Love at First Sight Chapter 9: The Money-Grubbing Storyteller

“All right, the masterpiece is finished,” Zun You said, gazing at his own painting with great satisfaction. Wen Yueqing, whose back ached from sitting so long, hurried over as soon as she heard him.

But when she saw the painting, Wen Yueqing immediately felt embarrassed. She’d just been striking poses and making faces for him, after all.

Zun You had painted the scene of her standing on the veranda. His depiction was strikingly true to life—her expression and features were captured perfectly, yet the figure in the painting seemed to possess an ethereal grace.

It was a beautiful painting, but she deliberately shot Zun You a glare, snorting dismissively. “Not good at all. Who wants to look at a lonely beauty standing by herself?”

Zun You had expected her reaction. He just smiled and replied, “I think it’s very beautiful.”

Wen Yueqing, however, picked up a brush. “Let me add a few strokes.”

“Hey, don’t—!” Zun You couldn’t stop her in time. With a few quick swishes, she had added an animal beneath the skirt of the figure, something between a wolf and a dog.

Using simple lines, Wen Yueqing drew the wolfdog she loved most—a husky. Then, casting a secret glance at Zun You, dressed in sapphire blue robes with a crimson belt, she grinned slyly and painted a red collar around the dog’s neck.

“See? Now she’s not alone—she has a super-clingy little wolfdog to keep her company.” She was delighted with the cute dog she’d added.

Zun You could only sigh in silent frustration. He’d planned to treasure this painting, which had such a beautiful mood, but she’d ruined it. Leaning his head in his hand, he let out a quiet sigh.

He hadn’t even realized she was teasing him. If His Highness the Prince ever learned he’d been painted as a little wolfdog, he might well be brought to tears.

Seeing his helpless expression, Wen Yueqing smiled sweetly. “I even thought of a title for this painting.”

“What is it?” Zun You asked, not expecting much.

“Beauty and the Beast.”

“What a strange title.” Zun You didn’t understand why she looked so pleased with herself.

“Oh, but ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a very touching story,” she replied.

“That’s new to me. Tell it to me,” Zun You said, genuinely curious.

“All right, since you seem so sincere, I’ll be a storyteller for once. But it’s boring with only one listener—why not call everyone in the courtyard to hear it together?” Wen Yueqing was never shy; she relished every chance to perform.

Zun You shook his head with a smile. “You’re always so full of ideas.”

He summoned Liu Yi. “Go, call everyone on duty in the courtyard. Our Master Wen is going to tell a story.”

Liu Yi was shocked—these two could stir up more trouble than anyone he’d ever met. Truly, birds of a feather flock together.

While Liu Yi was gathering the household, someone was peeking in, trying to sneak a glance. Kang Qi, who happened to be walking into the courtyard, heard the commotion and strode over, catching Tong’er in the act.

Tong’er, caught spying, looked up at Kang Qi with a pitiful expression.

Kang Qi couldn’t recall which maid she was. “Which courtyard are you from? What are you sneaking around for?”

“I’m Sister Qing’s maid. My name is Tong’er,” she replied bashfully, glancing up at him.

“Miss hasn’t been back in a long time. I was just worried she had too much work, so I wanted to help,” she added, lowering her head again.

Kang Qi looked at the little girl in silence. Since she was with Miss Wen, there was probably no harm.

“Next time, don’t sneak around. Just tell me directly—I’m His Highness’ bodyguard.”

“Thank you, Brother Bodyguard!” Tong’er beamed, relieved she wouldn’t be scolded.

“My name is Kang Qi. Come on, your mistress has invited us to listen to a story.”

“Huh?” Tong’er had no idea her mistress had such a talent.

Once everyone had assembled, Wen Yueqing sat in a chair and began her tale.

She told of a selfish, greedy prince in France, cursed by a witch to become a beast with the head of a lion and the body of a man. His servants were transformed into furniture and small animals. The castle he lived in was divided: one half was in perpetual spring, blooming with vibrant roses, while the other half languished in endless winter, overgrown with weeds.

The witch told him the roses would bloom until his twenty-first birthday. If, by then, he had changed for the better and someone truly fell in love with him and gave him a kiss, everything would return to normal. Otherwise, he would die when the last petal fell.

When he was twenty, a merchant passed by and picked one of his roses. The Beast, enraged, imprisoned the merchant. The merchant’s daughter, Belle, learned of this from the servants and came to rescue her father, offering herself in exchange for his freedom. The Beast agreed. Over time, as they read books and danced together, the Beast grew gentle. Knowing Belle missed her family, he gave her a magic mirror that could show anything she wished to see. Through the mirror, Belle saw her father fall gravely ill. Seeing her pain, the Beast, though unwilling to part with her, let her go to care for her father.

Belle promised to return before his twenty-first birthday. But a suitor, whom Belle had rejected, was furious when he learned of the Beast’s existence and led the townsfolk to kill him, imprisoning Belle and her father. Belle, through the magic mirror, saw the Beast growing weaker as the roses withered.

At this point, Wen Yueqing paused. Everyone was listening intently. When she suddenly stopped, they all pressed her for more: “What happened next? Did the Beast die?”

Wen Yueqing smiled and held out her hand to Zun You. “If you want to know what happens next, sir, you’ll have to tip the storyteller.”

Zun You, equally eager to hear the rest, looked at her greedy expression and asked, “How much?”

“Not much, thirty taels.” Wen Yueqing was still nursing the pain of having spent twenty-five taels earlier. The other servants gasped—Miss Wen was really bold.

Zun You curled his lip and handed over a fifty-tael silver ingot. “Take it. The rest is your tip.”

Tong’er swiftly brought the silver to her mistress.

Delighted with her windfall, Wen Yueqing thought, “This wealthy little brother is quite something.”

Clearing her throat, she continued, “Back to the story: Belle’s servant rescued her, and she rode to the castle just in time to see the Beast about to kill the villain. Belle stopped him, and, seeing her plea, the Beast let the villain go. He only wanted to hold Belle, but the villain stabbed the Beast in the back. In a rage, the Beast threw him from the castle to his death, but he himself was gravely wounded. As the last rose petal was about to fall and he was on the brink of death, Belle kissed him, weeping. She truly loved the Beast. At last, the curse was broken, and the Beast became a prince again. The two lived happily together.”

“All right, that’s the end.” Wen Yueqing stood up and clapped her hands. “Everyone, you may go.”

The story left everyone sighing with emotion. Only Zun You wondered: if it were him, could he bear to let Belle go? He asked, “If you were Belle, would you fall in love with the Beast?”

Wen Yueqing, hearing his question, thought to herself, “This little prince looks so carefree, but he’s actually very sensitive.” She didn’t answer, for she wasn’t sure of her own heart.

Zun You didn’t press further. Instead, he picked up a brush and wrote five words on the painting: Beauty and the Beast.

“Liu Yi, hang this painting on the wall.” He paused. If guests ever came to his study, wouldn’t that be embarrassing? “No, better hang it in the bedroom.”

After another dinner where she had to feed him, Zun You asked her to stay and help him bathe and change. Soaking in the tub, he had Wen Yueqing wash him. Alone in the room, the atmosphere inevitably grew ambiguous. As she helped him dress, Wen Yueqing, eyeing his youthful, toned muscles, thought, “Is this brat trying to seduce me? Hmph, I’m a seasoned veteran—such petty tricks won’t work on me.”

But, unexpectedly, it was Zun You who blushed first. Grabbing her hand, he said softly, “Don’t get any ideas. You were the one who insisted on being my head maid. Now, don’t go climbing into my bed.”

“Who wants to climb into your bed? I like mature men, not little boys like you.”

Hearing this, Zun You grew indignant. “You call me a child, but you’re two years younger than me! I’ll show you tonight if I’m a child or not.”

As he spoke, his face leaned closer and closer. Wen Yueqing thought he was about to do something, but instead, Zun You shouted, “Liu Yi, have Lady Li attend me tonight!”

With a triumphant glance at Wen Yueqing, he strode into the bedroom.

Wen Yueqing breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to the door.

Moments later, Lady Li sashayed over, pausing before she entered to cast a haughty, appraising look at Wen Yueqing, making her feel entirely ill at ease.

Soon, sounds of flirtation drifted from inside, followed by unmistakably intimate noises—louder than ever, as if on purpose. Liu Yi quickly led the maids away to give them distance.

Wen Yueqing found him childish—was this really something to be done out of spite? Was he doing it just to annoy her?

“What an immature little brother!” she muttered. Yet, despite her words, she felt a twinge of irritation. She truly couldn’t make sense of him. “So annoying!” All she wanted now was to go to bed.