072. I Want to Rely on You
Zhan Lianjing furrowed his brows. Confronted with a woman as oblivious as Le Qianxue, he felt both willing and powerless. Le Qianxue, seeing his silence, grew irritated herself. After all, her lips weren’t there for him to kiss at will; otherwise, what would that make her?
She drew her foot back, intending to kick Zhan Lianjing off her. But at that moment, he seized her foot, holding it firmly. “I told you, I want to be someone different—for you.”
Her hand froze mid-motion. Although the meaning wasn’t clear, she grasped a hint of his intent.
That meaning…
Hmm…
Le Qianxue replied, “Your Highness! To me, you’re already special! Because you are my good master!”
Zhan Lianjing’s gaze tightened. “That’s not what I meant.”
Le Qianxue, sensing his helplessness, only provoked him further. “What else could you mean? Your Highness, do you want another little sister? Be my brother instead?”
Zhan Lianjing began to suspect she was deliberately toying with him.
“I already have a sister,” he said.
Le Qianxue rolled her eyes. “One more wouldn’t hurt.”
His anger grew. She clearly understood his meaning, yet insisted on teasing him!
Zhan Lianjing leaned in, disregarding her resistance, and pressed her down.
Le Qianxue’s hair fell in disarray, its loose waves framing her face beautifully. Her eyes held a hint of fear, yet reflected his image.
His expression was cold and forbidding, clearly displeased. He looked down at her, pinning her hands.
“I’ll only say this once: I like you.”
It was a confession, yet coming from Zhan Lianjing’s lips, it sounded stiff and unconvincing. Le Qianxue felt no sincerity, no joy.
How absurd—being liked by Zhan Lianjing, she couldn’t tell if it was fortune or misfortune.
Her mouth twitched. She could only reply, “But Your Highness, you like me, yet I do not like you.”
Her words blocked every thought in Zhan Lianjing’s mind, leaving him speechless.
He frowned slightly, clearly caught off guard.
But thinking about it, Le Qianxue had never abandoned him, yet she treated Yuan Tianci the same way.
Upon closer reflection, she was much more attentive to Yuan Tianci, often linking arms with him—clearly, their feelings were strong.
Suddenly, Zhan Lianjing realized he seemed a fool…
This was all his wishful thinking, and it failed to move Le Qianxue in the slightest.
The two remained in a stalemate for a moment before Zhan Lianjing released her.
His usual domineering nature surfaced—he ordered, “From now on, you will start liking me.”
Le Qianxue nearly coughed up blood. “Your Highness, how unreasonable you are! Matters of the heart can't be forced. If I could control my feelings, I’d be a deity already.”
Zhan Lianjing ignored her words, turning away and speaking softly, “You have one month. If you still feel nothing for me after that, I won't force you.”
Le Qianxue sighed in relief; it seemed Zhan Lianjing was at least a reasonable man.
She hadn’t expected that, coming to pledge herself to him, events would take such an unexpected turn.
If Yin Susu learned of this, she’d surely mock her.
Le Qianxue asked, “Could it be half a month instead?”
A month was too long, and Zhan Lianjing would surely keep a close watch.
He seemed possessed tonight, speaking to her like this.
Le Qianxue had already cried several times in her heart. She tried to keep her distance, not wanting any contact.
Zhan Lianjing noticed it all. Though his expression betrayed nothing, his heart was stirred.
So this was sadness, so this was heartache.
“No,” Zhan Lianjing replied. “I said one month, so one month it is.”
Le Qianxue pouted, muttering, “You can’t just have it your way and not let anyone protest.”
He heard her clearly, and her little look of grievance was truly charming.
He leaned closer, and she shrank back, but he persisted, whispering by her ear, “Le Qianxue, who made you such a thief of hearts? Hmm?”
It was blatant teasing!
Le Qianxue lifted her head, her lips brushing against Zhan Lianjing’s cheek.
Surprised, she quickly retreated, though there was nowhere left to retreat.
Zhan Lianjing’s lips curled in amusement as he watched her.
Le Qianxue felt utterly embarrassed. She’d never behaved this way in front of others, yet Zhan Lianjing had managed to fluster her again and again.
She protested, “I am not!”
Zhan Lianjing replied softly, “Not? Then why did you molest me before? Why didn’t you leave me behind at the base of the cliff? Why did you risk yourself to rescue me from the dungeon?”
He fired off several questions, leaving Le Qianxue momentarily lost.
She barely remembered these incidents, but Zhan Lianjing recalled them all.
Le Qianxue frowned. “I never molested you, Your Highness. As for the cliff, I wouldn’t have abandoned any friend. Regarding the dungeon, Haoyue asked me for help, so I did. Honestly, it’s because you’re the Prince—helping you benefits me, that’s why I helped. If you were powerless, I wouldn’t risk my life.”
Her words were brutally frank, and Zhan Lianjing understood perfectly.
No one is without selfish motives.
Unexpectedly, Zhan Lianjing said, “That’s good. I’m beneficial to you, so you’ll find it easier to like me.”
Le Qianxue couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “That’s not it at all. If all I seek is gain, there’s no place for feelings.”
She had always been clear about her heart. Zhan Lianjing was half friend, half foe; if emotions were involved, things would get complicated.
Zhan Lianjing hummed in agreement.
But then he added, “That’s fine. I can still benefit you. If I couldn’t, you wouldn’t even come near me.”
Le Qianxue was stunned. Zhan Lianjing seemed utterly indifferent.
When it came to matters of the heart, Le Qianxue hoped for genuine affection, not selfish motives.
Why did Zhan Lianjing seem not to care? In his eyes, was love just another transaction?
With this thought, she felt a bit depressed.
She muttered, “As you wish, Your Highness. I don’t understand your kind of affection.”
At this point, Le Qianxue let her temper show, disregarding his status.
She revealed her true nature, flawless and unguarded.
Zhan Lianjing, for his part, seemed willing to banter with her.
He asked, “What is the love you desire?”
“I…” Le Qianxue began, then stopped herself. “Your Highness, it’s not you, so why do you care?”
She knew her identity as the Ghost Doctor had earned them enmity; how could they ever be together?
If Zhan Lianjing learned of her identity, he’d want her dead, not love her.
Le Qianxue understood this well, always able to guard her heart.
She knew whom she could love, and whom she could not.
Zhan Lianjing frowned, clearly displeased.
Le Qianxue ignored his mood, resolutely pushing him out.
It was the first time she had been so bold with him, but Zhan Lianjing braced himself against the doorframe, refusing to leave.
“Le Qianxue, don’t push your luck.”
Show her a little kindness, and she’d run wild—did she still see him as the prince?
Le Qianxue replied, “Your Highness, you need to change. If you want me to like you, behaving this way only makes me dislike you.”
Hearing this, Zhan Lianjing quickly withdrew his hand.
Le Qianxue pushed him out and shut the door.
Zhan Lianjing stared at the carved wooden door, fuming for quite some time.
Le Qianxue returned to her bed, sighing repeatedly, unable to make sense of it all.
She tossed and turned, hugging her quilt, murmuring, “How did I provoke him… Why did it turn out like this… What happened…”
She asked herself again and again, but could not fathom Zhan Lianjing’s thoughts.
What she didn’t know was that Zhan Lianjing had never felt urgency or tension until tonight, when Yuan Tianci stayed at the General’s Mansion. Suddenly, Zhan Lianjing realized that if he didn’t act, someone else would take her away.
Moreover, Le Qianxue had just spoken about Yan Luoyu’s matter—Zhan Lianjing disliked being lied to, but remembered those who spoke the truth.
That night, Le Qianxue barely slept, her mind filled with Zhan Lianjing’s domineering presence.
The next morning, dark circles surrounded her eyes. Yin Susu thought she’d seen a ghost.
She asked, “Xue’er, did you go out thieving last night?”
Le Qianxue sighed, “Just something troubling me.”
Yin Susu cooked delicious food for them every day.
But today, Le Qianxue saw a plate of pastries on the table, exquisitely crafted and utterly appetizing.
She loved sweets and reached for the pastries first.
Taking a bite, Yin Susu explained, “These were sent from the Prince’s Mansion just now. I don’t know why, but it’s just a plate of pastries, yet Zhui Xing delivered them using lightness skills.”
Le Qianxue was momentarily taken aback.
Sent from the Prince’s Mansion?
That meant… Zhan Lianjing had them delivered?!
She coughed, quickly drank some water to avoid choking. “Did Zhui Xing say anything else?”
“He said these were for Miss Le’s breakfast,” Yin Susu replied. “Looks like you’ve got some face now—His Highness values you so much, I should hurry up and cling to you myself.”