanting only to rest for a moment.

“…” As if she were really that mischievous, liable to bolt off at any moment. Then again, given what he’d just done to her, wouldn’t running away be the perfectly normal response?

But why was it that, no matter what, she simply couldn’t bring herself to be angry, let alone resent him?

On the contrary, seeing him looking so exhausted now, she even felt a little… tenderness for him.

What a strange feeling. What a strange version of herself.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

She turned and left to have his meal prepared.

The strangest thing of all was that he was the Ninth Prince — revered by all the people, a man even the Emperor himself had to show deference to — and yet, in front of him, she found herself able to remain so calm and at ease, as though she had already grown accustomed to being around him.

Fragments of the past still lingered somewhere in her mind; it seemed she had often gotten along with him like this before, though the memories always remained somewhat hazy.

Feng Jiu’er rapped her own head lightly, then finally opened the door and stepped out.

But no sooner had Jiu’er left than an uninvited visitor slipped into the room. The intruder fixed their eyes on the Ninth Prince, who was dozing lightly against the headboard, and with a turn of the wrist, a flash of silver light cut through the glow of the night-luminous pearl, aiming straight for Zhan Qingcheng’s vital point at the throat…