“That’s right, Second Miss Yan, you’re absolutely right.” Ye Chen spoke with his mouth full of rice, his voice slightly muffled.

His Highness was uneasy about First Miss Yan — worried she would meddle in other people’s affairs again, worried she might be harmed in secret, leaving him with no way to account for it to His Majesty the Prince Xuan.

Ye Jian: “……”

This fool.

Why did he have to chime in?

Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his lips curving into a smirk that was both arrogant and roguish. “Ye Chen, what exactly did you think she got right?”

“Your Highness, aren’t you very worried about First Miss Yan? Second Miss Yan wasn’t wrong at all.”

Ye Jian ground his teeth in fury and stomped on Ye Chen’s foot under the table.

“Hiss.” Ye Chen leapt up in pain. “Ye Jian, why did you step on me?”

Ye Jian’s eye twitched. Fool!!

“Your Highness, look at Ye Jian — right in front of you, he just……” Ye Chen swallowed hard, catching sight of their master’s fingertips toying with his teacup, his handsome face laced with a cold edge.

He swallowed again and quietly choked back the complaint he had been about to make.

Yan Yunning’s eyes curved at the corners. She picked up her teacup and lightly clinked it against Ye Chen’s. “Ye Chen, you’re the only one standing on my side. I’m so moved.”

Ye Chen pressed his lips together. Since when had he stood on her side?

He was His Highness’s man — he couldn’t go around saying foolish things like that.

Xuan Yanyu glanced up briefly, casting an indifferent look toward Ye Chen’s teacup.

“Worried is worried — there’s nothing wrong with admitting it. Ye Chen, why do you think a certain someone refuses to acknowledge what he said before?” Yan Yunning cleared her throat softly and cast a languid glance at Xuan Yanyu.

Ye Chen darted a look at Xuan Yanyu, then at Ye Jian, and belatedly caught on — he seemed to have said too much.

“Ye Chen, why aren’t you answering me?” Yan Yunning asked again, choosing precisely that moment to press him.

Ye Chen pressed his lips together. He was not answering her anymore!

Because he wasn’t stupid anymore!!!

The corners of Xuan Yanyu’s mouth lifted slightly. He leaned in close to Yan Yunning and spoke at leisure. “This prince has never said anything about being worried about her. How exactly do you expect me to admit to it?”

His face was extremely close to hers. The man’s voice was low and pleasant, his exhaled breath falling across her cheek with a faint warmth. Yan Yunning’s heartbeat began to quicken, slow at first, then faster.

“Yan Yunning, tell me — how?” Xuan Yanyu pressed, refusing to let it go.

Yan Yunning laughed awkwardly and extended a finger, pressing it against his chest. “Fine, fine — you never said it.”

Could he please move away from her?

Xuan Yanyu reached out and closed his hand around the girl’s slender, fair finger, his low voice deliberate and measured. “Will you say it again next time?”

Yan Yunning blinked, then suddenly said, “Didn’t you say you weren’t at ease about my elder sister?”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

Had he?

“Xuan Yanyu, I just remembered — you also said you weren’t my Brother Qi, and told me to stop bothering you.” Yan Yunning stared at the hand he still had around hers and let out a soft, quiet hum. “So, let go of me.”

Xuan Yanyu furrowed his brow, his voice dropping slightly. “I never said that.”

Yan Yunning glared at him. “You did. I remember it.”

‘Yan Yunning, stop bothering me.’ She had not remembered it wrong!!!

The corner of the man’s mouth lifted faintly. He tightened his grip around her hand. “Just because you say I said it, means I did? How does anyone know you aren’t misremembering?”

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning reached out and poked him in the cheek, dropping her voice. “You’re still the Crown Prince of Xuanzhao. How can you lie like this?”

The man’s expression did not change. “I am the Crown Prince, so you had better listen to me. I say I never said it — which means you may come bother me as often as you like.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

“Young master.” Leng Yuqian carried a tray to the table, timidly lifting her eyes to look at Ye Chen.

She had noticed him from the moment they arrived — there was something endearingly simple about him.

“Young master, I am the innkeeper’s daughter. My name is Leng Yuqian.” Leng Yuqian set down the tray she was holding, her voice gentle. “These are a special gift for you — a new item our inn has just introduced. I hope you will do me the honor of tasting them.”

Yan Yunning had no more attention to spare for bickering with Xuan Yanyu. She blinked and fixed her eyes on Leng Yuqian.

“For me?” Ye Chen was mildly startled.

Every other time it had been someone trying to get close to His Highness.

How was it his turn today?

“Yes, for you.” Leng Yuqian’s voice was soft and sweet.

It was rare enough to meet someone interesting — she ought to be a little bold.

Ye Chen glanced at the pastries on the tray and looked somewhat put out. “But I don’t like pastries.”

His very first time being approached, and the gift was something he didn’t even enjoy.

Yan Yunning leaned close to Xuan Yanyu and asked in a low voice, “Where did you find Ye Chen to serve as your guard?”

She wanted to know for the future, so she could avoid picking someone as lacking in social awareness as Ye Chen when she looked for a guard to protect her.

Xuan Yanyu wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his thin lips drawing close to her ear, his voice deep and low. “I selected him from the Imperial Guards.”

He had chosen him because he looked the most simple-minded.

Yan Yunning stared at him with a complicated expression. He certainly had an eye for people.

Leng Yuqian smiled with pressed lips. “Young master, then what do you like to eat? Qianqian will make it for you.”

She really was interesting.

Ye Chen scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. “There’s no need.”

“Young master, could it be that you look down on what Qianqian makes — and that’s why you won’t say?” Leng Yuqian lowered her head, murmuring softly.

“No, that’s not it, it isn’t……” Ye Chen waved his hands in a fluster.

“Then what does young master like to eat?” Leng Yuqian asked him, suppressing a laugh.

Xuan Yanyu toyed with Yan Yunning’s fingers, lifting his gaze to give Leng Yuqian a slow, casual look.

Tsk. If Ye Chen ended up with her in the future, she would have him completely wrapped around her finger.

……

The following morning.

Yan Yunning had just opened the door to her room when Ye Chen rushed to her side with a face full of lingering dread, pulling a long expression. “Second Miss Yan, please help me.”

The previous night, he had eaten what Leng Yuqian made and nearly lost his virtue.

“What happened to you?” Yan Yunning leaned against the doorframe and looked at him with curiosity.

He was asking her for help? What kind of help could she give?

“Second Miss Yan, could you… could you pretend, in front of Leng Yuqian, that you… have feelings… for me?” Ye Chen stumbled through the words.

Leng Yuqian had said she had set her mind on him — unless he already had someone who held his heart.

Apart from Second Miss Yan, he could not think of anyone else to ask, and he certainly couldn’t go to Ye Jian.

Would Leng Yuqian even believe that?

His Highness was still at the inn — he couldn’t flee all the way back to Xuanzhao just to escape Leng Yuqian.

How had his very first time being pursued ended up with someone clinging to him like this?

“No.” Yan Yunning refused without a second thought.

“Second Miss Yan, please, just help me.” Ye Chen looked at her with wide, pleading eyes.

He looked utterly pitiful.

“No.” She couldn’t act. What if she made a mess of it?

“Second Miss Yan, help me and I’ll tell you one of His Highness’s secrets.” Ye Chen’s mind turned, and for once he managed a clever idea.

Yan Yunning’s eyes flickered. A secret of Xuan Yanyu’s?

One isn’t enough.

“Second Miss Yan, will you?” Ye Chen saw her expression soften and pressed eagerly.

“But Miss Leng already saw me together with Xuan Yanyu yesterday — if you come asking me for help, will she even believe it?” Yan Yunning pursed her lips faintly.

Ye Chen looked around in every direction and dropped his voice to almost nothing. “Second Miss Yan, when the time comes, just tell Leng Yuqian that you had no choice but to be with His Highness — that in your heart, it’s always been me.”