You Ran took his wrist and checked his pulse, then frowned. "Senior brother, you have neither a cold nor signs of poisoning. Don't worry."

It looks like there's an external injury?

"Senior brother, is there any injury that hasn't healed?"

Wen Yuanbai smiled and said, "It's alright, it's an old injury."

No wonder you don't look well.

You Ran then slowly poured a cup of tea, intending to push it in front of her senior brother, but then remembered that her senior brother couldn't drink tea, so she quickly asked the waiter to bring her a cup of plain water.

She then whispered to Wen Yuanbai, "Senior brother, speaking of which, I was just looking for you!"

Wen Yuanbai smiled and asked, "What is it?"

You Ran said hesitantly, "Senior brother, that Crown Prince is so annoying! He chased me from the capital to Dingzhou, and then from Dingzhou all the way here... and..."

She moved closer, her voice even softer, "He also brought a blank imperial decree of marriage! He's just waiting for me to nod and agree to marry him so he can fill in his name!"

Wen Yuanbai and Chu Heng were visibly stiff.

So... in her mind, he was such a repulsive person?

Seeing his stiff body, You Ran nodded frantically, "Senior brother, you also think he's annoying, right?! He held that blank imperial edict and deliberately let me see it! Isn't that obviously forcing me?!"

Wen Yuanbai asked bitterly, "You really don't want to marry him?"

"That's right! Otherwise, why would I have fled from the capital? I didn't have many good days in Dingzhou before he came again! I had no choice but to go to Liaozhou, where he claimed to have taken an arrow for me, but he almost knocked me off a cliff and killed both me and my unborn child! Oh no, both of us died! We perished together!" she said. "That unlucky crown prince, let whoever wants to marry him marry him! I don't want to marry him!"

Wen Yuanbai felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. Even though he had known her feelings for a long time, her blatant rejection and disdain were like a knife to his heart.

He picked up his water glass, shivered as he took a sip of hot water, and then You Ran continued, "Senior brother, why don't you marry me!"

The hot water in his mouth suddenly spurted out.

He felt like he was splitting apart...

"Senior brother! While my father is still here these two days, quickly write a letter to ask him if he has any objections. If he doesn't, let's get engaged first! Once we're engaged, the Crown Prince won't have the nerve to steal your good brother's wife, right?!"

Wen Yuanbai and Chu Heng stared at her in shock.

So, she was willing to marry Wen Yuanbai to avoid Chu Heng's marriage proposal?

She rejected Chu Heng's marriage proposal, yet she's willing to marry Wen Yuanbai?!

If one day she finds out that Chu Heng is Wen Yuanbai...

What will she choose?

Oh no, the most important thing right now is, what should he choose?

He wanted to marry her, but not as Wen Yuanbai! Wen Yuanbai was just an identity he used to appear before certain people by chance... How could he marry her using that accidental identity?!

You Ran had no idea of ​​the turmoil in his heart. Seeing his shocked expression, she assumed he was unwilling and instantly became unwilling as well. "What's wrong? Senior brother, you still don't want to marry me? Do you have someone you like?"

Wen Yuanbai slowly shook his head.

"If that's not the case, then why are you unwilling?" You Ran seemed to be pressing him relentlessly, but in reality, she was panicking inside.

Although she has been reborn and has been a ghost for over a thousand years.

But this was the first time she had ever proposed to a man in person.

She was only managing to hold on because of her childhood friendship with her senior brother and the fact that he had always doted on her.

Wen Yuanbai couldn't find a reason for a long time.

Nan Zhuo, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Princess, the young master's health has been poor, and I'm afraid he has no plans to marry for the time being..."

Wen Yuanbai immediately thought of a reason and nodded, "Yes, Youran. Didn't you say before that you dreamed I didn't live past twenty-five? If that's the case, I only have less than five years left to live... How can I hold you back for the rest of your life?"

Upon hearing this reason, You Ran breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, what's the reason? If it's this, even better! I've been worried about how to launder the money from my assets. If I marry you, I can bring all my dowry to your house. After you die, this dowry can finally be exposed! Then we can say it's your inheritance! Being a wealthy widow is my life's ideal! Without a doubt!"

A financially independent widow who doesn't have to serve a man or raise children—how enviable!

Wen Yuanbai:......

Nan Zhuo: ...

The two were dumbfounded.

Looking at Wen Yuanbai's expression, You Ran suddenly realized she had misspoke and quickly tried to make amends, "Senior brother, I... I wasn't hoping you'd die early! I was just... anticipating the worst-case scenario, you see? The worst-case scenario is that you really die early, then I can realize my life's dream. If you don't die early... ah, ptooey, ptooey... Senior brother definitely won't die early, then we can... live happily ever after?"

Wen Yuanbai remained silent for a long while before slowly asking, "I heard... His Highness the Crown Prince is afflicted with a strange Gu poison and won't live for many more years..."

"How can that be the same?" You Ran waved her hand. "He is the crown prince of a country. If he doesn't live long, I'll become a widow if I marry him, but I'll still be the former crown princess! If I want to take a fancy to some young and handsome man in the future... uh, no, if I want to remarry in the future, that's just wishful thinking, isn't it?!"

You Ran almost reached out to touch the corner of her mouth, but under the shocked gazes of Wen Yuanbai and Nan Zhuo, she managed to hold back and changed her words.

Wen Yuanbai:......

You Ran's tone suddenly turned indignant, "He knows he doesn't have long to live, yet he still wants to marry me! Isn't he trying to harm me? How can I marry someone like that?!"

Wen Yuanbai:......

That's a very double standard!

Wen Yuanbai replied, "Perhaps, knowing that you possess a rare treasure and are blessed with lasting fortune, marrying you could actually help him escape his misfortune and have a smooth life?"

You Ran thought of the disguise she had given in front of Chu Heng and said in a low voice with dissatisfaction, "Wasn't that all because of you, Senior Brother? Why do you tell him everything? He knows I have supernatural powers, so he's been finding all sorts of ways to get me to produce food and weapons!"

She briefly recounted what had happened in the past few days.

Wen Yuanbai was filled with relief. "Fortunately, I had let His Highness the Crown Prince know that day, otherwise... if this Sand City had been breached, there would have been rivers of blood and the people would have been slaughtered."

You Ran immediately fell silent.

Wen Yuanbai asked, "Junior Sister wants to marry me just to escape His Highness the Crown Prince?"

You Ran thought for a moment and said, "I naturally remember how good my senior brother has been to me. I believe that by marrying him, I can still maintain my free life! Even if he doesn't want to be my true husband and wife, it doesn't matter. As long as he helps me get through this tribulation, I will divorce you and give way to her when he finds someone he likes in the future. I will not hold you back!"

Surely Chu Heng wouldn't be so twisted as to go back and marry a divorced woman like her, would he?

If I can't be a wealthy widow, then I'll be a wealthy divorced woman.

Wen Yuanbai remained speechless, but his complexion had clearly worsened than before.