The Dragon's Flower

XH 84 - Don't let anyone see it!

The Eighth Prince playing with a wooden toy was a normal sight. No one expected much from the silly Eighth Prince. Pretending to be a ten year old boy with the mind of a five year old kid, Heise had to show some interest with the toy in his hand no matter how stupid it made him feel.

Arriving early to a celebration was never a good thing in this era. It's too boring and no one approached or sparing any attention towards him. There was only tea on his table and he was already bored of drinking it every day.

In his original world, Heise was a rich second generation kid, as well as the only son and the heir of his family's business. The parties he usually attended were either hosted by his family or by the clique that had treated him like a prince due to his background. He never wanted to attend those parties but because of his family name, he had to maintain his good image and stay connected with his clique just in case one day he needed help.  

Heise admitted that he was not truly happy despite living a luxurious lifestyle. His parents demanded him to fulfill their high expectations and Heise disliked it when they were often busy with their work and parties than to spend more time with him. Heise grew up under the care of a nanny and his parents showed their attention and love by giving him a large amount of pocket money. His clique befriended him because they were asked by their parents, and he does not even know which one was genuinely there as his friend.

In Heise's eyes, the world was always white and black and the only thing that could brighten his world was dangerous sports. However, it was put to an end when he suffered a serious injury that rendered him unconscious for two days and his parents forbid him from doing those sports again.

Since he was banned from joining dangerous sports, he joined a martial arts club that he managed to persuade his parents to allow him, and learned using many kinds of weapons. It was then Heise met him in the club; the man that filled his world with rainbow colors with his kind smile and friendly attitude.

From then on, Heise did his best to get his attention, and his hard work gave him a fruitful result! He agreed to date him after Heise introduced him to gay love. But Heise knew that his girlfriend was still being disinclined about their relationship and decided to do something about it.

That was the beginning of his journey of a web writer that resulted in him being transmigrated into his own bloody novel.

Surprisingly, he has gotten some parental love he yearned for, along with the add-ons that came along with the main hardware; the siblings' love.

Long Lian truly treated him as her little brother, despite being annoyed by his clinginess. The Third Prince treated him as the substitute of his real eighth brother but Heise does not mind it, so long he does not suddenly wake up and want him dead. The Fourth Prince always gave him candies whenever he visited, and the Crown Prince tends to treat him like a puppy.

As for the Second Prince, he disregarded his existence. It actually hurts that his son ignored him, his creator! His father! (°ㅂ°╬)

After his twelfth attempt of searching for a familiar face, he finally spotted Princess Long Lian, one of the few people that could ease his boredom.

The Eighth Prince's eyes sparkled with interest when he saw Long Lian making her way to the Third Prince, who had just arrived, dressed in surprisingly subdued attire. Tossing the wooden toy to Eunuch Heng that was beside him, he controlled his short legs to move towards the two of them.

The Third Prince raised an eyebrow when he saw his younger sister and his eighth brother making their way towards him with a spark of determination in their eyes. Waiting until both his younger siblings reached him, the Third Prince leads them to a secluded place for discussion that must not be known to other parties.

The Third Prince's secret guards were enough to stop any busybodies from trying to eavesdrop on them. Long Lian waved Tang Mei, her personal maid to stand guard at a far distance and the Eighth Prince did the same to Eunuch Heng.

Once they were finally alone, Long Lian immediately asked, "Third brother, why did you cancel last night's party?" She placed both of her hands on her hips to make herself look intimidating.

The Third Prince silently thought that his younger sister was no longer adorable. He refused to believe that his little flower was the one that corrupted his sister. After all, Xiao Hua was a good girl.

"What I say must not reach other's ears, understand?" Long Lian and the Eighth Prince nodded seriously when the Third Prince's gentle smile disappeared.

"Xiao Hua had gotten injured from an assassination attempt. The mastermind was already handled properly."

Long Lian's face paled as rage and fear rose like a great wave inside her. She was about to demand why she was not told about it when the Eighth Prince beat her to it.

"Xiao Hua was injured?! Why didn't you tell me?"

The Third Prince feels it was amusing that his eighth brother would be worried about his fellow transmigrator when he would pick a fight with Xiao Hua every time they meet. As long as Heise's worry was not more than how friends worried about each other, he would not destroy the bond between them.

"I'm telling you now, did I not?" The Third Prince replied carelessly. "Xiao Hua will like it if both of you visit her later."

"Even without you saying, I will visit her later!" The Eighth Prince huffed angrily and the shape of his swelled white, soft cheeks was like a steamed bun. "Why would Xiao Hua be injured? Isn't she always followed by that 'Kakashi' kid?"

The Third Prince raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar word, but knowing it was another word that Heise and Le XiaoTing could understand, he overlooked it as he could mysteriously understand who Heise was referring to.

The Third Prince had guessed correctly, as Le XiaoTing did know about Heise's nickname for Da Bei, which was 'Kakashi'. It was a character from the 《Naruto》 manga that wore a black face mask as well.

"Da Bei is negligent and had been appropriately punished. He would not dare to leave Xiao Hua alone next time in the future."

"This isn't the right time and place for this discussion," Long Lian cut in, which was surprising as she would be the one that demanded answers instead. But she was right, as they were currently in the palace celebrating the New Years and people will talk about how long they had disappeared.

Long Lian took out a funny looking paper and handed it to the Third Prince. "This is my birthday present for you, third brother. I had actually planned to give it to you last night."

The Third Prince gingerly took it, and turned it around to examine it. "What is this?"

"That's an envelope," the Eighth Prince answered and asked Long Lian, "Xiao Hua taught you how to make it?"

"Yes! Carefully open the seal! It's made from a melted candle!"

The Third Prince lightly tug open the seal and found a folded short letter inside. He unfolded it and found the content was rather weird.

"I'm having trouble thinking up a good present for you, so Xiao Hua suggested this to me. This paper works just like the pawn item's receipt! You can ask me to do one favor when you return this paper to me! But this paper only works for one year so remember to ask me for a favor before this year passes."

"That's a neat idea."

Long Lian nodded enthusiastically. "Xiao Hua always solves my problem!"

The Third Prince stared at the paper in his hands with a thin layer of depression surrounding him. If it was Xiao Hua that gave him this present, he would be happier...but that does not mean he was unhappy with the pouch.

"Third brother...you can't be upset that Xiao Hua was not the one that gives you that instead, don't you?"

(^_<)〜☆ Spot on, darling lil' sis~

"Third brother...did you forget you are Xiao Hua's master? Giving you that paper would be useless when you can order her around."

Long Lian does not know that the Third Prince could no longer treat Xiao Hua as his servant. Since the day he found out that Xiao Hua was a transmigrator, he felt that it was wrong to treat her as a servant. He does not mind treating the original Xiao Hua as his servant because she was a servant in his first life, with her life rightfully belonged to his younger sister.

The transmigrated Xiao Hua looked different than the original one where the current Xiao Hua looks prettier and adorable than the original could ever be. It was not difficult to differentiate them.

"Then my present would work well for you." The Eighth Prince handed the Third Prince a thin, blue book with a saucy grin that looks wrong on a child's face.

With a raised eyebrow, the Third Prince took it. The Eighth Prince quickly stopped him when he was going to open it.

"Don't read it here! Do that when you are alone! Remember, don't let anyone see it!"

"Why not?" Long Lian whined. Her interest was piqued when the Eighth Prince forbade the Third Prince to read it until he was alone.

"It can only be seen by third brother! The content is thought up by me and Eunuch Heng is the artist!" The Eighth Prince boasted smugly before saying seriously. "If you don't mind being embarrassed, go ahead and show it to others. But Xiao Hua would faint if someone saw it."

"What's inside?" Long Lian demanded and tried to grab the book but the Third Prince raised his hand high until his younger sister could not reach it with her shorter height.

The Third Prince's interest was piqued as well. From what his eighth brother had said, inside this book contained some valuable knowledge that would involve Xiao Hua. The content would be embarrassing and personal. 

He could not wait to read it.