He even knew what Ling Mianjian was allergic to.

And the way he addressed her was remarkably familiar.

The man turned his cheek and pressed it against hers, shameless and unyielding. “I’m not letting go.”

Yan Yunning reached both hands behind her and seized his ear. “Let go.”

A low laugh rumbled from Xuan Yanyu’s chest. “Her brother used to rattle on about her in This Palace’s ear all day long — of course This Palace would know what she was allergic to.”

“Is Ling Mianjian important to you?” Yan Yunning smiled faintly.

“Ling Cheng and This Palace were close. He had only this one sister, and her health was poor, so This Palace looked after her a bit more. In that sense, she matters to me — but nowhere near as much as you. In This Palace’s heart, you are what matters most.” The man let his voice trail into almost a whisper, low and deep.

The deliberately lowered voice stirred a tingling warmth at the edge of her ear. Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “Xuan Yanyu — if she faints again in the future, are you going to ignore her?”

“There are physicians for that. No need for This Palace to be involved.”

Yan Yunning tilted her head back and laughed. “Xuan Yanyu, would you ever think me a nuisance for all this?”

The man leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her lips. Yan Yunning pushed him away and tacked on, “If you dare think that…”

“I wouldn’t dare. This Palace would never dare.”

The gentleness in his voice curved like a hook across her ear. Yan Yunning swallowed the rest of what she’d been about to say.

“May This Palace be acknowledged now?”

“Your Highness, Your Highness.” Ye Chen lifted the door curtain, caught sight of the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms, and immediately dropped his gaze. “My Lady asks that you accompany her to a meal. She said you’ve always accompanied her before, and she’d like to know why Your Highness refuses this time.”

Has His Highness already coaxed Second Miss Yan back into a good mood??

Yan Yunning, while Xuan Yanyu was still caught off guard, pried his hand loose and stepped away from him, putting real distance between them. “Acknowledge what? Go accompany her for a meal.”

Ye Chen watched Yan Yunning sprint out of the dining hall, his eyelids jumping.

This was a disaster.

The very girl who had soothed His Highness — sent running in anger!!

“When did This Palace ever accompany her every time for a meal?” Xuan Yanyu reprimanded. “Were you unable to see that Yan Yunning was right there? What nonsense are you talking?”

It was only during the time when Brother Cheng was around that he occasionally shared a meal or two. Even after Brother Cheng passed, Ling Mianjian would still ask him to dine with her, and he always brushed her off — so why was she being so persistent this time??

Ye Chen slapped himself across the mouth. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. This subordinate spoke out of turn.”

Xuan Yanyu was so furious that he reached out and crushed the teacup sitting on the round table. The shards cut across his palm, and blood mingled with tea water, dripping down onto the man’s magnificent robe.

“Your… Your Highness.” Ye Chen stepped forward carefully. “Open your hand, Your Highness.”

Xuan Yanyu raised his hand slightly. Ye Chen took the shards from his grip and tossed them into the bamboo waste bin.

He crouched down, drew a clean square handkerchief from his robe, dampened it with a little water, and carefully wiped away the blood from the palm.

It wasn’t serious — just a scrape. No need for bandaging.

“Have Ling Mianjian sent back to Xuan Zhao first thing tomorrow morning. If she refuses to go, tell her not to come and bother This Palace anymore.” The man kept his eyelids lowered, his tone heavy with irritation.

He had no obligation to indulge her. If it weren’t for Brother Cheng, he would not have given Ling Mianjian any special consideration.

He had given Ling Mianjian the title of Imperial Princess, and occasionally made the effort to visit the household and look in on her. That was not an invitation for her to use those things as leverage to trouble him.

If she kept this up, he would revoke her title.

“Your Highness, my Lady is just outside the dining hall…”

She had said that if he wouldn’t dine with her, she would stand there and not leave.

That part Ye Chen did not dare say aloud.

“Just outside the dining hall?” Xuan Yanyu abruptly shot to his feet.

Yan Yunning had just run out — she would run straight into Ling Mianjian. If Ling Mianjian said something out of turn, and Yan Yunning got angry again, what then??

……

Outside the dining hall.

The moment Yan Yunning stepped through the wooden door, she came face to face with Ling Mianjian and her maid, standing right there.

Ling Mianjian looked Yan Yunning over with open curiosity. The girl wore a light green dress, the cuffs embroidered with delicate flowers.

Her eyes were bright and wide, her features lovely, her figure slender — only her lips were a little swollen and red, and her forehead was faintly bruised.

Neither of those things diminished her beauty in the slightest, though. She was still very pretty.

The girl stepped a little closer, and a light, clean fragrance drifted to Ling Mianjian’s nose. She couldn’t help but inhale.

“Hello. I’m Ling Mianjian. I came to Garden View Manor to look for someone.” Ling Mianjian smiled.

She was an outsider here, so it was only proper that she greet the household’s mistress first.

“Yan Yunning.” Yan Yunning smiled lightly.

Ling Mianjian paused. Yan Yunning?

Wasn’t the mistress of Garden View Manor surnamed An?

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “Looking for Xuan Yanyu?”

“Xuan… Xuan…” Ling Mianjian’s lips trembled slightly. She didn’t manage to say the remaining two characters.

“He’s inside.” Yan Yunning helpfully told her.

“Oh.” Ling Mianjian hesitated for half a second, then nodded.

“Yan Yunning.” The man came rushing out at a hurry.

With Yan Yunning present as an outsider, Ling Mianjian and Xiao Ying didn’t speak, only offering a respectful curtsy.

“Stop. Say it clearly before you go.” Xuan Yanyu caught Yan Yunning’s wrist.

“Xuan Yanyu, let go.” Yan Yunning turned and shot him a look.

“If This Palace lets go, you’ll go back to ignoring This Palace again, won’t you?” Xuan Yanyu’s eyes darkened.

Ling Mianjian swayed slightly. This…

Crown Prince Brother was being so… deferential.

And Yan Yunning already knew Crown Prince Brother’s true identity.

Xuan Yanyu pulled Yan Yunning to stand beside him, then looked up and gave Ling Mianjian a cold, measuring glance. “When exactly did This Palace ever dine with you every time?”

Ling Mianjian’s heart skipped a few beats. “Crown Prince Brother…”

“Explain yourself.” Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes at her.

Knowing that Xuan Yanyu wanted her to give an explanation directly to Yan Yunning, Ling Mianjian did not dare conceal anything. “Miss Yan, Crown Prince Brother did not accompany me every time for a meal.”

Xuan Yanyu reached over and brushed a loose strand of hair from Yan Yunning’s forehead with his fingertip. “Did you hear that? You can’t use this as a reason to ignore This Palace.”

With someone watching, Yan Yunning gave a face-saving nod.

If he hadn’t dined with Ling Mianjian every time, then why would she dare to say that to Xuan Yanyu’s face? Was it because he had spoiled her too much, or was there another reason??

Watching Xuan Yanyu take Yan Yunning’s hand and walk out of sight, Ling Mianjian’s eyes reddened at the corners.

“My Lady, why must you insist on His Highness the Crown Prince dining with you?” Xiao Ying sighed.

“I miss Brother. Xiao Ying, I miss Brother so much. Every time Crown Prince Brother sat at the head of the table with me, Brother would always be seated right by my side.” Ling Mianjian tilted her head back to look at the sky. The blinding sunlight stung her eyes, and her tears fell.

Lately she had felt her health failing. She only wanted Crown Prince Brother to share one meal with her — so she could close her eyes and pretend Brother was there too.

She and her brother had lost their mother when they were still too young to understand. It had always been Brother protecting her. Their stepmother didn’t like either of them, so Brother had pushed himself relentlessly to catch the attention of Xuan Wang.

As fortune would have it, Brother was chosen by Xuan Wang to be Crown Prince Brother’s study companion. The stepmother’s attitude changed almost immediately.

It was the first time she had ever felt what it was like to have a mother’s love.

But Brother was in the Crown Prince’s residence, and she couldn’t see him for a long, long time. She found ways to sneak visits to the residence. At first, Brother worried that Crown Prince Brother would be displeased — but Crown Prince Brother didn’t seem to mind.

So she started visiting the residence every few days to see Brother, and Crown Prince Brother would occasionally join the two of them for a meal.

But Brother’s health had never been strong. He pushed himself to be the best study companion he could be, and within a few years he fell ill.