Murong Yan's face turned red quietly, regretting that he shouldn't have asked such a question. Although Miss Ye occupied Ah Xu's body, she was still a girl inside after all.

How could she say this?

He quickly spoke up to save the situation: "Look at me, what nonsense are you talking about."

Murong Yan took Ye Wanqing's hands, leaned over slightly, and said in a gentle and affectionate voice, "Qingqing, don't feel any psychological burden. I like you because I want to live with you forever, eat and sleep together, read and write together. I want to hear you talk to me and see you smile at me."

Ye Wanqing's heart was pounding. His Royal Highness, was he confessing his feelings to her?

"But, don't we already live together? Didn't Lord Shen agree to your wish to live in the Marquis' Mansion?"

"Qingqing, I just want to live with you like a couple."

Ye Wanqing's face flushed like a delicate apple, and she felt a warmth flowing through her heart. It turned out that the Crown Prince she liked also liked her, and even called her Qingqing by name, saying such touching words.

This is the first time I heard someone call the word "Qingqing" so gently and beautifully.

She lowered her head, her face burning as if on fire. She wanted to laugh secretly, but she also felt that if she really laughed out loud, she would be too impatient and not reserved enough.

So she whispered, "This...is not possible. Shen Xu's family, His Highness's family...will not agree."

Murong Yan hurriedly grabbed Ye Wanqing's shoulders and said, "Just agree to it. This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with anyone else!"

"I..." Ye Wanqing looked up at him, recalling every moment she spent with Murong Yan, and what she had considered when she was jealous of Chen Xu.

If one of them takes this step first, Shen Xu might really become the Crown Princess...

And now, Murong Yan has already taken the first step, why has he become so timid...

"Your Highness, I..."

At this time, Nanny Jiang pushed the door open and came in. Seeing the two of them holding hands in a very ambiguous way, she immediately frowned and said in a stiff tone, "My lord, where have you been today? I sent people to look for you everywhere but couldn't find you."

Murong Yan was immediately displeased when he heard this. He gently let go of Ye Wanqing's hand, protected her behind him, and loudly scolded her, "Does my Ah Xu have to report to a slave like you wherever he wants to go?"

"Yes, Your Highness, this is the rule of our mansion. Even though Your Highness is the Crown Prince, you have no right to interfere in the family affairs of your subjects."

Nanny Jiang's relentless attitude infuriated Murong Yan. He grabbed Ye Wanqing's hand and immediately started to walk out. "Ah Xu, let's go! We can't stay in this mansion for another day. Come live with me in the East Palace!"

Nanny Jiang immediately stepped forward to stop Ye Wanqing and said sternly, "Sir, don't forget Madam's instructions. You are the prince of the Marquisate. Your words and actions represent the Marquisate. How can you act arbitrarily?"

Ye Wanqing hesitated after hearing this. She gently broke free from Murong Yan's hand and said, "Your Highness, it's too late today. We should all rest. I, I'm a little tired. Madam Jiang, please go back to the guest room."

Murong Yan pursed his lips and secretly complained in his heart, what exactly did Aunt Fu say?

Why is it that every time these people bring up Aunt Fu, everyone in this family becomes as obedient as a dog?

It’s okay for Shen Xu and his father and brother, but why has Miss Ye become so obedient?

What kind of magic is it?

Nanny Jiang nodded and said, "Your Highness, please come in."

Murong Yan had no choice but to give up and whispered good night. He didn't even have the chance to kiss her forehead before he was asked to leave by Nanny Jiang.

Ye Wanqing sat on the bed feeling both happy and sad. She was happy because Murong Yan confessed his feelings to her. Just as she liked him, he also liked her. It was Ye Wanqing, not Chen Xu.

The sad thing is that in this situation, Shen Xu's mother will definitely stop this relationship. If he goes to confess to Murong Yan without hesitation, Shen Xu's family will definitely be hurt.

Shen Xu had died for her, not only died at the hands of her best friend, but also replaced her life by her, enjoying the warmth of her eldest brother.

If I hurt her family again, I would feel guilty.

However, Murong Yan and I clearly love each other, but we have to deliberately keep our distance and let this relationship end in vain. That is too unwilling!

Moreover, how long can such a secret be concealed? It will be discovered sooner or later. Once it is discovered, how will it end?

With heavy worries, Ye Wanqing lay down on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Liu Zhang was also tossing and turning in bed.

This afternoon, Liu Zhang had just finished his shift and was preparing to go home for a rest. When he passed by the street where Zhihezhai was located, he could smell the sweet scent of osmanthus wafting all over the street, as if he had jumped from the scorching summer to the golden autumn in an instant.

Due to the booming business, Zhihezhai's osmanthus cakes are limited to 100 pieces per day. But even though sales start at 3 p.m., and the weather is hot, there's still a long line outside the door to buy them.

In the crowd, he saw the figure he had been thinking about day and night, A Rao.

She was wearing a goose yellow skirt and holding an oil-paper umbrella. Her face under the umbrella had regained its former roundness, and she looked fresh, pretty, bright and lively.

Her black hair was simply tied into a cute and lively double bun, and the yellow jade osmanthus hairpin he gave her was inserted in one side of the bun.

It seemed as if the sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers all around was emanating from the dense cluster of osmanthus flowers.

A Rao stood upright with a bright look in her eyes. She did not chat with others, but just stood there quietly waiting for the osmanthus cake to be steamed and sold.

Liu Zhang found a tea stall not far away and asked his guards to run to Yunlai Restaurant on the next street to buy candied haws. He then sat down and watched A Rao from a distance.

Watching her quietly waiting in line, watching her expectantly take the steaming hot osmanthus cake from the owner's hand, putting it to her nose and gently sniffing the refreshing fragrance, she smiled sweetly.

Liu Zhang seemed to have tasted the sweet fragrance of the osmanthus cake.

But……

An unpleasant figure suddenly blocked the view of the pretty figure. It was his cousin Liu Chun.

He squeezed through the queue with his chubby body, walked up to A Rao, and said in a frivolous tone: "Isn't this the little maid from the Marquis' Mansion? Why are you buying cakes alone?"

A Rao ignored him and left, but was stopped by his bodyguard.

Several guards pushed A Rao to stop her from leaving. Liu Chun laughed arrogantly, speaking in the tone of a dandy second-generation prince: "Where's your cowardly prince? How come I haven't seen him? He was quite arrogant that day, even bringing secret guards with him. Is he hiding in the Marquis' Mansion again today and not daring to come out?"

A Rao clenched the osmanthus cake in her hand, pursed her lips and said nothing. Even when facing four or five ferocious guards, her face remained neither humble nor arrogant.