C8 I Am Satisfied with Your Gift!

Three days later.

Wuhen arrived early with his men at the southern hills, waiting for the grand gift Lo Qiuli had promised. Instead, they found a woman in black, exhausted and pursued. Watching her surrounded by assassins, Wuhen frowned, puzzled by Lo Qiuli's intentions.

Instinctively, he knew he couldn't just stand by, so he rescued her and brought her back to the Ninth Prince's Mansion.

"Master, I feel like we've been played. I didn't see any grand gift!" Wuhen's mind was a jumble as he reflected on the day's events.

"Who said a grand gift has to be a thing?" Xiao Yuhan sat on the couch, gazing at the unconscious woman in black, a charming smile playing on his lips. The kettle on the stove boiled, the lid rattling softly with the bubbling water.

He poured the hot water, making tea with practiced ease, and soon the room was filled with its fragrant aroma.

"Could this woman be the gift she mentioned?" Wuhen's eyes widened in disbelief. Could a person really be given as a gift? But who was this woman to please his master so?

"Do you remember the Jade Face Fox we wanted to recruit years ago?" Xiao Yuhan sipped his freshly brewed tea, satisfaction evident on his face, his voice now relaxed and lazy.

"Is she really? But wasn't the Jade Face Fox rumored to be a man?" Wuhen's worldview was repeatedly challenged today. He turned, shocked, to look at the barely alive woman, struggling to believe she was the infamous Jade Face Fox.

Xiao Yuhan, uninterested in further conversation with Wuhen, instructed his attendants to care for her well. He stood and left, the tea's aroma lingering in the room. The woman's pale face showed a hint of color, while Wuhen stood motionless, lost in thought.

Inside the mansion.

In the Orchid Fragrance Garden, a serene quietude enveloped the surroundings. Lo Qiuli sat under the porch, idly flipping through a book. The autumn breeze rustled the beaded curtains, producing a gentle clinking sound. She set the book aside and stretched her stiff neck.

By her calculations, Xiao Yuhan's men should have already brought back the red lotus.

Truth be told, Lo Qiuli was reluctant to give it to Xiao Yuhan. However, injured and without assistance, she had no means to retrieve it herself, leading her to this reluctant decision. She recalled how, in the past, Xiao Hongfei had thrived after acquiring the red lotus. So, rather than letting it fall into Xiao Hongfei's hands again, it seemed wiser to offer it to Xiao Yuhan as a gesture of goodwill. Whatever Xiao Yuhan decided to do with it was his concern.

"Miss, it's getting late. You should rest. You've been reading all day, and it's not good for your eyes," Limo advised as she entered from outside. Seeing Lo Qiuli still reading by lamplight, a hint of worry flashed in her eyes. "You were injured just last night; you need to take care of yourself."

"I know, Limo. You go ahead and rest. I'll call you if I need anything," Lo Qiuli replied, setting the book down and rubbing her tired eyes. Her gaze shifted to the window.

The night was deep, and the outside was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see anything. Yet, a smile slowly crept onto Lo Qiuli's face. She knew that person would come tonight.

"Ninth Prince, it's chilly and damp outside at this hour. Why not come in?" After Limo left the room, Lo Qiuli stood up and brewed two cups of fragrant tea—one for herself and one for her guest.

As soon as she spoke, a shadow gracefully leapt through the window.

Upon closer inspection, it was Xiao Yuhan, now seated where Lo Qiuli had been, casually flipping through the book she had just put down.

He furrowed his brow slightly, taking in the aroma of the tea in the room, seemingly a bit dissatisfied. "You knew I was coming, so why not prepare some better tea?"

"Did you come here just for the tea? If that's the case, I hope you'll forgive me, Your Highness. This is the only tea I have," Lo Qiuli replied, unfazed by his deliberate provocation. She couldn't believe that after three days, Xiao Yuhan still didn't know who she really was.

Seeing the faint anger in Lo Qiuli's otherwise calm demeanor, the light in Xiao Yuhan's eyes intensified. He found it surprisingly amusing to provoke her. "Of course not. Since you gave me such a generous gift, Second Miss Lo, it's only right that I return the favor."

"This is a wound-healing ointment from Divine Doctor Xue. Apply it daily, and your wound will heal soon. This other one is a scar-removing lotion. After the scab falls off, apply it to the scar, and it will disappear," Xiao Yuhan explained as he carefully handed her two bottles, making sure she wouldn't mix them up.

"It seems my gift was to your satisfaction, Your Highness," Lo Qiuli suddenly smiled, her presence subtle yet captivating.

Xiao Yuhan was momentarily taken aback, then quickly regained his composure, touching his nose awkwardly. The air was tinged with a faint embarrassment.

"I'm quite satisfied. So, in return, I'll give you a grand gift as well." He turned away, no longer meeting her gaze, and the room's tension gradually dissipated.

This feeling of losing control left Xiao Yuhan inexplicably annoyed.

"Then I'll look forward to your gift, Your Highness," Lo Qiuli said, seemingly unconcerned. Although she urgently needed Xiao Yuhan's help, she knew better than to rush things, as it might only push this valuable ally further away.

Staring at Xiao Yuhan's retreating figure, Lo Qiuli suddenly realized a serious problem: since he wasn't injured in the chaos, the marriage arranged between her family and the Fifth Prince's household would proceed as planned.

Faced with the unexpectedly shortened timeline, she felt a wave of frustration. This must be what they mean by "you reap what you sow," she thought, as she experienced it firsthand. It seemed like she didn't have much time left.

Darn it!

How could she have forgotten about this?

Regret clouded Lo Qiuli's eyes as she wondered what had possessed her to rush in and save him.