“Ningning, Brother Yu, I’m done eating. Take your time.” Yan Shiyao set down her chopsticks and got up to leave.  

Yan Yuning swallowed hard. [Fafa, what do I do? How could she leave me alone to face the crazy crown prince?]

Fafa: [Master, you’re not exactly alone. Aren’t there maids around you?]

Yan Yuning chewed the food in her mouth in small bites, trying not to make a sound.  

“Are you afraid of me?” Xuan Yanyu suddenly spoke, swirling a cup of wine in his slender fingers.  

Yan Yuning met his deep gaze and smiled sweetly. “Not at all.”  

[I’m the host here, and he’s just a guest. Look at him—does he even act like a guest?]

Fafa: […Master, face reality. He’s the noble second male lead, while you’re just a cannon fodder character. In this book, you’re not even considered a supporting female.]

Yan Yuning: […]

Why couldn’t she have transmigrated as the female lead instead?  

“Second Miss, your hand is shaking,” Xuan Yanyu said, his lips curving as a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.  

“Can’t I have low blood sugar?” Yan Yuning muttered under her breath, quietly setting down her chopsticks and tucking her hands into her sleeves.  

How could she not shake?  

Knowing her fate and facing the man who would kill her—how could she not be scared?  

“Low blood sugar?” Xuan Yanyu arched an eyebrow, repeating the phrase with a tone of indifference.  

He raised his wine cup and took a sip, not even lifting his eyelids as he said casually, “Then Second Miss should eat more.”  

Yan Yuning nervously picked at her fingers. [Fafa, does he actually know what ‘low blood sugar’ means?]

Fafa: [Master, did you forget? The author borrowed some modern elements for this book.]

Yan Yuning: […]

“Second Miss, enjoy your meal.” Xuan Yanyu stood gracefully, a perfectly polite smile on his lips, and strode unhurriedly toward the door.  

Yan Yuning raised an eyebrow and picked up her chopsticks to continue eating. [Fafa, do they all eat so little? Aren’t they hungry?]

Most of the dishes on the table were barely touched.  

Fafa: […]

After the meal, Yan Yuning dressed up deliberately and left the mansion with Qiuci.  

Walking along the bustling streets, she couldn’t help but marvel at the scene—vendors lined both sides of the road, and many couples strolled hand in hand.  

It felt like stepping into a lively night market in the modern world.  

But it wasn’t.  

[Fafa, where’s the male lead?] Yan Yuning stopped in front of a stall filled with sachets.  

The stall owner immediately beamed at the potential customer. “Miss, which one catches your eye? All our sachets are of the finest quality.”  

Yan Yuning’s gaze swept over the display before she picked up a pale green sachet embroidered with delicate floral patterns. She traced the fine stitching with her fingertips—the craftsmanship was exquisite, the colors understated yet elegant.  

“I’ll take this one. Qiuci, pay up.”  

Qiuci took out some silver from her purse and handed it to the vendor.  

The vendor accepted the payment and asked cheerfully, “Miss, is this for the man you love?”  

Yan Yuning smiled awkwardly, neither confirming nor denying.  

The vendor chuckled, taking her silence as shyness. “Best of luck to you, miss.”  

Yan Yuning replied softly, “Thank you.”  

“Second Miss, do you have someone you like?” Qiuci blinked, her voice brimming with excitement.  

Yan Yuning tilted her head and pinched the maid’s cheek. “Yes, Qiuci. Remember this—your young mistress is very fond of the Third Prince. Extremely fond.”  

She clasped her hands together and rested them under her chin, her face adorned with a sweet, dreamy smile.  

Before the male and female leads fell in love, she’d make her move first. Surely her sister wouldn’t steal a man from her own younger sister, right?  

Fafa: [Master, this path might not work. The male lead is destined for the female lead. Besides, polygamy is common in ancient times.]

Yan Yuning’s smile froze. [Shut up! Don’t ruin my mood!]

Fafa: [Master, listen to me. Just enjoy yourself and stop with these futile schemes. Maybe if we die, we can transmigrate back.]

[And what if I don’t transmigrate back? What if I really die here?]

Fafa: [Then what can we do? If you die, you die.]

[Get lost!] Yan Yuning rolled her eyes.

Fafa: [Master, you might as well try to make Xuan Yanyu fall for you. But he probably won’t like you anyway—in the book, he only cares about the female lead.]

[Get lost!!!] Yan Yuning clenched the sachet in her hand, fuming.  

Nothing worked. Was she just supposed to sit around and wait?  

She refused to believe she couldn’t win over the male lead!  

Fafa: [Master, trust in the power of the plot. The male and female leads will find their way to each other no matter what.]

[Shut up, shut up! I need encouragement, not discouragement!] Yan Yuning puffed out her cheeks in frustration.  

Fafa: [Alright, Master. You’ll definitely succeed. But just so you know, after Xuan Yanyu kills you in the book…]

[The author wrapped things up right after Xuan Yanyu and Yan Shiyao’s wedding. The extras barely touched on how the male lead, Qi Qingchen, and the female lead, Yan Shiyao, worked together from inside and out.]  

[It took them nearly ten years to dismantle Xuan Zhao Kingdom before they could finally be together. And the author didn’t explain what happened during those ten years.]

Yan Yuning: […Ten years?! The male and female leads were weaker than the second male lead?! So I was just the unlucky one? The only person from the entire Prime Minister’s residence who got killed was me???]

Fafa: [Yep, you were just unlucky. After what happened to you, Yan Shiyao didn’t dare refuse him. Master, no matter what happens in between, the male and female leads will end up together. Trying to steal the male lead is pointless.]

Yan Yuning: […How do you know it’s pointless if I don’t try? In those ten years, did Xuan Yanyu really fail to make my sister fall for him???]

Fafa: [It’s weird. The author didn’t explain it clearly. Xuan Yanyu only wanted Yan Shiyao as his crown princess—he married her but then completely ignored her. If you say he didn’t love her, why did he marry her? But if he did love her, why did he neglect her after marriage?]

Yan Yuning: […Typical “lose interest after obtaining” behavior!!!]

Fafa: [Not exactly. Ten years later, the female lead was still… untouched.]

Yan Yuning: [???]

“Third Prince? Second Miss, you like the Third Prince?” Qiuci asked, surprised.  

Yan Yuning arched a delicate eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that?”  

Qiuci tiptoed closer and whispered, “The Third Prince is the future son-in-law Madam picked for the Eldest Miss.”  

Yan Yuning’s lips twitched. “Huh?”  

“Second Miss, you’ve been away from the Prime Minister’s residence for so long—you don’t know. Everything in the household revolves around the Eldest Miss. You should… pick someone else to like,” Qiuci said carefully.  

Yan Yuning twirled a lock of hair resting against her collarbone and replied nonchalantly, “No. I won’t change.”  

Qiuci pressed her lips together and added, “Second Miss, Madam will be angry.”  

Yan Yuning smiled and slung an arm over Qiuci’s shoulder, unfazed. “So what if she’s angry?”  

Was her anger more important than her own survival?  

Fafa: [Master, the male lead, Qi Qingchen, is right ahead.]

Yan Yuning looked up and saw a man in white robes leaning lazily against a thick tree trunk, his handsome face carrying a faint smile.  

Unlike Xuan Yanyu, he exuded an air of refined elegance.  

His robes fluttered gently in the breeze, making him look like an untouchable, ethereal moonlight.  

Yan Yuning smirked. He seems easy to charm.

Her eyes glinting mischievously, she turned around and began walking backward, chatting with Qiuci while subtly edging toward Qi Qingchen’s direction.  

Until—  

She bumped into a firm chest.  

Her lips curled sweetly as she cooed, “I’m so sorry, Young Master.”  

She turned around, gripping his arm, and pretended to stumble, her delicate body falling into his embrace. Her voice was soft and honeyed. “Young Master, I truly didn’t mean to—”  

“Second Miss.” The man’s voice carried a teasing lilt.  

Yan Yuning froze at the familiar voice, then scrambled back in panic. “Why is it you?!”  

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes glinted with amusement, his lips curving into a roguish smirk. “From the sound of it, Second Miss, you threw yourself at the wrong person?”  

Yan Yuning’s face paled, but she forced composure. “No, I was just… surprised to see you here. Where’s my sister?”  

Xuan Yanyu gave her a sidelong glance before walking into a fabric shop.  

“Second Miss, you scared me to death! What was that just now?!” Qiuci clutched her chest.  

Her young mistress was too bold—how could she just throw herself into a man’s arms like that?!  

Yan Yuning covered her face. [Fafa, where did my handsome, refreshing, eye-candy male lead go?!]

Fafa: [He went to the teahouse.]

Yan Yuning: […]