CHAPTER TWENTY‑FOUR — WHO DOES SHE LIKE?
Ye Lan Chen fixed Tang Ke Xin with an expectant stare, his bright eyes practically demanding an answer. The Prime Minister, too, watched her closely. He had his own thoughts—Mu Shaoyi was talented, yes, but he had never cared for Xin'er. Even if she married him, she would not find happiness. Marriage was not a child's game; it required mutual affection, not one‑sided devotion.
Tang Ke Xin could tell that if she did not respond, Ye Lan Chen would hound her relentlessly.
So she lifted her chin and said lightly, "Shouldn't we be discussing how to catch the right mouse?"
If she was already playing the role of a mischievous, unpredictable girl, she might as well commit to it fully.
"You mean," Ye Lan Chen blinked, stunned, "you truly don't like him?"
His astonishment deepened. "Why? You used to like him so much. You were willing to do anything for him. This prince suspects that if he had asked for your life, you would have handed it over without hesitation."
The Prime Minister's eyes widened.
"Xin'er… you truly do not like Mu Shaoyi?"
Even Ye Lan Jue's brow twitched—ever so slightly.
Ye Lan Chen shook his head in disbelief. "How is that possible? You used to be utterly obsessed with him. How can you suddenly say you don't like him anymore?"
He had the temperament of a terrier—once he latched onto a question, he would not let go until he had chewed it to pieces.
Tang Ke Xin felt a headache blooming behind her temples. She sighed inwardly before replying,
"Your Highness, there is something you must understand. A fool's taste… can be very different."
Ye Lan Chen froze. His eyes flickered rapidly as he processed her words.
"So you mean," he said slowly, "that now you've recovered from your illness and are no longer foolish… you've lost interest in Mu Shaoyi?"
He had, as always, grasped the most crucial point.
Of course, the truth was not that she had recovered and stopped liking Mu Shaoyi—she had never liked him at all. She was no longer the Tang Ke Xin of the past.
But she certainly had no intention of explaining that.
Her silence was enough for Ye Lan Chen.
His eyes lit up with sudden excitement.
"Then who do you like now?" he demanded eagerly. "If you no longer like Mu Shaoyi, you must have fallen for someone else. Tell me—who is it? This prince will ask Imperial Mother to help you!"
Tang Ke Xin felt as though a herd of wild horses was stampeding across her chest. His endless questioning was unbearable. If he continued, she could not guarantee she wouldn't silence him by force.
"I like…" she began, then paused deliberately.
She crooked a finger at him.
Ye Lan Chen blinked, startled, but curiosity got the better of him. He leaned in at once, eyes shining with anticipation.
Tang Ke Xin whispered softly into his ear.
The effect was immediate.
Ye Lan Chen's eyes bulged so dramatically they looked ready to fall out of his head. His expression shifted rapidly—shock, disbelief, horror, astonishment, and something that looked suspiciously like fear.
The Prime Minister stared at him, bewildered.
Who on earth did she say she liked?
To frighten the Fourth Prince to such a degree?
Ye Lan Chen staggered upright, swallowing hard. He stared at Tang Ke Xin as though she had sprouted horns, then slowly turned to the Prime Minister… and finally, with great reluctance, his gaze slid toward Ye Lan Jue.
The Third Prince's eyes—cold, star‑bright, unfathomable—glimmered with a faint, dangerous light.