Fafa: Master, you’re overthinking it!

Yan Yunning: ……

“Ningning, Qingchen — I’m a little tired. I’ll head back to my room first.” Yan Shiyao pulled a smile onto her face.

Fafa: Sigh! She always does this — every time something happens with Qi Qingchen, she……

Stop right there. Keep your thoughts to yourself next time — she is my sister. Don’t say things like that to me!!!

Fafa: It’s not as if I don’t understand either, Master — why does Xuan Yanyu insist on marrying her? She’s so wishy-washy. How could she be the mother of a nation?!

Yan Yunning: ……

After Yan Shiyao left, only Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning remained in the dining hall — not even a single maidservant. A hush fell over them at once.

“Where did you go just now?”

“Why did you hurt Luo Xuan?”

The two looked at each other and spoke almost simultaneously.

“I was locked in a room by Luo Xuan just now.” Yan Yunning thought of it and fumed all over again.

The color in Xuan Yanyu’s eyes went cold.

Yan Yunning reached for a sweet potato from the table and was just about to take a bite when the heat of it forced her to drop it, burning her so badly she had to pull on her earlobes for relief. “Xuan Yanyu, hold this for me quickly.”

She tossed the sweet potato straight into Xuan Yanyu’s hands and brought her fingers to her lips, blowing on them.

The young woman puffed out her cheeks blowing cool air, her face round and soft-looking — impossibly endearing.

The faintest trace of a smile rose to Xuan Yanyu’s lips.

Yan Yunning flapped her sleeves, tucked her hands inside them, and tilted her head. “Here, put it in my hands.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow and placed the sweet potato into her palm, shielded as it was by her sleeves.

Yan Yunning took a bite of the sweet potato, edged a little closer to Xuan Yanyu, her voice soft and sweet. “Shall we discuss something?”

The man suddenly bent down toward her. His warm breath fanned against her ear, his voice much rougher than before. “Hmm?”

An intimate warmth threaded through the air between them. Yan Yunning’s eyes fluttered. She softly bit her lower lip and asked in a small voice, “I… could I stay the night in your room?”

She had thought it through — her sister was out of the question, she couldn’t even protect herself; Qi Qingchen was out of the question too, Luo Xuan would have her killed even faster if she found out. Xuan Yanyu was the only sensible option. If she hid in his room, Luo Xuan would never dare touch her.

Xuan Yanyu’s throat worked slowly. His voice came out low and rough. “What did you say?”

Yan Yunning swallowed. His voice, slightly hoarse like that, was a little… dangerous.

“Then could you lend me Ye Chen instead?” Yan Yunning tilted her head to look at him.

The man clenched his jaw and let out a cold laugh. “Don’t even think about it.”

“If you won’t lend him to me, then can I disturb you for just one night?” Yan Yunning murmured softly.

Fafa: Master, he won’t even lend you Ye Chen — you think he’ll let you disturb him?

Yan Yunning: ……

Xuan Yanyu cleared his throat with a hint of awkwardness, then turned and headed out of the dining hall.

“?” Yan Yunning took a small bite of sweet potato, quickened her pace to catch up, and said sweetly, “Xuan Yanyu, please? Can you?”

Seeing no response, Yan Yunning stepped up even closer. “Master Xuan, Big Brother Xuan — just say yes, please, can you?”

“Xuan Yanyu! Then lend me Ye Chen — I won’t take him for free. Have my sister pay you in silver, how about that!”

“Why should your sister pay?” The man’s steps came to a stop.

The young woman answered without hesitation. “Because I have no money.”

Xuan Yanyu couldn’t help but let out a low laugh.

Yan Yunning blinked. “Does that mean you agree?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Come on, please say yes……” Yan Yunning tugged at his sleeve, voice sweet and pleading.

The sound of her voice slowly faded into the dining hall.

……

As the night grew deep, Yan Yunning carried several plates of pastries and pushed open the door to Xuan Yanyu’s room.

No matter what she said or how she pleaded, Xuan Yanyu had refused to lend her Ye Chen — but he had relented on one thing: he had agreed to let her stay in his room for the night.

Fafa: Master, it is fortunate that this author didn’t follow ancient customs in this regard, otherwise your behavior would be quite, quite……

Yan Yunning: ……

The moment she stepped inside, Ye Chen spotted her and gave her an unabashed glare.

Yan Yunning: “?”

“When are you returning to the Chancellor’s manor?” Ye Chen’s tone was none too friendly.

He had a feeling — if things kept going like this, something would definitely go wrong.

“Where is Xuan Yanyu?” Yan Yunning answered a question with a question.

“Our young master is attending to something. You are already so frightened — why not simply return to the Chancellor’s manor right now?”

Yan Yunning’s lips curved faintly. “I’ll tell my sister that Xuan Yanyu’s people have been bullying me.”

Xuan Yanyu had abandoned his perfectly good position as Crown Prince and come all the way to the Qilan Kingdom just to stay by her sister’s side. If her sister found out that she had been bullied by his subordinates, she would certainly blame Xuan Yanyu — and then Ye Chen would be in serious trouble.

Telling her to go back to the Chancellor’s manor — was she supposed to go back and wait to be done away with?!

“You… Second Miss Yan, you don’t want to go back to the Chancellor’s manor simply because you fear the Chancellor’s wife. What if Ye Jian stays by your side to protect you?” Ye Chen changed his approach and persisted.

Yan Yunning plucked a preserved candied fruit, popped it into her mouth, and said nothing.

Ye Chen gritted his teeth. “Ye Jian, you say something.”

Yan Yunning turned her head and noticed Ye Jian standing in the corner for the first time.

“Second Miss Yan.” Ye Jian looked at her, his expression closed and unreadable.

Yan Yunning drew her fingers back slightly. This one seemed more dangerous than Ye Chen.

“Ye Chen, Miss Yan has never seen us before. Second Miss Yan can say whatever she likes — it won’t matter.” Ye Jian curved his lips.

Yan Yunning tilted her head, the pin in her hair swaying gently. This was his roundabout way of telling her that even if she told on them, it would be useless?

Ye Chen scratched his head. He had forgotten that detail — Yan Shiyao only ever appeared when she was hurt. To this day, she had never actually seen his face.

“What are you all standing around for?” Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow and casually pulled the door of the room shut behind him.

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning trotted to his side and tugged at his sleeve.

The young woman’s voice was warm and soft, the trailing note carrying just enough of a lilt to make the listener feel, inexplicably, as though they were the one who had been wronged.

Xuan Yanyu looked down at her, languid and unhurried. “What is it?”

Ye Chen felt his heart drop into his stomach.

Ye Jian quietly opened the window.

Yan Yunning furrowed her pretty brow, her fingertip rubbing at his sleeve. “They’re all trying to send me back to the Chancellor’s manor. Am I really that much of a bother to you?”

She had noticed — except when it came to her sister’s affairs, Xuan Yanyu was actually quite indulgent with her. Like last time, when she had gone to Xuan Yanyu and asked him to help find the whereabouts of Liu Sisi’s younger sister.

He had had no intention of getting involved at first, but after she pouted and acted a little soft, he had agreed. Not only did he help her look into it, he even accompanied her to follow up.

And this time too — a little coaxing, and he had let her stay the night.

The man’s lips pressed together lightly. “They?”

Ye Chen’s face went pale.

Ye Jian vaulted out through the window in a single motion and left behind one parting line: “Young Master, rest well — I won’t disturb you any further.” Then he pulled the window shut quietly behind him.

Ye Chen cursed inwardly.

No wonder His Highness always said he was slow-witted!

Under the mounting tension radiating off Ye Chen, Yan Yunning fought hard to suppress the twitch at the corner of her lips. “I was just joking.”

Ye Chen let out a long breath of relief.

Xuan Yanyu gave Ye Chen a sidelong glance.

Ye Chen’s eyelid jumped. He quickly clasped his hands. “Young… Master, the hour is late. Please rest early.”

With that, he retreated hastily out of the room.