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She swore this was not the effect she wanted, and she truly did not understand why an Emperor who was full of imperial concubines and had so much amorous experience that it made one want to retch would blush at hearing such plain, watery words. Could a casual remark flirt with him? Didn't they carelessly say things with a much larger scale before? Was it because he confessed his feelings that even her attributes changed?

"So, they all felt that I lived a pretty wonderful life every day?" He chuckled softly, propping his face with his palm and glancing sideways at her, bringing out a sour, self-mocking tone that sounded grating even to his own ears. "Yet in the end, what kind of life am I living? Lord Zhu knows best, doesn't he?"

...Everyone is having a hard time, so let's not hurt each other, shall we? Who wasn't struggling to sleep night after night? That was why she wanted him to pretend nothing had happened. Sovereign and subject in harmony, elder and younger brothers friendly, how carefree.

"This is the first time in my life I've confessed to a woman, and you're telling me it's a hurt, is that it?"

...Your subordinate is also blessed in three lifetimes to reject His Majesty the Emperor for the first time in this life. But who doesn't have a first time? You just get used to it, right?

These two tit-for-tat remarks changed Zhao Huangpu's heavy and awkward mood. His spirits suddenly soared ninety thousand miles into the air, becoming carefree. The burning heat on his cheeks faded away, only to shift into his pupils. He stared straight at her with thick amusement, as if even hotter than before. This fellow truly had the ability to manipulate his state of mind. "Hey,