Chapter 20 – Is There Someone You Like?

“…”

Jian Mei was a bit puzzled about how things could be finished so quickly, but Lu Xingwang was always secretive. Even if he asked, he probably wouldn’t get any results. It’s better to keep silent.

Having made up his mind,

He took a picture of the photo album and sent it to Lu Xingwang, saying, “Take a look, my mother’s strange taste.”

A clear photo appeared in the popup window of the messaging terminal. The owner of the photo stood in a purple sea of flowers, wearing a light white floral dress. His fair legs were long and straight, and he wore a straw hat. In his hand, he held a small bunch of daisies, smiling brightly in the sunlight.

That was Jian Mei’s appearance.

Lu Xingwang stood in a brightly lit room, his gaze fixed on the photo without wavering. Although he was dressed like a girl, it felt strange that he didn’t have a strong sense of dissonance in his heart. Perhaps, in many instances, the image of Jian Mei that he imagined in his mind was also a clean appearance like this, bathing in the sunlight, free to smile without worries.

Jian Mei said nervously, “Do you think it’s strange?”

After sending the message, he felt a bit regretful, afraid of being ridiculed.

Sitting on a rocking chair, he held his phone and kept scrolling through the messages. Jian Mei himself felt a bit uncertain, and just as he was contemplating whether he could recall the message…

“Ding!”

The phone vibrated.

Lu Xingwang honestly told him, “No.”

But…

The boy’s gaze briefly swept over the fair skin and quickly moved away. His eyes dimmed slightly as he typed, “Don’t wear skirts in the future.”

?

Jian Mei stared dumbfoundedly at the message on his phone, and even his hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

Who the hell would like to wear skirts?!

He didn’t have such a bad habit, hey!

Lu Xingwang looked at the raging message sent by Jian Mei on the screen, his lips curved. There was always a kind of magic in talking to this person that made him feel good.

Just as he was about to reply to Jian Mei, a disturbance came from nearby. A Ruo entered and bowed, “Your Highness, Miss Wen is here to see you.”

Lu Xingwang’s eyebrows unconsciously furrowed. “What is she here for?”

“Miss Wen said she came to visit you.” A Ruo lowered her head, respectful. “Her mother and Empress Lan once arranged a verbal engagement between you and her. She is considered your fiancée.”

Lu Xingwang had a slight recollection. “Let her in.”

A Ruo complied, “Yes.”

From beginning to end, she maintained a calm demeanor. She couldn’t mention that when she entered, she saw His Highness smiling at a girl’s photo. That would be easy grounds for being silenced.

Outside the hall,

Wen Sheng wore a short yellow skirt, her golden hair braided into two plaits. Her pointed melon-seed face looked lively and her movements were elegant and graceful while walking. She was very attractive, bearing the characteristic of a Wind Element power holder, a power that many girls desired to possess. Such an appearance gave off a fairy-like aura.

“Ding.”

The automatic door opened.

After Wen Sheng entered, the first person she saw was a young man standing in front of the armory. He was wearing a black uniform, tall and slender, holding a small device in his hands, tinkering with it. He lowered his head, revealing a handsome half of his face, illuminated by a gentle white light. His aura appeared even colder and noble. Such a person truly deserved to be the dream lover of a half-Stan Star girl. No matter how many times she saw him, Wen Sheng couldn’t help but be captivated.

She stopped a short distance away and softly called out, “Your Highness…”

Lu Xingwang slightly turned his body to look at her. It was because of this movement that the young man’s complete face appeared before Wen Sheng. Half of his face was occupied by red scars, transforming his originally handsome features into something terrifying, especially when combined with his expressionless black eyes. It was enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat, even surprising Wen Sheng, who had mentally prepared herself.

“You…”

Wen Sheng couldn’t control her expression after all, and all her emotional changes were seen by Lu Xingwang.

Lu Xingwang distanced himself and spoke indifferently, “What brings you here, Miss Wen?”

The deep and pleasant tone of his voice pulled Wen Sheng back from her astonishment. She pursed her lips and said, “I heard that Your Highness is currently unwell, so of course, I came to check on you. After all, we… we have that layer of relationship, and it’s only natural for me to care.”

It was laughable that after such a long time, she suddenly cared.

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow and asked in a calm voice, “Which layer?”

Wen Sheng felt as if her heart had been stabbed.

This is too ironic. When she first heard about the verbal engagement between herself and Lu Xingwang, she couldn’t sleep well out of excitement every day. She had secretly sneaked a glimpse of the Third Prince, who was studying at the academy at that time. There were also plenty of followers for Lu Xingwang back then, but he always kept to himself. Even when they occasionally crossed paths, he seemed cold and distant, as if no one could approach him.

However,

She thought His Highness was so handsome.

There was no one who didn’t want to marry Lu Xingwang. He was an outstanding and ambitious man, with exceptional family background and appearance. And such a person became her fiancé.

But just as she was immersed in her dreams, the military ship on which Lu Xingwang was traveling had an accident. Her family told her that he had been disfigured, lost all his powers, and wouldn’t live for more than four years. Her mother started crying, saying that if she insisted on marrying Lu Xingwang, her life would be ruined. Other family members started looking at her with strange eyes.

Wen Sheng felt frustrated and spoke up, “It’s about the engagement we had before. I came today to talk about the matter of the marriage contract…”

“If Miss Wen is referring to the marriage contract…” Lu Xingwang casually placed the mechanical component in his hand back on the table. “Those were just playful remarks from my mother, not to be taken seriously.”

Wen Sheng froze in place. “Wha-what?”

Why was it not her who spoke first?

In such a situation, Lu Xingwang actually… didn’t find her appealing?

Lu Xingwang distanced himself a bit, his voice icy. “Miss Wen comes from a good family background. There will surely be better marriage prospects in the future.”

Wen Sheng understood every word, but her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. Even though she came to break off the engagement, at this moment, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of unwillingness. For some reason, she spoke again, “Did Your Highness ever like me?”

…

The air fell silent for a moment.

Lu Xingwang replied expressionlessly, “Miss Wen, we haven’t met many times.”

Wen Sheng immediately said, “That’s because Your Highness doesn’t remember, but we have actually met many times, it’s just that…”

Her unfinished words were caught in the emotionless gaze of Lu Xingwang. Countless thoughts surged through her mind, and in the end, Wen Sheng inexplicably smiled, feeling relieved.

But…

There was simply no place for me in His Highness’s eyes.

Perhaps this is who Lu Xingwang truly is. Even in adversity, even when he has nothing, his pride and mindset remain unscathed. It is precisely because of this that he was once the empire’s most outstanding heir. In fact, this is a good thing. At least the young man she admires won’t perish, but will continue to shine brightly.

Yet, there is still a hint of unwillingness in her heart.

As the moment approaches, Wen Sheng turns to look at Lu Xingwang and finally asks, “May I ask Your Highness a question?”

Lu Xingwang responds, “Go ahead and ask.”

“Does Your Highness have someone you like in your heart?”

She asks.