As soon as I finished speaking, I heard a scream. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Consort De had appeared outside the door of the imperial study room at some point. Her face was pale and her body was staggering as if she was about to fall. She pointed at me, her lips trembling and she couldn't speak.

My heart skipped a beat and I thought to myself, "Oh no!" How could I have forgotten this huge Buddha statue?

The Queen and the Queen Mother obviously did not expect Concubine De to show up. Both of their faces changed. The Queen quickly stood up, stepped forward to support Concubine De, and asked with concern: "Sister, what happened to you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Concubine De pushed the queen away, pointed at me, and asked angrily, "Lin Qingya, tell me, does the prince like you? And he wants you to accompany him in the palace?"

I was groaning in my heart, but I had to pretend to be innocent on my face: "Madam Defei, you misunderstood, your humble servant..."

"Misunderstanding? Do you think I will believe your lies?!" De Fei angrily interrupted me and pointed at Li Rui's nose and cursed, "Who is the prince? You are my son! How could he like someone like you..."

"Mother!" Li Rui stood up and interrupted Concubine De. He walked in front of Concubine De, his tone was filled with helplessness and pleading, "Mother, please don't say anything."

"Rui'er, you..." Defei looked at Li Rui in disbelief, as if she couldn't believe that he would speak for me.

Li Rui ignored Concubine De and turned to look at me with a complicated expression. I felt uneasy when he looked at me. I was about to say something when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the imperial study.

"My Lord, what are you doing..." I was dragged along by the police and had no idea what was going on.

Li Rui didn't answer me, but took me to a secluded corner of the Imperial Garden, then stopped and let go of my hand.

"Prince, what do you want to do?" I asked unhappily, rubbing my wrist which was red from being pinched.

Li Rui didn't say anything, but just stared at me, his eyes so deep that they seemed to suck me in. I felt uneasy when he looked at me, and just when I was about to say something, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

"You..." I froze, completely unable to react.

"Don't talk, let me hold you for a while." Li Rui's voice was low and hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor.

I was held so tightly that I couldn't breathe. Just as I was about to struggle, I heard 누놛 whisper, "I'm sorry for getting you into trouble."

I was stunned for a moment, and a complex emotion suddenly surged in my heart. "Are you apologizing to me?"

I raised my head and wanted to see the expression on 놛's face, but 놛 held me tightly in his arms, not letting me move.

"Don't move, just let me hold you for a while." Li Rui's voice was muffled, as if he was suppressing something.

I obediently stopped moving and let him hold me. At this moment, I suddenly felt that this seemingly high and mighty prince was actually quite sympathetic.

She was like a wounded beast, licking her wounds alone, not wanting anyone to see her vulnerability. And I accidentally entered her neck and saw her unknown side.

I don't know what to say or what to do. I just want to quietly snuggle in your arms, feel your body temperature, and listen to your steady heartbeat.

Time seemed to stand still, everything around us disappeared, leaving only me and you, and this suffocating embrace...

“Ahem…”

Suddenly, a light cough broke the ambiguous silence. I came to my senses, pushed Li Rui away, turned around, and saw...