"Your Highness Prince Qi, you haven't been here for quite some time. Are you betting big or small today?" the dealer asked with a sweet smile, her voice seemingly melting into one's bones.
"Xiao Man, big or small?" Nangong Yi leaned in close to Xiao Man and whispered.
"Small."
"A thousand taels, betting small!" Nangong Yi immediately placed a thousand tael silver note on the table.
The dealer's smile remained unchanged as she lifted the cover. Indeed, it was small. Nangong Yi's face lit up with joy, "Xiao Man, let's keep this up! We'll split the winnings fifty-fifty, and any losses are on me."
Xiao Man yawned, her demeanor indifferent. Whether they won or lost, it was her money, and she couldn't muster any interest in helping Nangong Yi win back her own funds.
With Xiao Man's help, Nangong Yi won three consecutive rounds. Xiao Man rested her chin on her hand, her eyes closed as if she were deeply tired. Seeing this, Nangong Yi couldn't help but frown.
"Prepare a private room for her to rest."
Someone immediately relayed the order. Nangong Yi asked Xiao Man to go to the private room upstairs for a brief rest, intending to return for more "slaughtering" once she was refreshed.
The soundproofing in the private room was excellent. Despite the boisterous noise from the main hall, the room was exceptionally quiet. Xiao Man rested on the bed while Nangong Yi sat beside her, idly playing with a chess piece, stealing glances at her from time to time.
Zhou Kang stood guard outside the door, acting as a sentry. Inside the room, only Nangong Yi and Xiao Man were present.
Nangong Yi leaned over the edge of the bed, gazing at Xiao Man's sleeping face. A slight smile played on his lips. She must be truly exhausted to have fallen asleep in a gambling house.
"How long has it been since you last played with me?" Nangong Yi murmured. "Ninety-three days from now, it will be exactly three years. The moment Fourth Brother returned to the capital, you stopped playing with me."
"Xiao Man, didn't we promise to play together forever?"
Nangong Yi whispered his complaints by Xiao Man's bedside, pouring out his grievances. When Fourth Brother wasn't around, Xiao Man would play with him. But as soon as Fourth Brother returned, she would immediately abandon him and follow Fourth Brother. Even though Fourth Brother had become distant after returning from the battlefield, she still pursued him with unwavering enthusiasm.
"Perhaps only when Fourth Brother is gone will you notice my existence?"
The words were so soft that Nangong Yi himself could barely hear them. Yet, this thought had unknowingly taken root in his heart, germinating and eventually growing into a towering tree.
Xiao Man woke up feeling refreshed. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Nangong Yi slumped over a nearby table, also sleeping soundly. She immediately sat up and nudged him. Unprepared, Nangong Yi tumbled to the floor.
"Assassin!"
"What assassin? Are you out of your mind from sleeping?" Xiao Man snapped impatiently.
Nangong Yi, still on the floor, looked at Xiao Man and scrambled over to her. "You're awake now, so let's go downstairs and gamble some more. We'll win back all the money I lost."
"How much did you lose after I fell asleep?"
"I stayed here with you while you slept. I didn't gamble at all. We agreed to come to Meiren Zhuang to have fun, and if I hadn't stopped you, who knows when you would have accompanied me? Nangong Yi fiddled with the hem of Xiao Man's clothes. "Ever since Fourth Brother returned, you've hardly played with me."
"What does that have to do with His Highness Prince Qin?"
"How can it not have anything to do with it? Tell me, how many times have you been to Lan Xiao Pavilion since Fourth Brother returned?"
Xiao Man thought hard, but couldn't recall.
"Not even once!"
"I'm a lady from a respectable family!"
"And I am a noble prince!" Nangong Yi leaned against the bed, continuing to play with Xiao Man's clothes. "I still accompany you for fun. But you're prioritizing romance over friendship and easily abandoning me."
Xiao Man snatched her clothes back from Nangong Yi's grasp. "Don't talk as if I'm some heartless woman who abandons people after they've served their purpose. I'm a lady from a proper family."
"Xiao Man, shall we go to Lan Xiao Pavilion? I heard the male escorts who've recently arrived are all incredibly handsome."
Lan Xiao Pavilion... For some reason, the mention of Lan Xiao Pavilion brought to Xiao Man's mind the incident where she took a wrong turn, stumbled into Prince Qin's estate, forcibly seduced him, and thus embarked on a path of no return!
"Don't mention Lan Xiao Pavilion!"
Seeing Xiao Man's intense anger, Nangong Yi was bewildered. "Alright, if not Lan Xiao Pavilion, let's go to Wangjiang Tower. The new chef at Wangjiang Tower makes exceptionally delicious food, and they've also introduced a new fine wine, Yu Quan Chun, which is rich and fragrant, like savoring the company of the most beautiful lady."
"Lecher!"
Nangong Yi's expression stiffened. "I am not a lecher!"
"You tell me, how many female confidantes do you have? I can't even count the ones I know, let alone the ones I don't." Xiao Man stood up and put on her shoes, saying, "You even had a relationship with my third sister."
"You know very well that I was set up."
Xiao Man lightly tapped Nangong Yi's head. "Let's go. Weren't we going to Wangjiang Tower?"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Yi jumped up gleefully. "I knew you wouldn't abandon me just because Fourth Brother is back. We grew up together, our bond is not something Fourth Brother can compare to."
Xiao Man cast him a disdainful glance. "Why do you always have to compare yourself to him?"
"It's all because of you," Nangong Yi mumbled softly. "I heard Wangjiang Tower has eight famous dishes, each with a unique and delicious flavor. You'll definitely like them..."
Just as they reached the entrance of Wangjiang Tower, they were blocked by a beautiful young woman. She wore a renowned sword at her waist, and her striking eyes were spitting fire as she glared at Xiao Man.
Xiao Man shifted to the side, but the young woman's gaze followed her. Xiao Man glanced behind her. No one was there, which meant the woman's hostility was directed at her!
Xiao Man tugged at Nangong Yi's sleeve and whispered, "Nangong Yi, is this another one of your female confidantes?"
"I don't know her," Nangong Yi quickly distanced himself.
Xiao Man didn't want trouble and intended to slip past. However, the young woman placed a hand on the door, blocking Xiao Man. "You are Xiao Man?"
Xiao Man nodded. "I am."
"Shameless!"
Xiao Man was confused. "Miss, we don't know each other, do we?"
"My name is Luo Bingqing. I am Prince Qin's junior sister and his fiancée. Do not shamelessly cling to my senior brother. My senior brother will not like you!"
Hearing this, Xiao Man felt displeased but didn't show it. "Who Prince Qin likes has nothing to do with me."
"You are forbidden from approaching Prince Qin in the future," Luo Bingqing said angrily. It was this detestable woman who had seduced her senior brother with underhanded tactics!
"How I conduct myself is none of your business to lecture me on."
"A woman like you will absolutely not be liked by my senior brother!" Luo Bingqing shouted in exasperation. She would never allow anyone to steal her senior brother away.