After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

Xie Xing survived after all.

There were only her and Luo Hanfeng in the cold palace.

Xie Xing spends his days either feeding the chickens or farming.

She tries every day to find things in the imperial kitchen, and with the system secretly helping Xie Xing, she often manages to steal some food.

Luo Hanfeng's face is visibly getting fuller day by day.

The cold palace was brought to life a little by Xie Xing's arrival.

Luo Hanfeng sat on the threshold of the palace, propping up his tender little face, looking at Xie Xing expressionlessly.

At this moment, Xie Xing was rolling up his sleeves and watering and fertilizing the seeds he had planted.

"Why?" Luo Hanfeng's gaze fell on the busy Xie Xing.

"Huh?" Xie Xing wiped the sweat from his face and looked at Luo Hanfeng in confusion. "Your Highness, what did you say? Were you hungry?"

"Please wait a moment, I'll go and cook for you right away."

Luo Hanfeng pursed his lips and turned his head away.

Undeniably, his life has been better since Xie Xing arrived. At least he no longer has to worry about food and clothing, and the clothes he wears were sewn by Xie Xing.

However, Xie Xing's skills were not very good, so the patches on Luo Hanfeng's body were very ugly.

"You won't get anything from me," Luo Hanfeng said coldly. His gaze fell on the plot of land where Xie Xing had planted the crops, and his eyes darkened. "They won't allow me to live a good life. You should leave."

Xie Xing tilted his head.

She put down what she was holding and came to Luo Hanfeng.

The teenager, though trying his best to appear mature, still couldn't hide his childishness on his face.

Xie Xing smiled broadly.

After spending these days together, she became bolder and even dared to pinch Luo Hanfeng's face with her hands.

She smiled and said, "Your Highness, days pass one by one."

"Now that I've been assigned to your side, I will take good care of the young prince as he grows up."

"Your Highness need not worry."

Luo Hanfeng's youthful face flushed instantly. He stood up in a panic and stammered, "How...how dare you!"

Even cuter.

Xie Xing cupped her face in her hands, her eyes sparkling as she praised, "Your Highness, you're so awkward, so adorable!"

Luo Hanfeng: "..."

His youthful face was hard to describe, and the way he looked at Xie Xing was as if he were looking at a fool.

Days passed, and Xie Xing's land was cultivated.

Hens can hatch chicks from their eggs, and Xie Xing has achieved egg freedom.

Every day without fail, I boil an egg for Luo Hanfeng.

Soon, winter arrived.

That day, Xie Xing waited for Luo Hanfeng to return in the Cold Palace as usual.

These days, Luo Hanfeng's whereabouts are unknown; he appears and disappears mysteriously every day, but fortunately, he manages to return around mealtimes.

But today, it had been a long time since mealtime, and Xie Xing had been waiting in the Cold Palace for who knows how long, but Luo Hanfeng had not returned.

Her heart skipped a beat; she sensed something was wrong and quickly went out to look for him.

When she arrived at the back garden, she happened to hear some noise.

"bastard!"

"How dare you eavesdrop on the teacher's lessons!"

"You lowly bastard, you have defiled our school!"

Xie Xing quickly looked in that direction.

But then he saw several richly dressed children, with eunuchs holding Luo Hanfeng captive, kicking him repeatedly.

The child she had raised with such difficulty was now covered in blood, curled up on the ground, his hands protecting his head.

The children around were still hurling insults.

Xie Xing's eyes reddened. She was about to rush over when she caught a glimpse of Luo Hanfeng's lifeless eyes.

Those were a pair of lifeless eyes.

Xie Xingxin felt a pang of pain.

Luo Hanfeng noticed her, but only glanced at her indifferently. He didn't think Xie Xing was capable of saving him, so he lowered his gaze and let the people around him beat and curse him.

"Guards! Throw him into the pond for me!"

Seemingly having had enough of beating him, the pampered prince finally ordered that Luo Hanfeng be thrown into the lotus pond beside him.

Xie Xing was stunned.

It's the winter solstice now.

Throwing a child into a pond means they will either drown or freeze to death!

"thump!"

The sound of something falling into the water could be heard.

Luo Hanfeng was thrown into the pool.

The prince didn't believe anyone would come to rescue Luo Hanfeng, so he turned and left.

Upon seeing this, Xie Xing immediately jumped into the pond without hesitation and swam towards Luo Hanfeng.

The pool water was icy cold, making Xie Xing shiver.

She felt as if her blood was freezing, and her hands and feet went numb as soon as they touched the water.

However, Xie Xing forcibly dragged his hands and swam towards Luo Hanfeng with great effort. He finally managed to pull Luo Hanfeng ashore after using all his strength.

The cold wind made them both shiver.

Xie Xing was soaking wet, and she quickly reached out to pull Luo Hanfeng, "Your Highness, come with me quickly."

Before Luo Hanfeng could speak, Xie Xing hurriedly dragged him into the Cold Palace.

She was supposed to help Luo Hanfeng change his clothes, but Luo Hanfeng, who had been like a wooden doll the whole time, finally moved when Xie Xing reached out to unbutton his clothes.

She gripped Xie Xing's hand tightly with her small hand and said in a hoarse voice, "I... I can do it myself."

Xie Xing didn't think much of it. She glanced at Luo Hanfeng suspiciously and asked, "Your Highness, do you still have the strength to change your clothes?"

"Shall I help you?"

Luo Hanfeng shook his head firmly: "I'll do it myself."

Fine.

Xie Xing immediately stopped paying attention to him.

She was soaking wet and needed to change her clothes quickly, otherwise she wouldn't have anywhere to get treatment if she got sick that night.

After they changed their clothes, Xie Xing made ginger soup for the two of them.

She brought ginger soup for Luo Hanfeng to drink.

After Luo Hanfeng drank it, Xie Xing looked at the silent child sitting on the bed and asked, "Does Your Highness want to learn to read?"

The book provides too little description of Luo Hanfeng's childhood, only mentioning that he was bullied in the cold palace.

Judging from today's situation, it seems that Luo Hanfeng secretly went to the academy set up specifically for the princes to eavesdrop on classes, but he was discovered.

Luo Hanfeng has reached an age where it's normal to want to learn to write.

Luo Hanfeng lowered his eyelashes and quietly drank the ginger soup in his hand.

Xie Xing coughed and said, "Your Highness, I can read. If Your Highness doesn't mind, I can teach you to read."

Upon hearing this, Luo Hanfeng finally raised his head and looked at Xie Xing with suspicion.

He wasn't saying that Xie Xing's body was only twelve years old. How could a twelve-year-old girl know how to read?

Xie Xing met Luo Hanfeng's suspicious gaze and casually made up a few lies: "Before entering the palace, my father was a scholar who passed the imperial examination, and I could recognize a few characters."

"Later, when her family ran out of money, she was sold into the palace as a maid."

Upon hearing this, Luo Hanfeng raised his eyes, his clear, light brown pupils, like a child's, looking at Xie Xing, and his childish voice rang out: "Did your father also abandon you?"