Soon after the vibrant summer rays have begun to warm the day, a loud commotion sounded outside the walls, sounding as if two people were bickering back and forth.

Sighing at his early awakening, ShuFang reluctantly got up, tied a white strip of cloth around his eyes, and changed into his casual attire before stepping out to check out what the commotion was all about.

"TaoBi hates you! Meanie! Bully!" TaoBi's voice screeched tearfully.

"Hmph, this servant has no time for your childish words! Summon your master immediately! Master Wang wishes to see him!" The servant who was with YiWang yesterday shouted back at TaoBi.

"Prick! Jerk!" TaoBi kept shouting, ignoring all of the servant's words. By now, the servant's face had turned red from anger.

"What's going on here?" ShuFang walked into the scene.

"Finally, you're here!" The servant grinned in relief. He faced ShuFang and said with a hint of arrogance, "My esteemed Master Wang demands for your presence! You will follow me immediately." The servant then started to walk off, as if he expected ShuFang to trail after obediently.

ShuFang snorted after seeing the servant's attitude and actions. 'Like master, like servant,' he thought. "My apologies, but I'm afraid I'm unavailable today." ShuFang rejected the 'offer' politely.

"What?" The servant turned around with a face full of shock. "You dare not obey my master's orders?"

"Is he required to?" Jun WeiXiang, who had awoken just now, stepped in front of ShuFang; an action that subtly showed others of his protectiveness towards ShuFang.

Because the servant had never seen the 5th prince before, he assumed that Jun WeiXiang was just a normal citizen; however, he was still afraid of Jun WeiXiang's cold aura. ShuFang felt the warm body standing in front of him, and unbeknownst to him, his heart had slowly started to mend itself back.

"O-of course!" The servant replied nervously. Although he was afraid of this man, this man couldn't possibly be more powerful than his master, the thirteenth prince.

"Is that so?" Jun WeiXiang said in an eerily emotionless voice as he stepped towards the servant.

"It's alright." ShuFang grabbed Jun WeiXiang's arm in an attempt to hold him back. Jun WeiXiang's cold aura instantly subsided as he stared at ShuFang's hand clutching his arm.

ShuFang paid no attention to it and told the servant, "Tell your master I would be glad to pay a visit later."

Jun WeiXiang grunted in disagreement and added, "I'll accompany you." He then turned around to whisper to ShuFang, "Wait for me. I need to get a mask." He needed to hide his face from his dear brother, after all.

"Why?" ShuFang whispered back.

"I-I think I've caught the flu." Jun WeiXiang clumsily made an excuse. ShuFang caught onto Jun WeiXiang's lie immediately, however, he did not expose him because he knew that Jun WeiXiang was lying to him for his own good. Jun WeiXiang believes that ShuFang has no knowledge of the true identity of 'Master Wang,' so in order to protect him, Jun WeiXiang has to conceal his appearance to prevent his brother from suspecting anything.

"Oh?" ShuFang put on a worried expression. He would play along with Jun WeiXiang's act. He lifted his hand and placed it randomly on Jun WeiXiang's face a few times in different locations before determining the location of Jun WeiXiang's forehead to feel the temperature.

Feeling ShuFang's chilly, smooth hand on his head, Jun WeiXiang couldn't help but blush--just a little.

"Your temperature is indeed higher than normal...are you sure you want to accompany me?" ShuFang asked.

"Of course!" Jun WeiXiang patted his chest. "Wait here!" Jun WeiXiang immediately ran back to his room to fetch his mask.

The servant saw the ambiguous attitude Jun WeiXiang had towards ShuFang and marked it in his heart to tell his master about it later.

-------

"Sir Wang, thank you for the invite." ShuFang plastered a fake smile on his face and tried to speak as amiably as he could.

"Yes, thanks for the invite." Jun WeiXiang sneered at his brother.

Seeing Jun WeiXiang's sarcastic attitude towards him, YiWang frowned in anger, but calmed himself down. He wasn't one of the strongest candidates for the throne for nothing. As soon as he obtained the Sightless Fairy's affection, he would send his people to kill this insolent citizen. Let's see how this insignificant human would dare scoff at him when he's being tortured to death.

Both ShuFang and Jun WeiXiang felt YiWang's animosity. Jun WeiXiang was still inwardly sneering at YiWang, while ShuFang was worried about Jun WeiXiang. After all, although he knew Jun WeiXiang was the 5th prince and would most likely not be harmed in public's eyes, he also knew that YiWang could harm Jun WeiXiang in the dark.

'I won't allow you to hurt ShuFang.'

'I won't allow you to hurt Jun WeiXiang.'

Possessing similar yet different thoughts at the same time, both ShuFang and Jun WeiXiang tightened the hands hidden within their long sleeves.