Luo Tiantian appeared in the Sleeping Palace.
There was a soft couch, gauze curtains, a bronze mirror, and an incense burner.
And Xiao Tao was kneeling in the corner.
“My Lady, you’re finally awake! Your Majesty just sent someone to ask for you. She said that if you were awake, you should go to the Deer Terrace Pavilion to see her.”
Without a word, Luo Tiantian lifted his skirt and ran outside.
Xiao Tao chased after him. “My Lady, your shoes! You aren’t wearing your shoes!”
Luo Tiantian had already bolted out the door.
Xiao Tao held the shoes, unable to catch up.
***
Deer Terrace Pavilion.
Upon the high platform, a woman in red leaned against the soft couch, gazing at the distant mountains.
Hearing footsteps, she turned her head.
Luo Tiantian stood at the bottom of the steps, panting. His hair was a bit messy, his skirt was stained with dust, and he wore nothing but socks on his feet.
Shen Xixi was stunned for a moment. “Why did you run so fast?”
“Your Majesty!”
Luo Tiantian’s cheeks were flushed red as he rushed up and threw himself beside the soft couch. “You finally logged in! Waaaah, your servant has been waiting so miserably, baaa—”
The hand Shen Xixi used to hold her wine cup trembled slightly.
A few drops of wine spilled, landing on the back of her hand.
Luo Tiantian quickly pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped it away. As he wiped, he looked at her with watery eyes, a thin layer of sweat forming on the tip of his nose from his frantic run.
“Your Majesty, where have you been these past few days? Your servant sent so many messages, but you didn’t reply to a single one. I thought… I thought you didn’t want your servant anymore…”
Shen Xixi bit her lip slightly.
This face was so beautiful it didn’t seem real—though, of course, it wasn’t.
The brows and eyes were naturally tinged with sorrow, but at this moment, he was forcing a pleasing smile. The corners of his mouth curved up while the corners of his eyes drooped, making him look like a puppy desperately wagging its tail while fearing it might be kicked.
Shen Xixi didn’t speak.
Luo Tiantian felt a bit panicked.
‘Why isn’t she following the script?’
King You should be pinching his face, or hugging his waist, or directly starting to… or something like that. Then the Assistance Points would increase.
Today, there was no reaction at all.
The Assistance Points hadn’t budged.
The Game Coins hadn’t budged either.
‘Something is wrong, baaa.’
“Your Majesty, have you lost weight?” Luo Tiantian reached out and gently touched Shen Xixi’s cheek. “It breaks your servant’s heart to see.”
Shen Xixi’s eyelashes trembled. She leaned back, avoiding Luo Tiantian’s touch.
Luo Tiantian’s hand froze in midair. “Your Majesty?”
Shen Xixi turned her head away. “I haven’t lost weight, and I’m fine. I’ve just been… a bit busy lately.”
Luo Tiantian blinked.
‘Busy? What is a rich player busy with?’
But whatever the Sponsor Mom said was law; he just had to coax her.
“Is Your Majesty finished with your business, then? Your servant missed you so much my heart actually aches.”
Shen Xixi’s expression grew even more mournful.
She wanted to say: ‘Don’t be so good to me. I’ve run out of money. I probably can’t give you anything anymore.’
Shen Xixi didn’t want to treat Baosi as just an NPC.
In her eyes, this was a real person.
He needed money, he needed sincerity, and he needed to be treated well.
But she was stuck on the very first requirement.
Without money, Shen Xixi felt she couldn’t continue to love Baosi.
It was a psychological barrier.
She felt wilted.
She only gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, picked up her wine cup, and took a sip.
Luo Tiantian stared at that wine cup, his mind racing.
‘What’s the situation?’
Before, whenever King You saw him, she couldn’t wait to pin him to the couch and mess with him. Why was she so cold today? It was like she was a different person.
‘Did I do something to upset her?’
‘Or is it something with her family?’
When Shen Xixi got drunk and logged off that day, she seemed to have said something about “the family forcing me to go abroad” and “marriage.”
Luo Tiantian had been feeling quite miserable himself at the time, so he hadn’t heard clearly.
“Your Majesty, have you… encountered some troubling matters?”
Shen Xixi didn’t answer.
Luo Tiantian waited for a few seconds. When no response came, he felt even more anxious.
He gritted his teeth, knelt upright, moved to Shen Xixi’s side, and gently hugged her arm.
“Your Majesty, if you are unhappy, your servant will just sit here with you. If you don’t speak, your servant won’t either. If you want to drink, your servant will pour for you. If you want to feel the breeze, your servant will stay and feel it with you.”
Shen Xixi lowered her head, looking at the head resting on her shoulder.
Baosi’s hair was very soft and had a faint fragrance.
Shen Xixi felt as if something had gently scratched her heart, making it feel both aching and soft.
“You… you don’t have to be like this.”
“Your servant is willing. If Your Majesty is good to your servant, your servant will be good to Your Majesty.”
Shen Xixi remained silent.
‘Good? How am I good?’
Everything she had given Baosi was merely bought with money.
The rewards, the hugs, and the kisses were all paid for.
Now that the money was gone, what else could she give?
Without money, there was no happiness.
“Your Majesty.” Luo Tiantian looked up. “Won’t you pat your servant’s head? Please, give me a smile.”
Shen Xixi looked at him.
Her fingers landed on the top of Baosi’s head, and she rubbed gently.
Luo Tiantian narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, letting out a satisfied, soft hum.
Shen Xixi’s eyes suddenly felt a bit stinging.
She hurriedly withdrew her hand and turned her head away.
Luo Tiantian was stunned.
‘Wait, why did she pull back again?’
‘Your Majesty is really off today.’
‘Something is definitely wrong.’
‘Is she… bored of me?’
‘You’ve got to be kidding. There’s no seven-year itch; it hasn’t even been seven days, baaa!’
If the Sponsor Mom got bored, he would lose his job. If he lost his job, he wouldn’t have money for treatment. If he didn’t have money for treatment, he would die.
Luo Tiantian was about to start his full routine of acting spoiled and rolling around.
**[Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Prologue]**
**[Requirement: Within three days of game time, ensure the character is within the vicinity of Lishan Palace and complete at least one daily interaction with King You (interaction must include a ‘smile’ element).]**
**[Estimated total rewards for all chapters of Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Assistance Points x50-200, Game Coins x100-500, Special Title x1, Reality Sync Buff Item.]**
**[Please complete the prerequisite requirements as soon as possible.]**
Luo Tiantian blinked as he looked at the prompt that suddenly popped up.
‘Oh, right.’
‘I still have a major quest.’
The story of “Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords.”
In order to make Baosi smile, King You of Zhou played with the signal fires to tease the feudal lords, which eventually led to the fall of the kingdom.
Lishan Palace.
He was currently at the Deer Terrace Pavilion, which was in Haojing. Traveling from Haojing to Lishan… would take some time.
Moreover, the interaction had to include an element that would lead to a smile.
‘Does tickling count?’ Luo Tiantian wondered to himself.
Shen Xixi rubbed the corners of her eyes, which were slightly red.
She had to earn money.
She definitely had to take good care of Baosi.
Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind.
‘Since I have to go earn money anyway…’
‘Before I go, why not enjoy myself one more time?’
‘Earn money, live life, and play with Baosi.’
That was the only bit of joy she had left.
“Baosi.”
“Hmm?” Luo Tiantian looked up, his eyes sparkling. “Your Majesty called for your servant?”
Shen Xixi reached out and pinched his cheek.
Soft.
So soft.
Luo Tiantian was a bit dazed from being pinched, but it was a good thing that the Sponsor Mom was initiating contact.
‘Hehehe.’
He quickly put on his most obedient expression. His eyes curved into crescents, and the corners of his mouth tilted up slightly as he tried his best to look well-behaved, easy to pinch, and fun to play with.
Looking at this face, the hesitation in Shen Xixi’s heart surfaced again.
‘No.’
‘I don’t even have money anymore, yet I’m still here taking advantage of him. Isn’t that a bit shameless?’
‘But…’
‘Just one more time.’
‘The last time.’
Once she earned some money, she would come back and treat Baosi properly.
“Your Majesty?” Seeing that she wasn’t speaking, Luo Tiantian felt a bit nervous. “Are you unhappy again?”
“No.”
Shen Xixi let go of his face, moved further back onto the soft couch, and patted the spot beside her.
“Get up here and do it yourself.”