"You still asked me to go out in this heat? Are you crazy?"

Zhan Xinjia immediately went up and delivered a solid elbow strike to him.

Yan Hui winced in pain, rubbing her shoulder, but still managed a forced smile. "Well, you still came out, so never mind, go have some fun first."

Neither of them brought up the matter first, tacitly agreeing to avoid it.

"Walk?"

"Walk!"

Just like every time they had sneaked out to play in the past sixteen years, the two of them swaggered over and first raided the nearby street of food stalls. When they came out, they each had several oil paper packages in their arms.

He ate as he walked without any regard for his image, and when he saw a local thug bullying someone, he stepped in to help.

After dealing with the thugs, the two continued to have fun.

In the old streets and alleys, vines climb over the blue bricks and white walls. Walking south along the sun-baked bluestone road with an air of nonchalance, you can eavesdrop on the gossip of families while passing by tea stalls and taverns.

Whose underwear was stolen while hanging out to dry? Whose brother-in-law climbed into his sister-in-law's bed while his brother was away? Whose concubine poisoned the mistress?

Each one is absolutely stunning.

The two exchanged a smile, then bought more wine and went to the top of a tall tower to get completely drunk.

The sky was cloudless and a clear blue, with dragon and fish flags fluttering in the breeze. From the top of the tower, one could almost take in the entire bustling capital city.

When Zhan Xinjia was with Yan Huishi, she always felt light and carefree, as if she didn't have to think about anything, and had a kind of relaxed feeling like she had a brainstem deficiency.

He lay back atop the tower, leisurely sipping apricot blossom wine, when Yan Hui glanced sideways at the little girl beside him, who was holding a wine jar and chugging it down in a dragon-sucking motion. He simply looked at her tenderly, without saying a word.

Zhan Xinjia noticed his gaze, but instead of looking at him, she raised the wine jar and looked up at the birds flying in the sky.

"Actually, you don't need to write all that nonsense for me."

"I know."

Yan Hui smiled and said, "I knew you wouldn't agree, so I wrote something random on purpose, just hoping to make you laugh."

Although he was smiling as he said this, his lowered eyes could not hide his disappointment and sadness.

"But I desperately want to know why I can't..."

Well, I'm still a little unwilling to accept it. We've known each other for almost seventeen years, ever since you were a baby in swaddling clothes. I've been holding you and playing with you ever since.

I'm just wondering why.

Why is it that the little girl who used to show a gap in her teeth, holding a candied hawthorn and sweetly calling "Brother Yan" who used to chase after me when I was little, has disappeared in the blink of an eye? I can't find her no matter how hard I turn around..."

Upon hearing this, Zhan Xinjia's forehead creased with anger, her expression twisted, and she silently clenched her fists.

"If you keep doing that awkward thing, I'll kick you off the stage!"

When the geese returned: "..."

See, this is the downside of playing with abstract concepts.

He usually plays abstract games too much, so even when he genuinely wanted to say something emotional to create a good atmosphere, Mei Bao thought he was just being awkward and trying to disgust her.

"All right."

He compromised, deciding to cut out the filler words reminiscing about the past and bravely ask directly.

"Why don't you like me?"

"How dare you ask? How can you, the crown prince, have your mind filled with nothing but romance all day long? Can't you focus on your career for once?!"

He threw down the wine jar and angrily rebuked him through gritted teeth.

Have you memorized "The Treatise on Governance"? Have you read "The Model of Admonition" and "The Mirror of Wisdom"? Do you understand the art of rulership? Do you know the strategies for governing the country and the military?

"..."

No, I came out to confess my feelings, why are you putting pressure on me and increasing the intensity of my confession?

When the wild geese returned, they suddenly felt a little wronged.

"You make it sound like someone wants to be the crown prince. If I could be with you, I'd give up the throne and live a secluded life in the mountains..."

He stopped abruptly, not daring to continue, because Mei Bao had already grabbed his collar and raised her fist, as big as a cooking pot, high in the air with the strength of a tiger or eagle.

Zhan Xinjia was so angry that his teeth itched. He looked at Zhan Xinjia as if he were looking at an idiot, feeling utterly disappointed in him.

"Is your brain filled with Gou Shi? What's with this 'even if it means abandoning imperial power' stuff? Are you crazy? Come on, let me ask you again: which do you think is more important, being an emperor or falling in love?"

"talk……"

Seeing the burning anger in Mei Bao's eyes, Yan Huishi, with her strong survival instinct, decisively changed her answer and obediently nodded.

"I still think being the emperor is more important."

"Ah, that's right."

Zhan Xinjia smiled kindly, put down her hand with relief, and released her grip on his collar.

She patted his shoulder with feigned profundity, her tone full of heartache and earnest advice.

"Young man, you are still young, so you think love is the most indispensable and precious thing in the world. But, this thing is incomparable to the throne. They are not on the same level."

Think about it, as long as you can rule an entire country, even if you're in a terrible situation, things can't get too bad.

That's the dragon throne!

That's the pinnacle of everyone's lifelong struggle in their career!

Every time she reads a silly novel where the male or female protagonist, a prince or princess, is willing to abandon their noble status for love and live a life of hardship, she gets a nameless rage and can't stand it anymore.

You're crazy, falling in love has ruined your brain.

He not only failed to confess his feelings but also got a severe scolding. He's really had a tough time now.

On the way back, Yan Huishi, who was still feeling very happy, kept a cool and handsome face, and the atmosphere around him was very tense.

At first, Zhan Xinjia didn't pay much attention. Could his mind be so fragile that he would commit suicide over something so trivial?

As the two passed a branch of the moat, Yan Huishi, who had started with 0 frames, suddenly went berserk, took a running start, jumped, and plunged headfirst into the water with a "plop." He dissolved into the water and disappeared without a trace.

Zhan Xinjia was shocked by the earthquake, which greatly impacted his worldview.

Not a buddy!!

It's just that she was rejected after confessing her feelings and was scolded a few times. It's not like she had to jump into the river to commit suicide. That's too extreme.

If you're unhappy, just say so. I can apologize to you!

Without a second thought, saving lives was the priority, and Zhan Xinjia jumped in after him without hesitation.

She surfaced, took a deep breath and held it, her eyes half-closed, as she dived down, searching for the suspicious body. Before long, she was suddenly hoisted onto someone's shoulder and carried back to shore.

Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was Yan Huishi who had brought her back.

I was quite impressed with your letter.

She still remembered when Yan Hui and Yan Xiyue sneaked out to see the lanterns when they were little. He lost his footing on the bridge and was pushed into the river, almost dying young. It was she who struggled to pull him back.

Surprisingly, after so many years, he actually learned to swim.

After climbing ashore, Yan Hui remained silent, but his expression softened considerably compared to before, as if he had let go of something. His gaze was tender and gentle.

That's true. After a dog-paddling trip in the river, you'd be soaked to the bone, let alone looking at yourself.

Zhan Xinjia felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

Most of the time, Yan Huishi was an abstract, sick, mentally ill, or brain-dead person in her eyes. At first glance, his serious demeanor gave people a sense of unfamiliar distance.

It's as if everything before was just a facade he put on...

Noticing her nervousness, Yan Hui chuckled softly.

When she looked up again, the boy's eyes were filled with a clear and bright smile, clean and pure, reflecting her without any impurities.

When Yan Hui returned, she raised her hand to wipe away the water droplets clinging to her eyelashes.

"It's alright, I'm satisfied."

Even though her feelings for him weren't the kind he wanted, Mei Bao was still the same Mei Bao who would risk her life to save him without hesitation whenever she saw him in danger, and that had never changed over the years.

Although this method of probing is a bit naive, a bit selfish, and even a bit brainless.

But upon receiving a definite answer, the wild geese inevitably felt an immense sense of satisfaction upon returning home.

At least for her, he was still a very important person.

That's enough.

Going back with a wet skirt would definitely draw criticism from Master Shen. The sunset painted the sky red, and the two dogs, who had fallen into the water, awkwardly set up a fire under the bridge arch on the shore to dry their clothes.

Several lush jacaranda trees are planted at the bridgehead, their evergreen shade providing a cool respite on hot summer evenings.

A few petals drifted down in the rising evening breeze, landing in the river and flowing away with the rushing water. Fireflies danced in the air, and not far away on the riverbank, several children were catching crickets in the grass, their laughter ringing out.

For a time, life was peaceful and serene.

With a long sigh, Zhan Xinjia wrung out the water from her hair and looked up at Yan Huishi, who was drying his coat with a twig.

"By the way, have you thought of a solution for your marriage? You're not really going to have a marriage of convenience with Princess Liuyu, are you? That's too trendy."

"It's okay, I'll handle it."

Even though he stared intently at the fire and spoke as if nothing was wrong, Zhan Xinjia knew very well that Yan Huishi was just being stubborn.

What can he do?

With every right comes a responsibility.

As the crown prince, he had no choice in his own destiny.

But if it really is as she thinks, and the Emperor made some kind of deal with Nanjun involving the formula for hidden weapons... sigh! She suddenly had an idea.