Nathan Ye looked utterly embarrassed, shrinking his neck and whispering, "Master Quentin Lin, if I tell you, you have to keep it a secret for me..."
"Alright, alright, go ahead," Quentin Lin nodded enthusiastically.
Nathan Ye gathered his courage and whispered furtively into Quentin Lin’s ear.
Quentin Lin listened, his eyes darting mischievously.
From a distance, Princess Jade Hayes glanced over, spotting the two huddled together, whispering suspiciously. Her curiosity was piqued.
Just as Nathan Ye finished speaking and stood up straight, Quentin Lin suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Oh, Minister Ye came to see me because he wants me to cure his baldness!"
"Pfft! Hahahaha!" Princess Jade Hayes couldn’t hold back her laughter, and the other students in the library burst out laughing as well.
Quentin Lin crossed his arms, a look of triumphant mischief lighting up his face as he stared at Nathan Ye. "That’s what you get for looking down on me! Hmph!" Princess Jade Hayes watched the scene, both amused and faintly annoyed—she silently vowed to settle the score with Quentin Lin later.
Nathan Ye’s face turned beet red, his fists clenched tight as he glared at Quentin Lin, completely floored that he’d just been played by a kid. Princess Jade Hayes felt a pang of concern—Nathan was a rare talent she’d recruited herself, and she worried this prank might dampen his enthusiasm.
"Y-you promised to keep it secret!" Nathan Ye pointed at Quentin Lin, his whole body trembling. Trying desperately to hide his bald spot, he stammered out a flimsy excuse and made a hasty exit, mortified beyond belief.
Quentin Lin hugged his arms and said, "Yep, I broke my promise. But hey, I’m just a kid! Kids aren’t supposed to know about keeping promises, right?" He looked utterly unrepentant, his childish excuse only adding fuel to the laughter.
"I—I just slipped up once, and you’re really holding a grudge! Hmph!" Nathan Ye was mortified. His baldness was a sore spot, and it had taken him a mountain of courage to seek help. Who could have guessed Quentin Lin would shout it out for everyone to hear, and now he was the butt of everyone’s jokes.
Nathan Ye glanced at Quentin Lin’s completely unconcerned expression, then at the kids in the library, all laughing uproariously. His face felt like it was on fire, and he hurriedly turned and dashed away.
Seeing Nathan Ye run off, Princess Jade Hayes realized something was wrong. She chased after him and found Quentin Lin standing there nonchalantly. "Quentin, what happened? Why did Minister Ye run off after just a few words?"
Quentin Lin shrugged. "He wanted me to cure his baldness and asked me to keep it secret. But honestly, everyone can see he’s bald—what’s there to hide? So I accidentally let it slip, and who knew he’d get so upset and run off?"
"Quentin! Minister Ye asked you to keep it a secret. How could you blurt it out like that?" Princess Jade Hayes scolded.
Quentin Lin blinked innocently. "But I’m just a kid! Grown-ups always say kids can’t keep secrets. Besides, he called me ‘Little Quentin’—I had to get him back for that!"
"You stubborn child, still refusing to admit your mistake! Just wait, I’ll deal with you later!" Princess Jade Hayes saw Nathan Ye’s figure disappearing into the distance and didn’t bother with Quentin Lin anymore, rushing off to catch up.
Nathan Ye was a trusted minister whom Princess Jade Hayes had personally recruited. He’d poured his heart and soul into his work, only to be embarrassed by her own younger brother. Su Li worried that this incident might chill his loyalty.
"Minister Ye, please wait!" Princess Jade Hayes hurried after him. Nathan Ye’s face was still flushed with embarrassment, and hearing her call out, he felt too awkward to keep running. He stopped, rubbing his hands together, completely at a loss, even more self-conscious about his baldness, wishing he could hide his head with his sleeve. "Uh, Chancellor Su, I—I just remembered something urgent, so I left in a hurry..."
"Minister Ye!" Princess Jade Hayes ran up and faced Nathan Ye, seeing his embarrassed expression. She felt regret and sincerely said, "Quentin is just a child and didn’t mean to offend you. As his elder sister, I apologize on his behalf. Next time, I’ll bring Quentin to your manor to apologize in person."