"Huh?" Ye Lingling panicked. "No, Your Highness, that's not what you think—"
"Now, now, I know. I know everything. In that case, I won't disturb you all. Have fun, everyone. Pfft~"
Seeing that he was about to burst out laughing, Xue Qinghe quickly made an excuse and turned to leave.
"Hahaha, youth really is wonderful. Youth really is wonderful."
It was just a shame I never got to have a youth of my own.
After Xue Qinghe left, Ye Lingling glared at Shen Feng, mortified and furious, then started complaining to Dugu Yan.
"Yanzi, this is all your fault. You made me embarrass myself so badly."
"If His Highness the Crown Prince tells anyone about this, I—I..."
Dugu Yan snickered. "What are you afraid of? My little brother's a great catch. He's not only talented, he's handsome too."
"The colors on his face will fade in a few days, really. Even if you just admit it, you wouldn't be losing out."
Ye Lingling immediately panicked. "Oh, you know that's not what I meant."
"I—I, you—sigh, forget it. I'm not talking to you anymore. I can never win an argument with you."
Dugu Yan always knew how to find Ye Lingling's weak spot. Every time, it only took a few words to tease her into losing her composure.
Even Ye Lingling, who had shut away her heart and remained as still as a pool of water, couldn't keep her cool forever around Dugu Yan.
Thanks to Dugu Yan, Shen Feng had finally learned that Ye Lingling could be so lively.
That meant Ye Lingling hadn't truly shut away her heart. Her distant, unapproachable ice-queen image was only because she was too afraid.
Afraid of losing, afraid of hurting others, afraid that accepting someone would bring misfortune to them, too.
It all