"Go and call your master here. I want a proper explanation."
"Ah? Y-Yes!" The old servant panicked and retreated quickly. His Highness Prince Xiao looked furious—what had just happened? Surely, his master wouldn't make such a mistake...
But in the next moment, a figure from another world, dressed in white, appeared before everyone. He smiled, radiating an air of gentle breeze and elegance. In a refined tone, he declared, "Yes, this is indeed a treasure that I, Bai, selected with great care. The young lady is absolutely right. That is none other than the legendary thousand-year-old cucumber!"
What?! Everyone's eyes widened in shock—including Su Yiyi, who wondered if they had misheard.
The handsome man in white looked toward Room 32 with admiration. "Young lady, your vision is truly extraordinary. Most people wouldn't be able to recognize a treasure like this."
His sharp gaze swept the room as Master Bai stepped forward calmly, not a hint of guilt on his face. Nalan Xiao held the cucumber in his hand, and after hearing Master Bai's words, the arrogance on his face vanished completely.
People said that commoners couldn't recognize such treasures! Was he, the mighty Prince Xiao, supposed to admit he didn't know what it was? Impossible!
"Your Highness, you are highly skilled in martial arts, so I kindly ask you to be gentle. If not, the thousand-year-old cucumber that I painstakingly obtained may be crushed in your grasp!" Master Bai stepped up with a black iron treasure box, standing right before Nalan Xiao. The prince looked a bit dazed, then silently put the cucumber into the box—his movements were unusually serious and careful.
"Cousin, who is this Master Bai?" Su Yiyi finally snapped out of her daze. She had no idea why this mysterious man would lie and go along with her act. Was he a fellow transmigrator?
"No one knows where Master Bai comes from. His identity is a mystery. He enjoys making friends from all walks of life and hosting elegant gatherings. He's said to be talented and refined. Moreover, Master Bai and my cousin share a certain friendship."
Perhaps, Jiang Yunting thought, Master Bai was one of the rare people in the world who admired his cousin as much as he did—so naturally, he believed Master Bai must be a good person!
"Friendship?" Su Yiyi's eyes sparkled with a curious light. Her gaze grew deep and unreadable. She clapped her hands. "That's decided then. I want to be friends with him too!"
"Third Cousin?" Jiang Yunting stared into Su Yiyi's gleaming eyes, feeling a strange pang of jealousy rising in his chest.
An uneasiness took root in him, growing stronger and stronger.
He had a bad feeling that one day, all the gloom and dirt clinging to Su Yiyi would be swept away. She would shine before the world—radiant and dazzling. He wouldn't be the only one admiring her anymore. More and more people would be drawn to her charm.
And when that day came... she would drift farther and farther away from him.
He... didn't want that. He wanted to change everything. He wanted to always stay by her side. He wanted... to make her his.
"I wonder if Miss Su likes this gift?" Master Bai approached Su Wanwan with the cucumber in hand. His warm smile made it impossible to feel any resentment.
The woman before him was momentarily stunned, then smiled awkwardly. "I... I like it... I do..."
"Good. I was worried Miss Su might not appreciate it. Most people are drawn to gold, silver, or gemstones. But someone of your inner character surely doesn't value material things, do you?" His words carried a subtle weight, and Nalan Xiao, standing beside him, caught the implication.
Had he misunderstood Wanwan? But why? By logic, they should already know each other...
"Of course, this is a kindness from Master Bai. Wanwan will cherish such a precious gift." Su Wanwan showed no sign of anger. She accepted it with poise and grace. Yet when she lowered her eyes, she noticed the glint of sharpness in the man's gaze.
Suddenly, she remembered something—Master Bai knew who had written the poem on the prince's painting!
For a moment, panic flashed across Su Wanwan's heart. She instinctively stepped back, putting distance between herself and Master Bai. If he exposed the truth to the prince now, wouldn't she...?
No, she had to win over the prince first!
It was just a poem. How much affection could a person really have for someone they'd never even met? Besides, Su Wanwan had confidence. After just half a day, she felt the distance between her and the prince had already narrowed greatly.
Master Bai didn't miss the guilty look on her face. The prince was suddenly showing such closeness toward her—was there something suspicious going on?
"Miss Su, you can take this cucumber home and hang it on your wall. That way, everyone will know you won first prize in today's poetry contest." Master Bai lifted the corners of his mouth slightly, ignoring her unnatural expression. He smiled lightly. "Thank you all for attending. Until next year, everyone."
The crowd was still thrilled, but all good things must come to an end. Reluctantly, they began to leave the private chamber.
"Master, are the items in the black iron treasure box really cucumbers?" At this moment, even the old servant beside him wasn't so sure.
Master Bai sneered. "Of course not."
He still didn't know who had managed to steal his soul pet. Although it was only a low-level one and not irreplaceable, he just didn't like Su Wanwan. Giving her a real treasure would be a complete waste—he'd rather give her a cucumber!
Back at the treasury, Master Bai picked up a damaged secret key from the floor. Without his own key, the box had been opened using a silver needle. So—there was a highly skilled thief on this ship.
"Master, this is the high-level soul pet you acquired earlier. Should we release it from the ship?"
The old servant carefully brought out a round object wrapped in yellow silk. Master Bai reached for it—but as his fingers touched the surface, his eyes flashed, and his hand froze. "This..."
This wasn't the high-level soul pet! It was the low-grade one he'd planned to use as the first prize...
Master Bai's lips twitched slightly. He hadn't expected to make such a colossal blunder! He could practically hear his heart crying out. The treasure he'd fought so hard for was... gone.
"Old Bai, the Master is waiting for you."
At that moment, the Left Protector's voice rang from behind. He looked at the pale-faced man in confusion, walked over, and patted Master Bai on the shoulder. "What's wrong? Did you get struck by lightning?"
But in a flash of light, the world spun—and in the next instant, he was hurled to the ground with a thud, lying on his back, staring up at the man whose expression had turned demonic.
"Ugh——" Every bone in his body felt shattered from that shoulder throw. The Left Protector had never expected such a sudden calamity.
Above him, a soul-weary mumble echoed: "Gone... my darling... it's gone... gone..."
"H-He... what happened to him?!" The Left Protector crawled up from the ground, his face full of fear. Yet he dared not move closer after seeing Master Bai's expression. After all, if the man got serious, the Left Protector would rather not admit he couldn't win.
"It seems... the Master has lost a treasure..."
When Master Bai finally rushed to the door of Nangong Huang's private room, a furious shout exploded from within.
"Your Highness?!"
With a crash, a shadowy figure was thrown through the window, splashing into the river below and vanishing into its rushing depths.
This sudden development snapped Master Bai back to his senses. He quickly pushed the door open and dashed inside—only to find the room in chaos, the aftermath of an intense battle.
The villainous prince stood by the window, his usually flawless face slightly pale, a sheen of sweat glistening on his brow.