The storyteller in the downstairs hall had left, and the crowd gradually dispersed. The teahouse was getting quiet.
The lights in the room flickered. Xie Fengran sized up the man opposite, as if trying to tell from his expression whether he was joking.
Unfortunately, the prince was more serious than ever. He let Xie Fengran look him over.
The usual mocking smile on his lips was gone. He sat upright, looking like a criminal waiting for trial.
Xie Fengran was in a daze for a moment. She asked, half - unbelieving, "I've always been curious. Why are you so determined to marry me?"
"I..."
Qin Junxing didn't expect the girl to ask such a question.
When did he start to want to marry her?
Was it when he heard her mocking the Wang family in the Sun family's residence?
Or when he saw her avoiding the crown prince in the palace?
Or when she deliberately fell into the water just to break the bracelet bestowed by the queen?
All the young ladies in the garden envied and were jealous of her being favored by the crown prince and the queen, but she didn't take it as an honor. Instead, she tried to escape.
That was when he got the idea to tease her.
Sure enough, when he told her that he was interested in her, her shocked look was still interesting to think about.
Just as he had imagined!
She didn't know that although he was on the frontier, he had already known about her existence.
It was when Sun Jiming came to Lingfeng Teahouse to cooperate and provide scripts that he learned about her.
Lingfeng Teahouse was the trump card his mother left in the capital. How could he not have investigated it clearly?
He just didn't expect that those heroic and soul - stirring stories were written by a young lady, and a young lady from the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion at that.
Since then, he had read every script she wrote before the teahouse even started the storytelling. From her stories, he saw her growth, her transformation, and her sorrows.
Unconsciously, she had been writing for three years, and he had been reading for three years.
How could he let go of the girl he had watched over for three years?
It seemed that he had used the wrong method, so the girl was still hesitating whether to marry him at this moment!
Thinking of this, Qin Junxing heaved a long sigh.
He couldn't scheme, couldn't use force, and to avoid complications, he couldn't even propose marriage openly...
Xie Fengran saw the prince frowning, looking so conflicted. She was a bit stunned. "Is this question that hard to answer?"
Qin Junxing came back to his senses and shook his head. "It's not hard to answer, but I can't say it yet."
"... If you don't say it, how can I decide whether to marry you or not?"
Qin Junxing raised his eyebrows, suddenly leaned in closer, and said with certainty, "Ranran, your hesitation means that you have feelings for me too. Why don't you just follow your heart?"
"The heart can change. Just like you're so determined to marry me now, but what about in the future?"
Xie Fengran was a bit melancholy. There had never been this man in her life plan.
She had it all figured out. She would study in the women's college for three years. After getting rid of the engagement with the crown prince, she would marry into a family of medium status.
Her husband should be able to read a bit. It didn't matter whether he took the imperial examinations or not. What mattered was that he liked reading and had something in common with her.
He should be filial, but he must listen to her. She would also be filial to her in - laws and get along well with her sisters - in - law.
It would be nice to live a harmonious life with her husband like this.
But the prince - he didn't seem like the kind of person who would listen to others.
But she had to admit that after seeing such a magnificent man, it would be hard for anyone else to catch her eye.
Even the crown prince paled in comparison when standing next to the prince.
What should she do? She was so conflicted!
Seeing her look so helpless, Qin Junxing first let out a sigh of relief.
Not rejecting meant there was still a chance.
"Ranran, take your time to think. There's still time. I'll take you back first."
"Okay!"
Xie Fengran was relieved. She was really afraid that he would force her to give an answer tonight.
...
When returning to Tingfeng Courtyard, Qin Junxing didn't send her directly to the window but swaggered in through the courtyard gate.
Lanfang was on night duty tonight. When she saw her young lady wrapped in a man's cloak and being led in by a man through the gate, she was stunned!
Wasn't the young lady sleeping in the room?
When did the young lady go out? How did she go out?
No, who was this man?
It wasn't until the two of them got closer that Lanfang came back to her senses. She almost pounced on Xie Fengran. "Y, y, young lady, h, how did you come back from outside?"
Qin Junxing looked at the clumsy maid and frowned. He put his arm around Xie Fengran's shoulder and gently pulled her aside. Lanfang missed her target.
Only then did she see clearly the person beside her young lady. "P, p, p, Prince!"
Qin Junxing looked down at Xie Fengran and said a bit dissatisfiedly, "Your maid is too clumsy."
"..." You scared the girl, and you still say she's clumsy. Are you being polite?
Xie Fengran glanced at Lanfang, coughed lightly, and whispered to him, "You should go back quickly."
Qin Junxing took his hand back. Looking at Lanfang who was still in a daze, he ordered, "Make a bowl of ginger soup for your young lady and help her go to bed early."
"... Yes!"
After asserting his sovereignty, Qin Junxing was satisfied. He leaned over to Xie Fengran's ear and whispered, "The emperor has released Qin Zhaoyang. Be careful these days. If you're in the college, stay with the Fourth Princess. When you're out of the college, let your maid follow you. The people from the Bloodthirsty Guards are good at martial arts."
Xie Fengran nodded. "You should go quickly."
If he didn't go, Lanfang would be scared to death.
Qin Junxing nodded and strode into the night.
"Y, young lady, what's going on?"
Xie Fengran looked away and glanced at her. "What are you afraid of? He won't eat you."
"..."
Young lady, you've changed. What about the one who used to hate the prince so much?
...
The next day, Xie Fengran went to the college with Sun Yuelan first. The Fourth Princess was already there, waiting in her seat.
Not long after, the teacher came, followed by someone.
When the Fourth Princess saw the person, she nudged Xie Fengran. "Ranran, she's been released. You should be careful."
Xie Fengran turned her head and gave the Fourth Princess a smile, then quietly waited for the teacher to start the class.
The person the teacher brought was the Third Princess. She had been released by the emperor in just half a month. It seemed that the queen's situation in the harem wasn't very good!
No wonder Qin Junxing said that the crown prince wouldn't have time to care about her.
Because of the appearance of the Third Princess, the Fourth Princess and Sun Yuelan kept an eye on her all morning. Finally, they found that this woman had no intention of causing trouble for Xie Fengran.
When they were leaving the college after class, the Fourth Princess said, "Qin Zhaoyang didn't cause trouble for Sister Xie. What's she up to?"
"She's your third sister. Don't you know her?"
"She's not my real sister!" The Fourth Princess muttered. Then she seriously said to Xie Fengran, "Sister Xie, I know Qin Zhaoyang. She's very petty. She was grounded twice because of you. She must hate you. You must be careful."