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Ye Xiaohan was startled, suddenly losing interest in admiring the lanterns.
Murong Jing wondered what that meant. Was he hinting at wanting to establish some inappropriate relationship with her?
Even if she didn't already have Gu Bei, she absolutely did not want to be involved with the royal family.
Although Ye Xiaohan had never sensed any romantic intentions from Murong Jing during their interactions, Murong Jing did not seem like the type to joke about such matters.
Therefore, whether it was a casual joke or a deliberate probe, Ye Xiaohan chose to decline gently.
"Being with different people brings different feelings, and the scenery you see will also differ," Ye Xiaohan tried to sound natural. "Look, you came here with me today and saw this. In the future, when you come with Consort Three, it will surely be even more beautiful."
The playful tone in Murong Jing's voice faded as he gazed at the river's surface and said seriously, "If things could go my way, I would hope that every year I could see the lanterns with the same person."
The lanterns remained, but people had changed; wasn't that too regrettable?
Ye Xiaohan felt something was off. In fact, she should have realized something was wrong from the moment Murong Jing appeared. In such a crowded street, finding Gu Bei was already difficult enough. It seemed too coincidental for her to run into Murong Jing by chance.
Chiding herself for being careless while raising her guard, she planned to change the subject and let this matter pass. Perhaps Murong Jing was just caught up in the atmosphere around them and had momentarily spoken out of turn. If she could divert the conversation here, there might not be another opportunity to bring it up later.
"Alright, we've solved the riddles and released the lanterns. I've had a wonderful time today; thank you, Third Prince. I should head back now; there are many chores waiting for me at home, and I can't relax staying out too long."
Ye Xiaohan quickly found an excuse to slip away.
However, Murong Jing saw right through her. He didn't respond but quietly watched Ye Xiaohan, making her voice grow softer.
"Ye Boss, I hope you can consider this; I'm sincere," Murong Jing revealed his true feelings. "I've always had a good impression of you. Among all the people I've met, there is no one like you—so resilient and determined. You are special!"
Ye Xiaohan hurriedly replied, "No, no! It's just that your social circle is too narrow! The girls you know are all of a similar type; that's why you think I'm special. In reality, it's just because I'm not as wealthy as they are and haven't received their education. I'm rather coarse compared to them!"
Saying this made Ye Xiaohan feel a bit pained, but as long as it could dispel Murong Jing's thoughts, it was worth it!
"Don't say that about yourself!" Murong Jing shifted his gaze to Ye Xiaohan and locked eyes with her. "I trust my judgment; you deserve better! When you were in trouble and I rushed to save you, I realized just how important you've become to me without me even noticing."
Yet at that moment, he could only stand by and watch as Gu Bei tightly embraced Ye Xiaohan while he remained on the sidelines as merely a friend.
After returning home that day, he thought for a long time and finally understood that he no longer wanted to simply stand beside Ye Xiaohan watching her; he hoped to have her belong in his life.
"As long as you agree, I can guarantee that the position of Consort Three will always belong to you!" Murong Jing declared earnestly. "In the future, if I make any progress, you will always be by my side, just like my father and Mother Empress."
The promise of elevating a commoner to Consort Three was a great surprise for most people. However, it did not include Ye Xiaohan.
What truly shocked her was that Murong Jing directly compared her to the Queen, which was considered a grave offense. Unless the Third Prince had already planned to seize the throne himself, he must be vying for the imperial position!
Ye Xiaohan had sensed that Gu Bei had been busy with something recently, and that Sixth Prince Murong Xi was being persecuted—all related to the struggle for the throne. She never expected that the Third Prince would also be involved in such matters.
Indeed, those from the imperial family were deeply scheming. Murong Jing had hidden his intentions well; after knowing him for so long, she had hardly noticed any signs.
Ye Xiaohan was taken aback and, before she could think of how to respond appropriately, she blurted out, "Thank you for your affection, Third Prince, but I do not wish to climb too high. Whether it is Consort Three or the Queen, neither is a role I can fulfill. You should reserve it for someone more suitable!"
She didn’t even have time to consider what would happen if Murong Jing became angry and punished her.
Murong Jing was not angered by her blunt refusal; instead, he remained persistent. "I understand this is sudden and cannot expect an immediate answer. I won’t pressure you; take your time to think about it. You must believe that my feelings for you are sincere."
Regardless of whether his feelings were genuine or feigned, his status alone was something Ye Xiaohan could not accept. This sudden confession felt like a burden and trouble to her.
"Xiao Han!" A familiar voice appeared behind them; this time it was truly Gu Bei.
Ye Xiaohan looked at Gu Bei with delight as he hurried over, feeling that his arrival was perfectly timed. "You finally made it! I've been waiting for you for so long!"
"Sorry for the delay," Gu Bei said as he lowered his head to comfort Ye Xiaohan and discreetly shielded her behind him as he faced Murong Jing. "Thank you for keeping Xiao Han company before I arrived, Third Prince. I'll take over from here; please feel free to continue your business."
From their previous distance, Gu Bei had already overheard some of Murong Jing's words. However, he did not show it; the anger in his eyes was hard to conceal.
Murong Jing immediately noticed Gu Bei's true emotions and smirked slightly. "General Gu need not be so formal; Boss Ye is my friend. We were just having a delightful time."
"You!" Gu Bei was not good with words to begin with, and facing Murong Jing's natural sarcasm left him with no chance to gain the upper hand.
Ye Xiaohan quickly pulled Gu Bei aside and said, "It’s truly fortunate to encounter the Third Prince today. We won’t disturb you any longer; I wish you a pleasant time."
She tried to lead Gu Bei away, but he was unwilling to leave. He couldn’t tolerate someone else eyeing his companion.
"If Third Prince has nothing better to do, perhaps engaging with commoners is beneath royal dignity; it could tarnish the reputation of the royal family if word gets out."
Gu Bei wanted to prevent Murong Jing from getting closer to Ye Xiaohan; ideally, they would have no connection at all. Murong Jing seemed superficial on the surface, but what he truly thought remained a mystery to everyone.
Such a person can simply be categorized as belonging to the dangerous type.
Murong Jing felt Gu Bei's genuine anger and was somewhat pleased. Previously, he had only watched Gu Bei with secret jealousy, but now it was Gu Bei who was concerned, clearly indicating that he had successfully threatened Gu Bei.
"What I want, I will never give up easily," Murong Jing said directly to Gu Bei. "General Gu, let’s rely on our own abilities!"
He nodded at Ye Xiaohan and turned to leave.
"Stop right there!" Gu Bei wanted to chase after him but was held back by Ye Xiaohan.
"Don't make a scene. Do you want to be the laughingstock in front of everyone?" Ye Xiaohan would not allow Gu Bei to cause trouble for Murong Jing. No matter how strong Gu Bei was, he could never directly confront a royal heir without facing dire consequences.
After this commotion, Ye Xiaohan completely lost interest in strolling around and felt disheartened about wanting to go home. Gu Bei was also filled with dissatisfaction, ignoring the lively street around them.
After escorting Ye Xiaohan home, it was still early; in fact, not much time had passed.
"We're here; you can go back now." Standing at the entrance of the house, Ye Xiaohan placed one hand on the door, clearly not intending to let Gu Bei inside.
Gu Bei could not just leave like that. Ye Xiaohan had just been confessed to by another man, and he was filled with anxiety about the possibility of losing her.
Seeing that Gu Bei wouldn’t budge, Ye Xiaohan pushed him hard. As a result, Gu Bei caught her arm and pulled her into his embrace.
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