Arc 2: Part 42
"Hahaha, how could this be considered a burden!"
Prince He Lian laughed heartily, then straightened his face and bowed seriously to Tong Su.
"Miss Ji saved my life. I haven't even had time to thank her! As the saying goes, 'there's no greater way to repay a life saved than to offer one's self.' Miss Ji, you possess both stunning beauty and a pure heart. If you would agree, I am willing to offer the position of prince consort—"
"She's not interested!"
Xiao Lingchen suddenly interrupted, his face cold and slightly angry. His sharp, narrow eyes glared at Prince He Lian, one word at a time.
"A woman's reputation is important. Your Highness, refrain from spouting nonsense and tarnishing Lady Bai Zhu's image!"
Prince He Lian, being a naturally unrestrained person, responded better to gentleness than force. His face drooped upon hearing this, and he retorted, "Lord Xiao, I was asking Miss Ji, and who are you to refuse?"
He no longer coyly addressed him as 'Brother (世兄 [Shìxiōng])', replacing it with the more formal and distant 'Lord Xiao' (大人 [Dàrén]).
Xiao Lingchen coldly retorted, "With the command of my parents and the words of a matchmaker — 'the elder brother is like a father.' Shouldn't I be involved in Lady Bai Zhu's marriage matters?"
Prince He Lian impatiently said, "Lord Xiao, here you go again! Could you be less rigid and serious? No wonder young ladies avoid you! Move aside. I want to speak to Miss Ji!"
Rigid and serious—
Xiao Lingchen's heart tightened, feeling a prickling pain as if something ignored was forcefully uncovered, revealing the deep, scarlet wounds beneath.
Rigid, serious, and didn't like to talk—
He looked back and saw the warm winter sun shining on her youthful face, the perfect embodiment of her prime.
She was so young, just entering her 16th year, delicate and innocent, separated from him by a large gap in age.
Xiao Lingchen slowly lowered his eyes, gripping the reins tightly, remaining silent.
Prince He Lian didn't notice Xiao Lingchen's suppressed silence and continued cheerfully, looking at Tong Su, "Miss Ji, are you willing to accept my offer? If you agree, I will dismiss my entire harem and devote myself solely to you!"
Tong Su, smiling, shook her head, "I appreciate the Prince's kind intentions. However, my brother's decision is also mine. Please do not bring this up anymore."
"Why do even your refusals use the same words as Lord Xiao's?"
Prince He Lian grumbled, then turned to Xiao Lingchen with a pleading look, repeatedly bowing.
"Brother Xiao, think about it. Besides me, who else could be considered a suitable match for Miss Ji? Who has a better family background, better looks, and would be devoted only to her in loyalty? Miss Ji is my life-saving benefactor, and I would never let her down. Brother Xiao, please reconsider my proposal!"
Xiao Lingchen's expression remained cold and stern, offering no response.
Seeing Xiao Lingchen's unusual display, Tong Su wondered what had angered him. He was behaving oddly.
She turned to Prince He Lian, sighing, "Your Highness, please stop saying this, I was not really your savior. After all, the incident happened at my banqueting table. If you don't blame me, I would be grateful. How could we speak of a debt of life?"
"I certainly won't blame you! I can't thank you enough!"
Prince He Lian hurriedly denied it, looking earnestly at her.
"If not for Miss Ji, I might never have known that I can't eat seafood. If this accident didn't happen, my condition might have worsened unknowingly in the future, perhaps without anyone able to identify the cause of my illness. This, I definitely remember!"
"Your Highness, you should not—"
"Are we going fox hunting or not?" Xiao Lingchen suddenly interrupted, piercing their light-hearted conversation. His cold eyes swept over Tong Su, "If we don't leave now, there won't be any foxes left in the area."
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