Chapter 73. Song Hue interest in Jan Win

Chapter 73: 73. Song Hue interest in Jan Win

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

I wanted to disappear, not metaphorically. Actually disappear. Preferably into another dimension where there were no bond marks, no affection percentages, and absolutely no family members standing around my bed discussing my love life. I was still hiding behind the blanket when the system decided to make everything worse.

"LANG LI and WEI AFFECTION: has risen too 88%."A system said.

I froze.

"Eighty eight?"I asked.

"OH."Ana’s eyes widened.

"That’s a pretty big jump."Hin immediately grinned.

"Nobody say anything."I slowly lowered the blanket.

"I wasn’t going to."Ana’s grin became enormous.

"You were."I said.

"I was."She shook her head.

"Definitely."Hin nodded.

"Both of you are banned from speaking."I pointed at them.

Mom looked amused.

"Eight eight percent."She smiled.

"Mom!"I gasped.

"What? I’m simply repeating the number."She asked.

"I don’t want the number repeated!"I groaned.

Lang Li looked suspiciously calm.

"And you’re enjoying this."I glared at him.

"A little."He said.

"A LITTLE?!"I gasped.

Before I could throw another pillow, heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor as everyone became quiet. I looked toward the doorway a tall figure appeared. My father, Zhao Rui. He stepped into the room with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Xavier."He said.

"Good morning, father."I immediately pulled the blanket higher.

He looked at me, then at everyone gathered around my room, then at Lang Li, then his eyes landed on the mark beneath my collar.

"Father?"I swallowed.

"Xavier."He walked toward me.

"Yes?"I asked.

"Is that a bond mark?"He pointed toward my neck.

"Yes."My face turned bright red.

His eyes narrowed as he slowly turned toward Lang Li.

"King Zhao-"Lang Li stood.

My father grabbed him by the collar.

"Father!"I gasped.

"You."Zhao Rui lifted Lang Li slightly.

"Yes?"Lang Li blinked.

"You bonded with my son."He said.

"Yes."Lang Li nodded.

"Then marry him."My father’s grip tightened.

"WHAT?!"I stared at my father.

Ana’s mouth dropped open, Hin looked delighted, while mom covered her mouth, clearly trying not to laugh. Song Hue’s expression went completely blank as Lang Li looked equally stunned.

"King Zhao-"He began.

"No." My father pointed toward him. "You bonded with my son. Therefore, you will marry him."

"FATHER!"I shot upright.

He looked at me.

"What?"He asked.

"You can’t just order someone to marry me!"I groaned.

"Why not?"He blinked.

"Because that’s not how marriage works!"I gasped.

"Zhao Rui."Mom finally spoke.

"What?"He turned toward her.

"You are frightening our son."She said.

He immediately released Lang Li as Lang Li straightened his collar.

"Thank you."He smiled.

"I got excited."My father looked slightly embarrassed.

"You grabbed the Lycan Emperor by the collar."I said.

"I was making my position clear."He said.

"Do you intend to marry my son?"My father looked at Lang Li again.

Lang Li became serious, he looked at me first, then back at my father.

"If Wei wants it, yes."Lang Li said.

My face heated as I looked down at my hands.

"Well. That was direct."Song Hue quietly muttered.

"Not you too."I shot him a glare.

"Then it’s settled."My father smiled.

"Why is everyone deciding my life before breakfast?"I buried my face in my hands.

Suddenly, Isolda appeared at the doorway.

"I heard the word wedding."She said.

"No."I immediately looked up.

"I can arrange it."Isolda smiled. "I can make the wedding perfect."

"Isolda..."Mom’s eyes brightened.

"No." I said quickly. "Absolutely not."

"The Moonflower temple has ancient wedding halls. Silver Moonflower decorations, ceremonial lanterns, sacred music, imperial witnesses..."Isolda continued as if I hadn’t spoken.

"You’re planning already?!"My eyes widened.

"I can have everything prepared quickly."She said.

"I want to help."Ana raised her hand.

"I can handle the food."Hin raised her hand too.

"WHY ARE YOU ALL VOLUNTEERING?!"I gasped.

"I can handle the family arrangements."Mom smiled.

"Mom!"I yelled.

"I will handle the royal guests."My father nodded.

"Do you want to marry me?"Lang Li looked at me.

I opened my mouth as nothing came out. My face became unbearably hot.

"HOST EMBARRASSMENT: 100%. WEDDING POSSIBILITY DETECTED. FUTURE WEDDING PREPARATION: 12%."The system immediately appeared.

"STOP."I groaned.

"I will begin with the venue."Isolda smiled.

"This family is insane."I pulled the blanket completely over my head.

"My son is getting married!"My father proudly declared.

Ana cheered, Hin joined her, mom laughed softly as Isolda calmly began discussing wedding arrangements. Song Hue sighed, and Lang Li? He simply sat beside my bed, smiling.

"You aren’t helping."I peeked out at him.

"I thought you wanted the wedding perfect."He leaned slightly closer.

"I never said that!"My face turned red again.

"SYSTEM: HOST HAS NOT DENIED THE POSSIBILITY."The system immediately responded.

I was still hiding under the blanket when another voice came from the doorway.

"Congratulations, Wei."I heard a female voice.

I slowly peeked out. Mei Lin stood there with Han Jin beside her, both looking far too amused.

"Please don’t."I sighed.

"I am serious. Congratulations."Mei Lin walked inside.

"Thank you."I said.

"Although..."She smiled.

"Although what?"I narrowed my eyes.

"You really went from trying to avoid palace drama to accidentally getting married into the Lycan empire."She said.

"I am not married yet!"I groaned.

"Yet!"Ana immediately called from across the room.

Mei Lin laughed and then the sound of footsteps approached from the corridor. Everyone turned as a woman with long silver black hair and pale blue eyes entered the room, dressed in elegant robes embroidered with the crest of the Silver River empire.

"Princess Jan Win?"I recognized her immediately.

"Prince Wei."She smiled politely as she gave me a graceful bow. "I came to congratulate you personally."

"Thank you."I blinked.

Jan Win’s eyes briefly moved toward my bond mark, then she smiled.

"I heard the news rather quickly."She said.

"Apparently, the entire temple knows."I sighed.

"Probably the entire continent by tomorrow." Hin muttered.

Jan Win laughed softly, then her gaze shifted. Straight toward Song Hue. Song Hue had been standing quietly near the window. For the first time since Jan Win entered, his attention seemed completely focused on her.

"Wait."My eyes narrowed.

"What?"Song Hue looked at me.

"Why are you looking at her like that?"I pointed between him and Jan Win.

"I am not."Song Hue immediately looked away.

"You absolutely are."I grinned.

"Is something wrong?"Jan Win raised an eyebrow.

"No." Song Hue answered far too quickly.

I stared at him, then at Jan Win, then back at him.

"Oh."I grinned.

"What?"Song Hue frowned.

"My childhood friend might have found someone."I slowly smiled.

"What?"Song Hue’s eyes widened.

"Ohhhhh."Ana gasped dramatically.

"Prince Song Hue has someone?"Hin immediately joined in.

"I do not!"He gasped.

"Someone?"Jan Win blinked.

Song Hue’s ears were starting to turn red as I couldn’t stop myself from grinning.

"Look at you."I smirked.

"Don’t."He glared at me.

"You’re interested in her." I said.

"I am not."He said.

"I am beginning to wonder what I walked into."Jan Win looked between us.

Mei Lin covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"This is better than breakfast."Han Jin whispered.

"It really is."I nodded.

Then I noticed something else. Jan Win wasn’t looking annoyed, she was smiling. A small, curious smile, and she was looking at Song Hue too.

"Oh."My grin grew wider.

"Don’t say it."Song Hue immediately pointed at me.

"You like her."I said.

"I said don’t."He said.

"You actually like her!"I grinned.

"I don’t know her well enough to say that."He said.

"Perhaps we should become acquainted first."Jan Win tilted her head.

Song Hue went completely silent, Ana nearly screamed. I looked at Lang Li, he was standing beside me with his arms crossed, wearing the biggest grin I had seen from him all morning.

"You see it too, right?"I asked.

"I do."He nodded.

"You’re enjoying this."I stared at him.

"Very much."Lang Li nodded.

I laughed. For once, I wasn’t the center of everyone’s attention, and somehow, that felt wonderful. I looked at Song Hue again, the childhood friend who had once been so important to the original Wei. The prince who had searched for him, the person whose feelings toward me had become so complicated. Maybe, maybe Song Hue deserved his own happiness too, and perhaps Jan Win could be that happiness.

"Song Hue."I smiled.

"What?"He looked suspicious.

"If you like her..." I paused dramatically. "You have my blessing."

"I don’t need your blessing!"His face turned red.

"You realize you’re teasing him because you’re happy someone else might be in trouble now."Lang Li leaned closer to me.

"Absolutely."I whispered back.

He chuckled.

"SYSTEM: NEW RELATIONSHIP POSSIBILITY DETECTED."Then the system appeared.

"Oh no."I froze.

"SONG HUE and JAN WIN: INTEREST DETECTED."A system said.

"I knew this system was going to betray me."Song Hue immediately looked toward the ceiling.

"JAN WIN and SONG HUE: INTEREST LEVEL: UNKNOWN."A system said.

"UNKNOWN!"I pointed at Song Hue.

"Stop reading my relationship data!"He groaned.

"HOST IS CURRENTLY VERY HAPPY THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS EMBARRASSED."A system said.

"Correct."I nodded.

"Very correct."Lang Li nodded solemnly.

"Why are you agreeing with the system?"I turned toward him.

"Because it’s right."He said.

"You’ve become terrible."I narrowed my eyes.

"You married me."He smiled.

"We’re not married yet."I said.

"Your father seems determined to change that."He said.

I looked toward my father as Zhao Rui was already talking with Isolda. They appeared to be discussing wedding arrangements.

"OH NO."My eyes widened as Lang Li laughed beside me, and for the first time that morning, I wasn’t the only one turning red.