"No time." Xie Jinyan refused without even thinking.

Qu Shanshan had wanted to use a game of chess with Xie Jinyan to regain some face and change the subject. She thought that since he hadn't spoken up for Yu Qingwu earlier, he wouldn't refuse her. Never did she expect Xie Jinyan to refuse so awkwardly.

Could it be as she suspected, that Junior Brother Xie really had something going on with that pretentious woman, Yu Qingwu?

It seemed so...

Heh, she'd only gone to the capital and already hooked up with the Crown Prince. This Yu Qingwu had been faking it all along.

Pretending to be aloof and not fighting for anything, all to attract men. Now that she'd hooked up with the太子 (tàizǐ, Crown Prince), she was showing her true colors?

A useless cripple who couldn't cultivate still wanted to steal her spotlight.

In the past, she'd stolen her title of "Number One Beauty," but now she even wanted to steal the fish in her pond!

Qu Shanshan was extremely unwilling. She frowned, glanced at Xie Jinyan displeased, and asked knowingly, "Why don't you have time, Junior Brother Xie? Whenever you return to the sect, you always play a game of chess with me."

???

This Qu Shanshan, where did she get that idea?

He didn't play chess with her every time he came back!

He only played with her once, and that was to win the opportunity to be on a mission team with Yu Qingwu.

Xie Jinyan was speechless and felt guilty for a moment.

He secretly glanced at the woman beside him, seeing her face cold and her eyes without a trace of emotion.

She didn't even react?

For some reason, Yu Qingwu's indifference made Xie Jinyan feel even more uneasy.

However, as the Crown Prince, he didn't reveal too much emotion. He only lightly raised the package in his hand, glanced at Yu Qingwu beside him, and smiled at Qu Shanshan, replying casually, "Didn't you see, Senior Sister Qu?"

"I have to take A-Wu's luggage to the guest room."

"We had a quarrel on the way here, and she doesn't want to sleep in the same room as me."

"Hey, I don't think she meant to say those nasty things to mock you. She was probably just angry with me, so she took it out on you. Your joke was just ill-timed."

Xie Jinyan spoke casually, and as he spoke, he reached out and took Qingwu's hand, interlocking their fingers. Even a fool could see their relationship.

Qu Shanshan had wanted to show off her popularity with men in front of Yu Qingwu, that she could just crook her finger and make the man Yu Qingwu had worked so hard to get leave, in order to regain the title of "Number One Beauty" that had been taken from her and the face she'd lost earlier. But after hearing Xie Jinyan's words, she was instantly stunned.

Her eyes stared fixedly at their tightly clasped hands, and Qu Shanshan's eyes almost burst into flames.

She forced a smile, looked at Yu Qingwu's cold face, and then at Xie Jinyan, her eyes full of disbelief. She asked unwillingly, "Junior Brother Xie, what's going on with you and Senior Sister Yu? Could it be that... you've taken Senior Sister Yu as your mistress?"

In Qu Shanshan's opinion, a lone girl with no background like Yu Qingwu might not even be worthy of being a concubine in the royal family. Besides being a mistress, she couldn't think of any other status.

But... did asking her directly like this make her seem unfriendly? What would Xie Jinyan think of her?

Thinking this, Qu Shanshan hurriedly pretended to smile and said, "That, Senior Sister Yu, don't misunderstand. I didn't mean anything by it. I just feel that with our status, let alone the royal family, we probably wouldn't even be able to enter a marquis's or count's mansion. I just feel that if you really become Junior Brother Xie's mistress, you should be careful. I've heard that those daughters of the legitimate wives in those marquis's mansions are all cunning. If Junior Brother Xie marries a proper wife in the future, you might suffer..."

"But it doesn't matter, haha. If that proper wife dares to bully you, just tell me. Based on my relationship with Junior Brother Xie, I can definitely help you teach that proper wife a lesson, and even teach Junior Brother Xie a lesson too..."

Heh, going around and around, wasn't she just trying to express how good her relationship was with Xie Jinyan? And implying that she was only fit to be someone's mistress.

She hadn't wanted to pretend, but this Qu Shanshan had to come crashing in...

"Don't worry, Junior Sister Qu. This palace is always kind and never makes things difficult for His Highness's concubines." Qu Shanshan was just putting on a happy face, ready to help Yu Qingwu, when the woman's cold voice suddenly froze the smile on her face.

"This palace"? "Concubines"?

What did she mean?

Could it be! Impossible! What was Yu Qingwu's status? Just a lone girl!

Someone like her, the daughter of a bodyguard agency, wouldn't even be likely to become a concubine of the Crown Prince, let alone a lone girl with unknown origins like Yu Qingwu.

Jealousy, anger, disbelief, many emotions surged at the same time.

Qu Shanshan clenched her fists, forced down the shock and unwillingness in her heart, and looked at Xie Jinyan questioningly.

Xie Jinyan's expression was also quite surprised. He was surprised that Yu Qingwu would actually admit it, admit that she was his wife. Wasn't she worried about others gossiping if they found out?

Joy and surprise surged in his eyes at the same time, finally turning into a pool of clear water.

He gazed very gently at the woman beside him, gently pulling her closer.

Then he looked at Qu Shanshan with a smile and nodded slightly, following Yu Qingwu's words, "Yes, A-Wu has always been dignified and prudent. She has been managing the Prince's residence in an orderly manner for more than half a year, and even the Empress Dowager often praises her."

Qu Shanshan had still held a glimmer of hope, thinking that Yu Qingwu was just a fearful mistress, but at this moment, hearing Xie Jinyan admit it himself, her face turned green, and it was even more difficult for her to accept.

She had already fallen behind Yu Qingwu in many things in the past. Could it be that she would fall behind that pretentious woman even in marriage?

Seeing the changing expressions on Qu Shanshan's face, Yu Qingwu had already seen through her intentions.

She didn't understand. She had never compared herself with Qu Shanshan, or rather, many female disciples in the sect had never compared themselves with Qu Shanshan, but for some reason, Qu Shanshan always felt that everyone was comparing themselves with her.

Especially herself, Qu Shanshan regarded her as a strong rival.

It would have been fine in the past, but now that things had reached this point, Qu Shanshan would probably take the opportunity to spread rumors everywhere.

Before those rumors spread, perhaps it wouldn't be too much to vent her anger and humiliate the other party first.

A coldness flashed in her eyes, and Yu Qingwu smiled and called out to Qu Shanshan, "Junior Sister Qu, if you want to enter the Prince's residence, this palace can ask the Empress Dowager. Although you are just the daughter of a bodyguard agency and an illegitimate child, the Empress Dowager will still give me some face. If I ask the Empress Dowager, it would be possible for you to become a concubine."

These words were filled with naked humiliation.

Qu Shanshan was still in a daze. Hearing Yu Qingwu's words, she suddenly came back to her senses. Her face, which was already green, turned almost purple with anger.

Her mouth twitched, and she waved her hand, saying, "Senior Sister Yu, don't joke. I want to be with one person for life, and this... this royal life, it's not for me."