"Li'er, Li'er..."
Han Zhan never dreamed that Chu Qianli would one day come to him on her own initiative.
On her own, asking if he wanted her.
He did!
He really did!
But the girl pinned beneath him suddenly changed her expression, disbelief etched on her face.
What had she heard?
She had heard him calling for Li'er?
"Han Zhan!" Chu Huaiyu's face was clouded over. "Who am I?"
"Li'er..." Han Zhan, his eyes hazy with drink, lowered his head to kiss her.
Chu Huaiyu shoved him away.
She was truly furious!
So much so that, for a moment, she couldn't control her internal energy, and actually pushed the heavily built Han Zhan off her.
Han Zhan fell to the side, dizzy and disoriented, unable to fully comprehend.
He reached out, trying to pull her: "You want to reject me again, don't you? Why do you always treat me like this?"
One moment he acted like a madly infatuated lover, the next he was so cold no one could get close!
His voice was hoarse beyond words: "Li'er, is it fun to toy with me? I... I feel so terrible here!"
His large hand landed on his heart.
The Chu Qianli in his vision had once again become so cold, even radiating anger.
"What... what have I done wrong again? Are you angry again?"
These words only fanned the flames of Chu Huaiyu's fury.
"You like Chu Qianli?" she asked, her voice hoarse, gritting her teeth.
When did this start? Had he changed his mind because she visited the Xuan King's mansion and he couldn't see her?
"Han Zhan, don't you like Chu Huaiyu?"
"Huaiyu..." Han Zhan murmured, shaking his head, but he found himself utterly powerless.
"I thought... I liked Huaiyu."
Before today, he truly believed that.
He couldn't even distinguish it himself.
Chu Huaiyu clenched her fists in anger: "Isn't it true? Didn't you say you would like Chu Huaiyu forever?"
"I am just... grateful."
Han Zhan tried to recall, but he had drunk far too much tonight.
The moment he tried to sit up, he felt the world spinning!
He looked at the girl standing by the bed and said hoarsely, "Today, when I heard she was participating in the selection, my heart was unmoved. But when I heard you were going, my heart... felt so pained."
"Li'er, I finally understand. I only feel gratitude towards Huaiyu, but towards you... it's my fault, I didn't understand, which is why you suffered so much injustice."
If she hadn't come to him on her own, Han Zhan would never have dared to speak his heart.
But since she was here, if he didn't say these words today, he feared he would never have another chance.
"Li'er." He reached out, wanting to hold her small hand.
"Li'er, don't go looking for trouble. The royal family will not treat you well. Stay by my side, won't you? I will protect you..."
"Will you really protect me, forever?"
Her chest heaved with anger, Chu Huaiyu's chest rose and fell continuously.
But she knew clearly that Han Zhan was so drunk, getting angry with him would do her no good.
He still mistook her for Chu Qianli!
She had been Chu Huaiyu for so many years, and had never been so humiliated!
What man, upon seeing her, wasn't captivated?
She thought Han Zhan was already in her pocket, but now, Han Zhan's heart was filled with Chu Qianli!
"Han Zhan, you are mine. You and the Xuan King are both mine. I absolutely will not allow Chu Qianli to snatch you away."
She suddenly leaned down, moving closer to Han Zhan.
"If you want me, I'll give myself to you. As long as you are mine, you won't think of Chu Qianli anymore."
She began to undress, piece by piece.
When she was completely bare, she returned to Han Zhan's side and embraced him.
"Han Zhan, now, you can do whatever you want to me... Han Zhan... Han Zhan?"
What was going on? He showed no reaction?
"Han Zhan?" She wouldn't give up, patting Han Zhan's face, then patting again... Damn it, how could this scoundrel fall asleep at a time like this?
"Han Zhan, Han Zhan!"
She pushed him hard, but he was still sleeping like a log!
"Han Zhan!"
Chu Huaiyu was furious. She had undressed like this, and he had completely passed out, unwakeable no matter how she called!
Was this scoundrel doing it on purpose?
However... Han Zhan already had Chu Qianli in his heart. She couldn't let them continue like this.
Han Zhan was hers, and she absolutely refused to let Han Zhan leave her!
Chu Huaiyu thought for a moment, then suddenly raised her hand, pinching her fingertip, and a few drops of blood immediately appeared.
She smeared the blood on the bedsheet, then tried to pull off Han Zhan's clothes.
But who knew, even though he was asleep, he was still very resistant to her touch.
Feeling someone trying to undress him, he immediately pushed out with his palm, nearly injuring Chu Huaiyu several times.
Helpless, Chu Huaiyu finally could only mess up his clothes, lie beside him naked...
...
"This woman, she's actually going to participate in the Xuan King's Consort selection. Ha, truly... truly shameless to the extreme."
Late at night, the imperial harem was still brightly lit.
The Empress was discussing matters with her son, Feng Qihe, when Eunuch Qing suddenly delivered a pile of portraits, stating they were from the first batch of applicants for the selection, with more girls to follow.
As the ruler of the harem, the Empress was responsible for processing the information of the candidates for the Xuan King's selection.
Judging by the scale, it was unprecedented.
The first batch alone contained hundreds of people.
She heard there were countless more batches to come.
The Empress hadn't expected her luck to be so good as to see the two young ladies from the Duke's mansion in the first batch.
Chu Huaiyu's participation was expected; she wouldn't miss the selection for the Xuan King's consort.
What surprised her was Chu Qianli!
This woman, who just a few days ago had disdainfully said she didn't want the Xuan King and wanted the Emperor to annul the engagement, now had the audacity to participate in the selection.
It was utterly laughable!
Feng Qihe was drinking tea, always uninterested in such matters.
"He'er, guess who your mother finds so amusing?"
The Empress, in a mood to share her amusement, picked up Chu Qianli's portrait and walked over to her son.
"Do you remember this woman? That wild girl from the Duke's mansion, who is either the fifth or seventh young lady, she actually..."
"What did you say?" The cup in Feng Qihe's hand shattered as he crushed it.
The Empress was startled: "He'er, your hand..."
The scroll in his hand had already been snatched away by Feng Qihe.
Chu Qianli!
Feng Qihe stared at the girl in the portrait, his fingers trembling with rage.
She dared! She actually dared!
Who allowed her to participate in the selection?
Who allowed it!
"He'er..." The Empress was shocked by her son's reaction... Could it be that he...?
"I forbid it!"
Feng Qihe's aura turned cold as he snatched Chu Qianli's portrait and put it away.
"Mother, this person is not allowed to participate in the selection! Remove her name!"