Chapter 5 – No Man Can Utter the Word “No”

The inner palace was quiet.

As Lu Xingwang looked at the information page, to be honest, he was somewhat surprised. Based on his impression, setting aside other aspects, Jian Mei had a lively personality and could be considered one of the more talkative people he had encountered, or to be more precise, a chatterbox.

Naturally lively and talkative individuals are often well-liked. For example, his second brother, Lu Xinci, was a typical example. He was sweet-tongued and knew how to handle situations, like a lovable jester. Even though his talent and grades were average, he always managed to become the center of attention and receive their father’s love.

Even though Lu Xingwang, who was the ignored and overlooked first prince, possessed those qualities.

Many people praised him for his exceptional talent and outstanding aptitude, considering him a once-in-a-millennium genius. Many envied his background and abilities, believing that he was born at the peak and had everything. He was probably the happiest person in the world. But in reality, things were not like that.

Consort Lan often looked at him earnestly and said, “Xingwang, all of your mother’s hopes rest on you.”

Because of this, he never slackened for a moment.

“It is only natural for the Third Prince to be intelligent and accomplished, isn’t it?”

“Look, the Third Prince is not the champion. The Second Prince won. The Second Prince must have put in a lot of effort.”

“Let Xingwang handle it. Although he is the youngest prince, he has the ability. This little hardship shouldn’t be a problem for him.”

Since he could remember, in an undisclosed place, he had put in a thousand times more effort. However, regardless of the achievements he obtained, he never received a word of praise or commendation. If there was even a slight flaw, a deluge of criticism would come crashing down. He learned to remain silent and was never good at expressing himself. No one wanted to hear Lu Xingwang speak. People only wanted to see the Third Prince.

“Ding!”

The sound of a message notification brought him back to reality.

Lu Xingwang glanced at the screen and saw the other person cautiously asking, “Will you make fun of me?”

Make fun of him?

What was there to laugh about?

Lu Xingwang: [No, I won’t.]

These two simple words seemed to comfort the other person. Truly, it was easy to placate someone who was simple-minded. In no time, they regained their vigor and talkative nature:

“That’s good, that’s good.”

“You are the first person to accompany me in discussing these things. Thank you.”

“Really, I’ve never had anyone to talk about these things with before.”

“What about you? Do you have good friends?”

…

Avoid the topic that shouldn’t be brought up.

Lu Xingwang didn’t want to answer such a boring question. There are no forever friends, only forever interests. Perhaps he had friends in the past, but they no longer exist now. He could have ignored this question just like before, but for some reason, maybe because he was really tired of looking at case files or maybe because the kid in front of him was a bit… simple?

Unprecedented.

Lu Xingwang asked, “Which question don’t you understand?”

“?”

Jian Mei clearly hadn’t fully grasped the situation yet. “What question?”

Lu Xingwang said indifferently, “I thought you said you couldn’t match the answers.”

!!

Looking at the reply displayed on the phone screen, Jian Mei even doubted his own eyes for a moment. Was this really Lu Xingwang, the person who never used to reply to his messages? Today, he actually offered to help him with the questions!

Without much time to express his thoughts, as if afraid of retracting his offer, Jian Mei obediently responded, “Okay.”

Bringing over the exercise book, he took a photo of the two questions he had been struggling with and saved it under his phone. Then he returned to WeChat, opened the chat, and sent the pictures, saying, “These are the two questions.”

After sending the message, Jian Mei belatedly asked, “Oh, I forgot to ask, what school are you attending now? Have you learned these things?”

At the same time, the person sitting at the desk received the message.

When Lu Xingwang saw Jian Mei’s question, a cold smile appeared on his lips. Perhaps only Jian Mei would question his academic qualifications. As the youngest prodigy of Jishe Academy, he had completed the intermediate-level courses with a perfect score at the age of ten. Probably, Jian Mei was the only person in the entire Stan Star who would doubt his qualifications.

Even if we take a step back, even advanced courses are not considered difficult for him. He has already mastered most of the self-study courses. Even when he casually opened the two pictures on the information terminal, he didn’t take them seriously, until… unfamiliar equations appeared before him, with symbols that had never appeared in Stan Star textbooks…

After a while, the sound of a message notification rang:

“Are you still there?”

“Are you working on the problem?”

“How is it? Can you solve it?”

Jianmei looked at the screen of his phone with some unease. He was always a carefree person, and because Luxingwang had always appeared more mature and aloof, he naturally assumed that Luxingwang would be in a higher grade than himself. But now it seemed that he had been too presumptuous.

After waiting for a while, just as Jianmei was about to send a message, a reply finally appeared on WeChat: [Are these the problems you are currently studying?]

Jianmei quickly replied, “Yes, yes.”

Sure enough, it was difficult for the other person too, right?

It was all his recklessness.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Jianmei empathetically typed on the screen. “These problems are difficult, it’s normal not to be able to solve them. I can’t solve them either.”

Just as he was about to say that his study materials might not be suitable, Luxingwang, who couldn’t help, said, “…”

“I feel like I hardly recognize these math equations anymore.”

“They are really difficult, aren’t they?”

“Hey, where are you guys in your studies?”

Luxingwang: …

This was the first time in all these years that someone had told him he couldn’t do it academically. The teenager sitting at the desk had a cold and stern expression, his dark eyes staring at the messages on the screen. If there really was a force in this world that countered another force, he suspected that Jianmei might be that person who countered him. Otherwise, why could a few words always make him so angry?

Forget it.

Luxingwang withdrew his gaze, picked up the study materials on the desk again. Why did he bother to argue with a little kid? He had been accustomed to being indifferent for these years, and he didn’t understand why he suddenly had the urge to help someone with their problems. It was better to focus on his own tasks.

Just as he was thinking, the sound of a message notification “dinged.”

Luxingwang looked up, his mood had already calmed down, but to his surprise, he saw Jianmei’s enthusiastic message: “We’re about the same age, you should be in the same grade as me. This problem is quite difficult. When my parents come back later, I’ll ask them for help first. Once I learn it, I’ll teach you!”

……

Lu Xingwan narrowed his dangerous eyes.

After a while,

Jian Mei spoke up again, “I found another version of the online course. This one explains things in a more understandable way, and it covers a wide range of topics. It starts from the basics, and I feel like if I watch it a few more times, maybe I’ll be able to understand. Actually, my weakest point is the foundation. Are you good at the basics? Do you need it? I can share it with you.”

…

Silence filled the room.

At a large desk, a teenager dressed in black sat with a serious expression. Crystal lights of a pale yellow color hung from the ceiling, casting a light that accentuated the coldness of the teenager’s facial features. He lifted his eyelids, and his deep gaze remained fixed on the information displayed on the screen. His slender fingertips lightly tapped on the table.

After a moment,

Lu Xingwan let out a cold laugh, raising his hand to pull the information panel closer. His words were concise, but each letter he pressed seemed to carry a silent hostility:

[Send it to me.]