“Prince…… Prince Mag…… Please don’t leave me……”


  Mag looked at Gina who was murmuring in her sleep, and pursed his lips helplessly. He switched off the lights, and walked to the door softly. He saw a face with a faint smile as soon as he opened the door.

  “Are you going to say that you only told her a story and nothing else happened?” Irina asked Mag with a faint smile.

  Mag had a big shock, but he tried his best to keep calm. He closed the door behind him with a smile, and said, “Gina said she had been having nightmares for the past few days, and she dared not go to sleep. Based on my concern for my employees, I told her a bedtime story. We really didn’t do anything.”


  “Ha. I don’t think you would dare to do anything.” Irina snorted softly.

  A drop of cold sweat fell off Mag’s forehead. Even though that was the truth, as a man, how could he admit defeat at this time. Hence, he said, “Do you know that I’m not really timid?”


  “Really?” Irina suddenly placed her hands onto the doorframe next to him, pressed him against the door, and smilingly asked, “Do you dare to move?”


  Mag was half a head taller than Irina, and even when he was pressed against the door, he wasn’t intimidated completely. He grabbed her wrist, hugged her waist, turned around lightly, pressed her against the wall, and asked, “Why not.”


  Irina was pressed against the wall by Mag, and their bodies were almost pressed together. That warm breath caressed her face lightly and brought an unusual sensation. A blush crept up on her face immediately.

  Mag sensed Irina’s change, and felt a little light-headed himself. How dared he turn around and press Irina against the wall. If she decided to whip out a bench right then, he would most probably die on the spot. He swiftly released her hand and took two steps back. He cleared his throat, and awkwardly said, “Then…… are Little Amy and Anna asleep?”


  “Yes, they are.” Irina nodded.

  “Then you have an early rest too. I’m going to draw some blueprints,” Mag said before going into the study, and then closed the door.

  Irina stomped her feet with frustration as she looked at the closed study’s door. She humphed and then returned to her room.

  “Phew…… Thank goodness for my wits.” Mag heaved a breath of relief while leaning against the door. He felt he had been only one second away from getting his head bashed by a folding chair.

  After making a pot of tea for himself, Mag sat down at his desk. The factories’ plans were not done yet, and now he had to write another proposal about his collaboration with Gloria. It seemed like tonight would be another sleepless night.

  Fortunately, Mag had all these things already mapped out in his heart. He had no other issues besides taking the time to write them out.

  He bought a computer and drawing tools from the system, so his efficiency at drawing and typing had increased tremendously. He should be able to finish everything tonight.

  At midnight, Mag made a trip to the washroom. He noticed Gina’s door was agap when he came out of the study. It looked like someone had opened the door.

  “Hmm?” Mag was a little surprised. He had closed the door when he came out earlier. Could someone have gone in?

  Mag tiptoed toward Gina’s room quietly without making a single sound. He listened at the door for a while, but there weren’t any unusual movements in the room. After a brief moment of hesitation, Mag gently pushed open the door.

  The light in the corridor spilled into the room through the open door. The end of the light landed on something round.

  Mag got a shock, and then he took a closer look.

  The orange Ugly Duckling was sitting in front of the tank, and staring at it intently while making growling sounds in its throat.

  Meanwhile, in the fish tank, Gina was huddling in the innermost corner with her eyes shut, and shivering as if she was having a nightmare.

  Mag couldn’t help laughing when he saw this scene.

  Alright, he had solved the mystery.

  The so-called terrifying eyes indeed existed, but didn’t come from the deep sea. Instead, they came from Ugly Duckling which was on a diet.

  Those glowing hungry green eyes were really rather scary in the dark.

  It was no wonder a fish would get nightmares when she was stared at by a cat while she was sleeping.

  “Ugly Duckling, don’t even try to have any designs on Gina and her little fish.” Mag went in and picked up Ugly Duckling. He pondered for a moment when he saw Gina was still shivering in the corner. He returned to his room to fetch a speaker. He played a soothing piece of piano music, and put the speaker next to the fish tank.

  The gentle piano sounds soothed Gina’s fears.

  Mag retreated out of the room after he saw Gina relaxed her body.

  “Meow~” Ugly Duckling was sitting at the door and looking up at Mag. Then, it looked at Gina’s room again with a rumbling stomach.

  “Let’s go. I’ll make you something to eat. Don’t ever go into Gina’s room again. You gave her nightmares.” Mag went downstairs with resignation.

  “Meow~”


  Ugly Duckling followed Mag downstairs excitedly. Because it ran too fast, it missed a step and rolled down the stairs.

  “Meow~” Ugly Duckling put its chin on the floor, looked up at Mag, and cried aggrievedly.

  “It’s time for you to go on a diet.” Mag couldn’t help but laugh when he looked down at Ugly Duckling which was almost as round as a ball.

  Although Ugly Duckling was still rather small and longer than a cat, it was indeed a little rounder than a kitten at its age.

  Mag went into the kitchen and scooped out a small crayfish from the tank. He simply boiled it with water, then removed all the shells, and placed all the crayfish butter and meat in front of Ugly Duckling.

  “Meow~ Gulp, gulp~” Ugly Duckling made happy growling sounds that it made when it was happy as it ate.

  Mag began to feel hungry as he watched it eat. Since he had to work for the remainder of the night, he made himself a helping of Yangzhou fried rice as supper too.

  After Ugly Duckling finished the entire crayfish by itself, it started to roll around Mag’s feet satedly. It revealed its tummy as if it was inviting Mag to caress it.

  “I gotta get back to my work, so I can’t play with you.” Mag finished his fried rice, washed his bowl, and returned to his drawings.

  ***

  Early the next morning, the first thing Gina did after waking up was excitedly run downstairs to Mag, who was making breakfast in the kitchen, and say, “Mr. Mag, I dreamt of you last night. That pair of scary eyes appeared again, and just as I was forced into a desperate corner, you appeared, chased away the monster, and saved me.”


  “Erm……” Mag looked at Gina as he wondered how to explain to her that the scary monster was, in fact, Ugly Duckling.

  “Perhaps…… Perhaps you are my true prince?” Gina looked at Mag adoringly.

  Irina suddenly appeared behind Gina, and smilingly said, “Generally speaking, dreams are the opposite of reality. He most probably isn’t your prince. That monster should be the one.”