Chapter 106
The girl's makeup was exquisite, her face pale—paler than most present. Under the warm yellow lights, her skin glowed like jade. But what allowed her to outshine everyone around her was her temperament.
A kind of indescribable innocent playfulness.
Even though she wore the most luxurious clothes, even though her makeup accentuated her noble bearing, even though every gesture followed aristocratic etiquette, the entire person gave off an impression of... childlike innocence and cuteness.
Those long, curling lashes, fair skin, and dark pupils were so exquisite they seemed like they shouldn't exist in this world.
Qi An squinted his eyes slightly, frowning as he watched Gao Lijun elegantly walking toward him.
The girl gave people a feeling very similar to... those playthings on the nobles' shoulders—equally delicate, equally cute, equally likely to first look at... himself.
There was a very strong sensation of being watched.
The stunned onlookers were surprised to find the girl's gaze locked directly onto another area that commanded much attention.
Her lips curved upward as she strode directly toward that direction. Those crystal shoes suited her well, her footsteps tapping resoundingly within the hall.
"Is she going to Tommy?" A very low female voice rang out from the crowd.
"Seems like it. Could she also like Prince Tommy?" The speaker was a handsome young man with obvious arm muscles, exuding an intimidating pressure that kept others at bay—he appeared to be someone who revered physical strength. "Well, of course. How could any woman not like Prince Tommy? But now Princess Lu An is standing right beside Prince Tommy. If she goes over now..."
"Lu An and this girl seem quite different." This was said by another young man in a tailcoat, who swirled the wine glass in his hand before shaking his head. "If I were Prince Tommy, I would definitely choose the girl now. This girl is truly beautiful..."
"...No, no... that's wrong..." The young man's body suddenly froze. His gaze deepened as a blue light flickered across his black eyes. His next words came out very low, almost word by word. "...Lu... An..."
The corner of the mouth of the plaything on the young man's shoulder suddenly... curled upward.
The girl in crystal shoes continued walking until she stopped before Tommy. The delicate beauty seemed to smile shyly, pink blooming across her cheeks. "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"
"She's clearly taken with Prince Tommy. Now she's going to ask Lu An something—probably something difficult." The speaking girl gave an enigmatic smile.
"Your Highness, do you think I'm beautiful?" Tommy stepped aside, blocking her view. The girl naturally shifted to ensure she was completely visible to Qi An.
"...Quite beautiful." Qi An's eyes brightened, though he frowned almost imperceptibly.
"Then... if you weren't a princess but a prince..." The girl slightly raised her head, her words carrying both intense anticipation and careful nervousness. "Would you... marry me?"
This girl didn't seem to like Tommy at all, but rather... Lu An.
The nobles watched Tommy's expression instantly become expressionless, then looked at the girl filled with intense affection. For the first time, they felt utterly disbelieving.
"What?"
The words from this doll-like girl were very serious. Her hands resting at her sides trembled slightly. Qi An couldn't quite determine whether this girl who looked so much like Gao Lijun, standing before him, was truly asking him this question... from the heart.
"She's my fiancée." Before the girl could speak again, Tommy had already coldly interjected.
The girl's smile faltered. Only then did she turn to glance at Zhang Zhaoqi. Their gazes met, and the girl suddenly let out a light laugh, her attention returning to Qi An. "Your Highness, do you like dolls? Like those the nobles carry on their shoulders—very cute, adorable ones."
As she spoke, the girl pointed to the dolls nearby. "Your Highness, I want to give you a gift—a very beautiful, very cute... doll."
A doll.
"Why would you give me a doll?" A gentle voice floated over, smooth and pleasant. The nobles present froze, then looked toward the veiled princess.
"Princess Lu An's voice is so lovely." Someone murmured nearby. "Not... entirely without merit."
"Because... it's that doll's own wish. Your Highness, answer my first question when you receive this gift." The girl smiled extraordinarily sweetly, like dipped in honey. "Your Highness, this gift is almost ready. Please wait for me. I am also... waiting for you."
The girl's voice paused. "Waiting for your... answer..."
"And if I don't want to accept this gift?" Qi An's voice remained unchanged, but the smile on the girl before him vanished instantly.
That delicate face became rigid. Those exquisite features on that pale face somehow seemed mismatched.
The girl's dark eyes seemed to darken further for some reason. Qi An watched as the girl opened her cherry-red lips, speaking word by word: "Your Highness, you will accept this gift."
She seemed to emphasize, repeating: "You will... accept this gift."
[An'an, did you sense any energy fluctuation just now?] The system's voice sounded.
[It's those dolls—the ones on the nobles' shoulders.] Qi An watched the girl burst into a radiant smile again, casually surveying his surroundings.
Just now, he had felt... many things watching him.
With a... greedy and longing gaze.
"Father, you said I could choose any princess here as my bride, correct?"
On the stairs beside, a young man in prince's attire watched the scene in the center with an amused smile, his lips curling slightly.
"Do you have someone in mind?" The old king glanced at the young man with some surprise.
He knew his son well. Though he seemed interested in everything, he was actually quite cold-hearted. Though appearing sunny, like his second disciple, he found most things rather uninteresting.
The young man smiled. He was actually quite ordinary, barely passable as handsome. But compared to the nobles in the hall, he possessed a strange charm.
His gaze fell on the center of the hall as he spoke with interest, "Indeed, a very interesting person."