Wan Ge glanced at Jing Zhong, then shook her head: "I have something to attend to and need to go back first. Thank you for your kindness, Young Marquis. I'll treat you and the General to another visit next time."

Xie Nanyan looked at the two petite women in front of him and said, "This place is not close to the Prince's mansion. How about this, I will have someone send the princess back."

"Thank you for your trouble, young marquis." Wan Ge bowed slightly to express her gratitude.

"No need to be so polite." After saying that, Xie Nanyan summoned his bodyguards and had them escort Wan Ge home.

Xie Nanyan then led Jing Zhong back to Hongyuezhai, but Jing Zhong looked back after taking a few steps.

Wan Ge listened to the system notification: [Jing Zhong's favorability -1, current favorability is 4.]

Wan Ge really wanted to laugh. The strategy provided by the system didn't increase her stats at all; in fact, it decreased them.

Ruanruan wants to say: This male lead doesn't follow the usual formula, it's too much.

Why can't the male protagonist learn from the villain? Look at that villain, he falls in love with his master at first sight, the kind who would give his life for him.

…

"Brother Jingzhong, is something on your mind?" Xie Nanyan looked at Jingzhong, who was propping his head up with one hand and tapping the table with the other, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Seeing Jingzhong's thoughtful expression, it was the first time he had ever seen the young general so absent-minded.

"It's nothing." Jing Zhong said these two words without hesitation.

Xie Nanyan knew the other party didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't press the issue: "You promised to come with me to try the new dishes, but you haven't even taken a bite. What's going on? Hurry up and try it, don't wait until it gets cold, it won't taste good when it's cold."

"Hmm." Jing Zhong responded with a cold, clear voice, and then picked up his chopsticks.

…

[Jing Zhong's favorability increased by 5; current favorability is 9.]

As soon as Wan Ge stepped into the Prince's mansion, she heard a system notification.

I wonder what the male lead has been through; men's minds are just too hard to fathom.

"Princess, are you alright?" Wan Ge asked with concern, looking at the princess who seemed lost in thought.

Next time I go out, I must bring these guards with me, otherwise I don't know what to do if something like this happens again. They're really bold, daring to bully the prince's youngest princess! They're practically courting death.

"I'm fine."

The maid lowered her head and asked softly, "Princess...should we tell the Prince about what happened today?"

When Wan Ge heard her ask that, she shook her head: "No need to tell Father, the young marquis will handle it. You must be tired after going out today, go back and rest first, just have Xiao Qiu come over."

"Yes, Princess." After answering, the maid left.

Wan Ge returned to her courtyard, and Xiao Qiu soon followed.

After taking a bath, Wan Ge went straight to bed without even having dinner.

…

…

On the day of the autumn hunt, Wan Ge met the spirited Jing Zhong. Unlike the sons of other kings and generals, he was still wearing heavy armor. This time, he was the one leading the army to protect their safety.

"What are you staring at like an idiot for?" A man riding a white horse blocked Wan Ge's path. He was dressed in brocade robes, and although he was unrestrained and dashing, his noble air was undeniable. The man in front of her was the original owner's older brother, the heir of the Prince of Jin. However, the original owner was rather afraid of this brother, so the relationship between the two siblings was not very good.

Wan Ge gently shook her head. The prince extended his hand, and Wan Ge looked at his gesture with a puzzled expression.