Asking for a kiss

Zhou Weikan presented the full teacup to the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness has a long-term vision. However, times have changed. The Duke's Mansion has lost the Emperor's favor. If Yao Qijiang were to act rashly now, he would be sending his entire family to a place of injustice."

The Crown Prince took a sip of tea, then suddenly seemed to remember something and laughed, "I've completely forgotten that Young Master Zhou and Miss Yao used to have some connection. My bad, I just had to bring up the one thing I shouldn't have."

Zhou Weikan, however, suppressed his smile and said seriously, "Miss Yao once helped the Zhou family, and I will never forget such a great kindness. But it is not a matter of romantic love, so please do not make fun of me, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince gave Zhou Weikan a deep look. "You've always been completely detached from worldly desires and emotions. It's quite strange."

He paused, then sighed, patting his knee, "Fifth Brother is impulsive; once he makes up his mind, it's hard for anyone to persuade him otherwise. Since Father has also agreed to this marriage, I naturally can't say anything more. However, we still need more manpower in Cizhou. Your men usually deliver goods to the palace every half month; now we can prepare for any eventuality."

Zhou Weikan naturally understood that the goods the Crown Prince mentioned were no ordinary silk fabrics. He was startled, but he simply cupped his hands and smiled, "This humble subject will obey your will and dare not disobey."

The prince stood up and looked out the window. The sky was clear and the early spring was bright.

He turned around, a half-smile on his face, and said, “Speaking of which, things haven’t been peaceful in the capital lately. The Dou family has had a family scandal, and I heard that even the usually humble and courteous Right Chancellor Lin panicked and went to the Dou family to demand an explanation before even attending the morning court.”

Zhou Weikan's clasped hands twitched slightly, and then the Crown Prince continued, "Dou Yanxun's wife has disappeared without a trace. I'm afraid no one in the entire Dayu is more anxious than him right now."

Zhou Weikan withdrew, and said with a calm smile, "The Crown Prince is so busy with state affairs, I didn't expect him to care so much about the family matters of his subjects."

The Crown Prince simply stared directly at Zhou Weikan's face, his eyes devoid of any warmth:

“You know that I have always admired your measured approach to things, your composure and meticulousness, and your lack of greed compared to others. As the saying goes, planning is up to people, and Young Master Zhou is exceptionally intelligent. He must also understand the principle that ‘only by being decisive can one avoid future difficulties.’” (1)

Zhou Weikan's smile remained gentle as he said softly, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. However, I am ultimately just a greedy and profit-driven merchant, so it would be better if Your Highness didn't waste your breath on me."

The Crown Prince's gaze sharpened, and he clapped his hands, laughing, "What a smooth-talking merchant! We've known each other for years, so we should be completely open with each other. You're like a pillar of my family; without the Zhou family's support, everything in the future would be nothing but wishful thinking. After this is done, I promise you generations of peace and stability, power over the world, without fear or worry. Isn't such preferential treatment enough for you?"

As the future heir apparent of Dayu, even harsh and threatening words from the Crown Prince sounded like nothing more than a lighthearted joke. Anyone else who heard them would likely have already knelt down in submission.

Zhou Weikan smiled as usual, and simply cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness is right, and I dare not disobey. I only hope that when Your Highness succeeds in your endeavors, I can still do my part to help you."

The prince arrived in a hurry and left in a similarly hurried manner. Having been here many times, he was already familiar with the place. He simply put on his clothes and hat, draped his cloak over his shoulders, and left through the side door of the dark room.

Zhou Weikan walked to the front gate, slowly pushed it open, and saw Mei Ying in the distance, sitting on a stone bench taking a nap in her moon-white dress.

He walked forward with his hands behind his back.

“You heard everything.”

Lin Xu raised his head, his eyes dark as ink, with a faint shimmering light.

She nodded slightly.

"Zhou Weikan, why?"

She didn't seem too surprised, even though she knew that she had been plotting with the Crown Prince all along to commit such a heinous act as rebellion and usurpation of the throne.

For some reason, his anxious heart slowly settled down, and he felt inexplicably at ease.

He sat down beside her, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "No reason."

"Some things, once done, are done. You can't find any excuses to make."

Her eyes flickered, as if she was seriously considering his answer. After a long while, she seemed to understand, and then smiled knowingly.

"It turns out I've been misunderstanding you all along. You seem to be the most law-abiding and the most noble, but in reality you're the most daring. You're just tired of this life of luxury and comfort."

Like a sudden enlightenment, she suddenly understood everything.

Now she understood why, in her past life, despite her infamous reputation and countless outrageous acts, Zhou Weikan had always indulged her with a gentle smile, watching her cause trouble and then cleaning up her messes. Were her most mischievous actions back then merely childish absurdities in his eyes?

He was inherently a rebellious and unruly person. That's why he was willing to get to know her, a woman who was not accepted by society, and gradually grow closer to her.

What he truly loved was nothing more than his own rebellious nature hidden beneath his unparalleled exterior.

A man who has no shortage of wealth and power would take such a dangerous risk, just as he said, some things are done without reason. She even believed that if he weren't the crown prince, but another prince, he would have agreed.

“The Crown Prince is brave and skilled in both literature and martial arts. Now that he has entered the Eastern Palace, why should he take such a risky move? If you help him now, once the matter is exposed, the entire Zhou family will be doomed. If he succeeds in ascending the throne, and you know his secret, your situation will likely become even more difficult.”

Seeing her calm reaction, Zhou Weikan's heart stirred again.

Having committed such a heinous act, he had already prepared himself for her to find out the truth and hurl insults at him, for her to avoid him like the plague. He never expected her to accept everything so calmly. She even went so far as to analyze the situation for him with an earnest expression.

He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile. Even knowing that she wouldn't truly care about him, he was willing to indulge in this illusion for the moment.

"...That's how people are; the closer they get to the day of success, the more anxious and uneasy they become. Only when they have everything under their control can they sleep soundly."

The Crown Prince was like that. And wasn't he the same?

Lin Xu didn't speak again, but looked up at the sky. It was a rare clear day in spring, and the faint sounds of insects chirping and birds singing could be heard; the severe cold was gone forever.

"I've disappeared. The Dou family may not care, but my father must be extremely worried. I wonder if Master Zhou could do me a small favor?"

Zhou Weikan understood.

"This was my oversight. I will secretly send someone to inform Lord Lin."

Lin Xu's brows furrowed slightly, and she smiled, her eyes as clear as moonlight. "Then thank you very much, Third Master."

She stood up, a little strained due to her pregnancy. Zhou Weikan wanted to help, but then remembered the incident that had upset her the night before, and his outstretched hand froze in place. Lin Xu seemed not to notice, and said with pursed lips, "I'm a little tired, I'll go back and rest first."

He watched her walk slowly forward, and for some reason, that familiar feeling welled up in his heart again, making it hard for him to breathe. His throat tightened, and without thinking, he spoke, asking the same question he had asked her long ago:

"Lin Xu. Haven't I seen you before?"

The figure in moon-white paused for a moment. After a long while, she finally turned around, her gaze clear yet distant.

A faint smile appeared on Lin Xu's lips:

"...There are countless women in the world, and Master Zhou is of immeasurable nobility. However, he has seen so many beauties that he only finds one of them familiar for a moment."

Her calm and composed demeanor inexplicably ignited a fire within him. The usually gentle and refined man could no longer restrain himself, and stepped forward to stand in front of her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

Lin Xu seemed startled by his actions and was about to back away when Zhou Weikan pulled her into his arms without saying a word.

A warm and soft embrace.

Familiar, long-lost clothes, memories from a lifetime ago sprouted from the soil, gradually emerging from the long-dormant ashes. He could no longer restrain himself, and he never wanted to let go again. He should have embraced her, more than a year ago when they gazed at each other across the painted boat on the lakeside, and when they met again on the night of Qixi Festival in the dark alley.

Even on the day she got married, when that arrow was shot, his men filled the streets and alleys along the way of the wedding procession. He had countless opportunities to shoot and kill Dou Yanxun, who was riding a horse through the streets.

He should have been like that.

Lin Xu tried her best to push him away, her body trembling slightly. Zhou Weikan cupped her soft cheeks, feeling as if a raging fire was burning in his chest, amplifying his jealousy, unease, and gloom, making him unable to remain calm and composed in front of her.

He lifted her delicate chin, half gently, half forcefully, compelling her to look at him, leaving her no choice but to look away.

"Lin Xu, you're so strange. Since you keep saying you've never met me, why do you always try to avoid me whenever you see me?"

Those eyes glistened with tears.

“Zhou Weikan…”

“Last night when you saw Fangxing, you knew I had someone following you. Yet you still came. Lin Xu, do you dare say you really knew nothing? Or are you actually just like me…”

Her heart was pounding wildly, and she could no longer listen. She found it all absurd and laughable, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Zhou Weikan!"

She tried to suppress him, but unexpectedly, her angry scolding only made him feel more familiar with her. Zhou Weikan smiled, a smile that was half mocking and half knowing.

"You also said you hate me."

"I didn't... I just want you to have some self-respect..."

Lin Xu was already weak, and how could she possibly match the strength of a man? No matter how much she struggled, she was helpless in front of him. A spark seemed to flicker in Zhou Weikan's eyes, which quickly grew brighter, making it impossible for her to remain still.

She was genuinely frightened by him.

Zhou Weikan stared intently at her, slowly moving closer as if to capture the softness of her lips.

Lin Xu raised his hand and slapped him without saying a word.

"Smack—"

In her desperation, she used all her strength, and a drop of crimson appeared on Zhou Weikan's lips in an instant. She forgot about the ring on her finger; the ruby ​​was dazzling yet incredibly sharp, and she had cut his lip.

Just moments ago she was angry at his rudeness, but when she saw that he had actually been injured by her, Lin Xu panicked.

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you..."

Her once clear and flawless face was now bleeding profusely, and she was terrified. Zhou Weikan, however, looked at the panic in her eyes and slowly curled the corners of his lips.

He just loved seeing her get all emotional for him.

How could she not care about him? She's just lying.

While she was distracted, he took her hand and gently placed it on his wound. Blood stained both of their fingertips.

The crimson hue mixed with his smile was all the more shocking, yet Zhou Weikan stared intently at her, his gaze growing increasingly stubborn.

"Don't push me away anymore. Hurt me, hit me, scold me, whatever you do, please don't be so cold to me. I beg you, Lin Xu."