Li Man’er remained mysteriously silent, so Qi Yihan didn't press further.
“I will definitely be leaving with Xiao Ruqin. He trusts me completely now and won’t allow me to stay in the old city,” Qi Yihan lowered his voice. “A Qi and A Si are here; they will help you. I’ll also find an opportunity to keep Xiao Ruqin appeased and then return.”
“Your Highness need not return. I have so many people with me; I will surely defend the old city. Your Highness has been undercover for years. Do not risk yourself for a moment of pride and jeopardize all your efforts,” Li Man’er thought her suggestion was incredibly considerate. Anyone would be moved to hear it!
To her surprise, Qi Yihan frowned upon hearing this. Although his face was covered by a mask, Li Man’er could still imagine his displeased expression, furrowed brows and pursed lips hidden beneath it.
It was truly strange. Wouldn’t it be good if others didn’t trouble you?
“I’m worried about you,” Qi Yihan gritted his teeth. He vowed to himself that he would never say such a thing again in his life.
Li Man’er was very intelligent and had strong learning abilities. However, in both her lifetimes, she was a straightforward woman and completely failed to understand his meaning. She confidently assured Qi Yihan, “Your Highness, please rest assured. I will be safe and sound and won’t delay in treating your蠱毒 (gu poison).”
The air seemed to freeze.
Qi Yihan: I’m so angry I could die.
Li Man’er: Did I say something wrong?
They stared at each other for over ten seconds before Qi Yihan finally relented.
“In any case, I will come.”
Li Man’er was such a strong-willed person. A delicate woman was not her persona. On the path of being incredibly cool, powerful, and awe-inspiring, she had never bowed to anyone, so how could she easily accept help from others?
“Really, it’s not necessary.”
Qi Yihan had already stood up to leave, but upon hearing her three words, his lungs nearly exploded with anger.
Who was their Ninth Prince? He was someone whose expression remained unchanged even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. No matter how annoyed he was, he showed no outward signs of it. He merely reiterated that he would come.
“I never need anyone to comment on my actions,” Qi Yihan said with a stern face. Although he wore a mask, and his complexion couldn’t be seen, the displeasure in his eyes was evident.
Li Man’er had no idea that Qi Yihan’s displeasure stemmed from his unwillingness to see her and himself as separate entities, nor from his desire to watch her in danger while he stood by.
Li Man’er thought Qi Yihan was angry because she was disrespecting imperial authority. She inwardly grumbled, “This dog of a man changes his mind faster than flipping a book. He’s so difficult to serve.”
“Yes, you are the Prince, and you have the final say. Please, do as you wish!” Li Man’er wasn’t afraid of him at all. She turned and walked towards the inner room, having had enough of this arrogant and conceited Ninth Prince, who was simply unreasonable.
Before Li Man’er had walked far, Qi Yihan grabbed her wrist, pulling her forcefully into his embrace.
Li Man’er couldn’t help but cry out, unexpectedly finding herself pressed against Qi Yihan’s chest. Li Man’er’s nose happened to bump against his shoulder, sending a sharp, stinging sensation through her.
Her nose felt sore, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face. Li Man’er looked at Qi Yihan with teary eyes, silently accusing him of his wrongdoing.
Qi Yihan never expected to backfire so badly and make her cry.
“Does it hurt a lot?” He raised his hand and clumsily wiped away Li Man’er’s tears, only to find the spot he had touched turning red. He wasn't sure if it was due to his strength or his rough hands.
“If you don’t believe me, try bumping it yourself and see if it hurts,” Li Man’er rubbed her nose. “I’m fine. Your Highness, safe travels.”
She waved her hand impatiently, clearly in a bad mood. However, Qi Yihan suddenly reached out and pulled her waist, drawing her tightly into his embrace, pressing them close together.
Li Man’er’s eyes widened abruptly, her mind on the verge of crashing. She tilted her face, which was as radiant as jade, her large, watery eyes still rimmed with tears, filled with utter disbelief.
This dog of a man was flirting with her!
Even though her reactions were a bit slow and her dating experience was zero, it didn’t mean she understood nothing.
She had suitors in her past life, after all! Regardless of their intentions, their methods of pursuit were always varied and incredibly diligent.
She still possessed the minimal ability to judge whether a man was flirting with her.
“What are you doing?” Li Man’er glared at him, accusing him of not only flirting but also taking advantage of her. She had initially expected Qi Yihan to let go and use an excuse to leave. She didn’t expect him to tighten his arm and hold her even closer.
Li Man’er placed her hand on Qi Yihan’s arm and was about to struggle free with all her might when she heard him say in a low voice, “I also want to know what I’m doing, and why I’ve become this way. In the past, my actions never concerned myself with others’ thoughts, nor did I care about anyone. But now, I always want to protect you completely and tell you everything I can.”
Li Man’er was stunned, her eyes filled with utter disbelief. Her hand still rested on Qi Yihan’s arm, and she had even forgotten to break free from his embrace.
“Seeing you cry makes my heart ache. I know you only bumped your nose and aren’t truly sad, yet I just don’t want you to cry,” Qi Yihan’s gaze was full of deep affection, devoid of the coldness and arrogance from when they first met.
“Knowing Li Shu treated you poorly, I wished I could have killed him with my own hands. All thoughts of military power, commands, or changing generals on the battlefield were thrown aside by me.”
Li Man’er recalled a saying she had heard in her past life: words that never mentioned love, yet each one spoke of it.
No, could the person before her be an imposter? Who was Qi Yihan? The most capable prince of the Zun Kingdom, of noble birth, and the same mother as the current emperor. Even if he was viewed with suspicion by the emperor, which emperor in history wasn’t prone to suspicion?
“You…” Li Man’er inexplicably felt that this person was a fake Qi Yihan. She couldn’t help but reach out to lift the mask from Qi Yihan’s face. As soon as her fingers touched the mask, she suddenly heard footsteps in the corridor.
Oh no, could it be Liu Ya?
Qi Yihan clearly heard it too. Before he could react, Li Man’er directly pulled him towards the bed.
“Hurry inside and hide.”
Before Qi Yihan could say anything, Li Man’er pushed him onto the bed. Without even taking off his shoes, Li Man’er pressed him down under the quilt.
Li Man’er hastily took off her outer jacket, kicked off her shoes, and then quickly scrambled under the bed curtains, and into the quilt.
She had just settled down when she heard the sound of the door being pushed open. Liu Ya came into the inner room holding a lamp. She vaguely saw Li Man’er sleeping, checked the brazier, and carefully examined the doors and windows before leaving with the lamp.
Li Man’er was so scared she broke out in a sweat. Only when she heard the door close did she breathe a sigh of relief. She turned to tell Qi Yihan to leave, but saw him propped up on his hand, gazing at her with deep affection.
Li Man’er, against her better judgment, swallowed hard.