The man’s gray gaze lingered on her chest. At the thought of the news he’d heard today, Shen He looked at her face again. His tone was as calm as the moments before a volcano erupts:
"I hear you and Yusen have separated."
’According to his plan, Yusen was supposed to take the little rabbit back. They would be sharing a room; they should have reconciled by now.’
’Besides, he had clearly noticed Yusen’s attitude toward the little rabbit softening over the past few days.’
’Yet today, he learned that they hadn’t reconciled at all.’
’They were even sleeping in separate beds at night.’
Yu Zhizhi stared blankly at the man before her, not understanding what he meant. She instinctively tried to look down, but he gripped her jaw, forcing her head up.
"At first, I thought you were just a glutton."
’Like a little cat sneaking a taste of fish. He had the malicious urge to toy with her, but overall, he wasn’t disgusted by it.’
’The young female’s cheek felt soft in his hand.’
A frustration he hadn’t felt in a long time coiled in Shen He’s chest. His gaze grew darker:
"Did you deliberately seduce me just so you could casually tell Yusen, ’Oh, I mated with your brother’? You did all this just to provoke him and trigger his masculine possessiveness, didn’t you?"
’What a cunning, wicked little rabbit.’
’In their relationship, what had he become?’
’So the little rabbit hadn’t snuck into his room because she desired him...’
At this thought, a hidden flame flickered deep in Shen He’s gray eyes. He watched as the female’s eyes began to redden. She said aggrievedly, "That’s not it. I haven’t said anything to Prince You Sen."
"Just haven’t found the right moment?"
’Such a stupid rabbit.’
"I’ll never tell him..." Yu Zhizhi choked up, her eyes growing even redder.
She was desperate to sever any connection with Shen He.
"Lord Shen He, I won’t do something like that ever again. I swear, I will absolutely never set foot in your room. If you want, I can disappear from your sight completely."
The more she spoke, the darker Shen He’s gaze became.
Buli’s voice came from the doorway. "Prince You Sen, you’re back."
Hearing the name "Prince You Sen," Yu Zhizhi’s eyes lit up slightly, as if she had just spotted a lifeline.
Yusen stood in the doorway. "Do you like my room so much, Brother?"
Outside in the courtyard, Buli shuddered.
This was the first time he had ever heard Yusen say "Brother"...
Though it was such an intimate term, it sounded particularly sinister coming from Prince You Sen.
They were brothers in name, but their relationship was worse than that of strangers. If Buli remembered correctly, their first-ever meeting had been at the Royal Palace, when they fought over custody of the Little Prince Blue Whale.
Shen He slowly let go.
Finally free, Yu Zhizhi transformed into her little white rabbit Beast Form with a mere thought and scurried to Yusen’s feet.
The little white rabbit’s cheek looked flushed and red.
Yusen’s eyes shifted. He bent down and scooped the little rabbit into his arms.
WHIMPER...
Yu Zhizhi huddled against Yusen, trembling.
’Compared to the innate gentleness of a Mermaid, a shark was far too brutal and savage. Being alone with him, she’d be scared to death sooner or later.’
Yusen’s ice blue eyes gazed coldly at Shen He. "She’s not your captive anymore. I expect you to show her some respect in the future."
Shen He turned, a sneer forming on his lips. "Not a captive? Then what is she? Your Princess?"
No one dared speak of "respect" before the Imperial Giant Shark—especially not a citizen of an enemy nation.
Yusen held the fluffy white rabbit. ’Yu Zhizhi will be staying in the Deep Sea Empire for some time,’ he thought. ’She can’t keep going around with a title as lowly as Personal Maid.’
"She is the Chief Healing Officer of our Undersea Palace."
The Undersea Palace had no such position as Healing Officer.
There were only Royal Palace Doctors.
Everyone knew this was a position Prince You Sen had invented on the spot, created for her alone.
Outside the door, a faint smile touched the lips of the Undersea Palace’s Steward.
’His Highness should be a bit more frank.’
’At least for now, everything is moving in the right direction.’
At first, the Black-clothed Steward hadn’t understood why Prince You Sen treated this female from the Rabbit Clan so differently. Only later did he realize she was the very same young female who had captured the prince’s heart in the Moon Rising Empire—
’The traces of His Highness’s experience in Moonrise have been completely wiped. You can’t find anything about it online.’
’Only word-of-mouth rumors remained in the Deep Sea Empire.’
’And the Mermaid Baby who was sent to the Glacier was the one she had given birth to.’
’If only His Highness were a bit braver.’
’And marry Miss Rabbit, bringing her home to the undersea.’
"I see." Shen He walked toward Yusen, and as he passed, his gaze fell on the fluffy thing hiding in his arms. "I was rude earlier. My apologies, Healing Officer Miss."
With that, he left the room without a backward glance.
The brown-haired young man hurried after him.
After he left, Yu Zhizhi’s emotions finally began to settle. She looked up and saw Yusen’s pale blue eyes, as clear and blue as a lake. Their previous coldness was gone, replaced by a faint, gentle emotion, and... was that even a hint of reproach?
When Yusen realized the little fluffball had raised its head and was staring dazedly at him, he quickly averted his gaze. His fingertips brushed against the little rabbit’s ear. A hint of discomfort crossed his face at the thought that he could become so entranced just by looking at her Beast Form.
Shen He was gone.
’He should put the little rabbit down.’
’And yet...’
Holding the fluffy little creature in his arms, Yusen walked slowly to his desk, hesitated, and then walked slowly out toward the terrace.
And so, Yu Zhizhi remained in his arms.
’She noticed his route... hmm...’
’From the desk, to the bathroom, to the terrace, back into the room... he just kept pacing back and forth.’
"Your Highness, are you..."
"I’m taking a walk."
"You could—"
"Just a moment."
Yusen cut her off.
He was determined not to let her say anything along the lines of "You can put me down."
Yu Zhizhi was a little bewildered, but she remained obediently in Yusen’s arms. She thought about how he had just named her the Chief Healing Officer of the Undersea Palace. The title sounded really cool.
Yusen finally stopped on the terrace.
They could feel the early spring breeze here.
He sat down cross-legged and reluctantly placed the little rabbit on a soft cushion next to him.
Yu Zhizhi lifted a small rabbit paw and placed it on his knee.
"Prince You Sen... thank you for today."
Yusen gazed at the distant reeds, his tone reverting to its usual coldness. "It was nothing."
He paused.
He reminded her, "If anyone asks in the future, tell them you are the Healing Officer of the Undersea Palace. In two days at most, your information will be registered, and you’ll have free access to the Undersea Palace. This position is permanent."
She was the Healing Officer of the Undersea Kingdom.
At the very least, she would no longer be looked down upon or treated with contempt at gatherings.
Yu Zhizhi’s rabbit ears twitched.
She suddenly felt a bit sheepish...
’Does this count as a "job"?’
’A word like that felt so, so distant from her life.’
"You can leave the Royal Palace tomorrow," Yusen’s voice came again.
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