Chapter 45: The Prince Confesses

“Why does the prince want to marry me?” Tang Chuyao looked at Gu Qingchen with her bright phoenix eyes and asked.

With them so close, Tang Chuyao could clearly see Gu Qingchen’s face, even the fine hairs on it; his skin was actually more delicate than a woman’s!

“I owe my life to you, so I will repay you with my body!”

Gu Qingchen teased as he looked at Tang Chuyao, especially when he noticed her crimson lips glistening like an enticing cherry, making him unable to resist the urge to taste them.

He tightened his grip around Tang Chuyao’s waist, pulling her closer.

“Is Miss Tang satisfied with this answer?”

Tang Chuyao frowned slightly; they were too close at this moment. She pressed her hands against Gu Qingchen’s chest, feeling the firmness beneath her palms…

The pleasant scent of moon musk wafted from him. Moon musk was always elegant and soft, but this fragrance really didn’t match Gu Qingchen’s temperament!

“The prince is joking. Who in the capital doesn’t know that this young lady is ugly and lacks beauty? What exactly does the prince see in me?”

“Or is it that you are interested in the power behind me, the general’s residence? Or perhaps the noble consort?”

Gu Qingchen’s gaze remained gentle, but upon hearing Tang Chuyao’s words, his eyes suddenly darkened, then he revealed a smile, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of Tang Chuyao’s hair behind her ear, wrapping it around his finger. “Miss is indeed very perceptive!”

“With my current influence, if I gain the support of the general’s residence in the future, it would be like adding wings to a tiger!”

Tang Chuyao furrowed her brows, looking at him seriously.

“In the future, you will also be the most respected woman in Da Qi. Why not take this opportunity?”

Thinking back to her previous life, Tang Chuyao realized that Gu Qingchen had only rescued her from the Xuanjun Marquis’s residence and hadn’t shown any other ambitions!

She looked at him suspiciously, noticing that his beautiful eyes were like spring water, and the teasing in them made Tang Chuyao understand.

She directly patted his chest, “Gu Qingchen! Is it fun for you to toy with me like this?”

Gu Qingchen reached out to hold her hand, kissed it lightly by his lips, and then pressed it against his left chest, his playful demeanor replaced with seriousness as he said, “Yao’er, I truly admire you…”

Tang Chuyao’s eyes widened. What did he just say?

He admires her?

Although she had this realization in her heart, hearing it come from his lips for the first time made her heart skip a beat.

The powerful regent of Da Qi admires her!!

If this were any ordinary girl, she would probably be overjoyed!

But Tang Chuyao had returned from the past and was somewhat unsure of her feelings for Gu Qingchen.

She wanted to repay him for his kindness in her previous life, but she didn’t know how to respond to his feelings!

Did she like him?

He was handsome and of noble status, the husband that all the women in the capital dreamed of!

He was far better than that scumbag Gu Huaifeng!

“Yao’er, marry me, okay?”

Tang Chuyao hesitated; Gu Qingchen was indeed a very good match for her!

Noticing Tang Chuyao’s hesitation, Gu Qingchen continued, “After you marry me, you will become Gu Huaifeng’s little aunt. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to deal with him then?”

Tang Chuyao was somewhat surprised; she had never asked Gu Qingchen why he didn’t like Gu Huaifeng.

“But he’s your nephew!”

A cold glint flashed in Gu Qingchen’s eyes as he repeated her words with a hint of amusement, “Nephew?”

He snorted coldly, “Does he even deserve that?”

Tang Chuyao suddenly remembered that the current Old Madam Gu was not actually Gu Qingchen’s biological aunt; Gu Qingchen’s biological aunt had passed away when he was very young.

Gu Qingchen was actually similar to herself. He was slightly better off, at least remembering his biological mother.

For a moment, the atmosphere turned heavy. Tang Chuyao quickly shifted the topic. “What you said makes some sense, Your Highness. That would make me Gu Huaifeng’s little aunt on the surface!”

“And what other benefits would I gain after marrying you?”

“The entire Princely Residence is yours, and even I am yours…” Gu Qingchen suddenly leaned closer to Tang Chuyao, his gaze fixed on her lips, his eyes deep and intense.

Tang Chuyao blushed furiously and dared not look at him. She turned her face to the side, and seeing her shy expression only made Gu Qingchen want to tease her more.

However, fearing he might scare her, he quickly stepped back to put some distance between them.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Qingchen let go of Tang Chuyao. She immediately stood up and took two steps back.

Gu Qingchen couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly. Was he really that frightening?

“Yao’er, wait for my good news!” With that, he turned and left.

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Tang Chuying was punished with thirty lashes and developed a high fever that night. Aunt Mei stayed by her side without resting, tending to her throughout the night. It wasn’t until the third day that Tang Chuying began to recover, though her injuries were severe. She could only lie face down on the bed day and night.

Before Aunt Mei could take a break, someone from Rong Jin Hall came to summon her to care for the old madam.

Following Mama Zhao towards Rong Jin Hall, Aunt Mei happened to encounter Xu Rulan playing with Tang Chu Heng along the way.

Xu Rulan wore a light purple dress with a sachet tied at her waist, exuding a faint orchid fragrance as she approached.

Her hair was styled in a flowing cloud bun adorned with a gemstone-encrusted golden hairpin shaped like an orchid. Her skin was fair, and her features delicate. She looked at Tang Chu Heng with gentle affection as he played beside her.

Tang Chu Heng was dressed as a young master, in a light blue robe with a jade belt at his waist. His long black hair was tied high with a golden crown. His youthful face beamed with joy as he reached out to catch a butterfly nearby.

Aunt Mei clenched her teeth in anger as she glared at the mother and son pair.

Xu Rulan also noticed Aunt Mei. Dressed in plain clothes with a simple wooden hairpin in her disheveled hair, Aunt Mei looked haggard and bitter, appearing old and harsh.

Tang Chu Heng saw Aunt Mei as well. He immediately stopped what he was doing and positioned himself protectively in front of Xu Rulan, looking at Aunt Mei with caution.

His small forehead was still bandaged. This fierce woman had injured him, even breaking his head!

He couldn’t let her hurt his mother!

“Don’t hurt my mother!” Tang Chu Heng blurted out without thinking.

Xu Rulan was deeply moved and immediately picked Tang Chu Heng up in her arms.

It was as if Aunt Mei had heard something scandalous. Pointing at Xu Rulan and her son with a trembling hand, she said, “What did you just call this wretch?”

“You, a child born out of wedlock, dare to call her mother?”

When Tang Chu Heng first arrived at the residence, Tang You Ze had assigned a servant to take care of him. The servant had corrected Tang Chu Heng’s way of addressing Xu Rulan.

“Young master, you must call Lady Lan ‘Aunt’ and not ‘Mother.’”

The young Tang Chu Heng was puzzled. “Why could I call her ‘Mother’ before, but not after coming to this residence?” His clear eyes were filled with sorrow.

When Tang You Ze overheard this, he allowed Tang Chu Heng to continue calling Xu Rulan “Mother” even in the residence.

Only then did Tang Chu Heng’s furrowed brow relax into a smile. Sweetly, he said, “Thank you, Father!”

Tang You Ze, full of affection, picked Tang Chu Heng up. This was his son in his old age, a child he truly cherished!

Xu Rulan raised an eyebrow slightly and said to Aunt Mei, “Aunt Mei, the Master personally permitted Heng’er to call me Mother.”

Aunt Mei flew into a rage upon hearing this. Tang You Ze truly doted on Xu Rulan!

“The Master is confused, and so are you!”

“What is your status? How dare someone of your lowly position presume such a thing?”

With that, Aunt Mei glared fiercely at Xu Rulan and continued, “Don’t think that just because you’re young, you can overshadow me!”