Lin Qinghe could hardly believe what she heard. She clicked on the system and found the world's progress bar displayed twenty percent, only then confirming she wasn't hallucinating.
The problem she had been struggling to solve moments ago suddenly became clear.
Lin Qinghe recalled You Rong's gloomy expression and said teasingly, "Tsk, tsk, tsk... I never would have guessed. You Rong is actually such a closeted pervert. Pretending to be so proper on the outside, saying men and women shouldn't touch, but secretly you've already fallen for Xu Ling'er, haven't you!"
However, as long as the progress bar increased, she didn't care if You Rong was openly perverted or secretly so!
Lin Qinghe was in a great mood, humming a little tune as she left You Rong's chambers.
She had to go back and think hard about how to quickly heat up the relationship between You Rong and Xu Ling'er.
The study.
You Rong stood by the window, his brows furrowed, his thoughts in disarray amidst the swirling snow outside.
Scenes of Lin Qinghe smiling gently at Xu Yi and holding Xu Yi's arm played repeatedly in You Rong's mind... He clutched his chest, his expression slightly bewildered.
Why did his chest ache like this?
This question lingered in You Rong's mind, unanswered. He only knew one thing: he did not like Lin Qinghe interacting with Xu Yi.
The next day, after You Rong finished his lesson with the Grand Tutor, Lin Qinghe, wearing a fawning smile, arrived as soon as the Grand Tutor left.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I personally brewed this ginseng soup. Please drink it while it's hot."
You Rong, writing with his brush, glanced sideways at Lin Qinghe and said indifferently, "Put it down first."
"Yes, Your Highness, I will put it down for you first."
Lin Qinghe's eyes flickered, and she leaned closer to You Rong, picking up the inkstone. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, allow me to grind the ink for you."
You Rong remained silent. However, Lin Qinghe had gotten a handle on his personality lately and knew that his silence meant consent. She picked up the inkstone and pretended to grind ink, all the while flattering him.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I overheard outside the door just now. The Grand Tutor praised your calligraphy, saying it was like a dancing dragon. I told you last time that I'd never seen anyone write better than you, but you didn't believe me. Now that the Grand Tutor himself has said it, you should believe me, right?"
You Rong continued to write steadily, a barely perceptible curve lifting the corner of his lips. "You heard the Grand Tutor? You've been standing outside the door for a long time?"
"Not long, just a little while..."
As she spoke, Lin Qinghe casually asked, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, after meeting Miss Xu yesterday, what do you think of her?"
You Rong pursed his lips and did not reply.
Lin Qinghe secretly observed You Rong's expression and probed, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, Miss Xu is the foremost talented woman in the capital and the most beautiful woman in the world. Don't you think she's wonderful?"
You Rong frowned, slightly displeased. "Do you know Xu Ling'er? Why do you always mention her?"
Sensing You Rong's displeasure, Lin Qinghe, though puzzled, decided not to push her luck. She smiled and casually said, "Let's not talk about Miss Xu, then. How about we talk about Master Xu? How old is Master Xu this year? Is he married? He doesn't look very old..."
Before she could finish, You Rong's eyes darkened. He gripped the brush in his hand and suddenly snapped it in two. He said coldly, "How old is Xu Yi, and whether he's married or not, what business is it of yours, a mere palace maid!"
Such immense anger startled Lin Qinghe.
She looked at You Rong, confused. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, why are you so angry? I... I don't think I said anything wrong, did I?"
Yes!
She hadn't said anything wrong. It was just that whenever she mentioned Xu Yi's name, he felt a suffocating tightness in his chest.
Under Lin Qinghe's clear gaze, You Rong couldn't help but clench his hand hanging by his side. After a long pause, he dropped a sentence, "I need to go to the palace to see my father," and hurried away.
At first glance, his retreating figure seemed almost like he was fleeing.
Lin Qinghe stood there, bewildered.
What was wrong with You Rong?
He got angry when she mentioned Xu Ling'er, and he got angry when she didn't. He was a bit of a nutcase!
Lin Qinghe couldn't help but complain about You Rong from head to toe in her mind.
She didn't care if he was on his period; the most important thing now was to advance the relationship between You Rong and Xu Ling'er, finish the progress bar quickly, and clear the first system world.
After all, what she could be sure of was that the progress bar had increased by twenty percent as soon as You Rong and Xu Ling'er met, meaning he definitely liked Xu Ling'er.
What opportunities were there for You Rong and Xu Ling'er to continue meeting?
It had to be a good place, and Xu Ling'er liked plum blossoms, so a place with a large plum grove would be ideal.
Lin Qinghe found Zhu Hong and, upon inquiry, discovered that there was indeed a plum grove in the capital. It was currently blooming, and many people went to visit.
A thought struck Lin Qinghe. She ordered Zhu Hong to bring her brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. She wrote an invitation and instructed Xiao Yuzi to deliver it to Prime Minister Xu's residence, to Xu Yi.
After Xiao Yuzi left with the invitation, Lin Qinghe stretched, rubbing her sore shoulders, and muttered to herself, "I wrote an invitation to Xu Yi in You Rong's name, but the invitation subtly implies that Xu Yi needs to bring Xu Ling'er to the meeting. This way, I won't have to worry about damaging Xu Ling'er's reputation, and I've solved You Rong's worries. This time, the two of them should finally be able to talk properly..."
Furthermore, Lin Qinghe decided to be a considerate little palace maid. She wouldn't inform You Rong for now. Instead, she would use an excuse to lure him to the plum grove, creating an unexpected encounter with Xu Ling'er. He would surely be delighted!
Lin Qinghe was decisive. As soon as she thought of it, she acted.
In the evening, hearing that You Rong had returned after his audience with the Emperor, Lin Qinghe immediately went to his chambers.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you're back. Was your audience with the Emperor today smooth? Did His Majesty discuss allowing you to enter the court and assist in governing?"
Ignoring Wang Gongyang's disapproving glare, Lin Qinghe poured a cup of tea and handed it to You Rong, fawningly saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, please have some tea."
You Rong took the cup, took a shallow sip, and glanced discreetly at Lin Qinghe. He seemed to be in a bad mood and gave a perfunctory "en" as a reply.
Lin Qinghe was not interested in discussing court affairs with You Rong. Her gaze swept around the room and landed on the two plum branches she had placed in the vase that morning.
Lin Qinghe seized the opportunity and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, I placed a few plum branches in your chambers and study this morning. Do you like them?"
Xu Ling'er loved plum blossoms, so there was no reason for You Rong to dislike them.
You Rong glanced at the plum blossoms in the vase. For some reason, seeing the plum blossoms reminded him of Xu Yi. His expression darkened slightly, and he said indifferently, "What do you want to say?"
Lin Qinghe said, "I heard there is a plum grove in the capital. The plum blossoms are in full bloom right now and are exceptionally beautiful. If Your Highness the Crown Prince likes them, why don't we go admire the plum blossoms tomorrow? Yuan Ri is approaching soon, and the streets outside the palace will surely be very lively. Your Highness the Crown Prince could also stroll around, couldn't you?"