friend

After walking a few steps, Mu An Ning struggled to break free from the young man's hand, with a complicated expression: "What do you mean, my lord?"

Where did Gu Huaizhi come from this time?

He came to her out of nowhere and said something so confusing. Gu Huaizhi glanced at the girl's black hair, and when he saw that the shackle was gone, the tension in his heart relaxed a little.

He lowered his eyelids, his deep eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of coldness, and he looked directly into the girl's slightly angry almond eyes.

He repeated stubbornly: "This prince said that you are not allowed to like him."

He was originally going to enter the palace, but he never expected to run into two people flirting with each other in public on this street.

They don't look like friends at all, but more like... lovers.

At this moment, he had no time to go into the palace to see Gu Yihan.

"Who do I like?" Mu Anning paused and looked at Tan Wenhuai and Fang Ziweng who were looking at them not far away. "What do you want to do with the prince?"

She probably had not yet developed any romantic feelings for Tan Wenhuai, but being questioned so firmly by Gu Huaizhi, she had no intention of denying it.

Gu Huaizhi took a step to the side until he completely blocked the girl's sight, then he gritted his teeth and said, "Are you really in love with him?"

It's only been two months since they broke off the engagement, and Mu An Ning has already fallen in love with another man?

As for Tan Wenhuai, apart from being a third place in the imperial examination, what else could make him better than him?

Mu An Ning raised her eyes and met his eyes that were as dark as a deep pool. The displeasure in her almond-shaped eyes became more and more obvious.

"Prince." Mu An Ning took a step back and took a deep breath: "You and I have nothing to do with each other now, why can't I like--"

"Who said we have nothing to do with each other?" Gu Huaizhi's heart sank. Fearing that he might hear something he didn't want to hear, he simply interrupted her.

...he kissed her and she kissed him.

How could she say so casually that there was no connection between them?

Seeing that he had no more to say, Mu An Ning's pretty eyes revealed a hint of sarcasm as she looked at the scabbed scar on the boy's face: "Then according to what the prince said, what is the relationship between the two of us?"

She thought she had made her point very clearly, but Gu Huaizhi kept pestering her almost every day.

She even had some doubts that the present Gu Huaizhi was a completely different person from the previous Gu Huaizhi.

In the past, he turned a deaf ear to her feelings and even hoped that she would like other men and stop pestering him.

But now, he appeared in front of her in a completely different manner.

Not only did he tell her not to like other people, he also pretended to be hurt.

Gu Huai was stumped by the girl's question. An unspeakable emotion surged into his heart, as if a cold torrent surged into the depths of his heart, causing his whole body to become somewhat stiff.

He quickly came up with two simple but heavy words: "Friend."

"Could it be that if the engagement is cancelled, we can't even be friends anymore?" He forced a smile on his lips, trying his best to hide the bitterness in his heart, but the surging emotions in his eyes were revealed without a trace.

Seeing that he acted as if she denied it, then she was petty, Mu An Ning couldn't help but feel helpless.

Under the boy's scorching gaze, she could only nod and acknowledge the relationship of 'friend', and followed his words and said: "I will do it."

She hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject: "However, friends definitely have no right to interfere with my feelings. If the prince continues to be so unreasonable, then we don't need to be friends anymore."

Gu Huaizhi stared at the girl's slightly raised lips and her calm expression. His arrogance suddenly dimmed. He never expected that she would protect Tan Wenhuai to such an extent.

For a moment, sadness, anger, loss, powerlessness, countless emotions intertwined in his heart.

Gu Ji, who was not far away, observed the tense situation of the two men fighting with swords. He hesitated for a moment, but finally jumped off his horse resolutely.

He trotted to his young master's side and whispered in Gu Huaizhi's ear, "Young Master, it is not appropriate to keep His Royal Highness the Crown Prince waiting for a long time."

In fact, Gu Huaizhi and Gu Yihan have always been like brothers.

Even though Gu Huaizhi suddenly broke his promise today, Gu Yihan would not blame him.

Gu Huaizhi, who was about to speak, glanced impatiently at Gu Ji who kept frowning and sneered, "What's wrong with that?"

He could naturally tell which one was more important, Mu An Ning or Gu Yihan.

Upon hearing this, Mu An Ning suddenly realized how much time he had wasted talking to Gu Huaizhi.

I had arrived at the clinic early, but first I met Tan Wenhuai and Fang Ziweng, and then I met Gu Huaizhi.

She lowered her long black eyelashes and bowed distantly: "If you have nothing else to do, I will go first."

She said this and turned around and walked slowly towards Tan Wenhuai and Fang Ziweng.

Gu Huaizhi stared at the girl's back as if she was avoiding him, until his eyes became slightly red, and then he looked away.

He turned around and kicked Gu Ji, rubbing his brow impatiently: "Why are you mentioning the prince for no reason?"

If Gu Ji hadn't come, she might not have left.

Gu Ji exclaimed innocently and took a few steps back: "Hey, sir, I am helping you!"

He rubbed his buttocks and tried to explain himself with tears in his eyes: "Can't you see that if you continue like this, Miss Mu will probably not even want to be your friend?"

People who practice martial arts have good hearing, so he naturally heard everything and saw that Miss Mu obviously didn't even want to meet his young master, let alone be friends with him.

Gu Ji sighed in his heart, but still couldn't bear to tell the young master the cruel truth.

Gu Huaizhi's eyebrows moved slightly. He certainly knew that what Gu Ji said made some sense.

Anyway, they can be considered friends now.

He could always find a way to make her fall in love with him again, but first he had to keep Tan Wenhuai away from her.

*

In the clinic, Mu An Ning gently and carefully applied medicine to the wound on Fang Ziweng's face, and said softly: "Ziweng, you will take my carriage back home later."

She was really worried about letting Fang Ziweng go back alone, and she couldn't be sure that those naughty children would come back to cause trouble for him.

It just so happened that she had never found a suitable opportunity to visit Aunt Fang and Brother Qiao.

He simply waited until later when there were fewer people in the clinic, asked for leave from old Doctor Lu, and went to visit Qiao's mansion with Fang Ziweng.

Fang Ziweng nodded obediently, then wrinkled his face and begged, "Sister An Ning, can you please not tell my mother and cousin about what happened today?"

He really didn't want to make them worry. His cousin had become an official and had been leaving home early and coming back late recently, and his mother had been worried recently.

Mu An Ning pinched Fang Ziweng's injured face with a distressed look on her face, and reluctantly promised, "Okay, Sister won't tell them."

Even if she didn't say anything, Aunt Fang and Brother Qiao would have noticed the two bruises on his face.

Although this child is a little naughty, he is very sensible.

However, there is no way this matter can end here.

When Fang Ziweng saw that she agreed, he was immediately overjoyed: "I knew that Sister An Ning is the best!"

His round eyes flickered and he asked curiously, "Sister, who was that big brother just now?"

Originally he wanted the older brother to come with them to the clinic, but unfortunately he had something else to do.

Mu An Ning paused, and two figures flashed through his mind: "Who?"

Fang Ziweng curled his lips and said, "Of course it was the big brother who saved me."

In addition, he had seen that unreasonable man in Wutong City a long time ago.

Unexpectedly, the man not only bullied him, but also bullied Sister An Ning.

Mu An Ning nodded in understanding. It seemed that Fang Ziweng would only ask Tan Wenhuai: "He is my sister's friend. His last name is Tan and his first name is Wenhuai."

She thought for a moment and said with a smile, "You can call him Brother Tan."

Fang Ziweng nodded thoughtfully: "Sister An Ning, does Brother Tan like you?"

Brother Tan originally had a stutter, but he found that when Brother Tan met Sister An Ning, he could not speak complete sentences even more.

In theory, this is a sign of liking someone.

Mu An Ning was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "Zi Weng, children shouldn't ask such questions."

*

East Palace.

Gu Yihan turned his gaze from the chessboard to his cousin, smiling brightly: "Ahuai, you are late. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Gu Huaizhi walked over and sat down in front of him. Unlike Gu Yihan, he couldn't laugh at all.

He glanced at his cousin quietly, then at the chess game on the table: "Cousin, you are quite leisurely and elegant, playing chess with yourself again."

Gu Yihan smiled without commenting and pushed the white piece in front of him: "It's been a long time since we two brothers played against each other. Let's play a game?"

Gu Huaizhi hummed in a depressed tone and quickly made a move: "Are you healed?"

Gu Yihan nodded, and after calmly sitting down for a few seconds, he laughed and said, "Ah Huai, you are still the same as before, you haven't changed."

Gu Huaizhi's chess style is aggressive, with each move carrying a strong offensive, as if he wants to force his opponent into a desperate situation in one move.

Gu Huaizhi sighed and said, "Cousin, if you can be faster, I will be very grateful."

Gu Yihan has always been extremely cautious and will not act rashly without careful consideration.

At this moment, the young eunuch ran to Gu Yihan's side and reported respectfully: "Your Highness, the Queen is here."

Gu Yihan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he waved his hand to signal the young eunuch to leave.

Gu Huaizhi raised his eyebrows, clearly seeing the displeasure in his cousin's eyes.

Gu Yihan and the Queen have always only had a superficial mother-son relationship, but two months ago they had a big argument over Gu Yihan's marriage, and the Queen almost couldn't maintain her outward kindness.

When Gu Yihan placed the last chess piece, the Queen walked slowly into the palace with a group of palace maids.

The two cousins ​​looked at each other, and stood up and saluted at the same time.

"Mother."

"Empress."

The queen nodded slightly, then walked to the main seat and sat down. Her eyes narrowed slightly: "Why did Huaizhi enter the palace today?"

She took a sip of the Pu'er tea handed to her by the palace maid, and looked at the two of them with a smile: "Have I disturbed you two brothers from reminiscing about the past?"

Although she asked this, anyone with a discerning eye could see that she had already known that Gu Huaizhi was in the East Palace.

Gu Huaizhi raised his handsome eyebrows and lied calmly: "Madam, you are joking. I had originally planned to go look for you after meeting my cousin."

The queen was amused by him and her mood was obviously much better.

She ignored Gu Yihan who was standing by and continued to talk to Gu Huaizhi: "I heard that Huaizhi and Miss Mu's engagement have broken off?"

Gu Huaizhi did not expect that the Queen would suddenly mention what happened two months ago, and he nodded with a stiff face.

The queen nodded thoughtfully: "This palace has a good marriage."