Just like now, the facts are so obvious before his eyes, yet Yan Xiu still harbored a sliver of hope.
He thought, someday Yu'er would understand who truly cared for her.
"Hey!" Li Yuyu instinctively stepped back, almost slapping Yan Zixuan's face, and looked at him in shock: "If you want to talk, just talk, why are you grabbing me!"
Yan Zixuan was slightly stunned.
Yu'er was actually resisting him like this? Was she really that angry?
He thought for a moment and explained gently, "Yu'er, about last night..."
"Don't bring up last night. Just tell me what you want now." Li Yuyu impatiently interrupted Yan Zixuan's words.
The harem was full of gossip and spies, and if someone else saw and reported back to Yan Xiu, it might not just be confinement—she could be directly sent to the Cold Palace.
Yan Zixuan pressed his lips together and tentatively said, "Yu'er, last night you said..."
"I already said last night's matter... Wait a minute." Li Yuyu realized something.
What did the book say?
Last night, when Li Yuyu arranged to meet Yan Zixuan, she promised to give him something. Was Yan Zixuan risking seeing her again just because of that?
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and her gaze towards Yan Zixuan changed.
Yan Zixuan really was despicable!
Because of him, she was demoted and confined, and she seemed to be bullied in the harem afterwards, living a more and more miserable life. Yet Yan Zixuan only wanted his thing?
"Yan Zixuan, you should go, don't come looking for me anymore."
Li Yuyu thought of many unbecoming words, but in the end, she said the simplest and most sincere sentence with a heart full of sorrow.
"Yu'er." Yan Zixuan approached her again.
"Men and women shouldn't touch each other; stay away from me! And don't call me Yu'er anymore. I am the Emperor's Lady Li, your Empress!" Li Yuyu stretched out her arm to stop Yan Zixuan from getting closer, maintaining a safe distance, fearing someone might see and spread rumors.
Yan Zixuan's outstretched hand stopped in mid-air, and his face showed a range of emotions in an instant.
He had expected Li Yuyu to be angry and lose her temper, but he never expected her to be so repelled by his closeness, repeatedly reminding him that she was the Emperor's Lady Li, and even calling herself his "Empress," a title that could embarrass him.
"Lady Li, does this prince need to pay respects to Lady Li?" Yan Zixuan asked with a smile, with a voice full of affectionate indulgence.
Like dealing with a child throwing a tantrum, he cooperated with Li Yuyu with great patience.
Li Yuyu: ...
Damn it!
She had said all that, and he could still laugh.
As expected of a male lead, impressive!
While Li Yuyu was nervously thinking about how to respond to Yan Zixuan, she caught sight of a half-visible black robe embroidered with golden dragons peeking out from behind a tree trunk a few meters away.
Isn't that the Dragon Robe she saw when she came over?
Yan Xiu was over there?
Damn it!
Didn't that mean that Yan Xiu had witnessed everything between her and Yan Zixuan?
Without having time to consider if this was a coincidence or a test, Li Yuyu lifted her skirt and dashed towards where Yan Xiu was standing, while pinching her voice melodiously and pledging her loyalty: "Emperor, you haven't left."
"Boo hoo hoo, I knew the Emperor couldn't bear to leave me, boo hoo hoo, I was wrong, Emperor, please forgive my past ignorance and give me another chance. From now on, my eyes and heart will only have you, Emperor!"