Someone Got There First

"What? My big brother?" Grace was surprised. "Did he go to the Eastern Wilderness Forest at that time too?"

"Yes. My maid recognized him."

"Oh..." Grace nodded. "So, you called me out here because...?"

"I want to ask for your help to call him out. I’d like to thank him personally!"

"Do you want me to call Jason Zhuo out alone?" Grace asked uncertainly.

What if someone sees Jason Zhuo? That wouldn’t be good.

"Yes. He’s my lifesaver, and as a princess, I must thank Jason Zhuo in person," Princess Olivia Gu said firmly. "Actually, I’ve wanted to thank him for a long time, but never found the right opportunity. I saw him again today at Westgate Manor, so I thought... why not today? It’s a bit abrupt, I hope you don’t mind."

She was so polite that Grace couldn’t refuse, so she asked, "Then, when? Right now?"

"Yes. Sorry to trouble you!"

Grace nodded, "Alright! If you just meet like this, you’ll probably attract a lot of attention. How about... there’s a bamboo grove by the lakeshore over there. You wait in the grove, and I’ll have someone bring him over right away."

Princess Olivia Gu seemed unusually excited and nodded repeatedly, "Great! Thank you!"

"No need to be so polite!" Grace glanced at her with a suspicious look.

In the Blue Moon Kingdom, there are strict rules between men and women.

Although male and female guests aren’t separated, they usually sit at different tables.

Grace asked her attendant, Tenner, to find her big brother and explained the situation.

Jason Zhuo said that it was true, but there was no need to thank him in person.

He asked Grace to tell the princess that it was simply his duty as a subject, and she shouldn’t take it to heart.

"Jason Zhuo, I already promised her! If you don’t go, it’ll look really rude!"

"It’s improper for men and women to meet privately, and she’s a princess. What if someone sees us?" Jason Zhuo frowned.

"It’s freezing out—who’s going to be wandering around outside? No one will see you. Just go!" Grace insisted.

After she returned, the more Grace thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

If Princess Olivia Gu wanted to thank her big brother, she could’ve just summoned him to the palace, or thanked her father directly. Why go out of her way to meet him alone?

Something’s up!

Once that thought popped up, Grace couldn’t sit still and quietly snuck away.

She hurried along the hidden path straight toward the bamboo grove.

But to her surprise, Grace found someone had beaten her to it!

And that person was... Grace Wan!

She was accompanied by Lucy.

What are they doing here?

Could they be following Princess Olivia Gu?

Grace frowned, not alerting anyone, and hid behind a rockery where she could see both Grace Wan and the princess with her big brother.

She could hear Princess Olivia Gu and her big brother talking—just the usual words of thanks.

Her big brother politely repeated what he’d asked Grace to say earlier.

Then Princess Olivia Gu handed her big brother a box, saying she’d heard his calligraphy was excellent, and that this was a fine ink as a token of gratitude.

Her big brother tried to decline, but couldn’t, so he accepted it.

Then the two of them went their separate ways.

That was all.

However, after they left, Grace Wan’s voice sounded cold as she said, "That Jason Zhuo—who knows what he’s scheming, getting involved with Princess Olivia Gu."