Lai En: "Are you giving up your boyfriend just like that? Or is Miss Qiao willing to share Lin Cheng with Karina just so you can serve one husband together?"
Qiao Ying: "You already said that if you inherit the throne, Lin Cheng won't have good days ahead of him. Of course I can't let you have your way."
Her tone was light and casual, not revealing any anxiety or nervousness. Just based on her tone, it was difficult to feel her love for Lin Cheng.
But after the "kindness" she showed him by "visiting" Karina yesterday, Lai En also understood a bit of her personality.
He knew she wasn't the type to wear her emotions on her sleeve.
Lai En: "I was just joking with Miss Qiao. Duke Lin is very capable and loved by the citizens. How could I dare to do such a thing?"
Qiao Ying: "How confident are you about inheriting the throne?"
The question was asked too boldly and directly.
Lai En was so shocked that for a moment he didn't even dare to respond. After thinking for a bit, he lowered his voice and said, "That depends on what Miss Qiao wants."
"I suddenly realized that you and I are on the same side."
"I want the throne, and Miss Qiao wants Lin Cheng. Our interests are not in conflict, but can benefit each other."
"As long as we both strive for and persist towards what we want, the ending will naturally be what we both hope for."
Lai En: "Ever since I learned that Duke Lin isn't interested in the throne, I knew that you and I should be friends."
Qiao Ying: "I only have one winter break. Soon I'll have to return to my country to study. I'm afraid Lin Cheng won't be able to withstand the pressure from the royal family."
Lai En narrowed his eyes slightly, tightly locking his gaze on Qiao Ying's face. He tentatively asked: "Then what does Miss Qiao think?"
Qiao Ying: "We should take action quickly."
Lai En: "I don't understand what Miss Qiao means."
Qiao Ying looked at him: "You don't understand? Are you planning to win over the royal family and C Kingdom's citizens with your own loyalty?"
Lai En: "Of course not. But Miss Qiao, don't you know about the relationship between Lin Cheng and the royal family?"
Qiao Ying: "Since Lin Cheng chose me, it shows that in his eyes, the royal family and power can't compare to me."
Lai En smiled slightly as he nodded. He took a sip of wine, first looking at Qiao Ying, then turning to look into the distance, seeming to be pondering something.
Finally, he offered an early congratulations on victory: "As long as Lin Cheng has no desire for the throne, everything will go smoothly."
Without any warning, he clinked glasses with Qiao Ying again: "I offer early congratulations that you and I will both obtain what we want."
Qiao Ying: "You're celebrating too early."
"I can't put Lin Cheng in a difficult position. Let's sign an agreement. I need a guarantee for Lin Cheng's future and my own interests."
Lai En looked at her: "What guarantee do you want from me?"
Qiao Ying: "I need to discuss this with Lin Cheng first. We can arrange another time to meet―you're in no hurry to go home, right?"
Lai En didn't answer but asked back: "Then what is Miss Qiao's sincerity?"
Qiao Ying: "I'll show you."
It took Qin Hanyue over half the time before he finally returned to the main hall. The dances were almost over.
His gaze swiftly locked onto that flash of red. The moment he saw her, the urge that he had barely suppressed began to rekindle again. Qin Hanyue quietly adjusted his breathing.
"Mr. Qin, may I have the pleasure of a dance?"
The pesky Karla appeared again out of nowhere.
He had been watching in the distance. Karla saw the man's pitch black pupils slowly turn to look at her from the corners of his eyes. Karla was extremely nervous inside, but she didn't show any weakness. She stared fixedly at Qin Hanyue, afraid of angering him.
The man was expressionless and extremely cold. His aura was intimidating: "That's right, Qiao Yin and I hooked up behind Lin Cheng's back."
Karla was stunned. She didn't expect him to directly admit it.
Qin Hanyue: "You can go and tell Lin Cheng at any time, tell your family too. As long as you can bear the consequences."
Karla's breathing stalled. Her complexion became stiff.
She looked at the dangerous man before her.
He completely disregarded her threat after she discovered his affair. Instead, he threatened her. After speaking, he headed towards the flash of red in the crowd at the center of the main hall. Karla stood frozen on the spot, watching as he walked up to Qiao Ying. Not only was he unafraid that she would reveal his secret, he blatantly, without any concealment, issued a dance invitation to Qiao Ying right in front of her.
"May I have the pleasure of a dance, Miss Qiao?"
Qiao Ying looked at Qin Hanyue standing before her like a gentleman, extending his hand to her.
She seemed to smile for a moment. Unhurriedly, she placed her wine glass to the side, then put her hand in his.
Qin Hanyue held her hand and led her several steps towards an empty space. His other hand pressed against her lower back. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and they started dancing along with the music.
Qin Hanyue: "Did you dance with Lin Cheng earlier?"
Qiao Ying ignored him deliberately.
Qin Hanyue: "Then that means you didn't."
If she did dance, she would definitely say it to provoke him.
He lowered his voice and said, "Our affair has been discovered. Does Miss Qiao have anything she wants to say?"
He, who was always emphasizing his status as the male lead, actually uttered the words "affair". It showed just how good Qin Hanyue's mood was.
Only then did Qiao Ying realize what he had talked about with Karla.
She casually asked, "Did she threaten you?"
Qin Hanyue: "She threatened me to dance with her."
Qiao Ying: "That's it?"
Qin Hanyue: "What were you thinking?"
Qiao Ying: "Quite subtle."
Qin Hanyue: "I want to hear your less subtle thoughts."
Like the other dancers around them, their bodies maintained a polite distance. But the content of their conversation was strangely tantalizing, along with his tone and the way he looked at her.
In places that others couldn't detect, Qin Hanyue deliberately stroked the back of her hand with his thumb again and again.
Qiao Ying said frankly: "I thought she would threaten you to sleep with her."
Qin Hanyue wasn't surprised at her bold imagining. He followed up: "After all, she craves my looks, my body."
Qiao Ying casually glanced at him.
Qin Hanyue smiled at her.
Their conversation was drowned out by the soothing music. There was an intoxicating sense of casual comfort, like they were at a candlelight dinner scene.
Qin Hanyue: "On my way to find you earlier, I was attacked. Based on that person's skill, I feel it was very similar to those Shadow League assassins. His strength is above mine, and much higher at that. The lights went out at the time, so I didn't get a clear look at him. What about you? You left the banquet, did you discover something? I seem to smell blood on you."
It can be determined that Diamond J is hiding among the royal family.
Qiao Ying: "Karina wants me dead."
Qin Hanyue's eyes turned dangerous: "That woman again."
Qiao Ying: "Were you injured?"
Qin Hanyue: "No. He did intend to kill me originally. But after hearing my voice he ran away. I think I wasn't supposed to appear there."
Qin Hanyue swept his gaze over the crowd of people immersed in the dance music in the main hall. He noticed that Lai En's father, who had left his seat some time ago and still had not returned by now, had come back to the main hall.
Lai En invited Karina to dance, but was rejected by her.
Karina then stared at them, or more precisely stared at Qiao Ying, probably questioning why Qiao Ying was still alive and well.
Qin Hanyue: "Who do you think that person could be?"
Qiao Ying: "Diamond J is ambitious. Since he has infiltrated the royal family, he certainly wouldn't be willing to submit to another. Even if he can't become king, he should at least have supreme power second only to the king."
Qin Hanyue: "Other than those sons of the king who can't shoulder such great responsibilities, the ones most suited to inherit the throne are Lin Cheng and Lai En. Could Diamond J be the behind-the-scenes manipulator of Lai En?"
Qiao Ying: "Lai En's father left the table earlier and still hasn't returned. That's who I went to chase after―I have arranged to meet privately with Lai En later."
