The more Xia Qingyan talked, the more Zhao Shuning thought this guy was out of his mind. In the end, she stopped talking to him, thinking about quickly finishing the wine and the grilled fish in her hand so that she could make a quick getaway.
Xia Qingyan, that gentle and polite young master, now seemed like a floodgate had been opened, chattering non - stop.
Zhao Shuning drained the last drop of wine from her cup and looked up contentedly.
"Miss Luo, do you think what this young prince said is right?"
Right about what? Zhao Shuning hadn't heard the previous words, so she just perfunctorily replied, "I think you're quite right."
Not wanting to waste any more time, Zhao Shuning immediately stood up after saying this and said, "It's getting late. I should go back early. Your Highness, there's no need to see me off."
Hearing this, Xia Qingyan quickly stood up.
"Miss Luo is going back to the academy, right?"
"Huh?"
"It's so late. Surely Miss Luo doesn't plan to stay out overnight. Inner - door disciples generally aren't allowed to stay out."
Zhao Shuning turned her face away, looking miserable.
"Yes, of course I'm going back to the academy. I'll leave now and won't bother Your Highness anymore."
Without waiting for Xia Qingyan's response, Zhao Shuning turned around and left.
"Miss Luo."
"What? Does Your Highness have something else to say?"
"I'm going back too. Coincidentally, let's go together."
Who wants to go with you?
"Ah, actually, Your Highness, I might not have made it clear to you before. I still need to buy something in the market before I can go back. It's really unfortunate. You have your own business, so you can go ahead. I'll just take a stroll by myself."
Xia Qingyan opened his folding fan and twirled it in his hand. He was really good at handling the fan.
"Well, actually, I'm not in a hurry to go back. It's really boring in the academy at night. Taking a stroll in the market can relieve boredom. How about I go with Miss Luo? Would that be okay?"
"No."
A look of surprise flashed across Xia Qingyan's face.
"Why?"
"Your Highness, I don't want to get too close to you. Haven't you noticed?"
She had said so many euphemistic words, but Xia Qingyan didn't seem to hear any of them. So Zhao Shuning simply told the truth. Maybe Xia Qingyan would feel a bit uncomfortable after hearing this, but it was better than having him follow her all the time.
Xia Qingyan looked a bit embarrassed. The fan that had been twirling in his hand lost its balance and fell to the ground with a thud.
Xia Qingyan lowered his head and looked at the fan beside his feet absent - mindedly. He bent down to pick it up and put it behind his back. He forced a smile.
"Did I scare Miss Luo?"
"No."
He was so humble and polite. How could he possibly scare her?
"Miss Luo doesn't seem to like me."
"Among fellow disciples, we should help each other. I don't have deep feelings for Your Highness."
To put it bluntly, they were just chance acquaintances. By accident, Zhao Shuning, who had a kind heart, gave him a green parrot. Coupled with his extremely good - looking fox - like eyes, Xia Qingyan had taken a fancy to her again and again.
"Is it because of the princess of Tianli Kingdom?"
"What?"
Why did he suddenly bring up Wu Xuan?
"Miss Luo, I have never had any improper behavior with the princess of Tianli Kingdom. This young prince has never had romantic feelings for her."
Whether he has romantic feelings for Wu Xuan or not has nothing to do with her!
"Miss Luo, if you're afraid that being with me will make Princess Wu Xuan unhappy with you, I can go and explain the situation to her."
"Don't—Your Highness."
"Miss Luo."
Zhao Shuning calmed down. She thought she shouldn't have meddled in this matter in the first place. Now, using someone else's identity, if she couldn't handle these unwanted suitors well, it would surely bring a lot of trouble to Luo Qiu in the future.
"Okay, let's talk as we walk."
Xia Qingyan, who got the permission, beamed with joy. The hand holding the fan behind his back tightened a bit.
Zhao Shuning nodded and took a step forward. Xia Qingyan immediately followed and walked side by side with her.
"Your Highness, I'll make it clear to you first. There's only a fellow - disciple relationship between us."
"I know."
"That's good."
"Miss Luo comes from a noble family. Naturally, she won't casually promise her lifelong happiness to others like ordinary women. I'll wait."
Wait for what!
"You don't need to wait. I already have someone I like."
Xia Qingyan stopped in his tracks.
"Who?"
All this time, he didn't even know who Miss Luo had a crush on.
Zhao Shuning thought for a while and then said, "Do you know the master of our Changkong Academy?"
It was said that the master of Changkong Academy was a very good - looking man. He was mysterious, and the number of times he appeared was extremely rare. Most of the time, the master traveled around. Sometimes, he wouldn't come back for ten or twenty years. So it should be okay to use his name. After ten or twenty years, maybe Xia Qingyan would already be married with children, and the lie she told would disappear.
"This young prince knows."
Xia Qingyan looked up in disbelief and said, "Miss Luo means?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
"Why?"
"Why?" Zhao Shuning repeated these three words. Then she lowered her head. Why did she like this master? Let her think. What kind of excuse would be the most perfect?
"Right, it's because I came to Changkong Academy because of him. Your Highness should know that since ancient times, my spiritual power and mental strength have been mediocre. Since I was a child, I've greatly admired the immortal - like master of Changkong Academy. Half of the reason I came here was because of him."
Xia Qingyan lowered his eyes. His face looked a bit gloomy.
"This doesn't count as liking. It's at most admiration. Besides, Miss Luo, have you ever met the master?"
"Yes, of course I have!"
Zhao Shuning was getting better and better at telling lies with a straight face.
"Miss Luo!"
"I'm not just admiring him. I know my own heart. Whenever I think of him, I feel sweet inside. If I don't see him, I feel empty. When he talks to other women, I get jealous, sad, and can't help crying secretly."
Zhao Shuning felt goosebumps rising on her own skin when she said such affectionate words. But as long as it could persuade Xia Qingyan to back off, she could come up with a few more disgusting and cheesy lines.
"Miss Luo is so infatuated with him?"
"I'll marry no one but him."
"Such a firm determination to marry no one but him. Miss Luo clearly knows this young prince's feelings for you, yet you say such things in front of me."
"That's Your Highness's deep affection for Luo Feiyan? No, for me. In fact, has Your Highness ever thought that your feelings for me may not necessarily be love?"
"Miss Luo, what do you mean by this?"
Zhao Shuning said calmly, "Do you show such kindness to me because you have a crush on me or because seeing me makes you think of an old acquaintance?"
Xia Qingyan was slightly dazed.
Zhao Shuning continued, "Your Highness, I really have something to do. I'll leave first. I drank two pots of Zhuyeqing wine of yours today. I'll surely return you a jar of good wine another day."
With that, while Xia Qingyan was still in a daze, Zhao Shuning quickly left.
Just after turning a corner, before Zhao Shuning could even breathe a sigh of relief, she turned around and bumped into a solid wall of flesh.
A green robe.
A white gown.
A faint fragrance of white magnolias.
Zhao Shuning looked up.