Feng Yao was slightly taken aback, then a knowing smile rippled through his eyes. His slender fingers lightly brushed the rim of his teacup as he teased, "What? Is my prince jealous?"
He deliberately drew out the last word, his gaze settling on Qian Renxue's flawless disguise as he tried to catch her true emotions beneath Xue Qinghe's gentle, jade-like mask.
The teacup in Qian Renxue's hand suddenly trembled, and several drops of amber tea splashed onto her snow-white sleeve. She instinctively turned her face aside, her lowered lashes revealing a rare hint of panic.
"Impudent!" Her voice still carried the prince's authority, but when it unconsciously rose, it took on Qian Renxue's uniquely crisp tone. "I-I merely think..." Her speech quickened without her noticing. "That skull bone is an excellent match for you, both in attribute and age. Giving it to Dugu Yan would really be..."
By the end, her voice had gradually fallen, and she sounded rather lacking in confidence.
A trace of gentleness flashed through Feng Yao's eyes. His fingers lightly stroked the edge of his cup as he said warmly, "That Spirit Bone may be good, but it isn't the best choice. Absorbing it rashly might instead limit my future development."
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes slightly, apparently dissatisfied with Feng Yao's explanation. "What grand words." Her fingers lightly tapped the table. "A mental-type skull bone over fifty thousand years old is rare even across the two great empires. Do you think they're trinkets sold on the street for you to pick from? Where will you find one in the future?"
Feng Yao slowly raised his hand, looked at Qian Renxue, and crooked a finger at her like a child. "Your Highness, come here."
Qian Renxue's gaze shifted slightly. She walked forward at an unhurried pace,