Quick Transmigration: The Villain Is Too Pampered and Alluring - Chapter 55

The person in front of her struggled weakly, without the ghost-like agility she remembered.

A dark, dangerous glint flashed in Princess Lin’an’s eyes… In the next moment, Sheng Nuan felt a hand suddenly land on her thigh, and then it pinched hard.

Instinctively, she kicked out in pain but was immediately grabbed by her calf and pushed back down.

“You’ve served well. You may leave now.”

Princess Lin’an released her and turned away, her voice sounding slightly hoarse.

Sheng Nuan quickly climbed out of the pool, rubbing her thigh and grimacing while secretly cursing, this princess is really good at tormenting people… it hurt her to death!

“Su Lan, reward.”

Without even glancing at Sheng Nuan, Princess Lin’an spoke lazily with her back turned.

Su Lan immediately bowed, “Yes, Your Highness.”

A short while later, Sheng Nuan had changed her clothes and was walking back to her Tangnuan Courtyard¹ with a heavy pair of gold bracelets given as a reward by the princess. The weight of the gold bracelets made her feel gleeful the entire way back.

“Her Highness the Princess is really kind…” she sincerely praised to the little eunuch who had led her.

The little eunuch’s brow twitched slightly, but his attitude was much better than before. He chuckled and agreed, “Her Highness has always been benevolent.”

As if…

Not long after Sheng Nuan left the hot spring pool, Su Lan closed the door and withdrew outside.

Inside the hot spring pool, where Princess Lin’an had been quietly resting, her body suddenly began to tremble. Her bones seemed to crack audibly, and in the next moment, her previously slender and delicate frame began to grow larger…

Moments later, the once noble and coldly elegant Princess Lin’an had transformed into a handsome man with deep-set features and narrow, sharp eyes.

The man’s face was unnaturally pale as he lay quietly by the edge of the pool, breathing heavily…

Meanwhile, Sheng Nuan had returned to Tangnuan Courtyard. Knowing that Xiao Dingcheng would not come by, she casually ordered her servants to reheat the dishes on the table. After eating and washing up, she happily climbed into bed, placing the princess’s gifted gold bracelets beside her pillow…

These are worth a fortune…

Before falling asleep, she noticed a sound as someone hiding in the shadows left, but she paid it no mind and continued to sleep soundly.

In the Jingluan Courtyard², the now Princess Lin’an, who had restored his former appearance, with long hair draped over his shoulders, lazily reclined on a chaise longue in a luxurious gown. A black-clad figure knelt before him.

“Eating, washing up, and sleeping with the bracelets?” Princess Lin’an raised an eyebrow lightly, “She really does have a big heart… Is there nothing unusual about her?”

The black-clad figure thought for a moment before respectfully replying, “Replying to Your Highness, the only special thing is that Madam Sheng places great importance on Your Highness’s reward. She even keeps it under her pillow while she sleeps.”

Princess Lin’an fell silent. After a moment, he waved his hand, and the black-clad figure disappeared.

Princess Lin’an leaned quietly, his eyes reflecting a sense of obscurity and uncertainty.

Is it truly because she values the princess’s reward, or is it simply because… it’s gold?

Back when they had lived together in the Cold Palace, she had stolen many things, and her favorite had always been gold and jade… She would place them by her bedside every night to enjoy.

After she left, that box of treasures had remained buried under the plum tree in the Cold Palace… So, is there really such a coincidence in the world?

Two people, not only in their demeanor and behavior but even in their greed for wealth, are exactly the same?

So, she really has come back?

The delicate huanghuali³ armrest beneath Princess Lin’an’s hand suddenly shattered into pieces… The stunning beauty snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes flashing with cold determination.

If it really is her, then has she just returned after thirteen years, or… has she always been here, only having completely forgotten about the person in the Cold Palace?

Looking down at the now faded sachet in his hand, Princess Lin’an’s mind was filled with the image of that person’s smiling face.

It had been the Winter Solstice, and the palace was busy making sachets. She had stolen a bunch of them from other courtyards and, in a grand manner, generously said, “Pick whichever you like. Whatever others have, our Xiaoyu must also have…”

“Liar!”

Princess Lin’an spat the cold words into air.

……

Early next morning, Sheng Nuan was woken by her personal maid. After all, on the first day of entering the manor, she had to go early to serve tea to the main wife, Princess Lin’an.

Xiao Dingcheng, looking refreshed, left the Feixu Courtyard⁴ and headed toward Sheng Nuan’s Tangnuan Courtyard, acting as if he valued Sheng Nuan greatly.

As the male lead, Xiao Dingcheng’s appearance is naturally passable. He was dressed in a blue brocade robe, his hair tied with a golden crown. With his handsome features, sword-like brows, and starry eyes, he exuded an air of noble arrogance.

He pushed open the door, and the servants immediately greeted him. As soon as he entered, Xiao Dingcheng saw a figure happily running out from inside.

“Husband…”

Sheng Nuan was dressed in a soft yellow gauze dress. After a good night’s sleep, her skin appeared even more radiant, and when she smiled, her eyes curved into crescent moons, with shallow dimples appearing at the corners of her lips. She looked exceptionally beautiful and delicate.

Xiao Dingcheng was caught off guard, momentarily distracted by her, before he realized what she had called him.

With a faint smile, he said, “Nuan Nuan, you must observe proper etiquette in the manor from now on. Pay attention to your form of address…”

As a concubine, she was not qualified to call him “husband,” especially since his official wife was the princess.

Xiao Dingcheng had only meant to remind her casually, but as soon as he finished speaking, the bright-eyed little woman who had just smiled at him suddenly stiffened. Her eyes dimmed, and then she quickly forced a smile.

“I understand. I just wanted to, on my first day of marriage, secretly experience what it feels like to be an ordinary bride getting married. I… oh no, I was wrong. Please forgive me, Your Lordship.”

Seeing Sheng Nuan force a smile, Xiao Dingcheng suddenly felt that he might have been a bit excessive.

She had just entered the manor yesterday and had been summoned by the princess on her very first night. Who knew what she had suffered? Calling him “husband” in private on her first morning didn’t seem like such a big deal… After all, she was still his woman, and there was no need to be overly strict.

So, looking at Sheng Nuan’s obedient and gentle demeanor, Xiao Dingcheng felt softened. “Forget it, it’s not a big deal. From now on, when there’s no one else around, you can call me ‘husband.’”

After all, aside from that title, he could never give her anything else.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the little woman opposite him suddenly light up with joy. She happily came over and hugged his arm, saying, “Husband, you’re so kind.”

Sheng Nuan outwardly smiled, but in her heart she spat: Yuck…

No man would have a bad attitude towards a beautiful and well-behaved woman. Xiao Dingcheng patted Sheng Nuan’s head, as if comforting a docile little pet, and then asked casually, “Your night at the princess’s place… How was it?”

Sheng Nuan’s eyes immediately brightened as she cheerfully said, “Her Royal Highness was so kind! She let me soak in the hot spring with her and even rewarded me.”

As she spoke, she waved the box containing the bracelet in front of Xiao Dingcheng’s eyes as if to show off.

Xiao Dingcheng was genuinely surprised this time.

When Princess Lin’an married him, neither of them was willing, so they had always kept their distance from each other… What others didn’t know was that they had never even consummated their marriage.

On their wedding night, he had intended to fulfill his duties as the prince consort, but Princess Lin’an had simply kicked him out of bed… Since she was never a woman he particularly liked, Xiao Dingcheng never entered Princess Lin’an’s bedroom again after that.

Even though they spent little time together, he knew that the princess, born with golden branches and jade leaves, was not someone easy to get along with.

She targeted his concubines not because she cared about him, but because of her pride as a princess. So even if she was putting on an act, Princess Lin’an would never have let Sheng Nuan off so easily.

But not only had Sheng Nuan come back unharmed, there was even a reward?

1. Tangnuan Courtyard – can be translated as Warm Crabapple Courtyard. ↵
2. Jingluan Courtyard – can be translated as Startled Phoenix Courtyard. ↵
3. huanghuali – a highly valued type of rosewood used in traditional Chinese furniture. It is known for its rich color and fine grain. ↵
4. Feixu Courtyard –  can be translated as Cotton-like Willow Courtyard. ↵

T/N: The author actually used gender-neutral pronouns. I think this chapter was intended to let the cat out of the bag, and some readers may already have guessed that the princess was, in fact, a man waaay before. But I thought it would be a good time to switch pronouns from the narrator’s perspective after the hot spring scene.
On another note, anyone wanna guess who the ML is? Haha.