Inside an opulent great hall, a man reclined lazily upon a high seat carved with dragon motifs, a young woman dressed in pink sitting upon his lap. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“Don’t cry.” Xuan Yanyu’s voice was low and gentle as his fingertips brushed away her tears.

“Let me go… please.” Yan Shiyao bit her lip, leaning weakly against his chest.

The man pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Within his dark eyes lurked a thread of unfathomable depth.

“Yanyu-gege, I don’t love you. Let me go, I beg you.” Yan Shiyao wept, her voice hoarse, her eyes full of pleading.

The man leaned down, his thin lips drawing close to her ear. His slender fingers brushed through her hair as he murmured softly, “It doesn’t matter. This seat doesn’t care — as long as you stay by my side.”

Yan Shiyao’s eyes glistened with tears. “Xuan Yanyu, I hate you.”

Unmoved, the man let out a low laugh instead. “A’Yao, do you know? The Second Young Miss is precisely because you wouldn’t listen to reason—”

“Shut your mouth. Don’t say another word.” Yan Shiyao’s eyes reddened, tears swirling in her gaze as she pressed both hands tightly over her ears.

“So, A’Yao, prepare yourself. In two days, you will become this seat’s Crown Princess.” Xuan Yanyu’s arms encircled her slender waist.

“Don’t even dream of it.” Yan Shiyao bit her lip, her body trembling slightly as tears fell without cease.

Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes, gazing into hers, his voice low and husky. “Tsk. It seems one Second Young Miss is not enough…”

Yan Shiyao stared at him in terror, her body going rigid with fear.

Xuan Yanyu observed her reaction, the corner of his mouth curling into a wicked smile. “A’Yao, you wouldn’t want your family to end up like the Second Young Miss, would you?”

His fingertip traced over her red lips, the motion gentle yet carrying a sense of oppression.

【I can’t watch this anymore.】 Yan Yunning swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Fafa: 【Master, enjoy your present life while you can. A year from now you’re going to be—】

【Shut up. Shut up.】 Yan Yunning picked up her teacup and brought it to her lips, taking a small sip. As the water slid down her throat, the panic stirring within her was temporarily suppressed.

Fafa: 【……】

“Second Young Miss, the First Young Miss has sent someone with a message, inviting you to Bixiang Garden for a meal together.” The maidservant Qiuci bowed respectfully.

Upon hearing this, the young woman let out a soft sigh. “Let’s go.”

Today was the third day since she had been brought back to the Prime Minister’s estate — and the first month since she had inexplicably transmigrated into a novel.

She had become a cannon fodder character in this very book: born of the same mother, equally a legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s household.

Her elder sister had grown up at their mother’s side and was the female lead. And as for her? She had been sent to their maternal grandparents’ home from the moment she was born.

It was only because the female lead — her elder sister — had said she missed her little sister that she had been brought back at all. She had originally thought life at the Prime Minister’s estate would be one of luxury and fine food. Not bad at all. But who could have known her life was on a countdown timer?

She never even got to enjoy the good days, and in the end, she was dragged down by the female lead elder sister!

For goodness’ sake!

In the novel, the female lead had gone out to play and rescued a man with severe injuries. Out of compassion, she had brought him back to the Prime Minister’s estate.

But that man was the Crown Prince of the Xuanzhao Kingdom — and the greatest villain of the entire book. After waking, he had fallen instantly in love with the female lead at first sight.

But the female lead belonged to the male lead. Upon learning that the female lead was to marry the male lead, the Crown Prince began scheming to wage war against Qilan Kingdom, where the female lead lived.

In the end, on the eve of the female lead’s wedding, he attacked the city, taking the female lead and everyone in the Prime Minister’s entire household.

The female lead refused under any circumstances to marry him. So he used her family as leverage to threaten her — and she, as the cannon fodder, was the very first one to be done in by that deranged Crown Prince!

When Yan Yunning heard the system Fafa recount this to her, her head buzzed like a hornet’s nest. What on earth were you thinking, bringing a stranger home? Don’t you know you can’t just pick people up off the street? A woman would have been one thing — but you went and brought a man back to the estate!

The one silver lining was that the author had incorporated a great many modern elements in writing this novel, allowing her to blend in quite well after transmigrating here.

She now had only two paths before her. The first was to make herself as visible as possible before the deranged Crown Prince the female lead had rescued, on the off chance that he might spare her out of goodwill in the later stages.

The second was to seize the male lead before the male and female leads fell in love, so that her lovestruck elder sister would no longer refuse the deranged Crown Prince for the sake of marrying the male lead — and would therefore not drag her down with her.

“Ningning, come sit here.” Yan Shiyao rose to her feet, walked to Yan Yunning’s side, took her hand, and they sat down together.

“Have you been adjusting well these past few days?” Yan Shiyao said with a smile at the corner of her lips.

“Very well.” Yan Yunning smiled, her eyes curving.

Yan Shiyao looked her over. The young woman wore a white dress as her base, revealing a small section of her slender neck. Around her waist was tied a red-and-white sash, from below which several strands of red silk hung down.

The sleeves were embroidered with delicate flowers, their edges adorned with a ring of pearls — truly a beautiful sight.

Two locks of hair draped across her chest, their tips lightly curled, her brows softly arched.

Her eyes blinked bright and lively, with long lashes cast slightly downward, a small and refined nose, lips rosy and full, and fair, luminous skin. Her features were as exquisite as a painting — the more one looked, the lovelier she appeared.

“Ningning, you’re also of marriageable age now. I wonder whose good fortune it will be.” Yan Shiyao remarked with feeling.

Xuan Yanyu swept a glance at the young woman across the table. Yan Yunning met his gaze and offered him a light smile.

In appreciation of how well-behaved she was, perhaps he’d spare her when the time came.

Xuan Yanyu withdrew his gaze and picked up a soup ladle, scooping a ladleful of soup to set before Yan Shiyao.

“Thank you, Yanyu-gege.” Yan Shiyao smiled, pressing her lips together.

Yan Yunning poked at the grains of rice in her bowl. 【Fafa, is this Crown Prince really so idle? He circles around the female lead day after day.】

Fafa: 【Master, nothing can be done about it — since the Xuanzhao Kingdom is mostly filled with princesses and he’s the only imperial prince, Prince Xuan dotes on him beyond measure and lets him do whatever he pleases.】

Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched.

Fafa: 【Besides, Master, this is just the world of a novel. If the second male lead doesn’t stay close to the female lead, how is the plot supposed to develop?】

Yan Yunning: 【……】

“Ningning, after the meal, I’ve arranged to go out and stroll with Mu Cheng. Come along with us.” Yan Shiyao smiled warmly and placed more food in Yan Yunning’s bowl.

“Elder Sister, I won’t be joining. I’d like to go out for a walk on my own in a bit.”

She was going to go ‘happen to run into’ the male lead!

“Alright then. Yanyu-gege, you stay and keep Ningning company.”

“A’Yao.” Xuan Yanyu frowned, his low voice carrying a trace of resignation.

“Yanyu-gege, Ningning has only just arrived a few days ago. I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving her in someone else’s hands.” Yan Shiyao covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed.

“What is there to be uneasy about? It’s perfectly safe outside the estate. It’s you I’m more worried about — you’re always careless, and I’m not at ease leaving your side.” Xuan Yanyu slowly turned the jade archer’s ring on his thumb and let out a sigh.

Yan Yunning was speechless. 【Fafa, I am so done with this…】

Fafa: 【……】

“I suppose the Second Young Miss doesn’t need my company?” He glanced coldly at Yan Yunning with a meaningful look.

“No need. Not at all.” Yan Yunning waved her hand.

Xuan Yanyu hooked the corner of his mouth in satisfaction. “A’Yao, you see — the Second Young Miss doesn’t need me.”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips and shot him a glance.

The man was dressed in a wide-sleeved robe of deep black, his long hair drawn high and bound. His features were exceptionally handsome — his brows and eyes deep-set, his bearing languid as he reclined sideways against the wooden chair, radiating a natural air of distinguished nobility.

Sensing her gaze on him, he looked back at her with an indifferent expression.

Yan Yunning lowered her head and quietly ate her rice.