Volume One, Chapter 15: The Grand Princess’s Heart Is in Turmoil!

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“Give it back to me!”

“Shouldn’t the Grand Princess offer some explanation?” Li Chaoyang deliberately leaned closer, drawing out his words.

Under his stare, Xiao Qingyu grew flustered and looked away. “This is only…”

“I naturally understand. If the princess truly has feelings for me, would marrying me not fulfill the Grand Princess’s wishes?” The corners of Li Chaoyang’s lips curved faintly as he gazed at the slightly panicked Xiao Qingyu with an unreadable smile.

Xiao Qing hurriedly reached out and snatched the portrait away.

Xiao Qingyu thought to herself: Li Chaoyang was not only powerful and influential, commanding a formidable army, but he also held leverage over her. If she confronted him head-on now, she would gain nothing from it.

The best solution was—

Make him fall in love with me!

With that thought, the tension vanished from Xiao Qingyu’s face. Her beautiful eyes glimmered as she gazed at Li Chaoyang with deep affection and said sweetly, “The Prince Regent is right. I have indeed admired you for a long time. I still remember that when you were first appointed Imperial Tutor, I fell for you at first sight. Now that I can finally have my wish and marry into the Prince Regent’s residence, I am naturally overjoyed.”

Li Chaoyang’s eyes, deep as the sea, narrowed slightly. A faint, nearly imperceptible smile appeared at their corners as he chuckled softly. “Oh? Is that so?”

“Could it be that the Grand Princess is enamored of my strict instruction, or perhaps simply fond of being punished to copy out her lessons?” His words carried a teasing edge.

Xiao Qingyu hurriedly defended herself. “That was merely the Prince Regent’s dedication to his duties. Besides, had it been another Imperial Tutor, I am sure he would have kept me under strict discipline as well.” She had improvised the excuse on the spot.

No, this would never convince anyone.

Xiao Qingyu fixed her gaze on his red lips and moved toward him step by step. She stopped when only a fist’s breadth remained between them, then took his hand and placed it against her chest.

“The lessons you taught me, Prince Regent, are all still fresh in my memory. Why not feel for yourself and see exactly whom my heart belongs to?” she said sweetly.

Li Chaoyang clasped her wrist with his other hand and suddenly pulled her forward.

Xiao Qingyu’s cheek instantly pressed against his solid chest. She could clearly hear the powerful, steady beat of his heart.

On the surface, Xiao Qingyu remained composed, but inwardly she was already in utter disarray.

“Grand Princess, your heart is in turmoil.” His deep, magnetic voice sounded softly beside her ear, and Xiao Qingyu’s heartbeat quickened further.

No! She absolutely could not let him gain the upper hand!

Without hesitation, she rose onto her toes and slipped her arms around his neck. Her luscious lips then pressed boldly against his.

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Li Chaoyang was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his lips lifted slightly, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

He quickly responded, meeting her kiss and driving Xiao Qingyu backward until she reached the corner of the wall.

One hand firmly encircled her slender, delicate waist, while the other slipped gently into her smooth hair.

Their kiss deepened. At first, Xiao Qingyu merely brushed his lips as lightly as a dragonfly touching water, but Li Chaoyang soon parted her lips and launched a far more fervent assault.

Xiao Qingyu gradually began to feel dizzy, and even her breathing grew increasingly rapid.

Acting on instinct, she tried to push Li Chaoyang away, but he held her firmly in place, giving her no chance to resist.

Little by little, her body began to soften against her will.

Li Chaoyang swept her up and set her down on the table.

Their kiss grew more intense. Under his step-by-step guidance, Xiao Qingyu gradually lost herself, forgetting everything around her.

Her delicate body leaned forward slightly, actively moving to meet him.

At that moment, she was completely immersed in the intoxicating atmosphere, oblivious to everything else.

Just as she surrendered herself to it, Li Chaoyang stopped.

Seeing the lingering desire in Xiao Qingyu’s expression, his eyes instantly filled with warm amusement.

He slowly extended his right hand and gently wiped away the rouge remaining at the corner of her lips. The delicate touch made Xiao Qingyu shudder involuntarily, and she abruptly came to her senses.

She had actually lost herself so completely just now.

Her pretty face had long since turned crimson. She suddenly shoved him with all her strength, sending Li Chaoyang stumbling back.

Xiao Qingyu turned away, no longer daring to look at him. In a fluster, she seized the teacup from the table and drained it in one gulp, hoping to calm the turmoil in her heart.

Seeing this, Li Chaoyang smiled faintly before saying in an unhurried voice, “The date of our wedding has been set. It will be on the seventh day of next month. I hope the Grand Princess will not regret it when the time comes.”

“Of course I will not. Since I have said I will marry you, I will naturally keep my word. But, Prince Regent, you had better not go back on yours.”

Li Chaoyang slowly approached her. He bent down and whispered beside Xiao Qingyu’s ear, “With the Grand Princess possessing such beauty capable of overthrowing kingdoms, how could I bear to flee at the last moment?”

Before he had even finished speaking, the warm breath from his lips brushed lightly over her sensitive earlobe, causing her to shiver once again.

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Xiao Qingyu’s already heated face flushed an even deeper crimson as she desperately tried to calm the turmoil within.

She bit her lower lip lightly and clasped her hands tightly before her, attempting to conceal her nervousness and embarrassment through these small gestures.

“I am naturally eager to marry into the Prince Regent’s residence. After all, you are rather impressive in certain respects.” The moment the words left her mouth, her pretty face seemed ready to bleed.

Li Chaoyang regarded Xiao Qingyu with evident interest and teased, “I am glad the princess is satisfied.”

Their exchange was steeped in ambiguity.

Then Li Chaoyang said aloud, “I still have important matters to attend to today, so I shall take my leave first. If the princess requires anything, simply send someone to inform me. I will do everything in my power to satisfy your every request!” He deliberately emphasized and drew out the final words.

Only after Li Chaoyang had gone far away did Xiao Qingyu slowly return to her senses.

Almost unconsciously, she raised her right hand and lightly touched her luscious lips. The scene of her recent encounter with Li Chaoyang involuntarily resurfaced in her mind.

That day, she had been drugged and lost herself in confusion. Today, she had been perfectly clearheaded. She had clearly been the one seducing him—so how had she ended up being seduced instead?

At the thought, Xiao Qingyu suddenly felt unbearably thirsty.

She lowered her head toward the teapot beside her, only to find that it was already empty.

She ordered, “Lingzhu, go and boil me a pot of hot water at once.”

Lingzhu brought the water and said, “I happened to see the Prince Regent leaving the room just now. Your Highness, what happened between you and the Prince Regent? Why is your face so red?”

“Nothing. It is simply too hot. Open the window.”

Lingzhu walked over to the window in confusion.

How strange!

Why was Her Highness acting so unusually today? Something about her seemed odd.

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