Jiang Zheyu sulked melancholically in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

The female lead she admired was completely different in person, and it gave her the heart-wrenching feeling of an online relationship crashing and burning upon the first real-life meeting.

She silently closed the floor-to-ceiling window and slowly walked toward her bed. ’Whatever, I’ll just sleep on it.’

Jiang Zheyu then remembered who the man with the female lead was. With those gray-white eyes, the villain could only be Hui—the leader of Star Investment, the Star Thief Organization that explored for Star Stones. The female lead had followed him before she turned over a new leaf.

Star Investment had once been an illegal Star Thief Organization operating without a star-mining license. Later, thanks to the female lead, it was absorbed by the Empire and had become a legitimate corporation. Hui, that same man from before, was now its top executive.

Hui, the head of Star Investment, was born with pink eyes. He hated how harmless they looked, so he underwent surgery to replace them with mechanical ones of a different color. That’s why his eyes were gray-white—they were artificial.

Interstellar technology was so advanced that even mechanical eyes looked almost identical to natural ones. It was impossible to spot any sign of the surgery. The only differences were the unusual color and their extra functions, like the ability to see farther and with greater detail.

Of course, such eyes required costly annual maintenance.

Jiang Zheyu recalled that Hui, just like the female lead, had come from the slums.

’Now that he’s climbed his way out of the slums to a high position, has he forgotten where he came from?’

She let out an exasperated laugh. ’If anyone’s a dirty little sewer rat, it’s him!’

’Hui used to live by the stinking gutters of the slums! Stealing, fighting, coveting other people’s valuables... He was no saint back then!’

’He’s the real dirty little sewer rat, coveting what belongs to others!’

Later on, as the female lead became more and more exceptional and attracted a growing number of admirers, Hui grew insecure and touchy.

After silently roasting them a few more times, Jiang Zheyu finally relaxed enough to go to sleep.

Lying back in bed, she remembered she still had to live here for two more months. The female lead was staying in the adjacent palace for who-knows-how-long, meaning they could run into each other at any moment. Then there was the Little Princess of the Empire on the other side, who might just have a random meltdown in the middle of the night.

Jiang Zheyu: ...

’Three palaces, three women... this was shaping up to be a real soap opera.’

’Maybe I should just move out. I want no part in this drama.’

’I’ll apply to leave the Imperial Palace tomorrow!’

This time, she finally slept soundly until morning.

Jiang Zheyu enjoyed a refreshing morning routine, then changed into a set of loose, casual clothes in a dark red color.

The red accentuated the fairness of her skin. Her beautiful, delicate features weren’t overshadowed by the bold color; on the contrary, she made the simple red outfit look refined.

’It was mainly just to wear a different color for a change.’

Jiang Zheyu walked out of her room and into the living area, where she found breakfast already set on the table.

Xiao Luo approached to greet her, his sparkling pink eyes fixed on her, a gentle, faint smile on his face. "Good morning, Princess Zheyu. Breakfast is ready for you."

"Good morning." Jiang Zheyu returned his faint smile and greeting. She glanced at the food on the table. "Oh? No nutrient solution for breakfast today?"

’I wonder how breakfast in the Imperial Palace differs from what everyone else eats?’

Jiang Zheyu walked to the dining table and sat down, while Xiao Luo stood beside her, serving the dishes onto her plate.

"I heard Princess Zheyu used to enjoy solid food, so I took the liberty of arranging this. I hope you like it," Xiao Luo said softly.

Jiang Zheyu wasn’t particularly optimistic, but she didn’t want to disappoint Xiao Luo’s kind gesture.

She picked up her fork, speared some of the green vegetables, and put them in her mouth.

A moment later, she silently put her fork down.

"There, there. Let’s just stick to the nutrient solution," Jiang Zheyu said, giving Xiao Luo a gentle, harmless smile.

Xiao Luo understood immediately. He had been too clever for his own good, assuming the female would like it. His eyelashes lowered, and he bowed slightly, his voice utterly deferential. "My apologies, Your Highness. I won’t be so presumptuous again. I will fetch a new nutrient solution for you at once."

"Huh?" Jiang Zheyu let out, stunned.

’No, that’s not what I meant at all.’

But Xiao Luo had already left to get the nutrient solution.

Jiang Zheyu decided she would have to wait for him to return with the nutrient solution to explain properly. She wasn’t angry with him at all.

’Don’t be so sensitive and insecure, kid.’

’Pfft, not a kid. Hmm, what’s the word for him? I can’t seem to find the right descriptor.’

Xiao Luo’s appearance was just too deceiving; sometimes, Jiang Zheyu would subconsciously forget he was over a hundred years old.

"Princess Zheyu, these are all the flavors of nutrient solution you used to like," Xiao Luo said, presenting a whole tray of them for Jiang Zheyu to choose from. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Thank you." Jiang Zheyu picked up a Strawberry Nutrient Supplement.

Seeing Xiao Luo start to clear the food from the table, she quickly explained, "I wasn’t blaming you just now. I’m not angry, so please don’t take it to heart."

Xiao Luo paused in the middle of clearing the table.

’The female didn’t need to explain herself to him. She certainly didn’t need to apologize.’

"Princess Zheyu, you don’t need to explain anything to me," Xiao Luo said with a faint smile. "I didn’t take it to heart, so please don’t trouble yourself over it."

"Okay, good. That’s a relief," Jiang Zheyu said, sighing.

Xiao Luo lowered his eyes slightly. ’Why does Her Highness care what I think? Is it because she cares about me?’

’In truth, Xiao Luo knew Princess Zheyu was simply kind and polite to everyone. It wasn’t the special attention he imagined.’

’But thinking otherwise just seemed to make him a little happier.’

’Princess Zheyu cares about him. A pleasant feeling welled up inside him just at the thought.’

"Have Commander Su and Captain Feng not returned yet?" Jiang Zheyu asked Xiao Luo, taking a sip of her nutrient solution.

"To answer the Princess, Commander Su and Captain Feng have not yet returned," Xiao Luo replied softly.

Just as Xiao Luo finished speaking, two figures walked in from outside.

’Speak of the devil...’

"What were you two up to last night?" Jiang Zheyu asked curiously.

"Just a bit of sparring." Su Yan walked to Jiang Zheyu’s side. He cupped her face with one large hand, took out a silk handkerchief, and leaned down to gently wipe the corner of her mouth. His movements were incredibly tender. "Yu Yu, you spilled some of your Strawberry Nutrient Supplement."

Jiang Zheyu swallowed the last of her Strawberry Nutrient Supplement. Watching Su Yan, his eyes lowered in concentration as he wiped her lips, she felt her cheeks flush. She cleared her throat softly. "Thank you."