Cui Rong paused briefly, his fingers curling slightly beneath his sleeves. He raised his eyes and replied, "Rest assured, Your Highness. Prince Xuan knows."
After hearing this, the Crown Prince lowered his lashes slightly. "That's good... whether Sixth Imperial Brother believes it or not, I have never wanted to compete with him."
Even for the position of heir apparent, he had never wanted to contend with him.
Sixth Imperial Brother... was more capable than he was, and better suited to being the heir apparent.
He slipped on his inner robe and stepped out of the bath.
Seeing his bare feet, Cui Rong's gaze flickered. He hurriedly picked up the slippers and approached him. "Your Highness, the floor is cold."
A clean, cool scent wafted toward him. Cui Rong's heart jolted, and he felt his blood surge.
He collected himself, suppressing the feelings threatening to burst forth, and crouched before him. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Your Highness... lift your foot."
The Crown Prince instinctively lifted his foot at his words.
When he came to his senses and tried to withdraw it, Cui Rong caught his ankle.
"Don't move, Your Highness," Cui Rong said in a low voice.
The Crown Prince's ears twitched, and his gaze shifted away. "Little Uncle, you don't have to do this..."
"It's no trouble," Cui Rong replied quietly.
Looking at the smooth, pale foot before him, his gaze darkened, and his fingers stroked it intermittently.
"Little Uncle?"
Seeing him staring at his foot, a trace of unease flashed in the Crown Prince's eyes, and he unconsciously drew back.
Cui Rong lowered his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "Your Highness, lift your other foot..."
"Oh."
The Crown Prince lifted his foot. He was just about to thank him when Cui Rong abruptly turned away and