ripple
Life at Tingxue Garden seemed peaceful on the surface, but Qi Yuan's plans were quietly progressing. Being an ordinary celestial servant held too many limitations; she couldn't always be close to Jiu Che, let alone reach his core. She needed to take it a step further.
That afternoon, Jiu Che was in his study reviewing documents submitted by various fox clans from different regions. Sunlight streamed through the carved wooden window, casting dappled shadows on his snow-white robes, his expression focused and aloof.
Qi Yuan entered silently, carrying a freshly brewed cup of calming tea. She gently placed the teacup beside him, but instead of immediately leaving as usual, she stood to the side, her gaze fixed on the pile of jade slips.
"Your Highness handles so many affairs every day, yet you don't even have someone to grind ink and lay out paper to share your burdens?" Her voice was low, carrying just the right amount of doubt.
Jiu Che continued writing, saying calmly, "The celestial servants in the garden each have their own duties, that's enough."
"Is that so?" Qi Yuan leaned forward slightly, a strand of hair falling down, carrying a very faint, cool fragrance. "But I feel that Your Highness needs a 'personal' immortal attendant." She deliberately slowed down the pronunciation of the word "personal," carrying a subtle, lingering meaning.
Jiu Che's hand, holding the pen, paused almost imperceptibly. He finally looked up at her. The woman before him had her eyes lowered, her posture seemingly submissive, but the sharpness and intent in her words were undisguised. "The advancement of a Celestial Servant has its own rules and assessments. You are new here and do not meet the requirements." His tone was calm, attempting to build a defense with the rules.
"Rules?" Qi Yuan chuckled softly, the sound like a feather brushing against the silent air. Instead of backing down, she walked around the desk to his side, her slender white fingers boldly pressing on another jade slip he was about to pick up, stopping him.
Jiu Che frowned slightly and looked at her.
Qi Yuan met his gaze, the feigned submissiveness in her eyes completely vanishing, replaced by an almost domineering focus, mixed with a hint of... grievance? "Does Your Highness think Qi Yuan is clumsy and unworthy to serve by your side?" Her voice softened, with a slightly nasal tone, completely different from her previous sharpness.
This sudden change startled Jiu Che. He had seen her calmness, her sharpness, and her unconventionality, but he had never seen her like this... in a coquettish manner.
“No…” he instinctively tried to explain.
"So you think Qi Yuan is wicked and will disturb Your Highness's meditation?" Before he could finish, she took another step closer, the distance between them instantly shrinking. Her unique, cool fragrance became even more pronounced, and her eyes shimmered with tears, as if they would fall if he refused again. "I only wish to be closer to Your Highness, to be able to share your burdens at any time, even if it's just serving you tea and water, it's better than being confined to the garden tending to the flowers and plants, not even knowing when Your Highness is tired or needs someone..."
Her words were soft and gentle, yet they were like countless fine threads that wrapped around me. She no longer mentioned rules, but only expressed her "heartfelt intentions," packaging her request, which was not in accordance with the rules, as a sincere expression of her heart.
Jiu Che looked at her face so close to his, at her deliberately weak eyes, at her pleading tone... He knew this was against the rules, he knew her actions were overstepping boundaries, but the string of principle in his heart hummed under the weight of her domineering yet gentle offensive.
He should have firmly refused.
But when he reached for the words, looking into her eyes that seemed to be filled with stars (even though he knew they might be fake), he fell silent.
Silence is sometimes tacit consent.
Qi Yuan, with her keen perception, immediately noticed the slight softening beneath his icy expression. Knowing when to stop, she gently removed her hand from the jade slip and instead tidied his already neatly arranged pen holder. Her voice returned to its usual tone, yet still carried a soft ending: "Your Highness is busy with state affairs, I will not disturb you any longer. However… I hope Your Highness will consider this carefully."
She curtsied and gracefully withdrew, leaving behind a faint, cool fragrance filling the room, and Jiu Che, whose mind was no longer at peace.
The next day, the jade slip appointing the Immortal Attendant was delivered to Qi Yuan.
—Promoted to the celestial attendant Qi Yuan, serving as a personal attendant in Tingxue Garden, attending to His Highness's every need.
When Qi Yuan took the jade slip and stepped into the study again to grind ink for Jiu Che, he still did not look up, as if everything was as usual.
But as she gently pushed the freshly ground ink toward his hand, the tips of his fingers holding the brush twitched almost imperceptibly.
Qi Yuan lowered his eyes, concealing the fleeting smile that belonged to a hunter.
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