Chapter 2: Yue Ningshuang’s True Feelings
Yue Wu Xia’s words made Yue Ningshuang a little dissatisfied. “I’m not a lovesick fool! I just like the Little Prince.”
The corners of Yue Wu Xia’s lips curved upwards slightly. She looked at Mingyan and gave him a look.
Seeing this, Mingyan knew that Yue Wu Xia wanted him to reject Yue Ningshuang in front of her. He coughed lightly. “Your Highness, it’s better not to say these things. In my heart, there is only the grand princess. I really can’t bear the affection of the second princess.”
Yue Ningshuang pouted and walked up. “Are you really unable to bear it, or are you afraid my sister will be jealous?”
Yue Wu Xia’s face was clear and cold, unmoved. She didn’t say anything. Before Mingyan could even open his mouth, Yue Ningshuang continued, “Besides, I never mind these things. Whether you marry my sister or have Huang Feiyan, I don’t mind. I don’t even have to be the legal wife~ as long as you accept me, it’s fine.”
“Shameless,” Yue Wu Xia’s face was clear and cold, and she snorted coldly.
Hearing these words, Yue Ningshuang looked at Yue Wu Xia for a few moments, and a light smile gradually appeared on her face. She didn’t say anything and left Yue Wu Xia’s room.
Mingyan couldn’t help but say, “There’s no need to say such harsh words, is there? After all, she just likes me.”
“Of course you think there’s no need, because that’s what you think in your heart, right? You can’t wait for me to agree to you opening a harem?” Yue Wu Xia’s clear and cold eyes swept over, her tone a little cold. “If you can’t be as devoted as my father was to my mother, then don’t even think about making me marry you.”
Mingyan sighed. “Wu Xia, if I divorce Huang Feiyan for you, have you considered the consequences? It’s not a good thing if the Huang family comes to settle accounts.”
“You have many choices in front of you. It’s never been that it has to be me,” Yue Wu Xia turned her back to Mingyan. “Go back. Before you’ve considered it, don’t come and find me again. I won’t see you again either.”
With that, Yue Wu Xia waved her hand and walked into the depths of the palace, leaving Mingyan alone.
Mingyan looked at Yue Wu Xia’s back and sighed softly.
He really liked Yue Wu Xia. In his memory, from the first time he had seen Yue Wu Xia, he had uncontrollably fallen in love with the grand princess. Even though she was always clear and cold, plain and indifferent, and sometimes even seemed very cold, as their relationship got closer, he would discover her cute places.
Yue Wu Xia had always been a person with a stubborn mouth but a soft heart.
But, Mingyan had met Huang Feiyan first and had been engaged to and married her early on.
Mingyan would not divorce his wife. The Huang family’s settling of accounts was secondary. More importantly, he would not abandon his own woman for anything, not even for Yue Wu Xia.
He knew that because of her parents’ love, Yue Wu Xia was not very fond of fickle men, and was even a little disgusted. Although she had eventually developed feelings for him, it had not yet reached the point where she would give up what she insisted on in her heart for him.
Mingyan stood where he was for a while, collected his thoughts, and walked out. But he found that the second princess, Yue Ningshuang, was standing outside the door with her hands behind her back. After seeing Mingyan come out, a brilliant smile bloomed on her face, and she walked over in small steps. “Little Prince.”
“Your Highness,” Mingyan nodded lightly. In fact, in terms of status, Mingyan was higher than both the grand princess, Yue Wu Xia, and the second princess, Yue Ningshuang. Although he was a prince with a different surname, he now controlled part of the military and political affairs of the Great Yue Dynasty. And in this era, men were valued over women. Besides, the Great Yue King also intended to pass the throne to Mingyan. If it weren’t because the Great Yue King doted on the two princesses, these two princesses would have had to bow to Mingyan when they saw him.
“Did the Little Prince get a cold shoulder from my sister?” Yue Ningshuang’s smile was cunning. “I even feel a little helpless and annoyed for the Little Prince~”
Yue Ningshuang always liked to call him ‘Little Prince’… But in terms of age, Yue Ningshuang was indeed a little older, though only by a little bit. Mingyan was silent for a while and said softly, “If there is nothing else, Your Highness, I will return to my mansion.”
“Although I have no intention of driving a wedge between you two, I also know very well that the Little Prince is in a difficult position now,” Yue Ningshuang smiled. She did not show any emotion because Mingyan wanted to leave in a hurry. She always liked to smile. She and Yue Wu Xia were two extremes. No smile could be seen on Yue Wu Xia’s face; she was always clear and cold. Although she actually had rich inner thoughts, she never showed them.
And although Yue Ningshuang always had a smile on her face and rarely got angry, her inner thoughts were hard to guess. Although Yue Wu Xia had a cold face, Mingyan could understand her thoughts. This was also why these two sisters were both beautiful women, but Mingyan only liked Yue Wu Xia.
He didn’t know why Yue Ningshuang liked him, didn’t know her real thoughts under her smile. If he couldn’t guess, he naturally had to keep his distance from Yue Ningshuang.
Mingyan stopped, was silent for a while, and continued to walk forward.
And Yue Ningshuang followed. “I also know my father’s meaning. He wants you to take over the Great Yue Dynasty, but he hopes that either I or my sister will be your wife. This way, the heir who inherits the dynasty in the future will still have the Yue family’s bloodline. My sister hates fickle men. She will definitely want you to divorce Huang Feiyan, but this will undoubtedly offend the Huang family. My sister doesn’t consider you at all.”
Mingyan’s footsteps stopped again. He was silent for a while, then turned his head to look at Yue Ningshuang. And Yue Ningshuang continued to walk forward, as if she hadn’t noticed Mingyan stop, and bumped into his arms. Then her feet couldn’t stand firm, her center of gravity shifted backward, and she fell backward. Mingyan quickly wrapped his arm around Yue Ningshuang’s slender waist and held her to prevent her from falling.
Yue Ningshuang wore a princess’s magnificent dress. This kind of dress was for daily wear, not a formal dress. It was summer now, so the clothing was naturally cool and heat-dissipating. The material was very smooth and cool, but even so, it couldn’t hide the delicacy and smoothness of the skin that could be felt through the clothes.
“…” Yue Ningshuang was stunned for a moment. She came back to her senses, looked down at Mingyan’s hand on her slender waist, and the corners of her lips curved upwards slightly. “Thank you, Little Prince…”
Mingyan withdrew his hand and said calmly, “I was just worried that you would fall, Your Highness. Don’t overthink it.”
“Overthink? I’m not overthinking,” Yue Ningshuang’s smile was sweet. “It’s the Little Prince who is overthinking, right?”
Mingyan raised an eyebrow and distanced himself a little from Yue Ningshuang. It wasn’t that he was averse to beauty. If the person in front of him was his legal wife, Huang Feiyan, or Yue Wu Xia, then he might have directly made a move. But for Yue Ningshuang, Mingyan wanted to keep his distance.
“But, to me, or rather, in my heart, everything I have belongs to the Little Prince. The Little Prince can do whatever he wants. After all, I am your property,” Yue Ningshuang moved a little closer. “Why are you so resistant to me? I still don’t understand. My sister is so cold to you, her attitude so bad. I originally never had any thought of comparing myself to my sister, but your different treatment has made me start to wonder if there is some kind of gap between myself and my sister…”
Mingyan was silent. He couldn’t just say I think you have improper designs, could he?
Yue Ningshuang held Mingyan’s hand, raised it, and held it to her chest with both hands. Her beautiful eyes were mournful, losing their usual liveliness and smile. Her tone was also a little sad. “Ningshuang has always treated the Little Prince with a sincere heart, but the Little Prince has never looked at me properly. I don’t think I’m any worse than my sister. I can even keep backing down for the Little Prince. If I were my sister, I would never make things difficult for the Little Prince. If Huang Feiyan wants to be the legal wife, then let her be. I don’t mind the title. As long as Young Master Ming likes me, I will be content.”
“Your Highness, I’m afraid I can’t bear your kindness,” Mingyan said, already with the intention of refusing.
But Yue Ningshuang did not let go. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Mingyan, staring into his eyes. “Does the Little Prince dare to look into my eyes?”
Mingyan did not look.
“Why don’t you look?” Yue Ningshuang’s tone was faintly resentful. “Your gaze has only ever been on my sister, and you’re never willing to spare me a glance. My request has never been high. Even if you look at my sister twice before looking at me once, I would be content. But you’re not even willing to spare me a single glance. Are you doubting Ningshuang’s feelings for you? Is a passionate and direct feeling a mistake? Does Ningshuang have to dig out her own heart for you to believe her feelings? I know you have reservations about me. I always spare no effort to tell you my true thoughts, but you are always full of suspicion towards me. If Ningshuang has any disloyalty, deceit, or perfunctory behavior towards the Little Prince, I am willing to be struck by five thunders and die!”
Even a real block of wood would be moved upon hearing these words, right?
Mingyan looked at Yue Ningshuang’s eyes. That passionate and fiery admiration and love were mixed together. Mingyan had an indescribable feeling in his heart…
Recalling the past carefully, she had indeed never done anything unfavorable to him. She seemed to always think for him. Even the matter of him taking over the Great Yue Dynasty was proposed by her. She had spared no effort to give, and what had she gotten in return?
It was rejection time and time again. But she had never complained, never said a bad word about Mingyan. Even when she found out that Mingyan and Yue Wu Xia were very close, she had never argued about anything. She was even unwilling to compete with Yue Wu Xia. Was it sisterly affection? Or was she worried about making things difficult for him?
Putting himself in her shoes, Yue Ningshuang could do so much for him. And had he repaid Yue Ningshuang?
Just as Yue Ningshuang had said, what he had repaid her with was selective neglect time and time again, and rejection time and time again. She would never show disappointment on her lips or in her expression and would always look at him with a smile, which made Mingyan think she was a deep-scheming person.
In fact, that might just be her way of covering up her own wounds? Because this way, when Mingyan rejected her, perhaps he would not feel so much psychological pressure.
She never minded Mingyan stabbing her with a knife. Not only that, but she would also smile and tell him it didn’t hurt when he stabbed her, and that it was fine to continue.
Was she deep-scheming, or was she just simply infatuated?
“Your Highness…”
“Don’t call me Your Highness. You call my sister by her name, but you are so distant to me. Is it because in the Little Prince’s heart, Ningshuang is not worthy?” Yue Ningshuang interrupted Mingyan, her tone mournful. “That’s right, that’s right. Ningshuang is indeed not as good as my sister. My sister can get the Little Prince’s favor with just a cold and indifferent look. And no matter how much Ningshuang gives, it’s just an extra for you and my sister, to make your relationship look stronger. Ningshuang accepts it…”
“That’s not what I mean…”
“Then what do you mean?” Yue Ningshuang interrupted Mingyan again, her beautiful eyes already moist. “Is it just that Ningshuang is simply not likable? Is it because the Little Prince detests Ningshuang from the bottom of his heart? Should Ningshuang disappear from the Little Prince’s sight?”
“Of course not…” Mingyan saw her eyes were red, as if she was about to cry at any moment. He could not remain calm and quickly comforted her. “I have never thought so. In my heart, Princess Ningshuang has always been an extremely outstanding person. It is precisely because of this that I feel the princess’s kindness is hard to bear.”
“You see, you see… it’s always ‘Princess’, not ‘Ningshuang’… Ningshuang is willing not to be this princess. If Ningshuang were a maid in the Little Prince’s mansion… even if the Little Prince were just temporarily interested in me, and just pampered me for a while and then left me alone, at least I could get the Little Prince’s love for one night, instead of being like this now.” The more Yue Ningshuang spoke, the sadder she became, and her tears finally couldn’t help but fall.
Mingyan was rendered speechless by Yue Ningshuang. Before, Yue Ningshuang had never complained about anything; when she was rejected, she had just smiled. This was the first time… an emotional outburst.
Yue Ningshuang’s beautiful face was like a pear blossom in the rain. Her right hand was still holding Mingyan’s hand. Her left hand was raised to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye. “Forget it… forget it… in the end, Ningshuang can’t get the Little Prince’s love. The Little Prince shouldn’t take what Ningshuang just said to heart. Anyway, Ningshuang is already used to it… used to being ignored by the Little Prince, used to being treated perfunctorily by the Little Prince, used to being rejected by the Little Prince. But Ningshuang will still like the Little Prince, because Ningshuang’s eyes can’t move away from the Little Prince. My heart is full of the Little Prince. I just hope that someday, the Little Prince can look at Ningshuang a little more, can give Ningshuang a little of your attention… Ningshuang will be content.”
With that, Yue Ningshuang let go of Mingyan’s hand, her tone apologetic. “Ningshuang shouldn’t have wasted the Little Prince’s time. The Little Prince has so many things to do every day. How can you waste time on a person like me… Little Prince, go and do your work. Ningshuang will leave…”
With that, Yue Ningshuang raised her eyes, glanced at Mingyan, her gaze a little resentful. She turned, wanting to leave. Mingyan was silent for a while, and finally decided to hold her hand. “Ningshuang…”
“…Ningshuang?” Yue Ningshuang turned her head to look at Mingyan. Her face, which was still tear-stained, was now full of surprise. “Just now… did the Little Prince call me Ningshuang…?”
