Quick Transmigration: I'm the Villain's Assistant to the Protagonist

Shen Ying felt as if her head had been stuffed with cotton; she was dizzy and her mind was blank, like a calm lake shrouded in thick fog. Adrian's embrace was warm and strong, and the scent of cedar mixed with mint lingered in her nostrils, making her somewhat dazed. She didn't even notice when Adrian released her; only when that special scent faded did she gradually awaken as if from a beautiful dream.

Just then, Adrian's cheerful voice rang in her ears like the clear sound of a wind chime: "The hiccups seem to have stopped." His voice carried a hint of teasing, yet also a touch of gentleness.

Shen Ying snapped back to reality and subconsciously touched her throat, finding that the hiccups had indeed stopped.

She was taken aback at first, then a thought flashed through her mind, and she remembered watching TV at home. In those TV dramas, whenever the main character hiccuped, a bunch of people would chime in with suggestions, like drinking water or holding their breath, and some of them would even try to scare the main character.

At the time, she found it funny, wondering how such a method could possibly work. But today, she experienced it firsthand, and it seems that those seemingly unreliable methods are not entirely without basis.

“However, Your Highness, you really startled me just now.” Shen Ying patted her chest. Adrian shrugged innocently, “It was a last resort. I just didn’t want to avoid them, and I didn’t expect to cure your hiccups in the process.”

After this interruption, Shen Ying seemed less reserved.

"Did you enjoy the banquet tonight?" Adrian asked, leading Shen Ying along the path. The moonlight shone on them, casting long shadows.

"Yes, I'm very happy. I've never seen such a grand banquet or such a beautiful garden," Shen Ying replied. She gradually relaxed and began to enjoy her walk with the prince.

"There will be many more interesting places I can take you to see in the future," Adrian said with a smile, his gaze gently falling on Shen Ying...

After the banquet, all the noise subsided, and life returned to normal. Sunlight still shone on every corner of the palace every day, but the liveliness and extravagance of that night were gone. Prince Adrian seemed swept up in the torrent of political affairs, his figure moving between palaces and council chambers, still as busy as ever, but his figure beneath his magnificent attire now held a touch more seriousness and solemnity.

Sunlight streamed through the window into Shen Ying's room. That day, Shen Ying was sitting by the window, lost in thought, when suddenly, she heard light footsteps approaching.

"Shen Ying, I'm here!" Leon's voice, like the cheerful chirping of birds, broke the silence. Shen Ying turned her head and saw Leon appear at the door with his signature sunny smile, a smile that seemed to dispel all gloom.

"Leon, what brings you here?" Shen Ying stood up in surprise, her eyes sparkling.

Before Leon could answer, Mia walked over from the side, pursed her lips, and said, "Hmph, he's probably just here to cause trouble again. He doesn't have anything serious to do."

Leon was displeased upon hearing this. "Mia, you're always talking badly about me. I brought something really good this time." With that, he pulled out a small box from behind his back. "Look what I brought you." As he spoke, he opened the box, revealing a delicate little wooden puppet. The puppet was comical and cute, dressed in colorful clothes, just like a street performer at the market outside the palace.

"Wow, this is so interesting!" Shen Ying excitedly picked up the puppet and started fiddling with it, a curious smile on her face.

Mia snorted, "It's just a little wooden puppet, what's so great about it? Don't be fooled by his little tricks."

Leon glared at Mia. "What do you know? These are my carefully selected flowers. And another thing, let me tell you, I recently saw something really funny outside the palace. There was a flower vendor being chased by a mischievous monkey. The vendor was so scared that he scattered flowers all over the ground, and the monkey actually picked up the fallen bouquets and continued chasing him! Haha, it probably mistook the vendor for a female monkey." Leon mimicked the vendor and the monkey as he spoke, gesturing wildly.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ying burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears almost streamed down her face. Mia couldn't help but chuckle as well, but still stubbornly said, "Only Shen Ying would be amused by you. Your performance is too exaggerated."

Leon retorted defiantly, "Hmph, it's still better than you always having that long face, like an old fogey."

"Who are you calling an old fogey? You're just a playful guy who doesn't know how to play all day. I don't know if you're taking care of the prince or the prince is indulging you!" Mia put her hands on her hips and glared at Leon, but there wasn't much anger in her eyes. It was more like a feigned scolding.

Leon raised his chin, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "I think you're just jealous that I can serve the prince!" His tone rose slightly, carrying a touch of childish playfulness.

The two of them started bickering again. Mia reached out to hit Leon, but Leon nimbly dodged and hid behind Shen Ying. "Hmph, don't hide if you dare!" Mia said coquettishly. "I'm not stupid, who wants to stand there and get hit by you?" Leon poked his head out from behind Shen Ying and made a face at Mia.

The two of them together are like two children playing around.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Shen Ying sighed and helplessly tried to stop them. "You two always bicker whenever you meet."

Mia stomped her foot angrily and pointed at Leon, shouting, "It's all his fault! He always comes to cause trouble and calls me old-fashioned. It's infuriating!" Her brows were furrowed, but there wasn't much real anger in her eyes.

Leon, not to be outdone, crossed his arms and retorted, "You old fogey, all you know is to stick to those old rules, you have no fun at all. I'm here to bring joy to everyone." A slight smugness played on his lips.

The two argued back and forth, neither willing to give in. Shen Ying watched them from the side, feeling both amused and helpless, unable to stop them. The room suddenly became incredibly lively, with laughter and arguments mingling together, as if this was no longer the quiet corner of the palace, but a vibrant and joyful world, where all the troubles and the stuffiness of the palace were left far behind by their noisy chatter.

Outside, Adrian stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling on Shen Ying through the crack in the door.

Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, bathing him in its glow and highlighting his tall, straight figure. He gazed silently at Shen Ying inside, his eyes gleaming with a complex light—a hint of tenderness mixed with a touch of jealousy. He saw the joyful smile on Shen Ying's face, a smile he rarely saw in this world, a smile born from Leon and Mia's playful antics. A strange emotion welled up within him.

He didn't immediately push the door open and enter; he simply stood there, as if afraid of disturbing this rare moment of joy, or perhaps deep in thought. A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling his hair, but it couldn't dispel the focused concentration in his eyes.