The Crown Prince had come to propose marriage.

When this news broke, the entire Weinan Royal Mansion went wild.

The Crown Prince! If their Mistress married him, she would become the Crown Princess, and eventually the Empress, ruling the nation with grace. What an esteemed and honorable position!

The Princess of Weinan could not possibly refuse such a proposal. She joyfully welcomed the Crown Prince and quietly sent someone to ask Su Baiyue for her opinion.

Su Baiyue naturally had no objections. After all, this was how the plot was supposed to unfold. Only by getting engaged to the Crown Prince could she send the male lead off for his trials and growth.

“Mm.” Su Baiyue nodded expressionlessly.

The elderly maid who had come to ask nearly wept tears of joy. Their celestial fairy of a Mistress had agreed! Indeed, only the best man in the world could be a match for her Mistress!

The maid waddled off in excitement, but just as she left the main hall’s eaves, she bumped into someone.

“What filthy thing dares block my way?” As a trusted servant of the Princess, this elderly maid held considerable authority in the Weinan Royal Mansion’s inner quarters and was known for her haughty attitude.

Rubbing her sore bottom where she had fallen, the maid looked up to see a young man standing before her. He wore a simple indigo robe, his hair tied back with a ribbon, and his face, though handsome, was shadowed with a dark and ominous expression.

Even someone as accustomed to the world’s grandeur as the elderly maid felt a chill down her spine.

Lu Gan pursed his lips and stepped aside.

The maid quickly scrambled to her feet and scurried away.

So this must be the little horse servant the Mistress brought back, she thought. He looked so thin—could the rumors be true? Did he truly have such “potential” that he had even captivated their pure and untouchable Mistress?

Meanwhile, Lu Gan stood under the eaves for a full half-hour before gently pushing open the main hall’s door.

Inside, there were no other servants—only Su Baiyue napping on the couch to stave off hunger.

The young man removed his dirty boots, leaving only his soft stockings, and stepped carefully onto the white silk-covered floor. Slowly, he walked over to Su Baiyue and looked down at her.

She was sleeping peacefully, her eyes shut, her cheeks faintly pink. A corner of the thick blanket had been pushed aside, revealing one slender, snow-white arm. The delicate arm looked so fragile it seemed like it could break with the slightest bend.

Lu Gan leaned down slightly, the hostility in his dark eyes gradually dissipating as he gazed at the snowy figure before him.

Her hair was so long and smooth. Her lashes were long too, casting shadows on her face like little fans. Her skin was pale, and she carried a faint fragrance.

Lowering himself to a crouch, Lu Gan stared at Su Baiyue intently. His gaze burned with stubborn intensity, like a starving stray dog eyeing a piece of tender meat that could save its life.

The cold air in the room seemed to thicken as her fragrance seeped into every corner of his being.

Her lips… so soft, they must taste good. Just one bite… just one…

Suppressing his ragged breathing, Lu Gan inched closer to the beauty on the couch.

The ice-cold and untainted beauty lay defenseless, stripped of her usual aloofness, leaving only a delicate warmth that filled the room.

He wanted to make her cry… no, he wanted to make her so bullied that she couldn’t even cry.

---

“Mistress? Mistress?”

Su Baiyue groggily woke up, feeling light as a feather.

“Mistress, you mustn’t sleep any longer, or you won’t be able to rest tonight.”

She mumbled a response and burrowed deeper into the blanket, but suddenly felt a slight sting on the corner of her lips. Reaching up to touch them, she realized they felt swollen.

Did she bite herself dreaming about eating pig trotters?

Clapping a hand to her face, Su Baiyue felt so embarrassed she wanted to disappear.

But oh, she was so hungry.

“Mistress, the Crown Prince sent fresh fish today. The maids took it upon themselves to make a bowl of fish soup for you. Would you like to try it?”

Fish soup? Su Baiyue’s eyes lit up, though she maintained her dignified demeanor and replied nonchalantly, “Bring it in.”

“Yes.” Jing Wen left happily, nearly skipping out of the room.

Taking advantage of the moment, Su Baiyue swiftly got up, dressed herself, and sat properly on the embroidered stool, waiting for her fish soup.

Fish soup, oh, her precious fish soup.

“Mistress,” called a voice as the soup was brought in.

To her surprise, the one carrying the tray was Lu Gan.

Su Baiyue blinked, then frowned slightly.

No one aside from Jing Wen was typically allowed into her quarters unless there was something urgent. Even then, Jing Wen would have ensured the white silk in the room was replaced beforehand.

“Sister Jing Wen had something to attend to,” Lu Gan explained quietly, as if sensing her puzzlement. Lowering his head, he carefully placed the white jade bowl, wrapped in a plain cloth, onto the table before her.

Su Baiyue sat stiffly, her face expressionless, but her thoughts had already been carried away by the tantalizing aroma of the fish soup.

Who cared who delivered it? As long as it was edible, that was all that mattered.

The small white jade lid was lifted, revealing creamy, milk-like fish soup, rich and fragrant. Su Baiyue couldn’t help but start gulping down her saliva.

“You, leave first.”

Suppressing her urge to dive into the soup, Su Baiyue turned to glance at Lu Gan. That’s when she noticed the split on the corner of his lips, smeared with dried blood, as if something had taken a vicious bite out of him.

Her gaze locked with Lu Gan’s, and she saw him staring at her rosy lips. The corner of his own mouth twitched, the sting seemingly triggering a reaction, and his Adam’s apple bobbed nervously, making his whole body shudder slightly.

To Su Baiyue, this looked exactly like guilt and unease.

Such ambiguous marks could only mean one thing—they were up to no good! Male lead, you’re only eighteen! Just eighteen! Can’t you show some restraint? You’ll have plenty of harems to ruin in the future. For now, shouldn’t you focus on your career?

The classic “beauty trap” ruins heroes, doesn’t it? If Lu Gan lost his heart to some woman now, how could he conquer the world and reach the peak of life? He’d probably just want to snuggle under the blankets and indulge endlessly!

This thought gave Su Baiyue a chill.

Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the fragrant aroma of the fish soup filling the room.

Ugh, forget it. Better to eat first and deal with the mess later. After all, food is the foundation of survival. If this went on, she’d keel over halfway through.

That said, the small garden had recently started offering delicious pastries again, enticing Su Baiyue to visit every day, rain or shine.

As she sipped her fish soup, Su Baiyue mused about what treats the garden might have today. Red bean-stuffed bunny buns? Or peach blossom-flavored longevity cakes?

Lu Gan knew that Mistress Ling Yun disliked having anyone, especially men, serve her during meals. Reluctantly, he lowered his head and prepared to leave. But just as he turned, Su Baiyue called out, “Stop. Wait.”

Stunned, Lu Gan froze and turned back, his hands folded before him. He stood there watching as Su Baiyue’s pink lips wrapped around the edge of a porcelain spoon, sipping the creamy fish soup. The soup clung to the corner of her lips, accentuating a faint, distinct bite mark.

Lu Gan swallowed hard, his gaze fixed unwaveringly.

He had only meant to sneak a touch before leaving that day but had instead been fiercely bitten by the sleeping beauty. At the time, Lu Gan had been terrified, but that fear was quickly overtaken by an uncontrollable joy. Her taste—it was like the heavenly sweetness of wild cherries.

He had barely sampled it. How much better would it be to savor her fully, to the very core?

With a sharp clink, Su Baiyue set down her now-empty soup bowl, stood abruptly, and coldly said to the dazed Lu Gan, “Follow me.”

Hunching his shoulders, Lu Gan tidied up the white jade bowl in silence before trailing behind her.

Su Baiyue summoned Jing Wen to gather all the maids and old servants in the courtyard. The large courtyard quickly filled with dozens of kneeling women, their heads bowed in fear, not knowing what was happening.

Tilting her head high, Su Baiyue revealed her slender jawline and used the whisk in her hand to tap Lu Gan’s head. Her posture was one of absolute arrogance as she declared, “This is my dog. Anyone who dares touch my dog—try it, and I’ll kill them.” Her icy, beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and the ethereal beauty transformed into something sharp and fierce.

The maids and old servants trembled with fear. As for Lu Gan, he tilted his head ever so slightly under the whisk’s touch. Half of his face was obscured by the white whisk, hiding the faint smile that gleamed in his dark eyes.

She said he was hers.

Although some of the maids had indeed harbored thoughts about Lu Gan, none had acted on them yet. Now that Mistress Ling Yun had spoken, they wouldn’t dare to step out of line.

The Princess of Weinan, however, nearly fainted upon hearing Su Baiyue publicly declare ownership over the little horse servant.

This was the critical moment for her daughter’s engagement to the Crown Prince. Why would her precious daughter cause such a mess now?

“Princess,” the elderly maid by her side spoke, “in my opinion, this little horse servant should not be kept any longer. It would be better to send him away as soon as possible.”

“Ling’er holds that little horse servant dearer than her own life. We can’t even get close to him,” the Princess fretted, her brows tightly knit.

The elderly maid thought for a moment before offering, “In a few days, our Mistress will go to the royal temple for a retreat. That would be the perfect opportunity to send the little horse servant away. Our Mistress has always been a filial child. It’s just a mere horse servant. Even if she takes offense, it will pass in a few days. As a mother, you only have her best interests at heart. She’s young and doesn’t understand now, but she’ll realize it eventually.”

Moved by the reasoning, the Princess of Weinan nodded after some hesitation.

---

Before Su Baiyue left for the royal temple, Liu Shen had planned to accompany her. However, an unexpected rebellion from the King of Hejian threw the royal family into disarray. Liu Shen was ordered to lead troops to suppress the uprising.

He hurried off to the southeastern region of Hebei to deal with the rebels.

Without Liu Shen’s company, the temple retreat still had to proceed.

Mistress Ling Yun’s journeys were always grand spectacles. Su Baiyue led a procession of servants and guards, traveling in luxurious carriages, with Lu Gan in tow.

This temple visit was a pivotal plot point in the relationship between Mistress Ling Yun and the male lead.

Mistress Yang Shi, envious of the engagement between Mistress Ling Yun and the Crown Prince, seized this retreat as an opportunity to strike. She secretly planned an assassination. Fortunately, Mistress Ling Yun was saved by the male lead and narrowly escaped death. However, being discovered alone in the deep mountains with him would inevitably tarnish her reputation.

To preserve the engagement with the Crown Prince, the Princess of Weinan decided to take extreme measures, sending assassins to eliminate Lu Gan. Forced to flee for his life, Lu Gan harbored no resentment. All he wanted was to see Liu Ling one last time, clinging to the promise she had given him. But that final meeting shattered his last shred of hope.

It was only after this heartbreak that Lu Gan truly began his path to greatness.