Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Emperor Wants Ningning to Be the Crown Prince’s Lady-in-waiting?

Shen Ningning was so generous with her food because she still had hundreds of delicious dishes in her Immortal Realm.

She also wanted to help Mr. Huang and the others ease their burden.

Besides, any food taken out would spoil overnight if not eaten today.

After returning to the courtyard, Ren Yu was so hot she refused to go out again.

Shen Ningning went straight to the second floor and locked the partition door to the stairwell.

Then, she closed half the windows, leaving only the one facing the mountains open.

Next, she took out the Seven-Round Fan and some blocks of ice from her Immortal Realm.

After all that bustling about, the little girl was already drenched in sweat.

She first returned to her Immortal Realm to take a cool bath.

Then she took out the cold-tossed shredded chicken in chili oil that Sister-in-law Liu had made for her, and ate it with a small plate of peanuts and a bowl of vegetable congee.

Well-fed and content, she basked in the chilly, icy breeze. Though the summer sun blazed like fire outside, Shen Ningning wasn’t affected in the slightest.

She took out the books she had brought, recalling the knowledge the mad scholar had taught her, and began to review her lessons.

When she got tired of studying, she lay down on the clean floor, kicking her little feet up.

On a plate to her left were watery lychees and slices of yellow peach, which she would snack on from time to time.

When she was thirsty, she would go into her Immortal Realm to drink the sweet plum juice her grandmother had made.

She was living a life of carefree comfort.

When she looked up again, the sky outside had already grown dark.

Just then, a shout came from downstairs—

"Shen Ningning!"

The little one put down her book, climbed onto the soft couch under the window, and looked down.

It was Lu Shaoyuan.

He was waving his hands, holding up a plate of braised meat with only three or four slices on it.

"The dining hall is serving food. Why didn’t you go eat? I’m already full. I saved this plate of meat for you. Should I bring it up?"

In the twilight, the little girl’s face was bright and fair, her eyes round and shining.

Shen Ningning secretly patted her little round belly.

"I don’t want any! You can eat it yourself. I’m not hungry."

Lu Shaoyuan frowned. "I heard from Xiang Qian that you gave all your food to them. How could you not be hungry?"

The little one propped her chin on her hands, her voice sweet and soft. "I’m not silly. Before I gave it to them, I took out a plate of fried rice for myself."

Lu Shaoyuan paused for a moment before saying, "Oh..."

’It seems I was worrying for nothing.’

Just then, Shen Ningning said, "Wait a moment."

She pulled her head back inside and, a moment later, reappeared with two sweet oranges in her small hands.

"Lu Shaoyuan, catch!" she called, tossing them down from the second floor.

He scrambled to catch them.

Shen Ningning said with a grin, "It’s so hot. Don’t get heatstroke. Take these and eat them!"

Then, she waved her small hand in farewell and disappeared from the window.

Lu Shaoyuan looked down at the oranges in his palm.

They were slightly soft to the touch.

’Thin-skinned and juicy. They must be very sweet.’

Lu Shaoyuan kept his head down, but he couldn’t help but smile.

’She’s actually worried about me, telling me not to get heatstroke.’

’Shen Ningning is such a good person.’

Not long after Lu Shaoyuan left, Ren Yu, who lived downstairs from the little girl, also returned.

She was holding a waterskin. "Ningning, are you asleep? Mr. Huang gave us some water. Let me pour some for you!"

Shen Ningning had already put all her things away.

She opened her door and went down to the first floor, where she saw Ren Yu drenched in sweat.

"You should keep the water. I haven’t finished the water I brought from home," Shen Ningning said.

Ren Yu nodded repeatedly. "Then thank you! This blasted weather is going to be the death of me!"

Just going to the dining hall for a meal had left her looking like she’d been fished out of a river.

Even now that the sun had set, it was still scorching hot.

It was unbearable.

Holding the waterskin, Ren Yu suddenly started to cry.

Shen Ningning was startled. "What’s wrong?"

Ren Yu sobbed, sitting helplessly on the edge of her bed. "Ningning, do you think we’re going to die in this mountain villa from a lack of water?"

"Outside the Capital City, I saw people who had died of thirst. Their bodies were all shriveled up, like their blood had been dried out by the sun. It was a terrifying sight."

"I’m so scared. I don’t want to die. I’m my mother’s only child..." She cried even more sorrowfully.

Shen Ningning walked over and used her own handkerchief to wipe away Ren Yu’s sweat and tears.

Ren Yu collapsed against her, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

"Don’t cry. We’re not going to die of thirst on this mountain."

"Really? But that’s what everyone is saying..."

"That’s just because everyone is scared, but it won’t really happen! Ren Yu, you have to believe me!"

Shen Ningning had already thought it through.

’If it really comes to a life-or-death crisis, I’ll sneak to the back of the mountain and create a spring.’

’With water, everyone could hold on for a while longer.’

Hearing her say this, Ren Yu’s heart was put at ease.

"Ningning, you’re so kind. With you comforting me, I’m not so scared anymore."

Shen Ningning thought for a moment, then took out the red fruits she hadn’t eaten earlier from a small pocket on her clothes and gave them to her.

Ren Yu’s eyes lit up.

Shen Ningning said, "Here, eat this. After you eat, get a good night’s sleep!"

Cradling the fruit, Ren Yu nodded repeatedly. "Mhm! Maybe when we wake up tomorrow, someone will have come to rescue us!"

Shen Ningning returned to the second floor and locked the door again.

She brought out the Seven-Round Fan and the ice blocks again, then spread a cooling mat on her small bed.

As she lay down, the cool sensation emptied her mind of all thoughts.

It just so happened that a small, half-open window was right next to her bed.

From there, she could see the vast expanse of stars and the bright moon.

The sweltering heat outside, the sound of Ren Yu tossing and turning restlessly downstairs, and the chirping of insects in the mountain wilds—none of it disturbed Shen Ningning’s thoughts.

A cool breeze gently caressed her fair little hands and feet, bringing a wave of comfort.

Right up until she fell asleep, Shen Ningning was wondering, ’What is Brother Mo Lingwei doing?’

「At that very moment.」

Mo Lingwei stood by a window, gazing at the same moon she was.

His illness had just "gotten better," and he had regained consciousness.

He looked as if he had been pulled from an ice cavern, his handsome, sharp features still covered in a layer of frostiness.

Just then, the Emperor entered.

"Ling Wei? Why are you up? The Imperial Physician said you need to stay in bed and rest well for a couple of days."

"I don’t feel like lying down. It’s tiresome." Mo Lingwei glanced sideways, his expression languid.

The Emperor walked closer, saw that he wasn’t wearing his Buddha Beads, and hastily picked them up, slipping them onto his left wrist.

Years ago, the State Preceptor had said that he must never be without the Buddha Beads, or he would surely be dragged back to become an evil ghost.

Over the years, Mo Lingwei had never believed it, but the Emperor was a firm believer.

"Ling Wei, your father heard from Chen Shaobei that you are quite fond of that little girl, Shen Ningning. And since she happens to be your Fuxing, your father plans to bring her into the palace and appoint her as a Princess’s Lady-in-waiting. What do you think?"

For an ordinary girl, this was already an immense honor.

A female official serving a Prince would most likely be made an Imperial Concubine in the future.

Some female officials would begin warming the Prince’s bed once they reached the age of fifteen or sixteen.

Moreover, they would also handle the Prince’s personal affairs, making them no different from a bedfellow.

But when Mo Lingwei heard this, his expression changed instantly.

His long brows knitted tightly, and his gaze, fixed on the Emperor, burned like two balls of fire! 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I do not agree." He enunciated each word, practically spitting them out through gritted teeth.