Ji Zizhao remained stiff in her chair, forgetting to even blink.
The person before her was still vividly present, yet her ears throbbed incessantly.
The teacup in her hand was clenched tighter and tighter, as if the faint cracking sound could be heard…
Xie Jinglan knew his words had been rather abrupt, but he hadn’t expected such a strong reaction, as if the very soul of the person opposite him had been startled out of her body.
Seeing the fine cracks appearing on the teacup, Xie Jinglan shook his head helplessly, reached out, and clasped the still-gripping fingers, taking the teacup and placing it aside.
The warmth of his palm, transmitted through his fingertips to her hand, then spread through her body…
Ji Zizhao instantly snapped back to attention, her expression also darkening. "Your Highness Fourth, that joke is not funny at all."
Xie Jinglan had already anticipated her reaction, so he was not surprised. He looked at her and continued, "I know the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family has no intention of marrying. Since the momentum is good now, why don't you marry into my mansion? This way…"
"There is no 'this way'."
This time, Ji Zizhao's rejection was even more resolute than before.
A ball of fire seemed to be burning in her chest, making her limbs feel hot. "Your Highness Fourth, I am grateful for your efforts in building momentum for me. I admire your selfless support for the Seventh Prince even more. However, I am not an object, nor a plaything. Please do not say such things again, lest we harm our cordial relationship."
With that, she turned and left, without any hesitation.
Watching Ji Zizhao vanish at the doorway in an instant, Xie Jinglan finally revealed a hint of surprise.
He knew this girl would not agree easily, so he had pondered this idea for a long time.
He had expected her to refuse, but he had truly never expected her to get angry.
But no matter what, she should have given him a chance to finish speaking…
This girl.
Ji Zizhao was truly angry, her very walk seeming to ignite fire.
Fu Bao was so scared that she didn't dare to speak, quickly taking out a footstool to open the carriage door.
Ji Zizhao climbed into the carriage and leaned against the soft couch, her heart still pounding fiercely.
She was that angry.
In this era of male superiority, women seemed destined from birth to be male appendages.
Even though the men of the Ji family rarely took concubines, deep down, they still considered themselves superior to women. Otherwise, her father, who had been entangled with Gu Peilan outside, would not have continued to live in respectful harmony with her mother after returning home, without any guilt.
When she first met the Fourth Prince, Ji Zizhao felt he was different.
Unlike the men of this era who considered themselves noble and treated women as playthings.
But she was wrong after all. Even if he wasn't favored, he was still a prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and now fostered under the Empress’s care. How could someone accustomed to such pampered living ever consider true equality?
Therefore, he could say such words today.
He didn't ask if she liked him, nor did he care if he liked her. Perhaps in his eyes, it didn't matter if there was no love after she married him; another woman in the rear courtyard was merely a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks.
Her chest felt tight, so Ji Zizhao simply leaned out of the carriage window, taking deep breaths of the outside air.
Ji Zizhao, who was only trying to calm herself down, had no idea that her every move had been completely observed by another pair of eyes.
In the wine building opposite, Ji Renran sat somewhat awkwardly on a round stool.
Since she entered, the Fifth Prince had been looking out the window, and she didn't know what he was looking at.
But she dared not disturb him, nor did she dare to ask why the Fifth Prince had summoned her. Although she had been so excited upon receiving the message that she hadn't slept all night, now that she was actually facing the Fifth Prince, she began to feel afraid.
Afraid that she would be useless.
Afraid that the Fifth Prince would completely abandon her.
Xie Jingzhou hadn't expected to encounter Ji Zizhao… and his Fourth Brother here.
The distance was too great, so he couldn't hear the conversation in the private room of the teahouse, which made him even more agitated.
His Fourth Brother had been aloof from the brothers fostered in the prince's manor since childhood.
Back then, when the young prince of Xirong was still a hostage in the palace, his Fourth Brother preferred to chat with a hostage every day rather than be close to his brothers.
Later, a great fire killed the hostage from Xirong, and his Fourth Brother became increasingly cold.
Although he always appeared gentle and refined to everyone, he had never truly cared about anyone.
Even the Seventh Prince, who was fostered under the Empress with the Fourth Prince, had to spend many years smiling and being a shadow before the Fourth Prince truly considered him family.
Yet, such a person, who was indifferent even to his own brothers, was willing to sit with Ji Zizhao for tea and conversation…
What was so special about Ji Zizhao!
Or rather, that damned Ji Zizhao. She had stubbornly refused to marry him, always putting on a cold act of being uninterested in men, and now she was chatting and laughing with his Fourth Brother…
Was Ji Zizhao blind?
In terms of looks or family status, how was he inferior to his Fourth Brother!
Ji Renran watched the back of the Fifth Prince become increasingly stiff and tense, scaring her to death.
Having no idea what had happened, she felt the Fifth Prince before her had become so strange, so unlike the person she knew.
"Fifth, Your Highness…" she said timidly, gathering her courage.
Xie Jingzhou instantly snapped back to his senses and forced himself to calm down.
He then glanced at his Fourth Brother, who had already stood up and left the private room of the teahouse, before turning back.
At the same time, the malevolence in his eyes had completely vanished, leaving behind only the timid weakness and good-natured smile that everyone knew. "I heard that Miss Renran is still living with the Tong family?"
Ji Renran trembled all over and nervously lowered her eyes. "It was the old madam of the Tong family who insisted on keeping me, so…"
Xie Jingzhou saw through Ji Renran's lie at a glance but did not expose it. He merely smiled and said again, "It's good that Miss Renran and the old madam of the Tong family get along so well. Only when you are truly like family will there be no gossip later."
Ji Renran was stunned and looked up in disbelief. "Fifth, does Your Highness Fifth mean you, you will continue to help me?"
"Of course, I don't want to give up on Miss Renran. After all, I enjoy talking with you. It's just that I'm not quite clear about the Ji family's current thoughts. If the Ji family truly falls into decline, I'm afraid my consort mother…"
Ji Renran understood the meaning of the Fifth Prince's words.
With the princes of marriageable age about to wed, the Fifth Prince would naturally be among them.
But it wasn't enough for the Fifth Prince to favor her; Consort Xi would have to agree.
However, to get Consort Xi's approval, she needed a strong family background.
Either wealth or power.
But she had neither…
Her eyes began to redden, and Ji Renran looked wronged, like a hurt little rabbit.
Her hand suddenly felt warm as the Fifth Prince's hand grasped hers.
Ji Renran trembled all over, from nervousness to excitement.
"I know Miss Renran's feelings for me. Money and power are what my mother values; they are not important to me. I only hope that Miss Renran can be devoted to me. Among the noble ladies in the capital, there are countless numbers. With Miss Renran's abilities, it should not be difficult to befriend them. Once Miss Renran has connections, I believe my mother will no longer be picky about you."