Chapter 73: Can’t Compete with Me
“What are you doing here?”
Alice was surprised and filled with embarrassment.
She had just wanted to discreetly reach for the drink that Yifu had only half-finished…
But unexpectedly, instead of the drink, she ended up touching Qianzhi’s hand.
However, Alice was also curious. She had just confirmed that there was no one around, so how did she end up touching Qianzhi’s hand?
Alice felt awkward internally, while Qianzhi was equally uncomfortable.
Though the two had known each other since childhood due to their parents’ connections, their relationship couldn’t be considered particularly close.
Alice thought Qianzhi was quiet and aloof, while Qianzhi believed Alice to be someone high and mighty, difficult to approach.
It could be said that both of them had a deep misunderstanding of each other’s true character.
In Alice’s eyes, Qianzhi should be the kind of cool, detached neighbor girl, an epitome of the ideal “White Moonlight” in ordinary people’s eyes, someone of a different character than hers.
In Qianzhi’s view, Her Highness Princess Alice was always maintaining her dignity and elegance, being the future heir to the Empire and naturally looking down on her.
Alice thought Qianzhi was aloof, while Qianzhi perceived Alice as dignified.
These misunderstandings resulted in their encounters always being polite and distant, treating each other with the respect reserved for guests for over a decade.
Their relationship had made little progress. In the eyes of their parents, they were good sisters who shared everything. But the reality was known only to the two of them…
When they were together, they awkwardly chatted about profound topics, followed by silence as they drank tea.
“I wanted to ask you something…”
Qianzhi slightly lowered her head, lightly pressing her hand against her pounding chest.
She had been staring at Yifu’s chewed straw for quite some time, having finally managed to slip away from those surrounding her, only to inadvertently touch Her Highness Princess Alice’s hand…
But… why did she end up touching Her Highness’s hand?
Could it be that she also wanted the drink that Miss Yifu had sipped?
“I just… I’m a bit thirsty and wanted to grab something to drink.”
Alice took a deep breath; as a princess, her on-the-spot adaptability was still intact.
She believed that her vigilance wouldn’t falter, and Qianzhi’s appearance was just a coincidence.
So Qianzhi must not know that this drink was a top-tier national cellar beverage that Miss Yifu had drunk.
Indeed, in Alice’s eyes, the drink that Yifu had touched could be referred to as a national cellar, while anything Yifu hadn’t drunk could only be considered leftovers.
“Here’s a cup right here.”
As Alice spoke, she picked up the drink on the table as naturally as possible. With the slightly dented straw right before her, Alice felt her heart race a little.
It was… the lips of Miss Yifu had touched that…
Those soft, fragrant lips, hehehe…
“No, Sister Alice. I saw that cup was drunk by Miss Yifu. Let me get you another one.”
Just as Alice was about to touch the straw with her lips, Qianzhi suddenly intervened and stopped her.
This made Alice quite angry; she was so close… it was right at her lips.
What is this? This is a cruel torture of being so close yet so far…
How could that insensitive girl not realize that this was the cup I wanted? Don’t ruin my good intentions!
So what if Miss Yifu had drunk from it? All the benefits had been listed out; what about the drawbacks?
“I, I see…”
Alice could only awkwardly put the drink down, her eyes nearly spitting fire at Qianzhi.
But in order to maintain her image as a princess, she had no choice but to cooperate with the young lady of the Loren family before her.
After all, her mother and father had specifically asked her to get along with this young lady from the Loren family.
After all… the Loren family was the number one noble family in the Empire, with extremely far-reaching influence in all aspects of the Empire.
“Look at me, I’m all flustered…”
Alice said as she placed the drink down, but her gaze couldn’t bear to move away from that cup.
“There isn’t anything else I fancy here, could you please help me get a new cup, Qianzhi?”
“Sure. What kind does Sister Alice want?”
“Um… I like the more complicated kind.”
“It’s okay. I’ll just go to the kitchen and tell them to help you mix a new one.”
“A little soda mixed with lemon and orange juice, the oranges must be fresh from the southern countries, and a bit of crushed green and red grapes, plus some mint juice, using a mixed fruit juice base. The fruit juice must contain eighteen kinds of fresh fruits, and the vegetable content must be over sixty percent…”
Listening to Alice’s flamboyant requirements, Qianzhi felt dizzy.
Once this was mixed… would it really be drinkable?
But…
Qianzhi looked at the cup beside Alice that contained the drink Yifu had sipped. She really didn’t want to give up. How could she casually get that straw touched by Miss Yifu into her mouth without pushing Alice away?
“Alright, I’ll prepare that for you.”
Qianzhi said and turned to leave.
Watching Qianzhi’s retreating figure, Alice couldn’t help but feel a sense of glee.
Finally, she had sent that little girl away.
Oh, the poor, cute little fool. Do you think Sister really wants to drink that strange concoction?
By the time you come back, I’ll have licked that cup clean, every bit of it that Miss Yifu drank from.
Or perhaps… just like being in love, that silly, sweet little brain of Qianzhi stands no chance against Sister.
While you’re busy helping Miss Yifu with breakfast to earn goodwill, I’ve already explored every corner of Miss Yifu.
Hehehe…
By the way, why not just take the straw back for safe keeping? Have the maids find me a delicate frame; I want it framed, to lick every day.
As for why I want to lick it… I’m not at ease cleaning that straw any other way!
As Alice turned her head, lost in her thoughts, she found the table was already empty.
The drink with the signature straw had vanished without a trace.
Alice instinctively looked around but could not see any sign of the drink.
“W-where did my Divine Nectar go?”
Alice was so anxious that she nearly wanted to crawl under the table to search for it.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the corridor, a graceful figure was holding a drink that was only half-finished.
Her delicate pink lips slightly parted as she carefully sipped the straw.
“Ha…”
The girl, having fulfilled her wish, couldn’t help but let out a satisfied sigh, as if this half cup of drink was truly the Divine Nectar, the national cellar of empire-level quality.
