Xiangzhou Chapter: Transmigration of the Soul to Another World Chapter 37: How "Dog-like" to Hand Things Over Like This!

She thought to herself that the silver needles used to shoot at her last time seemed quite powerful. If she could master them, she would have a bit more self-defense capability should she encounter danger in the future.

Shen Jianzhou frowned in thought, unsure why Ye Qiaoqiao had made such a request. However, seeing her expectant expression, he hesitated for a moment before curling his lips into a faint smile. "It is not entirely impossible."

Ye Qiaoqiao’s eyes lit up with joy, and she asked happily, "Does that mean Your Highness the Crown Prince has agreed?"

"You still haven't explained what that 'dog-bitch' business was about last time!" Shen Jianzhou, however, did not answer her question directly. Instead, he shifted the topic to her departure yesterday. His gaze was icy. It was like an ice blade in the depths of midwinter, piercing through Ye Qiaoqiao with a chill that seemed intent on seeing right through her.

Although it was a bright, sunny day outside the carriage, Ye Qiaoqiao felt as though she had suddenly been thrown into an ice cellar. She lamented silently, wondering why on earth he had brought that up again. He was truly petty to still remember her cursing him!

Thinking of this, Ye Qiaoqiao put on a contrite, almost fawning smile and hurried to say, "Your Highness, that was just a misunderstanding!" She thought to herself that she must gloss over this quickly, or else if she angered the Crown Prince, her life might be in jeopardy.

"A true misunderstanding?" Shen Jianzhou’s gaze, clearly disbelieving, remained fixed on her.

Fearing that Shen Jianzhou would not believe her, Ye Qiaoqiao nodded incessantly, nearly ready to swear to the heavens. Finally, feeling that nodding alone was not convincing enough, she added, "I’ve already thrown that bouquet away. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can go search the trash heap!"

She reasoned that after saying this, the Prince should believe she was cursing the person who sent the flowers out of nowhere, rather than cursing him.

Shen Jianzhou was speechless. As a noble Crown Prince, a man above ten thousand, he was shocked that Ye Qiaoqiao actually dared to suggest he go rummaging through a trash heap. She was truly audacious and had no respect for him at all!

Seeing Shen Jianzhou’s chest heaving with rage, Ye Qiaoqiao realized her words had been too reckless. Her heart sank, and she frantically searched for a strategy. But her mind was a mess, and every idea that flashed by seemed unreliable. After much deliberation, she decided that a sincere apology was the safest route. She steeled herself and said, "Your Highness, you are a person of great magnanimity; please do not blame me for my momentary slip of the tongue."

Her tone was filled with ingratiation and caution, hoping that Shen Jianzhou would let his anger subside. Shen Jianzhou squinted, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on her. "Is the number of times you've 'slipped' really so few?"

Ye Qiaoqiao was immediately left speechless. If she had known, she wouldn't have provoked him so fiercely in the past.

Silence. Then more silence.

Just as Ye Qiaoqiao remained anxious and uneasy, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her knee. It felt as if she had been struck by something pointed, and she let out an "Ouch!" in pain. As she looked up, Shen Jianzhou’s cold voice reached her: "Three silver needles, as a reward for you."

Damn it! Ye Qiaoqiao swore inwardly, tears welling in her eyes. As expected of the Crown Prince, even his "rewards" were so "dog-like"! Who rewards someone like this? Launching them directly into someone's knee was just too ruthless.

Gritting her teeth against the sharp pain, she reached out to pull the needles from her knee. Every slight movement sent a piercing agony through her. She looked at Shen Jianzhou with eyes full of resentment and said in a tearful voice, "Your Highness, do you intend to carry me off the carriage now?" Since you've done this to me, you owe me some accountability, right? She secretly hoped that Shen Jianzhou might show some chivalry.

"What are you thinking?" Shen Jianzhou looked at her with pure bewilderment.

By now, Ye Qiaoqiao had removed the three needles, her sense of grievance and dissatisfaction deepening. She glared at Shen Jianzhou and demanded, "Then why did you strike my knee? Don't you know I won't be able to walk?" She felt incredibly unlucky. She had wanted him to teach her how to use the needles, and now, he had actually wounded her knee with them. She feared it might leave a lasting injury.

"Is your life so tiresome to you?" A flicker of malice crossed Shen Jianzhou’s eyes, and his expression grew even colder.

Seeing this, Ye Qiaoqiao felt a pang of fear. She knew that if she continued, it would only fuel his rage, and things would truly spiral out of control. So, she wisely chose to quit while she was ahead. Eschewing further jokes, she said solemnly, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the three silver needles. I will certainly use them well in the future to protect you, to punish evil and promote good, and to keep myself safe..."

"Enough, put away those thoughts of yours," Shen Jianzhou said, frowning slightly. It was clear he did not take her declaration to heart.

Seeing that her nonsense had no effect, Ye Qiaoqiao bowed slightly, trying her best to appear extremely sincere. She promised once more, "I guarantee that I will never offend Your Highness again."

Seeing her like this, the hostility in Shen Jianzhou’s eyes softened, and his expression became less severe than before. The suffocatingly tense atmosphere in the carriage eased slightly, though the air between them remained subtle and awkward, as if an invisible veil hung between them, making both feel uneasy.

It was Shen Jianzhou who broke the silence, his tone inquisitive: "Didn't you say you wanted to learn how to use the silver needles? Did you see clearly when I moved just now?" His gaze remained on her, as if weighing the truth of her earlier words.

Ye Qiaoqiao was completely honest; she instinctively shook her head and whispered, "No."

But as soon as she said it, she regretted it. Was Shen Jianzhou going to use her leg for another demonstration? Please, no! She didn't want to end up crippled or half-dead, and she certainly didn't want to experience that piercing pain again!

Tears welling in her heart, she quickly put on a smiling face: "Your Highness, please, I beg you, do not use my flesh for practice. If you must test them, use the carriage window." As she spoke, she pointed to the window frame, her eyes filled with trepidation and caution, hoping he would listen and spare her.

Seeing her expression, Shen Jianzhou could not help but chuckle. "And here I thought you weren't afraid of death."

The contrast between the sharp-tongued, bold Ye Qiaoqiao of ordinary days and the fearful girl before him now gave Shen Jianzhou a strange feeling. For a moment, his cold, stern face softened.

"Naturally, I am afraid," Ye Qiaoqiao replied. No living person was truly unafraid of death, especially not the kind of death where one is left to rot in the wilderness.