His voice caught the attention of other female insects, who turned to look.
They saw a pale red bite mark starkly contrasting with the snow-white skin of his neck.
Their hearts couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness. Which female insect had the audacity to leave such a bold mark?
What about the area concealed by clothing? Hadn’t they already gotten to the last step?
How infuriating!
Tong Sui touched his own neck and timidly pulled up the collar of his shirt, his cheeks slightly flushed.
He murmured, “I… I got bitten by a mosquito…”
Seeing his shy demeanor only made the female insects angrier.
Not only was Prince Tong Sui not angry about the bold mark left by this arrogant female insect, but he was also indulging him.
So jealous!
Despite all their hints and outright suggestions yesterday, Prince Tong Sui had remained unmoved. How had the owner of that bite mark managed to succeed?
Standing beside them, Payne Huna couldn’t help but feel a sourness rise at the sight of the bite mark.
He thought that after finally waiting for Bai Xingluo to leave, he would have a better chance of being chosen, but once again, his hopes were dashed.
Was he not working hard enough?
Payne Huna clenched his teeth silently, vowing to work even harder to showcase himself in front of Prince Tong Sui.
Outside the palace, several military ships were stationed, surrounded by a perimeter of armed female guards.
It wasn’t the first time Tong Sui had seen such a display; he was somewhat numb to it.
The insect race had always liked such extravagance.
As soon as Tong Sui sat down, several figures rushed over, each trying to squeeze closer to him, even though there were plenty of seats available.
In unison, they exclaimed, “Your Highness, I feel dizzy from the military ship. Can you soothe me with your psychic energy?”
Tong Sui replied, “…”
He moved back a bit, bumping into a solid chest behind him.
A pair of hands settled on his waist, and a broad palm gently lifted him.
Tong Sui felt his legs leave the ground, and in the next moment, he was seated on the lap of that taciturn attendant.
“Your Highness, you forgot that you also get seasick.”
The familiar tone and scent surrounded him, reminiscent of last night, when this low voice repeatedly whispered all sorts of nonsense in his ear.
Tong Sui recalled that there were other people present, and his face turned red as he stammered, “Ah, right, I forgot… I also feel dizzy.”
Cautiously, he raised his eyes, and through the mundane face, he caught sight of icy eyes that reflected his own figure.
Tong Sui felt that he was truly becoming a bit dizzy.
Meanwhile, the other female insects were alarmed by this spectacle.
This position was off, okay?!
But seeing that plain face and the clothing he wore, their tense expressions softened somewhat.
Prince Tong Sui surely wouldn’t take a liking to them but would favor such an unremarkable attendant instead, would he?!
The few who had just kept insisting they felt dizzy suddenly changed their tunes, clamoring:
“Your Highness, if you’re uncomfortable, I can give you a massage. Can I do that for you?”
“Or I could sing for you; I specialize in vocal arts, I guarantee it will sound good!”
What they didn’t know was that the large hand at Tong Sui’s waist appeared to be gently supporting him to prevent him from falling but was actually gripping him tightly.
As if afraid that if he let go, Tong Sui would run away like a rabbit.
Tong Sui opened his mouth to refuse, but a deeper voice spoke for him first.
The voice brushed against his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.
“Your Highness, there’s more space in the seats at the back. Shall I help you lie down for a moment?”
The female insects frowned in dissatisfaction.
They were speaking to Prince Tong Sui; what did this oblivious attendant have to do with it?!
If it weren’t for the need to maintain their good image, they would have scolded this bothersome guy loudly already.
Yet Tong Sui didn’t find it offensive at all; instead, he found it quite comforting and obediently nodded along.
“Oh…”
Then, he was picked up.
Tong Sui grasped the familiar rough fabric as if he had found his anchor, being carried across all the gazes.
The seating area at the back of the military ship was entirely empty. He heard a soft whoosh, and a thin curtain was pulled up, blocking all those gazes from view.
The female insects’ expressions turned serious.
“Where did this guy even come from?”
“He wasn’t at the banquet yesterday.”
“Wait, could it be that the mark on his neck was done by him?”
“No way?! He doesn’t even look better than me; in terms of background and appearance, how can he compare to us?”
Payne Huna recalled the silver hair and felt it perfectly matched Bai Xingluo in his memory.
He murmured softly, “…a substitute?”
Though their appearances couldn’t be compared, did Tong Sui prefer him because Bai Xingluo was currently missing, merely finding a substitute?
The more Payne Huna thought about it, the more convinced he felt he had uncovered the truth.
He lowered his head to look at his own hair, and without hesitation, he dialed up the stylist’s contact on his light brain.
“Lord Payne, what’s wrong?”
Payne Huna declared firmly, “I want to dye this thing silver.”
The back row of the military ship had no windows, tightly pressed against the engine, and he could hear some low-frequency rumbling sounds.
Along with the front curtain, it formed a rather enclosed space for them.
As Tong Sui sat down on Bai Xingluo’s lap, he reached out to look for something behind Bai Xingluo’s ear.
Isn’t that how it always goes in dramas?
Disguises leave traces; where could it be…
“Your Highness.”
The soft voice, in the closing environment, sounded even deeper and more tantalizing.