Chapter 103 The Abandoned Big Dog

Chapter 103: The Abandoned Big Dog

Liu Wenyuan, supported by Xiao Yan, still wanted to kneel, but found that Xiao Yan's strength was astonishing, preventing him from moving.

"Your Highness," Liu Wenyuan said, his eyes turning red, "just let me kneel, just this once."

Xiao Yan shook his head. He kept holding Liu Wenyuan's arm, not letting go.

"Lord Liu," he said, his voice soft but earnest, "as your junior, I can't accept this kneeling."

Liu Wenyuan was stunned.

"Junior?"

His Highness Prince Yu called himself a junior in front of him?

"Your Highness..." he murmured.

Xiao Yan curved his lips and said,

"Lord Liu, you are Qingci's father."

Liu Wenyuan's throat bobbed. He suddenly understood something.

He turned to look at Liu Qingci. Under the moonlight, his son's eyelashes were low, not daring to look at anyone.

Liu Wenyuan withdrew his gaze, looked at Xiao Yan, and suddenly laughed,

"Alright, Your Highness, I understand."

He bowed deeply: "I'll take my leave, Your Highness."

Liu Qingci hadn't said a word the whole time. Seeing his father about to leave, he also bowed gracefully:

"Qingci also takes his leave."

Xiao Yan went silent.

He looked at Liu Qingci's serious face and suddenly felt frustrated.

Finally meeting, finally alone together, and he wants to leave?

Liu Qingci pressed his lips together, then turned and followed his father back inside.

Xiao Yan's words to ask him to stay stuck in his throat.

He stared at the retreating figure and caught sight of Liu Qingci's slightly reddened ears under the moonlight.

The corners of his mouth turned up.

"Oh... so he's shy."

Xiao Yan stood still, looking at the empty corridor.

Liu Qingci's back had already disappeared around the corner, but he still lingered in place.

Moonlight spilled onto him, stretching his shadow long.

Xiao K suddenly appeared: "Host, your expression right now looks like a big abandoned dog."

Xiao Yan ignored him.

——

Liu Qingci walked along the corridor.

His father had already returned to the banquet; he was alone by the pond, enjoying the cool breeze.

As he turned a corner, he suddenly heard someone calling him.

"Brother Qingci!"

Liu Qingci stopped. At the other end of the corridor, a familiar figure hurried toward him.

Chen Huaian was wearing a green official robe, a bright smile on his face.

"Brother Qingci, it really is you!" Chen Huaian walked up to him. "I heard your father has returned to the capital. Congratulations!"

Liu Qingci smiled faintly: "Huai'an, thank you."

Chen Huaian asked: "I heard the Liu residence is very busy. Are you managing okay?"

"It's fine. It's gotten much better in the last few days."

"But they're all good things. Your father has returned, and everything ended well in the end."

"Yes..."

They chatted for a bit. Chen Huaian suddenly asked: "By the way, did His Highness Prince Yu let you go back that easily before?"

Liu Qingci: "..."

Chen Huaian remembered their time together in Qingshan Town; he felt... that Prince Yu didn't seem like the type to want Brother Qingci to leave.

"His Majesty sent people to escort me straight back to the Liu residence," Liu Qingci said.

Chen Huaian was so shocked his mouth dropped open: "Is Prince Yu the type to give in?"

"Won't he come to the Liu mansion to take you away again?"

Chen Huaian wondered inwardly.

Then he suddenly noticed that Liu Qingci's expression seemed somewhat embarrassed, and he realized he might have asked too many questions.

"Ah, I didn't mean it that way. I just thought you might not get to see each other as much from now on..."

"...Indeed." Liu Qingci's voice grew quiet.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at the moon's reflection in the pond, lost in thought.

Seeing him like this, Chen Huaian felt a bit guilty and was about to say something to change the subject.

"Young Master Liu."

A gentle voice came from behind.

Liu Qingci turned around.

Under the moonlight, a young girl came running lightly towards them from the end of the corridor.

The girl was dressed in a lotus-pink palace gown, with a white jade swaying hairpin in her bun, and her features were beautiful and lively.

Liu Qingci was taken aback.

This was Su Wanning, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites. They had met many times before, but after the Liu family's fall from grace, they had not seen each other again.

Chen Huaian was also startled when he saw her. Before Su Wanning reached them, he lowered his voice and leaned in close to Liu Qingci, asking in a conspiratorial tone:

"Qingci, my friend, is this the Miss Su who previously declared she would marry no one but you?"

Liu Qingci’s eyebrow twitched.

"...Chen Huaian." He lowered his voice, with a hint of warning.

But Chen Huaian, completely oblivious, continued exclaiming in astonishment: "I've heard about it even in the Hanlin Academy—Miss Su publicly said at a poetry gathering, 'In this life, I will marry no one but Young Master Liu.' It spread like wildfire..."

By then, Miss Su had already run up to Liu Qingci. She was slightly out of breath, then looked up at him and began:

"Young Master Liu, long time no see. I heard that the Liu family had run into trouble, and I was so anxious, but I couldn't find you. I was so worried about you. Are you well?"

Liu Qingci replied politely, "Thank you, Miss Su. I'm doing just fine."

"That's good. Now that I've seen you, I can rest assured!"

"Young Master Liu," Su Wanning twisted the handkerchief in her hands, shyly lowering her head, but her words were surprisingly direct, "You told me before... that you were too young to consider marriage. Now... could you consider me?"

Liu Qingci paused for a moment.

He had rejected Su Wanning before, and had made himself very clear.

Such passionate and straightforward affection from Miss Su was indeed admirable, but he could not accept it.

"Miss Su, thank you for your affection," Liu Qingci said.

Su Wanning looked up at him.

Liu Qingci met her gaze.

"However..." This time, he changed his approach to rejection, "It's just that I already have someone in my heart."

Su Wanning's smile froze on her face.

She stared blankly at him, momentarily at a loss.

Actually, she had already prepared herself to be rejected by Liu Qingci again, but she didn't expect that reason for rejection.

In the distance, at the other end of the corridor,

a figure in black stood there, having appeared unnoticed.

Xiao K said with malicious glee: "Host, someone just confessed their love to your Qingci right in front of you."

Xiao Yan did not speak.

"As expected of a protagonist—so popular, huh?" Xiao K said, feeling proud by association.

"He said..." Xiao Yan propped his chin in his hand, deep in thought, "that he already has someone in his heart."

Xiao K tried to dampen the host's spirits: "That doesn't necessarily mean you, you know ◠‿◠."

Xiao Yan: "If not me, then who?"

Xiao K encouraged him: "Why not go ask?"

Xiao Yan casually straightened his collar and replied, "Alright."

With that, he began walking toward Liu Qingci and the others.

Xiao K exclaimed in shock: "Host! You're really going?"