Duan Mingxi shook her head. “Being too obvious will make it easy for others to notice. That would only bring trouble upon ourselves.”
Xu Nanxi furrowed her brows lightly. “So we’re just going to let her go?”
“Didn’t we already arrange for someone to deliver a message to Gao Zhan?”
Xu Nanxi frowned. “Even if Gao Zhan comes and sees this, what can he do?”
“Doubt breeds distance,” Mingxi said, her gaze fixed on Bai Zhiwei in the distance. This trick was something she had learned from her.
In her past life, Gao Zhan was obsessed with Bai Zhiwei and couldn’t let go of her, not even after she married someone else. In fact, it made him even more infatuated.
It was because Bai Zhiwei, despite being married, had always kept Gao Zhan hanging on, neither too close nor too distant.
A pair of lovers separated by family grudges, forced into other marriages, yet still loving each other in their hearts—such a love story was truly moving.
Gao Zhan had been deeply touched by such love in his past life. But what had she, Duan Mingxi, done wrong to become a stepping stone for their love?
Ridiculous!
She wanted to see how their love, without obstacles this time, would end.
Xu Nanxi thought this made sense. Raising her head, her eyes tightened, and she tugged at Mingxi’s sleeve.
Mingxi turned her head toward Xu Nanxi and saw her making exaggerated eye signals. Understanding dawned on her. She turned back and spotted the Crown Prince looking in their direction.
Ah, caught in the act.
However, Mingxi had no intention of hiding her tracks anymore. She decided to walk boldly with Xu Nanxi toward the pair. After all, those two shameless people had no guilt—why should she?
Xu Nanxi stiffened. Are we really going over there? Are you sure about this?
The Crown Prince’s gaze is… strange. Could this lead to silencing witnesses?”
“Greetings to Your Highness,” Mingxi curtsied politely.
Xu Nanxi, standing beside her, followed suit with a shallow bow.
When Bai Zhiwei saw them, her expression darkened momentarily, but she quickly adjusted, offering a smile. “I didn’t expect to see Miss Duan and Miss Xu here.”
Before Xu Nanxi could respond, Mingxi retorted bluntly, “We were even less expecting to meet you here, Miss Bai.”
The smile on Bai Zhiwei’s face faltered briefly. “I simply happened to run into His Highness. Please don’t misunderstand, Miss Duan.”
“Whether or not it was a chance encounter has nothing to do with me. Even if you need to explain yourself, Miss Bai, there’s no need to tell me. I’m not your little sister,” Mingxi said, her disdain undisguised.
Beside them, the Crown Prince leisurely fanned himself, seemingly indifferent to the tense situation. His gaze, however, lingered on Mingxi.
Although her words and actions were harsh, her demeanor rude and her mannerisms entirely lacking the grace and restraint expected of a noblewoman, there was something strikingly vivid about her. He found it hard to look away.
“Miss Duan, why aren’t you watching the dragon boat race? Today is an important day for you, is it not? Or are you so confident of your victory that you needn’t bother?” the Crown Prince asked.
Bai Zhiwei froze in surprise, her face betraying her shock. Hadn’t the Crown Prince heard Mingxi’s earlier sharp remarks? How could he still address her so warmly?
Her composure almost cracked.
Xu Nanxi noted the Crown Prince’s peculiar gaze and stepped slightly in front of Mingxi, her wariness evident.
Mingxi noticed Xu Nanxi’s subtle protective move and was momentarily surprised. She had always known Xu Nanxi treated her well but hadn’t expected her to shield her even in a situation like this.
After all, she was just her cousin-in-law, not even formally part of the family yet.
Before Mingxi could respond to the Crown Prince, the sound of hurried footsteps reached them, and soon Gao Zhan’s voice followed.
“Your Highness, this humble servant greets you.”
Mingxi glanced at Gao Zhan, noting the slight unevenness of his breath. Though he tried to hide it, her trained ears as a martial artist could easily pick it up.
He must have rushed here. It seemed doubt about Bai Zhiwei had already taken root in his heart.
Mingxi smirked inwardly.
“Gao Zhan, you’re just in time,” said the Crown Prince. “Miss Bai got separated from her attendants in the crowd. She happened to run into me, but now that you’re here, I’ll leave her in your care.”
Mingxi admired his composure. Not a hint of guilt showed on his face. It was as if the ambiguous interaction with Bai Zhiwei earlier had never happened.
Bai Zhiwei curtsied gracefully. “Many thanks to Your Highness for your assistance.” She then moved to stand beside Gao Zhan, looking up at him with a smile. “Why did you come here?”
Gao Zhan met her gaze and smiled back. “I happened to be passing by and saw someone who looked like you, so I came over.”
Xu Nanxi was disgusted by their lies, her expression betraying a trace of mockery. However, as someone well-mannered, she refrained from saying anything that would spoil the scene.
Still, those two truly were a match made in heaven.
Xu Nanxi tugged on Mingxi’s sleeve and said to the Crown Prince, “Your Highness, I must go pay respects to the elders of the Dingyuan Marquisate. If you have no further commands, I shall take my leave.”
Her mention of the Dingyuan elders was a subtle reminder to the Crown Prince that Mingxi was her cousin-in-law.
Gao Zhan’s gaze followed them as they departed, lingering on Mingxi with unfiltered disdain. Mingxi met his eyes briefly, a flash of hostility passing through hers.
Gao Zhan flinched, and when he looked back, Mingxi had already turned away, leaving with Xu Nanxi.
The Crown Prince, too, watched the pair leave, frowning slightly as if sensing something was amiss but unable to pinpoint what.
Bai Zhiwei, noticing Gao Zhan’s lingering gaze on Mingxi’s retreating figure and recalling the Crown Prince’s earlier look at her, suppressed her rising anger and asked, “Did my maid come looking for you?”
Gao Zhan snapped out of his thoughts, looking at her with a faintly enigmatic expression. “Your maid came to find me?”
Bai Zhiwei appeared unaware of his probing and smiled as she nodded. “I got separated from Lianxin and the others. They’ll definitely be looking for me. When I saw you arrive so quickly, I thought you’d run into them.”
Gao Zhan looked into Bai Zhiwei’s candid gaze and pressed his lips together. Ultimately, he refrained from asking anything further and simply said, “I’ll take you to Duke Zhen’s side.”
“Alright.” Bai Zhiwei responded with a smile, but her grip on her handkerchief tightened.
She knew in her heart that Gao Zhan’s presence here was likely due to suspicion.
Remembering Duan Mingxi and her companion earlier, she couldn’t help but wonder if they had sent word to him.
As they walked together, Bai Zhiwei casually remarked, “What a coincidence. Just as I ran into His Highness the Crown Prince, Duan Mingxi appeared. Something feels… off.”
Gao Zhan paused mid-step. “What do you mean?”
Bai Zhiwei sighed softly. “You know, back when the Crown Prince wanted to take Duan Mingxi as a side consort, it was Duan Wang who intervened. Lately, Duke Wei Residence hasn’t been on good terms with Duan Mingxi. Don’t you think she might have other motives?”
