Deng Qingru looked at Gao Yufei with a sincere expression, which stunned Gao Yufei.

"You...you really want to see my brother? Could it be that you have designs on him...?"

Gao Yufei belatedly realized what was happening, and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

Although her mother asked her to matchmake Deng Qingru and her brother yesterday, it's a different story now that her mother took the initiative to propose it herself.

If Deng Qingru likes her brother, wouldn't this matter be much easier to handle?

“Princess, Young Master Gao is skilled in both literature and martial arts. I have always admired his talent. Since I have come to your residence today, I naturally wish to meet him.”

Deng Qingru smiled gently, but her eyes held a wealth of emotions.

"Okay, okay, I'll take you to see your brother right away!"

Gao Yufei excitedly agreed.

She was originally worried about Deng Qingru's arrogant attitude and was thinking about how to make her develop feelings for her brother.

Now that I've discovered that she actually likes my brother, isn't that a relief?

She didn't want to lower herself to please Deng Qingru for her brother's sake, but now it seems she was overthinking it.

So, Gao Yufei quickly led her to Gao Junning's courtyard.

But at this moment, Gao Junning was not in his own yard.

After finishing his own business early in the morning, he went to Su Liluo's courtyard.

"So many days have passed, how come I've never seen you even think about running away? Could it be that your feelings for that Crown Prince of Liang were all fake?"

Beside the swing in the courtyard, Gao Junning stood tall and looked at Su Liluo, who was sitting on the swing carefree, and asked her curiously.

Yes, he is becoming more and more interested in Su Liluo.

Seeing Su Liluo swinging on the swing in the yard so carefree, he became even more curious.

Generally speaking, a woman who has been abducted to such a far place would definitely try to escape and go back, but Su Liluo is different from others.

"Where can I run to? I'm afraid I'll be caught before I even leave the gates of your Regent's Palace. Do you think you can fight city hall? Wouldn't it be better for me to stay here, enjoying the good life and waiting for people to come looking for me?"

Su Liluo gave a casual scoff.

Although she didn't run away because of the Ganoderma lucidum, she needed to find another reason to divert their attention.

"That's true, you do have a good sense of self-awareness. But have you considered what if they don't come looking for you? Then you'll have to stay in our Northern Desert forever?"

Gao Junning found Su Liluo's answer humorous and witty, smiled, and continued to ask, as if he wanted to know what other answers this woman could give that were different from others.

"If he doesn't come looking for me, then I'll just stay! Anyway, I'm living the high life in the Northern Desert, so I can't lose out, right?"

Su Liluo continued swinging on the swing without a care in the world.

"Don't you mind marrying me?"

Gao Junning frowned slightly and asked nervously.

For some reason, he really wanted to hear the answer.

"What's the use of disliking me? Will you let me go just because I dislike you?"

"......"

Gao Junning: It seems I still disappointed him.

His smile was instantly tinged with disappointment, which Su Liluo happened to catch clearly.

Su Lilu frowned slightly as she looked at his expression. Why was Gao Junning acting so strangely today?

Could he really have fallen for me?

Her mind raced, and thinking about how Gao Junning and she hadn't made things difficult for each other today, an idea suddenly popped into her head.

"Hey, are there any fun places to visit in the Northern Desert? I've been here for so long, and I haven't even left the area yet?"

Su Lilu asked Gao Junning.

"There are certainly fun places, but your father won't let you go there now."

At least until their wedding, the regent would certainly not allow them to go out for leisure.

After all, once you leave the Regent's Palace, there are many unexpected things that can happen outside.

"Are you afraid I'll run away? But it's so boring to stay cooped up in your palace all day! If you won't let me go out to play, can I go to the palace? I'd like to see which is more magnificent, your Northern Desert Palace or our Great Liang Palace!"

A sly glint flashed in Su Liluo's eyes as she spoke, seemingly unintentionally.

"The Imperial Palace?"

Gao Junning was puzzled for a moment.

It doesn't seem impossible. The palace is heavily guarded, and the guards are all our own people. Father shouldn't worry about her escaping from the palace.

Gao Junning looked down at Su Liluo and saw that she had a slight sense of loss on her face, as if she was really bored because she was confined to this palace every day.

So he couldn't help but agree: "Alright, I'll take you to see the palace another day!"

"real?"

Su Liluo put on a happy expression.

Of course, she was genuinely happy. Going to the palace would give her the opportunity to find the Earth Spirit Mushroom, and once she found it, she wouldn't have to stay in the Regent's Palace anymore.

"Well, I'll go talk to my father later. If he agrees, I'll take you there tomorrow or the day after."

Seeing Su Liluo suddenly smile, Gao Junning also smiled.

For the first time, he realized that Su Liluo looked so beautiful when she smiled.

"Brother! What are you doing?"

But just then, Gao Yufei’s sharp cry suddenly came from not far away.

She and Deng Qingru stood at the entrance of the courtyard. From their angle, Su Liluo was smiling with her head down, while Gao Junning was smiling at Su Liluo from the side.

Especially since Gao Junning's hand was on the swing, it looked as if Gao Junning was pushing Su Liluo on the swing, and the two of them were having a great time.

This stunned Gao Yufei and the others. She didn't expect that in just one or two days, her brother and Su Liluo would become so close!

Equally surprised was Deng Qingru, who looked at Su Liluo and Gao Junning with disbelief and envy. The woman was beautiful and the man was handsome; the two seemed like a match made in heaven.

Hearing the sound, Su Liluo and the others also looked up at Gao Yufei. She didn't react much, because Gao Yufei always had the same attitude whenever she saw her.

However, when Gao Junning saw Gao Yufei appear at the door with a woman, his expression suddenly darkened.

He hadn't had much contact with this woman, but he knew she was quite famous in the Northern Desert, known as the most talented woman in the Northern Desert, and was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Deng's mansion.

Her sudden appearance here quickly made Gao Junning understand the reason.

"Hmph! You shameless vixen! You've only just arrived in our Northern Desert from Daliang, and you're already trying to seduce my brother. You're such a promiscuous slut—"

"Enough! Shut up!"

Before Gao Yufei could utter the word "slut," Gao Junning interrupted her sharply.

"Brother, you...you yelled at me? You yelled at me because of her?"

Gao Yufei was brought to tears by Gao Junning's shout.