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peach skirt gently swayed with each of his movement, gently swishing on the ground. The hanfu he's wearing was Zhu Mingli's choice and Yan Gen has no qualms over it, he's the one paying anyway, so be it. He didn't bother being polite and without shame, he waste off Zhu Mingli's money, planning for him to get broke as he pointed at every hanfu that caught his eyes and even ordered bolts of silk. He didn't know how many of it did he ordered, Yan Gen lost count. Probably a lot of it.

Even a prince has his own limitation of salary. But all this time, he remained silent, looking at him at the side, faintly smiling with a look that says 'Buy anything you want, I'll pay for it'. He might as well bought the whole store, it seems that this is still not enough to let him go broke. It was then that Yan Gen remembered, Zhu Mingli recently finished a mission given by the emperor and he also successfully suppressed a rebellion before that.

The Emperor must have showered him with great fortunes. How is this enough for him to become penniless? Might as well buy all the stores in the Central market.

Yan Gen feels like Zhu Mingli has become his sugar daddy, he shuddered at the thought and stopped ordering many things. "That's it?" the male lead seems surprised when he stopped ordering and Yan Gen's mouth twitched. You win! "I will send this to your home"

Is he nuts? His parents and elders will get the wrong idea if he send it to the Wei estate. "No need. I'll take care of it myself" Yan Gen's sneaking skill have improved, well... that's skill can only be applied in the Wei estate where he already memorized the route and schedule of the guards, as well as the outline of the estate.

A teasing grin spread across Zhu Mingli's arrogant face "There's no need to be shy. Didn't I already ask for your hand in marriage? Sending a few things can be considered normal" Shy, your ass. Who's shy? and a few things? I really should have make you bankrupt right now.

"My intention is already known, even you knew of it before I made a proposal to your clan. Unless you've forgotten about it? Besides, this is not the first time that the Wei estate will receive things from me. How could I forgot to share my fortune with you every time his majesty bestowed a reward for my hard work"

What a thick-skinned man, to let him recall that nauseating moment where he broke into his chamber. Yan Gen frowned, when did he ever share his fortune with him? If he did, why didn't the clan informed him about it? It couldn't be that those treasures were stashed by them without giving him a single cent?

"Zhu Mingli, you can't be so assured in marrying me. Things like marriage isn't for us to freely choose our own spouses. Even if my clan agreed to give you my hand in marriage, you still can't marry me if the Emperor didn't give a decree."

Nobles who have a very high status, especially royalties cannot get married without the Emperor's decree. Because they're heavily involved in political power, their marriage cannot be casually handled, it took a lot of consideration and discussion to be granted a marriage for their marriage can effect the stability of the Imperial court.

The temperature around them dropped a few degree. He can feel the overbearing prince dangerously narrowing his dark eyes at him, Yan Gen doesn't have the courage to look at him. Pretending that he didn't notice his glare, he continued talking. The matter between them must be settled, this male lead should distance himself away from him, never to look at each other.

"Perhaps for a high-ranking men such as you, it doesn't matter since you can take countless of concubines. Marry a woman for political power, then another for love, and then another for pleasure until you lost count of how many women you sleep with. Beauty wilts, of course you'll get tired of the old ones and bring in new concubines who are not only beautiful but young and fresh. It is different for us women, we can only get married once, left our homes where we grew up with to be sheltered under our husband's homes. We're expected to be loyal and love our husbands with all our heart, treating them as our sky. This... do you understand?"

For someone who has a status that is way higher than him, he can't openly berate him or directly dumped him off, much less someone who's a prince and has a fiery temper.

A large callused hand reached out to him, holding his delicate small hand. Startled, Yan Gen looked up at him, and what he saw were Zhu Mingli's eyes full of affection and dotting towards him, it makes him even more surprised. What kind of reaction is this?

"Lan-er..." softly calling her name full of tenderness that he himself was unaware of, Zhu Mingli heavily sighed and pulled him out of the shop. "I'll take you somewhere else"

"No, I have to go home now. It's already late" Yan Gen tried to retract his hand. Of course, with Zhu Mingli's claws on him, it was a futile attempt. He just wasted his saliva preaching him.

Not long after, they arrived at the side of the river where a boat was waiting for them. Zhu Mingli supported him from getting on the boat as if he was a delicate porcelain, shamelessly holding his hand and slender waist. If Yan Gen didn't consider the possibility of him falling down in the river, he would have slapped his thick face already for taking advantage of this grandpa.

There was a low table chained to the boat and on top of it were jars of wine and plates of delicacies. The servant boy who was with them on the boat boards off when Yan Gen and Zhu Mingli got on the boat. A single white lantern was hanging on the pole at the side of the boat.

Only the both of them are left here. Alone, in the dark. A bad premonition surged in his heart, making him shudder. Yan Gen is the one most familiar with men's nature. They're beasts who only think with their lower bodies. He clutched his skirt tightly, gritting his teeth, he spat out a sentence.

"I want to go home now"

The boat suddenly move and Yan Gen is still standing, reluctant to sit. He swayed and almost fell down the river, he immediately got down, grabbing the edge of the boat as he glared daggers at Zhu Mingli who is sitting opposite him, rowing the boat using a bamboo pole. Obviously, Zhu Mingli was the culprit.

There was a threatening glimmer in his eyes and Yan Gen, being the coward that he is, stopped a series of curse that almost flow out of his mouth. He obediently sat down on the cushioned seat opposite him as they got further away from the shore.

Silence reign between them for a long time. The clear water reflects the crescent moon and their figures, the boat softly creating ripples on the surface, distorting their reflection. As this was lantern festival, there are many floating lanterns on the water, drifting along with the gentle waves of the river. Making it seems like the river is on fire. Such splendid sight but then Yan Gen started to worry, so many floating lanterns, won't these become a waste the following day? Or will someone retrieve them from the water?