It was only after Ji Changran, who was still sitting in the front row, cleared his throat twice that this little classroom commotion finally ended.

Shen Xuefeng still hadn’t figured out why Ji Changran spoke up for Ji Wu. If he remembered correctly, on the first day of school… Ji Wu was injured because he had upset Ji Changran, wasn’t he?

If Ji Changran was the one who actually hurt Ji Wu, then that meant this Crown Prince wasn’t as kind as he appeared on the surface!

He pondered deeply, trying to recall what kind of character Ji Changran was in the game. Unfortunately, Ji Changran was part of the righteous faction, and when he played the game, he rarely interacted with this NPC, so he couldn’t remember much about him.

Shen Xuefeng sighed quietly in frustration.

The Great Ji Dynasty 2077 was a highly interactive holographic game, where the story’s direction depended heavily on each player’s choices. As long as you avoided meeting a certain character, you wouldn’t trigger their related storylines.

This was why, after transmigrating, Shen Xuefeng obediently followed the known plotline step by step—after all, he didn’t know how much a small butterfly’s wing flap could shake this world.

Players could simply respawn after dying, but NPCs were different. If they died, they really died.

After living in this realistic dynasty for more than ten years, Shen Xuefeng clearly understood that he had only one life and couldn’t afford to be reckless.

This strengthened Shen Xuefeng’s determination to protect Ji Wu well. Since his character was born to support the Crown Prince, if anything happened to Ji Wu, this little antagonist would lose all his value.

But every day, seeing Ji Wu sitting alone in the corner, treated worse than those richly dressed wealthy young masters, he worried.

Was there any way to change this situation?

After school, Shen Xuefeng returned home and casually tossed his schoolbag and umbrella onto the carpet by the bed. Taking a deep breath, he asked Bai Hua, who was following behind him, “Where’s my sister?”

“The miss just came back from the moat. She’s currently training in the backyard.”

Shen Xuefeng nodded heavily, squatted down to lean on the carpet, and picked up his umbrella again. “Then I’ll go find her!”

He opened the umbrella and walked to the back garden. From afar, he spotted Shen Yuhuai dressed in a neat, sharp maple-red riding outfit, holding a red tassel spear, practicing martial arts in the sparse locust tree grove.

Shen Xuefeng found a clean step to sit on. Bai Hua helped put away the umbrella and then asked, “Young Master, do you feel cold? Should I bring you a cloak?”

Shen Xuefeng shook his head.

He rested his chin on his hand, sitting obediently and watching Shen Yuhuai’s agile and tall figure, saying nothing, silently admiring.

The tip of Shen Yuhuai’s spear swept over the branches of the tree trunk. The red tassel brushed against the tender branches that hadn’t sprouted new leaves yet, causing them to flutter and fall.

She gripped the long spear tightly and suddenly heard enthusiastic applause from behind her.

Turning her head, she saw Shen Xuefeng standing up from the steps, waving at her: “Sister!”

Seeing the dusty hem of his pale blue clothes, Shen Yuhuai frowned, “I told you not to sit on the ground so casually. The ground is so cold. When will you learn?”

“I only sat for a little while. I’m wearing thick clothes, it’s fine,” Shen Xuefeng said embarrassedly, lowering his head.

“Listen to your own voice,” Shen Yuhuai ruffled his hair. “Your throat’s still not healed. Why are you out in the wind? Bai Hua, quickly get some medicine for Young Master.”

Bai Hua acknowledged and disappeared in an instant.

“Tell me, why did you suddenly come to the backyard today? Is there something you want?”

Shen Xuefeng approached with a flattering look, “Sister, I really have something to ask you.”

Shen Yuhuai said, “Speak.”

“I want—I want to invite someone to our house,” Shen Xuefeng stammered, “I want to secretly bring them back when mom and dad aren’t home, but I’m afraid, so I want you to help me.”

After hearing this, Shen Yuhuai was both surprised and curious: “Shen Xuefeng, you actually want to invite someone to our home? Why wait until mom and dad are away? You can invite your friend’s whole household anytime. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Shen Xuefeng shyly replied, “No, if mom and dad know, they definitely won’t allow me to bring him home, and I—I really don’t dare.”

“Could it be a friend you made at the Chongwen Academy?”

Shen Yuhuai’s gaze fixed on his face, studying him carefully. Seeing him blush a little, she suddenly made a bold guess: “You want to invite a girl!”

“That’s not quite so bold,” Shen Xuefeng said with a sweat of embarrassment. “No, no, no. I just want to keep a low profile, not make a big fuss.”

“All the companion students at Chongwen Academy are sons of prominent noble families. It’s no big deal for you to associate with them openly. So why won’t you just formally send out invitations?”

“Because…” Shen Xuefeng tilted his head, thinking hard. “Because I’ve never invited friends to our residence before. If I send out invitations this time, surely many people will come to question me. So I don’t want that.”

That was a reasonable excuse. Being delicate and frail, his younger brother didn’t often go out and couldn’t make close friends. Every time Shen Yuhuai thought about this, she felt deeply sorry for him.

At his age, most boys liked to roam the outskirts in small groups. Xuefeng felt lonely, so wanting to invite someone home to play was only natural.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that doing this might lead her into some kind of trap.

Still, this was the first time her brother had ever asked her for help since he grew up, and Shen Yuhuai didn’t want to refuse. She said, “Then tell me. How do you want me to help you?”

“Sis, you’re a Captain. Surely you have chances to inspect the imperial guards in the palace,” Shen Xuefeng grabbed her arm. “When school ends in a few days, I want you to cover for me when you patrol near Changle Gate, so I can bring him onto the Shen residence’s carriage safely.”

That wasn’t difficult at all. Shen Yuhuai nodded and asked, “So, what’s this friend’s name? You can tell me now, right?”

But Shen Xuefeng stubbornly kept his mouth shut, guarding the secret tightly.

He had deliberately picked a day when neither of his parents would be at the Shen residence. The only thing left to do these days was to prepare Ji Wu mentally. Once Ji Wu agreed, everything would be ready—just waiting for the right moment.

Lately, Shen Xuefeng’s mind was preoccupied with this matter, often distracted in class. Still, he kept turning in Ji Wu’s homework, hoping one day the teachers would recognize him and stop treating Ji Wu like thin air.

After spending time in the academy, the companion students gradually became familiar with each other. Even a few princes and princesses occasionally spoke to Shen Xuefeng. After all, Shen Xuefeng looked like a good-tempered boy and was quite likable. Although he sat with Ji Wu every day, that didn’t stop others from liking him.

Except for the Tenth Princess.

Since being chased back to Cining Palace by the eldest prince on the Lantern Festival night, Ji Ling had been thinking about Shen Xuefeng. When her mood improved and she decided to attend the academy again, she found things weren’t at all as she imagined.

The companion student she fancied was actually sitting with Ji Wu, the lowly slave-born child!

The Tenth Princess flew into a rage. The moment class ended, she walked straight up to Shen Xuefeng, throwing all notions of propriety aside and pulled him by the arm in front of everyone. “You! From today on, you’re forbidden from being Ji Wu’s companion student. You will attend class with me!”

Shen Xuefeng immediately faked illness, clutching his chest weakly, looking pitifully at Ji Ling and refused with the excuse that it was too cold to leave the stove.

Some bystanders spoke up for him: “Princess, Xuefeng wanted to follow the Third Prince from the start, so please don’t force him.”

“Besides, the princess is a noble lady. It’s not appropriate for her to get too close to an outside boy.”

“Shen is always weakly; he might not be able to take good care of the princess either…”

Ji Ling, however, couldn’t see the hidden meaning behind their words and still said, “It’s warmer with me. I don’t need that broken stove. If Ji Wu didn’t have my father’s blood running through him, how could he have the chance to sit here in Chongwen Academy? It’s already good enough to allow someone like him to study with us. As for companion students, forget it!”

Ji Wu had heard this kind of contemptuous and disdainful talk countless times.

He was about to see how else this little princess would throw a tantrum when Shen Xuefeng gloomily said, “Princess, please stop. I don’t think there’s any difference between you and the Third Prince. We’re all the same—no nobility or lowliness. And I don’t want to be your companion student either.”

Except for the Minister Jiang Suliu in the court, no one had ever refused her before. Hearing everyone defend Shen Xuefeng, Ji Ling truly got angry. She paced back and forth, gritting her teeth and said, “I—I’m going to tell Father. You’re all bullying me!”

With that, she stormed out of Chongwen Academy in a fury.

Shen Xuefeng knew he had caused trouble. He wasn’t afraid of Ji Ling, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid of the current emperor.

What if the Tenth Princess reported him and the emperor got angry?

He nervously and anxiously sat back down, when suddenly Ji Wu beside him spoke, “What are you afraid of?”

Shen Xuefeng turned his head, met Ji Wu’s gaze. Ji Wu smiled coldly but spoke gently: “She won’t dare to report to the emperor. Don’t be afraid.”

…Although it was meant to comfort him, that smile was even scarier!

Ji Wu’s words seemed magical. Seeing him so calm and indifferent somehow eased Shen Xuefeng’s heart.

This matter didn’t escalate to the court nor reach the ears of the Nine-Five Supreme (the emperor) in the Tai Chi Palace, but somehow Ji Changran found out.

Recently, Ji Changran hadn’t been attending classes at Chongwen Academy. Mainly because the emperor’s birthday was approaching, and as the eldest son, he had to stay by the eldest princess’s side to learn how to handle the birthday banquet and foreign envoys—keeping him extremely busy.

At night, returning to his residence, Ji Changran was utterly exhausted. But he knew he was no longer a child and had to hide his emotions, just like his imperial sister—never showing his anger or happiness on his face.

The young attendant beside him mentioned the events that had occurred at Chongwen Academy. Ji Changran took it as mere amusement, but the moment the name Shen Xuefeng came up, the hand holding his teacup trembled ever so slightly.

No one noticed this small detail.

“When did it happen?”

“Your Highness, it was just yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” Ji Changran was slightly surprised. “The Tenth Princess said she would go to see Father Emperor. Why didn’t she go?”

“Well…” the attendant hesitated, “I’m not sure, but I heard that last night the princess was plagued by nightmares. She refused to attend school no matter what. The imperial physician examined her and said it was extreme fright and she needed rest.”

Ji Changran pondered for a moment: “Assign someone to keep a close watch on her. Report any other unusual movements these two days.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After finishing his tea, Ji Changran felt somewhat more alert. He went to his study to read the memorial sent by the Eldest Princess and wrote his comments before heading to his chambers.

Pushing the door open, a strong floral fragrance greeted him.

Ji Changran frowned slightly, moving further inside, he heard two soft, coquettish voices: “Your Highness.”

Two palace maids, with their clothing half undone, were sitting by his bedside, bashfully saying, “We have been sent by Her Majesty the Empress to attend to Your Highness.”

Ji Changran’s face rapidly darkened with displeasure, and he barked, “Get out!”

Seeing the two maids scramble away in panic, he was still not satisfied. He strode forward and swept all the teacups off the table with a loud crash.

He had no interest in romance or love affairs. Although he was granted favor by the Emperor early on and established his household, he had never taken any concubines or servants.

Before ascending the position of Crown Prince—or rather, before ascending to an even higher position—Ji Changran would never allow himself to make any mistakes.

He was well aware that he already had a reputation in court for being pure and uninterested in desires; naturally, he should not entertain matters of romance.

After calming himself for quite some time, realizing he had lost his composure again, he felt frustrated and lay back down.

That night, Ji Changran had a dream.

The dream was long and like a revolving lantern, slowly unfolding the scenes of his life in his mind.

He saw himself, as expected, becoming the master of the Eastern Palace the year he came of age; four years later, his father suddenly fell ill and died within a few months. He finally ascended to the throne he had long desired.

The dream had no detailed scenes, only several important fragments, but what surprised Ji Changran most was that he saw Shen Xuefeng in it.

In the dream, Shen Xuefeng obediently followed the Dowager Empress’s orders and became his companion reader. The two studied and practiced calligraphy together, sharing a close relationship.

As they grew older, Shen Xuefeng passed the imperial examinations and successfully entered the court as an official, becoming Ji Changran’s most important right-hand man. Ji Changran’s smooth succession to the throne was closely tied to Shen Xuefeng’s support.

As the dream deepened, he saw Shen Xuefeng often lodging at the Eastern Palace, and after Ji Changran’s ascension, with his permission, frequently moving about the harem.

One night, as the incense flickered, Shen Xuefeng, wearing a simple inner garment, rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up beside him, asking in a clear and gentle voice, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Ji Changran opened his eyes, as if the intoxicating aroma of patchouli still lingered within the bed curtains.

He sat up holding his forehead, chest heaving violently, the images from the dream lingering before his eyes.

What could this mean? Could he have dreamed of the future?

But the dream was clearly different from reality—Shen Xuefeng was currently the companion reader of Ji Wu.

Ji Changran thought for a while but still felt unrest in his chest.

So Shen Xuefeng was meant to be his person all along. No wonder that on the Lantern Festival night when he saw him, he unconsciously fixed his gaze on him.