If Bai Yueru thought she had reached rock bottom, she was wrong.

Because Xia Wei was still holding the shovel.

The noble ladies whispered behind their fans, their expressions torn between sympathy and barely contained glee.

“Poor Lady Bai…” “To think she has been chasing after His Highness for so long…” “…Yet he still hasn’t given her an official position?”

The color on Bai Yueru’s face drained faster than a knocked-over cup of tea.

She could feel the eyes of the noblewomen piercing her like arrows—some gloating, some pitying, and some merely entertained by the sheer drama of it all.

And worst of all—

Xia Zhiwei was sitting there, sipping tea, like a benevolent empress watching peasants fight.

Stay calm. Stay calm. Bai Yueru took a deep breath.

She just had to salvage this situation.

“Lady Xia,” she forced a gentle, understanding smile, even though she wanted to throw the entire tea set at her. “I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood. His Highness and I… We share a deep mutual respect.”

“Oh?” Xia Wei tilted her head innocently.

Li Xuan, who had been watching with amusement, casually spoke up—

“Respect?” He mused, his voice slow, mocking. “Since when?”

—SILENCE.—

Bai Yueru’s entire soul left her body.

Even the wind stopped blowing.

“…Y-Your Highness?” she stammered.

Li Xuan only smirked, eyes glinting with undisguised mischief.

“Respect is mutual, is it not?” he said lazily, turning his attention back to Xia Wei. “Tell me, Lady Xia, did you and I share ‘mutual respect’ when you chased after me for years?”

Xia Wei pretended to think.

Then, with a sweet, apologetic smile, she sighed.

“Unfortunately, Your Highness, my memory isn’t very good. I only recall embarrassing myself.”

—GASP.—

The noble ladies giggled into their sleeves.

—WHISPER. WHISPER.—

“She’s so self-aware!” “I didn’t expect Lady Xia to admit it so openly…” “But it makes Lady Bai look worse, doesn’t it? Since she’s still…”

Bai Yueru felt faint.

Not only had Xia Wei taken control of the conversation, but she had flipped the entire perception of her past behavior.

What should have been a shameful history was now just a humble, self-reflective joke.

And now, the only one still clinging to the Crown Prince…

…Was her.

NO. NO. NO. NO.

She needed to turn this around!

“Lady Xia, surely you do not mean to say you truly do not care for His Highness anymore?” Bai Yueru forced a gentle laugh, her voice soft yet loud enough for everyone to hear. “After all, your devotion was so deep… It would be such a pity if it all went to waste.”

Xia Wei smiled.

A cold, merciless smile.

“Oh, Lady Bai,” she murmured sweetly.

Then—

She turned to Li Xuan.

And tilted her head.

“Your Highness,” she said, voice light, completely casual.

“If I were to confess to you again right now, how would you respond?”

—SILENCE.—

Bai Yueru: ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️ Li Xuan: …What game is she playing now?

The crowd leaned forward.

Li Xuan’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued.

Then—he smirked.

“I would reject you,” he said smoothly, “just like before.”

GASP.

Some of the ladies clutched their chests.

Was Xia Zhiwei not embarrassed?!

But Xia Wei?

She clapped her hands together in relief.

“Wonderful!” she beamed. “Then we are in agreement, Your Highness!”

—…HUH???—

Li Xuan froze. “What?”

Xia Wei sighed dramatically, shaking her head.

“Had you accepted me, I would have been so terribly distressed,” she confessed. “I might have thought you were fickle. Or worse—”

Her delicate brows furrowed in mock concern.

“—that you were still single because you couldn’t move on from me.”

—BOOM.—

CROWN PRINCE LI XUAN, DESTROYED INSTANTLY.

The noblewomen lost their minds.

—WHISPER. WHISPER.—

“She turned it around again?!?!” “She just implied he is the one who never moved on!!!” “LADY XIA, PLEASE, HAVE MERCY!”

Li Xuan’s smirk twitched.

For the first time in his life, he felt what it was like to be publicly outmaneuvered.

His gaze darkened with something dangerously amused.

This woman…

He suddenly wanted to grab her by the waist and see just how much she could keep up this act.

Meanwhile—

Bai Yueru?

Completely obliterated.

She sat there motionless, fingers trembling against her teacup, her mind on the verge of malfunctioning.

How did this happen…?

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?!?

And just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse—

Xia Wei sighed once more and stood up gracefully.

“Well, this has been a delightful tea gathering,” she said cheerfully. “But I mustn’t take up more of everyone’s time.”

She turned to Bai Yueru and patted her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Lady Bai. I’m sure His Highness will return your feelings eventually.”

BAI YUERU: ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️

The noble ladies struggled to contain their laughter.

Some had already lost control.

Xia Wei turned to leave, but before she could take a step—

A hand grasped her wrist.

She turned back.

And met Li Xuan’s gaze.

Golden eyes, dark and unreadable.

And then—

He leaned in.

Just close enough that only she could hear—

“You are enjoying this far too much, Lady Xia.”

Xia Wei tilted her head, smiling.

“Not at all, Your Highness.”

She gently removed his hand and walked away.

Leaving behind a stunned Bai Yueru…

…and a Crown Prince who had just realized—

—he had been completely and utterly captivated.

—

End of Chapter 9

(Small theater)

Xia Wei: Step seven: Make the heroine suffer and leave dramatically? ✅ Bai Yueru: I AM GOING TO COMMIT ARSON. Li Xuan: She’s getting away… How do I make her chase me instead?

Sky~