Two Fighting Cocks

Before Zhao Ruxi could even get a good look at the man, Zhong Shengrong squeezed through the door, his face flushed and panting heavily, as if he had run there.

"Fifth Highness, this is not a place for you," Zhong Shengrong said breathlessly. "It's very close to the prison. If anything happens to you..."

With a wave of Imperial Guards hand, the man pulled Zhong Shengrong aside and covered his mouth, silencing Zhong Shengrong's incessant chatter.

Fifth Highness? Is this the cannon fodder Fifth Prince Xiao Lingyan? What is he doing?

Zhao Ruxi stood up.

Xiao Lingyan walked up to Zhao Ruxi and stood there, carefully examining her for a moment before looking down at the portrait she had just drawn.

Although the portrait is a quick sketch, it is remarkably lifelike.

Xiao Lingyan straightened up, raised his hand, and commanded, "You all get out."

Xiao Liuzi tried to persuade him, "Your Highness, this place is close to the prison, it's not safe..."

Xiao Lingyan didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly.

"... Yes." Xiao Liuzi stammered, shutting his mouth under his gaze, and involuntarily took two steps back.

Wang Tong pulled Zhong Shengrong outside.

Zhong Shengrong cried out "Ugh, ugh" and struggled desperately.

Seeing this, Zhao Ruxi quickly spoke up, "Fifth Highness, what are you doing?"

Xiao Lingyan glanced down at Zhao Ruxi and saw that the woman's eyes were calm, without any sign of panic. She did not show any surprise, fear or other emotions upon hearing that he was a prince, which was completely different from the reaction of ordinary women. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.

He took a step closer and whispered, "Xu Xi, I am Xiao Ke."

His voice was low, and Zhong Shengrong was making various noises over there, so apart from Zhao Ruxi, no one else could hear what he was saying.

But the whisper was like a thunderclap, startling Zhao Ruxi so much that her eyes widened instantly, and she stood there speechless, her mouth agape.

Looking at Zhao Ruxi's wide, cat-like eyes, Xiao Lingyan's lips curved into a smile, his expression one of great pleasure.

He glanced back and saw that Wang Tong had already dragged Zhong Shengrong out of the courtyard with Xiao Liuzi. Now, besides him and Zhao Ruxi, only Qingfeng and Ma Sheng remained in the courtyard.

He gestured with his head and said, "You're still planning to let them stay here?"

Zhao Ruxi glanced at Qingfeng and Ma Sheng, and said to them, "You two can leave now."

"Miss..." Qingfeng hesitated.

She thought more than Ma Sheng did. She not only had to consider Zhao Ruxi's safety, but also her reputation.

If word gets out that she and the Fifth Prince were alone in this courtyard, it wouldn't be a good thing for her young lady.

"I'll be fine." Zhao Ruxi smiled at Qingfeng. "Don't worry."

Turning to Ma Sheng, she said, "Uncle Ma, you should go out too."

Qingfeng and Ma Sheng exchanged a glance and then left, leaving only Zhao Ruxi and Xiao Lingyan in the courtyard.

Xiao Lingyan pulled out the chair that Zhao Ruxi had just been sitting in and sat down by himself. His legs were so long that they almost reached in front of Zhao Ruxi.

Zhao Ruxi is now certain that this guy is Xiao Ke.

His personality is terrible, and he has absolutely no gentlemanly manners.

She glared at him fiercely, then walked over to the chair where Qingfeng had been sitting and sat down as well. As she left, she pretended to accidentally step on Xiao Lingyan's foot, feeling regretful that she wasn't wearing high heels.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Lingyan chuckled and withdrew his foot, saying, "Xu Xi, even in a different place, your personality is still so awful?"

"Likewise," Zhao Ruxi said coldly.

"You're sitting so far away, are we supposed to shout to talk to each other?"

"Say it or don't, it's not like I'm the one who asked you to talk."

Xiao Lingyan looked at her for a while, then moved his chair closer to Zhao Ruxi and sighed, "People say that when fellow countrymen meet, their eyes well up with tears. Can't we at least have a warm hug? Do we have to look at each other like cross-eyed idiots the moment we meet?"

"Who told you to be a fighting rooster in both your past and present lives?" Zhao Ruxi rolled her eyes at him, then gestured with her chin towards the portrait she had drawn. "You found me based on that thing?"

Xiao Lingyan nodded. "Yes." Then he added, "With you making such a commotion, it's hard for me not to notice."

Zhao Ruxi got up to leave, Xiao Lingyan quickly stopped her, saying, "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more. Let's talk this out."

Zhao Ruxi then sat back down. However, she remained expressionless and silent, only watching Xiao Lingyan.

The original owner of this body was only sixteen years old, a boy who hadn't even grown up yet. But the prince probably ate too well, and he grew to almost 1.78 meters tall. Xiao Lingyan's soul was also too powerful, which made this boy mature a bit, and at first glance, he didn't look like a boy, but a very mature young man.

"Is this a ripening agent?" she couldn't help but complain.

Xiao Lingyan glanced at her helplessly. "I said, can't we talk this out properly?" Then he couldn't help but retort, "Do you think you look like a fourteen-year-old little girl?"

Zhao Ruxi: "..."

"Okay, go ahead." She extended her palm, displaying impeccable gentlemanly manners. But what didn't match her gentlemanly demeanor was her stern face, completely devoid of expression.

Xiao Lingyan didn't argue with her, leaning back lazily in his chair and saying, "Do you remember when you had your accident? I tried to help you, but we got hit by a car together."

The mere mention of this incident ignited Zhao Ruxi's fury. She jumped up, hands on her hips, glaring at Xiao Lingyan: "I said, did you know it was me you were on a blind date with? You did this on purpose, didn't you? Could you be any worse? You used my aunt to trick me, and in the end, you even got me killed. Xiao Ke, how could you be so vicious?"

This guy must have been her nemesis in a past life. Not only him, but also his teacher and her doctoral advisor.

The two old men were natural rivals. Ever since they stayed on to teach at the university, they had spent their entire lives fighting for promotions and research projects, constantly bickering and causing chaos.

She and Xiao Ke were each other's star students, and naturally, they were also natural rivals. They were always vying for projects and honors, fighting fiercely. Every time they went abroad to attend academic conferences, they would bicker as soon as they met; they were born enemies.

Their bickering the moment they met is typical of their daily interactions.

In her past life, she was incredibly beautiful, a PhD, talented, and had a house and a car, yet at twenty-nine, she stubbornly refused to date. Her aunt was frantic, practically threatening to hang herself to force her to go on blind dates.

When she arrived at the restaurant, she saw, oh dear, the scoundrel sitting with her aunt was none other than this guy in front of her. She immediately stormed downstairs, purse in hand. Perhaps she was too angry to think straight, because she was hit by a car while crossing the street to get her car.

It was clearly this guy who dragged her down, yet he's trying to shift the blame!