Xiaoxi was being escorted toward the prison, still flailing and shouting, while the prince stood by the lake, trying to calm himself. He took a deep breath.
"Keep searching for the assassin," he ordered.
The remaining guards whispered among themselves.
"Looks like the prince already knows she might not be the assassin," one said.
"Then why take her to prison?" another asked.
A third tapped his friend on the head.
"Didn't you see what she did to him? Do you think he would spare someone after losing an argument?" 🤣
They all laughed quietly… until the prince strode over, placed a hand on two of their shoulders, and asked,
"What's so funny?"
One guard whispered,
"Of course… our frog prince…"
They froze. 🥶 The one who whispered was the prince himself.
The prince's glare could melt stone.
"If you can't find the assassin, keep searching until you do. And if anyone knows about today's incident, you don't have to come to work anymore."
The guards stammered,
"No… no… we'll never tell… about the argument… and… about the frog prince 😁"
The prince, mad enough to shake the earth, shouted,
"You… all… go! Look for the assassin!"
Then, sneezing loudly twice, he stormed off toward the palace.
"Aaaachuuuu… Aaaachuuu!"
The guards collapsed into laughter as soon as he disappeared.
---
Meanwhile, in the carrier, Xiaoxi could not stop talking. She beamed at the guards.
"Hello brothers! I am Xiaoyun, but you can call me Xiaoxi!"
The guards quickly joined the conversation in a friendly manner. Xiaoxi, being herself, immediately started giving them funny nicknames:
The first guard, a bit round and always munching snacks, became Brother Chubby Bao 🥟
The second guard, tall and thin, became Brother Long Noodle 🍜
The third guard, small but energetic, became Brother Tiny Dumpling 🥟✨
All three laughed and shook their heads.
"Little sister, these are not our real names!"
Xiaoxi puffed out her cheeks dramatically.
"But they suit you perfectly! From today, you must answer to them!"
She groaned dramatically,
"Nor a full lunch, just a morning meal… and I am very hungry now!"
Brother Long Noodle asked, concerned,
"Ooooh… little sister, where did you come from? Was someone chasing you?"
Xiaoxi waved her hands frantically.
"No, no! No one is chasing me!"
Brother Chubby Bao squinted.
"Then how did your clothes get so dirty?"
Xiaoxi whispered, embarrassed.
"No, no… I was just playing with some children nearby…" 😅
Brother Tiny Dumpling leaned closer and whispered,
"Don't worry, sister. I'll get you lots of snacks… but… don't tell your frog prince!"
Xiaoxi's eyes sparkled as she saluted dramatically.
"Yes! Only you and my tummy will know 😉"
Brother Chubby Bao handed her a small packet of chips.
"For now, eat this. We'll get you something bigger when we get off the carrier," he said.
Xiaoxi opened it with a grin so big it could light up the palace. She immediately shared the snacks with all three guards.
"No, no! You eat, you're hungry!" one said.
Xiaoxi giggled and replied,
"Eating is only fun when there are lots of people sharing 😉"
The guards treated her with utmost care, like she was their little sister.
As they munched happily, Xiaoxi exclaimed,
"These snacks are so tasty! Very different from what I've ever had! Very, very… TASTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY 🤤"
Brother Tiny Dumpling nodded proudly.
"Of course! This is our local snack. You can only eat it here in Auroria."
Xiaoxi clapped her hands in delight.
"Ooooh! So this place is called Auroria! Much better than I thought!"
Brother Long Noodle asked, curiously,
"What name did you think it was?"
Brother Chubby Bao teased,
"Don't tell me you thought this place was called… 'Frog Kingdom'?"
Xiaoxi puffed out her chest and said proudly,
"No! I thought of a name with three words: Kingdom of Frogs 🐸"
All three guards burst into laughter. 🤣
Brother Chubby Bao: "That's basically the same!"
Xiaoxi shook her head proudly. "No! Yours has two words. Mine has three. Mine is better!"
The carrier rocked with laughter as they finally arrived at the palace gates. The guards helped Xiaoxi down, still giggling over the nicknames, the snacks, and the silly "kingdom of frogs" debate.
For a moment, it felt like they weren't escorting a prisoner at all — more like traveling with their lively little sister.
And so, with her new brothers — Brother Chubby Bao, Brother Long Noodle, and Brother Tiny Dumpling — Xiaoxi stepped into the palace… still full of energy, ready to cause the next chapter of chaos in Auroria.