Enigma Of The Pendant.

Ding Xue sat at the table, holding a cup in one hand and a half lotus jade pendant in the other. She drank her water slowly, feeling it cool her throat.

She gazed at the pendant, spinning it between her fingers.

Memories flooded her mind — the runaway carriage, her arms flailing in panic and snatching the pendant from the assassin's neck by chance. She shivered as she remembered the assassin's angry glare when he had tried to grab it back.

The pendant must have meant something to him; maybe it was his family heirloom or a token of his rank among his kind. Ding Xue did not care. She was pleased that he had lost something valuable to him. He deserved it for daring to harm her. Ding Xue planned to give the pendant to her maid as a reward for devising a clever plan to distance Liu Fen from the Crown Prince. The maid had left a few moments ago to set their plan into motion. Anticipation gnawed at Ding Xue — would the plan work? Would the crown prince spurn Liu Fen and turn his eyes to Ding Xue instead? Would he look at Ding Xue with love and desire in his eyes.

Ding Xue downed her water and reached for the silver pitcher to refill her cup, but before she could do so, voices reached her from outside the door. She recognized one of them as her maid's. The other one was deeper, richer, more familiar. It was him. The Crown Prince.

Ding Xue felt a surge of excitement. She quickly put down the pitcher and the pendant and ran to her bed, pulling the covers over herself.

The door opened with a creak. Her maid entered, announcing, "Miss ,His Highness the Crown Prince is here." She stepped aside to reveal the Crown Prince.

Ding Xue's breath hitched as she took in his sight - he was more captivating than she remembered. His hair was neatly tied up with a silver crown that sparkled under the light. He was adorned in a robe of pure white silk that complemented his fair complexion perfectly. A light blue silk belt cinched his waist, and a wide-sleeved outer jacket of the same color draped over him, enhancing his regal aura. His dark eyes radiated warmth and kindness, and his smile was nothing short of enchanting.

He walked over to the table took a seat. "A'Xue," he looked at her with concern , "how are you feeling?"

Tears welled up in Ding Xue's eyes as she mustered up her most pitiful expression.