Lan Yan pushed gently from behind, saying to Jun Yelan, "The weather is so nice. There's a pavilion ahead, I'll take you to sit there, it's very comfortable. There's also a pond next to it, filled with lotus flowers."
She had heard from Xia Lian that the lotus flowers were personally planted by Jun Yelan, and were a favorite of his late mother.
Jun Yelan nodded and followed Lan Yan.
The other people in the mansion saw Jun Yelan and quickly moved aside. Goodness, they hadn't seen the Prince out in so long!
Moreover, the Prince was wearing a mask now, so he wasn't as frightening, returning to his usual coldness and nobility.
They all lowered their heads, not daring to speak out of turn.
As Jun Yelan passed, he didn't look at the people beside him, his attention fixed on Lan Yan behind him. He was pushed into the pavilion, and looked out at the pond full of lotus flowers.
This was his favorite place to come before. After he became disabled, he never came here again. He felt he had failed his mother, to have become this way.
Lan Yan saw Jun Yelan's focused gaze and realized he genuinely liked it. She wondered if she could arrange for Jun Yelan to see it more often. With that thought, she could prepare a large tub in the courtyard and grow a few lotus flowers in it.
Her gaze fell upon the lotus flowers in the pond, silently selecting the large ones. She also noticed lotus seeds, which piqued her appetite. She decided she had to go into the water later.
Jun Yelan turned his head and saw Lan Yan narrowing her eyes, clearly with a new idea brewing. He said, "Let's go back." His feelings about looking at the lotus flowers now were different from before.
"Alright." Lan Yan then took Jun Yelan back, letting him rest. She herself returned the way she came, standing by the pond, choosing the one in the very center.
She took off her shoes and socks, rolled up her sleeves, and walked into the pond.
Xia Lian, who had just arrived, was startled. "Your Highness, you mustn't go in there. The pond is very dangerous and dirty." She stomped her feet anxiously. Seeing that her Highness wasn't listening, she called for the maids behind her to inform the Prince.
Lan Yan had already neared the center of the pond and waved at Xia Lian, saying, "I'm fine." She looked at the mud on her hands, admitting it was quite dirty, but that was normal.
She continued forward, reaching out to pluck the lotus flower in the center, pulling it up by the roots. "I got it." Encouraged, she continued to walk to the side, to pick others.
Additionally, she collected some lotus seeds.
Xia Lian on the bank was nearly scared to death, shouting, "Your Highness, you must be careful!"
At this moment, Jun Yelan was reading. Upon hearing the report from the maid who rushed in, a flicker of worry appeared in his eyes. He called out, "Why are you still standing here? Go quickly and check on the Princess."
He pushed his wheelchair, grabbed the cloak beside him, and hurried towards the lotus pond.
Lan Yan had already picked four or five flowers and was preparing to pick the one on the far edge. She leaned forward, lost her footing for a moment, and sat down with a splash.
"Your Highness!" Xia Lian's heart leaped into her throat.
Lan Yan climbed out of the pond, shook her hair, and laughed, "It's okay, the water is shallow."
As she spoke, she heard a roar.
"Lan Yan, you get out here." Jun Yelan looked at Lan Yan's drenched appearance, her earlier fall into the water making him grip the wheelchair handles with concern. "If you don't come out, I'll go in myself."
Seeing this, Lan Yan had no choice but to walk towards the bank. As soon as she got ashore, a cloak was draped over her, and she saw the anger on Jun Yelan's face. She still held lotus flowers in her hand, ready to explain.
"Go back and bathe and change. Don't do such dangerous things again in the future." Jun Yelan tightened the cloak, not wanting anyone else to see Lan Yan's current wet state.
He was so close, he could see Lan Yan's accentuated chest and waist, and he uncomfortably turned his head away. "Xia Lian, quickly take the Princess down."
Lan Yan wanted to speak but swallowed her words under Jun Yelan's gaze. She handed the lotus flowers to the maid, gave a few instructions, and then went to bathe.
Only then did Jun Yelan feel relieved and returned to his room. He hadn't realized how anxious he had been just moments ago. In such a short time, Lan Yan had gained importance in his heart.
He clenched his fist slightly, unsure if this was a blessing or a curse.
Meanwhile, Lan Yan was soaking in a bath. Taking advantage of this time, she chatted with the system. "System, my mission should be accelerating now, right?"
"Host, you're overthinking. Your mission is only thirty percent complete now. This person isn't easy to save."
Lan Yan deflated instantly. She had thought it would be at least sixty percent. It seemed she had to redouble her efforts, not only to create a healing environment for Jun Yelan but also to help him regain his spirit and return to his peak.
The task ahead was long and arduous! She sighed.
The system comforted her, "Host, you don't need to worry. I've upgraded now, and I can give you golden fingers later. Please work hard and be patient."
"Secretly telling the Host, the romance line this time will be simpler than the last." This wasn't his ability, but the ability of that powerful figure's fragment.
Lan Yan hesitated, "Why?"
The System: "...For the Host's sake. Host, I'm going offline." It couldn't say more, or the Host would discover it.
Lan Yan didn't quite believe it. This system definitely had something it was hiding from her. "Achoo!" She sneezed and saw that the water had gone cold, so she quickly got out.
She wondered if she was catching a cold.
The next morning, her premonition came true; she had a runny nose. She slept groggily, looked at Jun Yelan, who was still asleep, and got up to walk outside the door.
She decided not to infect Jun Yelan. She leaned on the table in the adjacent room and coughed.
When Jun Yelan woke up and didn't see Lan Yan, he asked Xia Lian at the door, "Where is the Princess?" Normally, Lan Yan would appear by his bedside immediately.
Xia Lian averted her eyes. The Princess had instructed her not to say anything. She replied, "The Princess has gone to the accounting room. She said she'll be there all day today, calculating the accounts for these past few years of the mansion, as well as those from the estates outside."
"So she won't be returning to the courtyard today."
Jun Yelan's eyes turned cold. These two, mistress and servant, were hiding something from him. He said, "Since that's the case, send some delicious food over and tell the Princess to take care of herself."
"Yes, Your Highness." Xia Lian quickly left, let out a sigh of relief, and walked towards the adjacent room.
Jun Yelan looked at the doorway. Without Lan Yan by his side, he felt uneasy. He picked up a book but couldn't read a single word. If Lan Yan liked accounting, he had several extra ledgers. Should he send them over?
But those were his secret dealings. Should he trust Lan Yan this much?
At this moment, Lan Yan was slumped over, finishing half a bowl of porridge before she could eat no more. She decided to sleep again; perhaps she would be better when she woke up.
Xia Lian beside her said, "Your Highness, perhaps you should see a doctor."
"It's just a minor illness, I often get like this. I'll be fine after a nap." With that, Lan Yan fell asleep.
Xia Lian shook her head and had no choice but to close the door and leave.
It wasn't until evening that Jun Yelan kept looking outside the door, wondering why Lan Yan hadn't returned yet! He gripped the book in his hand, pushed his wheelchair out, saw Xia Lian standing at the door of the adjacent room, and asked, "What exactly has the Princess been doing?"
"If you don't tell me the truth, this mansion will no longer be able to accommodate you."
Xia Lian immediately knelt on the ground and cried out, "Your Highness, the truth is, the Princess is ill and feared infecting you, so she is recuperating in the adjacent room."
Jun Yelan was stunned. He didn't even have the mind to punish Xia Lian anymore as he pushed the door open. He looked at the person by the table with concern and called out, "Lan Yan."