Chen Fan Had Something of "Mr. Fan's" Bearing

This feeling was both wonderful and an endless torment.

Chen Fan could neither push her away nor leave her be. He could only lie stiffly, filled with helplessness.

At that moment, atop a large tree beyond the courtyard wall.

Na'er watched as the lights in Chen Fan and Xue Qinghe's room went out. The corners of her lips lifted happily as she softly hummed an off-key tune.

"If there's no place for me here, there'll be somewhere else for me."

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was good, but Ning Fengzhi's vision was too narrow.

Xue Qinghe, as the Heaven Dou Crown Prince and future ruler of the empire, was the finest stage upon which Chen Fan could display his talents.

A rare commodity deserved to be sold at a good price.

However...

Na'er frowned slightly as she recalled the way Xue Qinghe had looked at Chen Fan during the day.

There had seemed to be something off about that look.

It was not the way one looked at a subject or a friend.

But she quickly cast the thought aside, a trace of certainty flashing through her purple eyes.

It's okay.

Chen Fan was straight!

Daylight flooded the sky.

With two heavy dark circles beneath his eyes, Chen Fan pushed open the door.

He looked utterly listless, his steps unsteady, as though all the vitality had been drained from him.

Last night, he had barely slept at all.

A genuine, breathtaking beauty had been lying beside him. It should have been the scene of countless men's dreams.

Yet that woman was disguised as the Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince, while her true identity was Qian Renxue of Spirit Hall.

And he had been personally "sold" to her by Na'er.

The feeling was simply impossible to put into words.

The moment he stepped outside, a silver figure drifted lightly toward him.

"Chen Fan, did you not sleep well last night?"

Na'er raised her little face, her pure purple eyes filled with concern. She extended her slightly cool little hand and gently touched his eyelids.

"Your dark circles are so bad."

Chen Fan sighed inwardly. What else could it be because of? Wasn't it all your doing?

He looked at Na'er's pretty, somewhat pale face.

"It's okay. I just changed places, so I'm not used to the bed."

Na'er believed him and nodded. Then she rose onto her tiptoes, leaned close to his ear, and whispered so softly that only the two of them could hear.

"How did things go with His Highness the Crown Prince last night? Did he promise you anything?"

Chen Fan shook his head helplessly.

"A night-long talk? Two grown men lying in the same bed—what could we do besides sleep?"

"Hmm..." Na'er tilted her head thoughtfully, then a crafty gleam flashed through her eyes.

"Then you just didn't do well enough!"

She patted Chen Fan's shoulder with righteous seriousness.

"Chen Fan, remember this: Xue Qinghe is the Crown Prince, the future emperor! People like him are the most suspicious, but they also value personal bonds the most!"

"If you want to earn his absolute trust and make him your strongest support, you must show sincerity!"

"You need to take the initiative! Spend more time with him, talk to him more, let him feel your worth and realize he can't do without you!"

The maiden spoke with a solemn expression, as though she were imparting some extraordinary dragon-slaying art.

Chen Fan's eye twitched as he listened.

Take the initiative?

If he became any more proactive, this "His Highness the Crown Prince" would probably expose her female body on the spot!

Just as he was about to argue, a warm, smiling voice sounded from behind him.

"Miss Na'er is right."

Xue Qinghe wore a light-gold casual robe, her long hair tied behind her head. She looked heroic and energetic.

She walked over at an unhurried pace, a gentle smile on her face. Her gaze settled on Chen Fan with a touch of appreciation and closeness.

"I greatly admire Brother Chen Fan's talent. If I could often exchange ideas with Brother Chen Fan, it would benefit me greatly as well."

Her words were flawless. They gave Chen Fan face while following Na'er's lead and settling the matter of "more contact."

At that moment, indescribable waves churned within Qian Renxue's heart.

Thrilling.

It was simply too thrilling.

Originally, she had only wanted to see him occasionally and exchange a few words with him. That alone would have satisfied her.

After all, Na'er was already by his side.

She did not want to, nor could she, damage their relationship.

But now?

Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, that silver-haired girl who had guarded against her at every turn and regarded her as the greatest threat was now personally pushing him to her side.

She was even encouraging her to become more "intimate" with him.

This feeling...

Qian Renxue took a deep breath before barely suppressing the frantic pounding in her heart.

She told herself that this was merely a temporary measure.

She only had a little fondness for Chen Fan. Spending some time with him and satisfying this small selfish desire would be enough.

Yes, that was all.

With that thought, the smile on Qian Renxue's face became increasingly sincere.

She stepped forward and, with perfect naturalness, reached out to straighten Chen Fan's slightly rumpled collar.

The gesture was intimate, yet it carried the concern of a crown prince toward his subject. The boundaries were handled perfectly.

"Brother Chen Fan, I happen to have some city defense matters to deal with today. If you are interested, why not come along? You can offer me more suggestions as well."

Chen Fan's body stiffened.

Could he refuse?

He glanced at Na'er's encouraging, expectant gaze beside him and could only nod through clenched teeth.

"...All right."

Crown Prince's Mansion, Government Affairs Hall.

Sandalwood incense curled through the hall, while official documents were piled like mountains.

Xue Qinghe sat upright in the seat of honor, composed in bearing, though a trace of weariness showed between her brows. These complicated government affairs had clearly given her quite a headache.

Chen Fan, meanwhile, had been placed in a guest seat to the side, drinking tea in boredom.

"Ahem."

Xue Qinghe suddenly coughed lightly, breaking the silence.

She casually pulled out two of the most troublesome memorials and handed them to Chen Fan, wearing the measured humility and testing air befitting a crown prince.

"Brother Chen Fan, these matters are rather difficult. Why not give me some advice?"

Chen Fan set down his teacup and accepted them.

One concerned the recent surge in grain prices in Heaven Dou City. Major noble grain merchants were hoarding supplies and driving up prices, leaving the common people full of complaints.

The other concerned the newly formed Soul Master legion. Its personnel were a mixed bag, their attributes varied, and its formations chaotic, making it difficult to establish effective combat strength.

They truly were two major problems.

Xue Qinghe's gaze rested on Chen Fan's face as she observed the changes in his expression.

Chen Fan first frowned slightly, then lightly tapped the memorials with his fingertips. His eyes narrowed as he sank into thought.

The Government Affairs Hall fell silent again, leaving only the soft rustle of pen tips against paper.

Time passed bit by bit.

Half an hour later.

Chen Fan gently pushed the two memorials back. Several clear annotations had already been added in red ink.

Xue Qinghe's heart stirred as she picked up the memorials and examined them closely.

"For grain prices, establish designated supply points by district. The imperial family should step in and use fairly priced grain to stabilize the foundation. At the same time, secretly contact Spirit Hall's merchant caravans and introduce outside competition. With both measures in place, the hoarding nobles will collapse without being attacked."

"As for the Soul Master legion, reorganize it according to attributes such as assault, agility, control, and support. Then break up the commoner legions and insert them among the Soul Masters for coordinated training. Use battle to train them, building their teamwork through experience."

There were only a few sentences, yet every word was incisive.

Xue Qinghe's breath caught slightly. When she looked up at Chen Fan, the admiration in her eyes could no longer be concealed.

This... Chen Fan's handling of government affairs actually carried something of the bearing of Mr. Fan, the pen pal she had known before!