The two words, "like you," were repeated twice. On the third repetition, it became three words: "really like you."

Jiang Zheyu paused. It wasn’t as if no one had ever confessed their feelings to her. In fact, quite the opposite—because she was so beautiful, many had.

Their confessions always went something like this:

"Jiang Zheyu, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Jiang Zheyu, be my girlfriend."

"Jiang Zheyu, I like you. Like me back, won’t you?"

...

’This seemed to be the first time someone had confessed to her without demanding a response.’

After saying this, Xiao Luo was suddenly overcome with a strange sadness. It felt like he was saying goodbye to the person he liked. No, it wasn’t a feeling—he *was* saying goodbye to the person he liked.

It was just a confession that would surely go unreciprocated.

And he wasn’t worthy of a response from Princess Zheyu.

He was just a humble butler.

The thought that he would never see Princess Zheyu again made the sadness swell, and his eyes began to redden at the rims.

Jiang Zheyu fell silent.

’She carefully considered her feelings for Xiao Luo and realized she only saw him with the affection one has for a little brother, or for something cute.’

’There really didn’t seem to be any romantic feelings involved.’

After a long pause, she finally said softly, "Thank you for your feelings."

"Alright. I’ll be heading back, then. Please get some rest, Princess Zheyu." Xiao Luo seemed relieved, offering a faint smile.

As Xiao Luo was about to leave, a thought occurred to Jiang Zheyu and she called out to him.

"Um... even though you’re leaving my palace, you can still be a butler in another one. A butler’s position in the Imperial Family is quite good, after all." Jiang Zheyu quietly added, "Because love isn’t everything. Money is."

’Oops, I let my pragmatic side show again.’

’Sigh. Without money, love doesn’t really count for much.’

’After all, love without a material foundation is just like a castle made of sand.’

Xiao Luo seemed taken aback for a moment by her words, then the corners of his lips lifted in a faint smile. "You’re right, Your Highness."

"Yes. For now, just go get a good night’s rest." Jiang Zheyu offered a small smile of her own.

Xiao Luo left.

Jiang Zheyu returned to her room as well and lay down to rest.

She felt like she hadn’t slept for long.

The first thing she heard early in the morning was the sound of the Little Princess of the Empire having a meltdown. Sporting dark circles under her eyes, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and glanced at the rear garden before closing the window and going back to bed.

Jiang Zheyu slept straight through until noon, after which she took a long, refreshing bath.

She then noticed that even though it was noon, the Little Princess of the Empire was still throwing a fit in the garden. ’She must be incredibly worked up,’ Jiang Zheyu thought. ’She hasn’t calmed down at all.’

She quietly averted her gaze and slowly turned her attention to her Light Brain. The message she’d sent to Feng Qi finally had a reply.

Feng Qi: Jiang Yuyu, I miss you so much, so much! I’m dying, I miss you so much!

Yu Yu: Answer my last question. Before I purified you, what was your Beastification Value?

Feng Qi: Reporting to my Female Master, my Beastification Value was 0!

Jiang Zheyu frowned at Feng Qi’s answer. ’Zero? What does he mean, zero? I remember clearing over 100 points of his Beastification Value when I purified him.’

’His Beastification Value was already over 90, for goodness’ sake.’

A moment later, a holographic video call from her Light Brain came through.

Jiang Zheyu hesitated. ’I don’t think I’ve ever answered one of these holographic calls before.’

After a few seconds’ delay, she tapped "Accept."

A stunningly realistic hologram of Feng Qi materialized before her, like a person appearing out of thin air in a magic trick.

"Jiang Yuyu! Jiang Yuyu!" The instant Feng Qi’s hologram saw Jiang Zheyu, he was like a dog that had just spotted a bone. His dark eyes sparkled so brightly they were almost blinding as he excitedly lunged forward to embrace her. He cupped her face and peppered it with kisses, making loud SMOOCH SMOOCH SMOOCH sounds.

Before Jiang Zheyu could even react, she felt her face being covered in a layer of saliva. But when she instinctively reached up to touch her cheek, it was completely dry.

’So this is what a fully immersive 3D holographic call is like. The sensory feedback perfectly matches reality, yet it’s not quite the same.’

’How amazing,’ Jiang Zheyu thought.

Even though there was no actual drool, the sensation of it being smeared on her skin was incredibly real. And Feng Qi was *still* kissing her face.

Jiang Zheyu quickly raised a hand to push his face away. "Alright, that’s enough. I’ll get angry if you kiss me again."

"If I can’t kiss your face, can I kiss your hand?" Feng Qi lowered his gaze, looking at her with a wide grin. Before she could answer, he had already taken her hand and started kissing it. After the sensation of her face being covered in slobber, she now felt as if her fingers were getting the same treatment.

"Female Master, your hands are so beautiful. So nice to kiss."

"Female Master, I like you so much! I miss you, I miss you, I miss you! Do you miss me?"

"Jiang Yuyu, do you miss me?"

"I’m dying, I miss you so much, Jiang Yuyu."

"Jiang Yuyu, I want to kiss you again. Come on, give me a kiss."

The man’s voice was low, filled with endless desire and longing.

’I absolutely cannot let him keep going like this!’

"No more kissing!" Jiang Zheyu clamped her hand over Feng Qi’s mouth.

And then she felt her palm grow damp.

"Jiang Yuyu, ever wanted to try what it feels like to... *do it* over a holographic call?" Feng Qi’s dark eyes looked at Jiang Zheyu, a faint smile playing on his lips, full of playful aggression and affection.

The man’s hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his body.

The next second, back on his end, Feng Qi’s arms were suddenly empty. The person before him had vanished. He realized she had hung up the holographic call. He laughed helplessly. ’But I really miss my Yu Yu so much,’ he thought. ’I really want to *do it* with my Yu Yu.’

’I can’t seem to control myself.’

’The moment I see Jiang Zheyu, I can’t help but get close to her, can’t stop myself from showing her how much I like her.’

’I just want us to be closer, and closer...’

Jiang Zheyu fell silent for a moment. ’This Feng Qi is acting like he’s in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. Every time he sees me, he’s begging for kisses and hugs.’

’I’ve completely forgotten what I was even trying to ask him.’

Jiang Zheyu scrolled through their chat history and finally remembered what she wanted to ask.

On his end, Feng Qi had been spamming her with messages ever since she’d hung up on him.

Feng Qi: *Sob sob*, Yu Yu, you don’t love me anymore.

Feng Qi: Am I not the man you love most?

Feng Qi: Have you found some other man?

Feng Qi: I really miss my Yu Yu.

...

’It seems Feng Qi still doesn’t know what’s been happening here in the Imperial City.’

’Then again, he must be busy with something over there and can’t get back. Telling him would probably be pointless anyway.’

’Besides, my spiritual power is now even higher than Feng Qi’s group. There’s really no need to trouble them with a trip back.’

So, Jiang Zheyu decided not to tell him about it.

Instead, she went back to asking her original question.