Jade Without Fragrance - Chapter 1 : Different

As Wen Hao emerged from the darkness, her vision began to clear.

Before her was the slightly elevated face of a boy.

His features were both familiar and unfamiliar, and there was a hint of confusion in his dark, jewel-like eyes.

For a brief moment, Wen Hao felt a sense of bewilderment.

Who was this person beneath her?

Wait... beneath?

Her gaze was instinctively lowered. The winter jasmine adorning her green silk skirt was delicate and lovely, while the tips of her goose-yellow shoes dangled in mid-air.

What am I doing?

Once more, she glanced at the boy, and a sudden jolt of realization shattered the fog in her mind; she recognized him.

Qi Shuo, the Young Prince of Jing!

Instinctively, Wen Hao wanted to turn away, but a sudden wave of dizziness overwhelmed her, causing her to tumble down.

Qi Shuo quickly stepped forward, arms outstretched, catching the girl as she fell from the wall.

The close proximity to his handsome face left Wen Hao momentarily disoriented, prompting her to exclaim, "No!"

Shock filled Qi Shuo's eyes.

"You... can talk?"

Wen Hao's eyes widened in surprise, and she covered her mouth with her hands, stammering, "I..."

Just that single word brought forth tears.

A startled voice called out, "Young Prince!"

Qi Shuo's expression shifted slightly, and he gently pushed the weeping girl aside before stepping back.

His servant, Chang Shun, rushed over, panic evident on his face, "Young Prince, are you alright?"

"Quiet down," Qi Shuo admonished softly, extending his hand to Wen Hao, who sat on the ground.

"Second Miss Wen, let me help you up."

It was springtime, and the boy's hands were slender, pale, and almost translucent like jade.

Wen Hao stared at the hand, still reeling from the shock, muttering, "No..."

Though Qi Shuo appeared puzzled, he continued to extend his hand patiently.

"Isn't that Wen Hao?!"

A woman's voice caused those nearby to turn their heads.

A short distance away, several elegantly dressed girls approached, each displaying various reactions.

"Brother, what's happening?"

The lead girl, clad in a yellow dress, looked between Qi Shuo and Wen Hao, her lovely features betraying her astonishment.

The speaker was Qi Qiong, the young Princess of Prince Jing's household and Qi Shuo's younger sister.

"Do you really need to ask? It must be Wen Hao who was spying on the Young Prince!"

The first girl to speak stood beside Qi Qiong, peering down at Wen Hao, who remained seated on the ground.

Wen Hao gazed back at her numbly.

The girl's disdainful expression and vibrant pomegranate skirt made her feel like she was trapped in a dream.

Was she truly reliving a moment from over three years ago?

Not long after her mother finished mourning, it was the birthday of Princess Jing.

Although her mother intended to take her and her older sister to the celebration, ultimately, only her sister was taken.

Her father had insisted that since she couldn't speak, taking her would only lead to ridicule.

This upset her mother, leading to an argument, and Wen Hao conveyed her reluctance to go.

Yet, wanting to stay home didn't equate to being forbidden to attend.

While their grandfather was alive, he had always made an effort to coax her out, feeling sorry for his silent granddaughter and fearing she'd be too shy to socialize.

This day brought memories of her late grandfather flooding back as she returned to the General's Mansion alone.

There was merely a wall separating the General's Mansion from Prince Jing's Mansion. Unknowingly, she approached and climbed the wall.

To her surprise, the young Prince of Jing awaited her on the other side, leading to an unintended collision.

Perhaps it was panic or mere bad luck that made her suddenly dizzy and caused her to fall.

Then...

Wen Hao looked at Qi Shuo, her expression shifting.

Then... it was different.

At that moment, the young Prince Jing acted as if he hadn't noticed her fall and continued walking away.

Wen Hao possessed some martial arts, and climbing over the wall quietly wouldn't normally pose a challenge for her, but she had twisted her foot. This mishap caused her to be noticed by the young Princess and other guests in attendance.

Tang Wei, the second daughter of Marquis Wining Mansion, sneered and mocked her, leading to the swift spread of rumors about the Second Miss Wen climbing the wall.

However, at this instant, the young Prince Jing extended his hand to assist her in getting back over the wall.

Was it possible she was dreaming of receiving help from the young Prince Jing?

Wen Hao surveyed the faces around her and a wry smile creased her lips.

This scenario felt even more surreal than the one from three years prior.

Back then, the Prince of Jing had passed away first, and his eldest son was notorious for his reckless and unruly nature, but now she found herself in a predicament with the current young Prince Jing...

"It was like this..." a deep, resonant voice reached Wen Hao's ears, "I felt sudden discomfort in my chest, and without Chang Shun around, I called for assistance. Fortunately, the kind Second Miss Wen heard my shouts for help..."

Qi Shuo's account eased the tension on the young Princess Qi Qiong's face as she regarded Wen Hao intently: "Is that so, Second Miss Wen?"

Wen Hao studied Qi Shuo closely and nodded subtly.

Qi Qiong appeared slightly reassured, but just as she was about to respond, a "Yes" broke through.

That 'yes' struck everyone like a bolt of lightning.

"You... you can actually talk!" Tang Wei exclaimed, her voice sharp with disbelief as she pointed at Wen Hao.

The young Princess Qi Qiong took a step forward: "Second Miss Wen, you..."

The General's Mansion was Wen Hao's maternal grandparents' residence, where she had spent most of her childhood and had known Qi Qiong since they were young.

"Sister, let's send Second Miss Wen back first."

Qi Qiong understood that it was not suitable to be encircled in such a manner and motioned to the maid.

The maid approached to assist Wen Hao.

The throbbing pain made Wen Hao's legs go weak, and beads of cold sweat began to form.

She stared at her goose-yellow embroidered shoes, brow furrowed.

Could the pain from a twisted foot be so intense in a dream?

But if it wasn't a dream, why could she suddenly speak?

"Second Miss Wen, are you all right?" Qi Qiong inquired.

Wen Hao looked from Qi Qiong to Qi Shuo, then bit down on her hand with conviction.

Blood seeped from the unblemished skin of her hand, staining her lips a deep red.

Gasps of shock echoed around her.

Tang Wei appeared as if she had seen a ghost: "Wen Hao, are you... are you out of your mind?"

Under the weight of various stares, Wen Hao lifted her sleeves to cover her face and began to weep.

She felt genuinely unhinged.

This was not a dream.

"Second Sister, are you alright?" Wen Chan rushed over after receiving word from young Princess Qi Qiong.

Tears brimming in her eyes, Wen Hao tried to see her sister clearly and threw herself into her embrace.

"Sister, I can speak now..." Wen Hao fabricated the most suitable explanation and dissolved into tears.

She was still alive, and her sister was there too.

She had the chance to prevent those tragedies.

"Second Sister... you can speak? That's wonderful, truly wonderful..." Wen Chan stammered, overwhelmed with shock.

Qi Qiong lightly coughed, breaking the tender moment shared between the sisters: "Eldest Miss Wen, please take Second Miss Wen back right away; she has sprained her foot."

Wen Chan wiped her tears and nodded eagerly: "Yes, I'll take my Second Sister home now. Thank you, Young Princess..."

She hesitated for a moment and then regained her composure: "But how did my Second Sister end up here with the Young Princess?"

Qi Qiong shot a sideways glance at her brother, then explained Qi Shuo's story.

Qi Shuo bowed respectfully to Wen Hao and her sister: "I apologize for inadvertently involving Second Miss Wen."

"Your Highness is too polite. No one would remain indifferent when hearing someone shout for help."

Wen Chan pushed aside her uncertainties and accepted the explanation. Together with the maid she had brought, she assisted Wen Hao on either side as they departed.

"Hmph, I can't accept that..." Tang Wei bit back the rest of her statement when Qi Shuo's icy gaze fell upon her.

Wen Hao glanced back, her eyes lingering on Qi Shuo for a moment before she looked away.

Since this wasn't a dream but rather a moment from over three years ago, why was Young Prince Jing's response so different?