CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: THE STANDARD SECOND MALE LEAD

"Miss Qinglan, you flatter me. This is just an ordinary bracelet. If you like it, I can take it off and give it to you." He made a show of taking it off.

Liu Qinglan quickly stopped him.

Afterwards, the group engaged in idle conversation.

Having experienced the recent incident, Ye Zhi didn’t dare to ask anyone to leave. Shen Chen hadn’t reacted yet, but Li Du was becoming anxious. What happened to being good friends?

According to her novel memory, the male and female leads should meet during the Mid-Autumn Festival:

On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, as usual, Shen Chen was spending it alone in Tingling Garden, but a voice in his heart encouraged him to leave the Ye Mansion. Feeling a sudden sense of frustration, he put on a plain blue robe and left the Ye Mansion. At eight years old, he brushed past the people on the street, heading towards Yanming Lake.

When he saw Liu Qingxi at that moment, dressed in a red brocade robe with soft, silky black hair, wearing a mask that obscured her features, her posture was graceful, and her laughter was like bells.

She chatted candidly with those around her. Such a beautiful woman, what could her identity be?

Later, by chance, he saw her remove the mask, and that face was etched in his memory.

It was classic love at first sight. Now, also at Yanming Lake, and with the woman in red, did Ye Zhi remember wrong? Wasn’t their first meeting supposed to be during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but on the Dragon Boat Festival instead?

"Li Du, what a coincidence, you’re here too."

The magnetic, slightly hoarse voice drew everyone’s attention, and they looked up.

It was a young nobleman wearing a bamboo-green thin silk robe. Anyone with discerning eyes could recognize it as fine cloud brocade fabric, with a gold-gilded crown on his head, a white jade-carved jade pendant at his waist, and white cloud-patterned long boots, exuding an extraordinary aura, suggesting he was either wealthy or noble.

If Ye Zhi wasn’t mistaken, it was Li Changnian, the antagonist from the text...

Another devoted admirer of the female lead, the standard second male lead.

Why does the female lead get all the good things? She resented it!

This person, compared to Shen Chen, had even more cunning means. Moreover, now that he was the Crown Prince, possessing both power and wealth, he wasn’t someone easy to provoke, best to avoid even a hint of entanglement.

Thinking of this, Ye Zhi immediately lowered her head, pretending to be a demure young wife.

"Oh, what wind blew our dear Crown Prince here today?"

"Hush, it’s not suitable to make a big deal out of it. Just treat me as an ordinary person,"

Li Changnian timely stopped Li Du and the others in front of him from bowing and gestured for silence.

The elegant and approachable Crown Prince, with eyes like bright stars, left everyone with an even better impression.

Of course, except for Ye Zhi with her godlike perspective, getting close to this Crown Prince would mean you wouldn’t know how you’d meet your end.

The ones showing enthusiasm were the female lead Liu Qingxi, and Liu Qinglan.

The two of them were making introductions before the Crown Prince again.

Their father was only a Third Grade official, a significant position, but in the Capital City where authority and nobility reigned supreme, ultimately it was still too small for the princes and nobles.

Actually, the female lead didn’t need to do anything. Just standing there, the Crown Prince would eventually be captivated by her!

When it was Ye Zhi’s turn to introduce herself, she lowered her head and murmured, "My name is Ye Zhi."

And that was it.

"This is my younger sister, Li Qinglian."

It turned out that behind him was another young girl, who everyone hadn’t paid much attention to.

Li Qinglian’s hands were as soft as young shoots, her skin like congealed fat, her neck like a cicada’s, her teeth like melon seeds, her forehead like a beautiful moth’s, a clever smile, and charming eyes.

Even at a young age, she was incredibly beautiful, and once grown, would be one of the rare beauties of the Daqing Dynasty.

Due to her mother being a woman of a foreign clan, even with her outstanding beauty, she didn’t receive much affection in the palace.

The Emperor’s attitude toward this Little Princess was also indifferent.

"Hello, you can call me Qinglian." Qinglian shyly greeted everyone.