Little Pink Starfish

The Princess Says My Father Will Be Hurt

Gu Xinglang stared at the bundle of clothing. The outer garments looked plain enough, but when it came to the inner garments… He casually tossed the bundle back at Second-in-Command. “Have a maid inspect it.”

Xiao Er—already a walking bag of injuries—accepted his fate and limped away with the bundle. Had the Prince Consort forgotten he had internal injuries?

Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoxiao popped a few peanut candies into her mouth. Wang Momo had stuffed them into her pocket before she left, and despite her menopause tantrums, the old woman still had her sweet moments.

Zhao San Xiaojie licked her lips. Before they kill me, could they at least give me a meal?

Suddenly—BANG! The door flew open. Xiao Er burst back inside, looking like he’d seen a ghost.

Gu Xinglang glanced up. “What did you find?”

Xiao Er looked like someone had just told him the sun had exploded. His eyes flicked to Zhao San Xiaojie with disbelief. “She… she’s from the Zhao residence!”

Yu Xiaoxiao turned to the girl and blinked. “Oh, so your surname’s Zhao?” Then she froze. Wait… Zhao Residence? As in… Zhao Qiuming?

A stewardess called from the doorway, “Third Young Master, Princess.”

“Come in,” Gu Xinglang replied calmly.

The stewardess entered, glanced at the couple, and wisely chose to approach Yu Xiaoxiao. She leaned down and whispered, “Princess, there’s a character for ‘Zhao’ embroidered on her undergarments. Based on the stitching style, it belongs to the Zhao family’s young ladies.”

Yu Xiaoxiao had no idea what an undergarment was in this context, nor did she care. “Wait, Zhao Residence… you mean Zhao Qiuming’s family?”

“Yes,” the stewardess confirmed.

Yu Xiaoxiao grinned coldly and looked at the girl cowering in the corner. “So who are you to the Zhao family?”

Zhao San Xiaojie said nothing.

Yu Xiaoxiao stood up.

Xiao Er panicked. “Princess, you’re not gonna kill her, are you?!”

Zhao San Xiaojie immediately curled tighter into the bedding, trembling like a leaf.

Yu Xiaoxiao placed one hand on the bedpost and said menacingly, “Don’t make me use force. Talk!”

Zhao San Xiaojie peeked out. Just moments ago, she thought this woman was a kind celestial being. Now she looked more like a cold-blooded executioner.

Yu Xiaoxiao gripped the bedpost harder.

Crack—wood shavings fell from her fingers.

Zhao San Xiaojie bit her finger and seriously considered fainting.

Yu Xiaoxiao asked one last time, “What’s your relation to Zhao Qiuming? Wife or concubine?”

Gu Xinglang: …

The stewardess: …

Xiao Er rubbed his eyes and glanced between the two. “No way. Zhao Qiuming likes them… chubby?”

Yu Xiaoxiao barked, “You still care what that traitor likes?”

Xiao Er, his logic warped, muttered, “But Zhao Qiuming is so old… and this girl’s so young…”

“Old bulls like fresh grass,” Yu Xiaoxiao said with conviction.

Xiao Er looked genuinely offended. “So many of us strong young men can’t find wives, but that old fart gets all the good ones? This world is rigged!”

Yu Xiaoxiao clapped him on the shoulder. “Look, she ran away from his place. Clearly, she doesn’t love the man. So she can still be your wife. Live a happy life with her. Zhao Qiuming can go die.”

With that, she snatched the five silver notes from Gu Xinglang’s hand and slapped them into Xiao Er’s. “Here. Yours now.”

Xiao Er looked at the 500 taels of silver in his palm and felt… very confused. Something doesn’t add up.

The stewardess, thoroughly scandalized, quietly backed out of the room.

Gu Xinglang sat there in silence. He looked serious and cold, but inside, he was a bit lost. What am I even supposed to say?

Xiao Er turned to Zhao San Xiaojie. “So… you really are Zhao Qiuming’s concubine?”

Zhao San Xiaojie said nothing.

Yu Xiaoxiao frowned. “Wait, are you his main wife?!”

“That can’t be,” Xiao Er added. “Why would the lady of the house run away in the middle of the night?”

Together, they stared her down.

Zhao San Xiaojie squirmed. Should I just admit I’m my own father’s concubine? I might survive that way… but I’ll have to die of shame afterward.

“Princess,” the stewardess finally couldn’t hold back. “She’s still a virgin.”

Yu Xiaoxiao & Xiao Er: “Huh?”

The stewardess lowered her head. “Princess, her undergarments are the kind only young ladies wear.”

Xiao Er suddenly looked thrilled. So she’s not Zhao Qiuming’s lover. Thank heavens!

Yu Xiaoxiao stared at the girl again. “Then who exactly are you?”

Gu Xinglang pressed, “Are you Zhao Qiuming’s daughter?”

The girl buried her head in her knees. I’m dead.

Her reaction was enough confirmation for Gu Xinglang. He dismissed the stewardess with a wave.

“You’re the second or third miss of the Zhao family?” he asked.

The girl silently held up three fingers.

Yu Xiaoxiao whistled. “What are the odds? Xiao Er went for a run and dragged back the prime minister’s daughter.”

Xiao Er was in a daze. I brought home Zhao Qiuming’s daughter… and shared a bed with her…

“What now?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Xinglang.

“Can I trust anything you say?” Gu Xinglang asked the girl.

She nodded frantically. “I… I don’t want to die. Please let me go.”

Gu Xinglang stared at her coldly.

She quickly ducked her head again. So scary! I used to think he was handsome too! Poor Princess, married to such a scary man!

Yu Xiaoxiao clapped. “I’ll bring her to the palace. Let my dad have a look. Zhao Qiuming tried to trick him with a fake daughter, right? That’ll hurt him.”

Gu Xinglang blinked. She sounds… way too happy about that.

Yu Xiaoxiao’s eyes sparkled. “Once my dad feels betrayed, he’ll turn around and crush Zhao the Traitor! Xiao Gu, he’s done for!”