I made a video (click the one above) reminiscing about readers from 2019 who really made my year wholesome. Thank you for being with me and thank you for continuing to be. Let's celebrate more Valentine's together lol I wanna make more videos about readers and wattpad as I really do enjoy making them >.> Support support!

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"But Wangye... I am sweet." He was blinking coquettishly now.

What he got was a harsh "Get lost."

Feng Yanyan raised his arms in surrender. He could never fell this huge tree called Wan Li Wang.

A comfortable silence blanketed the two until Beauty Feng yawned and leaned his head on the bedside. He was sitting like a child, undignified on the floor.

Long Xu Le was exhausted trying to correct him.

Just let him do what he wanted.

"Wangye... you still owe me." He grumbled.

Although the King raised a brow, her words agreed with him. "Stop fretting, you will be rewarded when ben dian recovers."

She knew how to be grateful and she admitted it wasn't smart of her to continue working at that state. Not only that, he was also angered on her behalf and beat up Adrina.

Hiding half of his face, Feng Yanyan snickered. "Not that, though."

Long Xu Le narrowed her eyes at him.

"Feng Yanyan."

"Yes?"

Indeed, his voice was sweet if he wanted to. His long hair cascaded on the King's sheets.

Her Highness found her hand pulling at the tresses and running it through her fingers. The mei ren didn't complain even when the King was tugging at his cherished hair.

Just let the sick do what she wanted.

He waited patiently for her to speak but he was really drowsy. He couldn't sleep last night because of the stuffy feeling in his chest. And because of the intrusive thoughts asking him why he did what he did.

It felt like he was really getting more affected when it came to the King. It wasn't like she was the first girl in his life.

But he couldn't accept it this time because...

Feng Yanyan felt like it shouldn't be. He was all game when it was the Junwang. To be honest, this was because he felt Long Sangyu was naïve and could be manipulated in the name of 'love.'

Yes, yes. It was really evil of him.

But he just wanted to survive in this dog eat dog world.

He was aware of the dangers of his face and attitude. He knew he needed a big tree to lean on in case of things going south.

But for the golden thigh to be Wangye?

It just didn't feel right.

First, he didn't want to use her.

Second, he felt too lowly compared to her. She was like a god. And he was dirt.

There was no hope of pursuing her to be her equal. Although he played around and teased her sometimes, he knew the limits.

It could never be serious.

That was why he thought long and hard last night. Was he willing to stay and be satisfied as her concubine?

When his feelings were involved, was it even worth it?

If the person was changed to Ping Junwang, Feng Yanyan wouldn't hesitate to say yes. Because he just treated it as another job. He had no lifetime goal for the Prince. It felt like he could just leave anytime.

But Wangye... Yanyan felt like he wouldn't be able to escape her net once he allowed himself to be reeled in.

Ah humans, one minute decisive. The next minute, they would doubt themselves.

"Yanyan... are you listening?"

Beauty Feng was reeled out of his thoughts when there was something warm trying to squeeze his chin but there was no strength in it.

"Hmm?"

"If you want to sleep, go back to your residence." Long Xu Le dismissed him.

"What did you call me?" Feng Yanyan shook his head to shake the drowsiness away.

The King clenched her jaw and didn't answer.

Yanyan smiled and rose to sit on the bed. "What did Wangye call me?"

"Feng Yanyan."

The mei ren chuckled. Alright, he wouldn't force her. "What were you saying?"

Her Highness didn't answer and prepared to sleep. Without needing words, Feng Yanyan naturally helped her lie down.

She was about to close her eyes but then, her gaze pierced him.

"You said you want to stay instead of going home next year?"

Long Xu Le took in any change on his face. There was no way she wouldn't see the momentary hesitation.

She wasn't aware of the growing disappointment inside her. Seeing her hardening expression, Feng Yanyan knew he had to salvage the situation.

"No, no, no. Listen, listen."

But King Wan Li was already turning her back to him. Aiya, he was desperate not to be misunderstood.

"X-Xuyi?"

The King visibly hesitated.

"Hear me out?"

Long Xu Le rolled back to face him.

"I am willing, alright? I'm very willing. Who can even turn you down. You're like the most perfect creature, you know?"

The King understood the individual words he was saying but was still baffled by the sentences coming out of his mouth. Turn down? Perfect?

Who was he talking about?

"It's just that... the people around us aren't too receptive of me being here. I'm sure you understand what I'm saying, right?"

He blabbered a lot of other fillers but things were summarized as...

"So you do have a brain." That was how Long Xu Le saw it.

Feng Yanyan's jaw dropped. She really could insult a person with such a straight face. That was illegal.

"Well, it's good to have self-awareness. But of all the things you said, it goes to show you're still not using your brain properly."

The man's eyes were growing larger after every insult she added. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"Who am I?"

"Wan Li Wang?"

Feng Yanyan witnessed a rare occasion of her Highness rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Then you just have to wait. Ben dian will make sure nobody can say anything."

Before he could reply to her, he was kicked out of Zhongqing again.

Meanwhile, in the front court where the official and administrative offices of Suliang were...

"Adrina is in house arrest in the Wangfu?" The fair skinned female was surprised.

Su Chen was the one who answered her. "It is better to wait for the Commander's return. But I assure you that Gentleman Adrina doesn't even have to be under trial. There's a witness to what he has done and he may not be able to step into these premises again."

The lady gasped. "It's that bad?"

"Wangye only needs one more day of rest." The young Governor-General assured the council.

"Oh we aren't complaining at all. Wangye can rest as much as she needs." One of the older advisors said this as they understood that the King always pushed herself to the limits.

"Well, in Adrina's absence, our foreign relations would be rocky." Xiao Hao opened up the difficult topic at hand. "I, Xiao Hao, recommend Ping Junwang to occupy the vacant seat left by Gentleman Adrina. This is, of course, subject to Master's approval."

As Wangye's right hand, the middle-aged man also had a place among the council members. His position was pivotal to the King's security at all times.

But in the work culture that Wan Li Wang propagated, anyone could oppose a motion as long as it was within reasonable grounds.

A bespectacled man who looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s was habitually toying with the small abacus in his hand. "Foreign relations and Junwang?"

He was frowning at the moment and one could read the words "business no good" on his face.

Long Sangyu felt that his credibility was being questioned but a charming smile never left his face.

"Chief Wu must have been unfamiliar with this prince. But almost all the foreigners visiting Suliang for whatever reason always choose the pubs and inns this prince owns."

Plak!

The sound of abacus beads abruptly stopping resounded in the room.

"So it's his Highness who owns the Weiji Inn. That was why a humble man can't find its origins."

Some years ago, Wu Fangya was the only son of the declining Wu merchant family of Suliang. That clan was already selling the pride of their household for a chance to come back as Suliang's number one merchant empire.

The young Wu Fangya took a risk without informing his parents and approached the King of Suliang. Swearing allegiance to her Highness, in exchange of support.

At that time, Long Xu Le was amused. After all, she was a hated King.

The nobles of Suliang shunned her as they had an inkling of what she had done to her older imperial brother. While the masses of Suliang were frightened of her achievement in the battle of Danbi Desert, being the sole survivor.

Her Highness had nothing to her name and here was a lad approaching her to seek support.

But Wu Fangya made an all or nothing gamble. And look at him now. He was the youngest patriarch of the Wu clan and King Wan Li's Chief of Staff.

He led the clan's path to officialdom and still had a place in the trading business.

"This prince respects Chief Wu very much but trade secrets must always be kept close."

Wu Fangya kneaded the space between his brows. With the amount of workload on his plate right now, he might ask for leave next month.

"I think Junwang can fill Adrina's position. Is there anyone who objects?"

Long Sangyu made eye contact with everyone on the table.

"No one? Alright, this is a done deal. I will prepare the memorial for the King's approval. Until then, his Highness is a temporary member of the council."

The prince smiled. This marked the beginning of his career under the King's banner.

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I didn't specifically wrote this chapter for Valentine's but it coincidentally fit the theme! I'm so amused and had a warm fuzzy feeling while writing this chapter

Hope you have a fuzzy wuzzy day too, whether alone or with a loved one!