Chapter 649

Chapter Ten

“Niannian hasn’t been back to the capital in a long time. Father and Mother have been missing you terribly as well. If you have the time, Niannian, remember to go to the palace and see them.” After the Third Prince finished speaking, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

He actually missed his little sister quite a bit too.

However, he knew very well that if he said that aloud, it would be irresponsible of him toward Niannian’s reputation.

“Oh, and my family misses you too. My mother’s been asking about you.” Jiang Yu raised his hand without a second thought. He was thinking that after his mother saw how much prettier Niannian had become, she might even help him make a bid for her.

“Give it a rest. What does this have to do with you?” Xie Yanzhi had no choice but to speak up when he saw Jiang Yu still indulging in his unrealistic dream.

After all, who was Niannian? She was the treasured jewel of Prince An’s Residence.

How could a blunt man like Jiang Yu possibly be worthy of her?

Even if Prince An’s Residence was willing, had Jiang Yu considered whether the Third Prince would agree?

Jiang Yu’s status might not be low, but when it came to this matter, Xie Yanzhi wasn’t trying to pour cold water on him. He truly had no chance of competing at all.

As his friend, Xie Yanzhi had no choice but to remind him to come back to his senses.

“Niannian isn’t married, and I’m not married either. Why can’t I give it a try? If Niannian doesn’t want to marry me, I wouldn’t mind becoming the live-in son-in-law of Prince An’s Residence!” Jiang Yu declared proudly, patting his chest.

“Jiang Yu, are you bored?” The Third Prince was thoroughly displeased.

This man actually wanted to steal his girl right in front of him. Had he asked whether the Third Prince was willing?

“Several brothers, you’re all friends of my eldest brother, so you’re my brothers too. I’ve heard that the dishes at Qingyu House are famous. I’m certainly in for a treat today.” Niannian pretended not to understand what they were saying and smiled deliberately.

“Little Sister Niannian, ask me about that. I’m an expert. I guarantee I’ll let you sample every famous dish at Qingyu House today.” Jiang Yu immediately became solicitous toward Niannian.

The Third Prince watched from the side and found Jiang Yu unbearably irritating.

Xie Yanzhi could only shake his head.

Jiang Yu was such a blockhead. The Third Prince would definitely make him pay later.

Niannian ate to her heart’s content at Qingyu House. When she left, she thanked the others.

“Thank you, Third Prince, Brother Yanzhi, and Brother Jiang Yu.”

After saying this, Niannian bid them farewell. It was time for her to go home.

“I’ll see you back,” the Third Prince said, looking at Niannian in a tone that brooked no refusal.

“Ah, I’ll—” Jiang Yu also wanted to say that he could escort Niannian home.

“Come on. We still have things to do.” Xie Yanzhi grabbed Jiang Yu and pulled him away without a second thought.

If they stayed any longer, the Third Prince might lose his temper.

He was saving his friend’s life, after all.

“What are you doing? I still want to escort Little Sister Niannian home!” Jiang Yu protested, unwilling to leave.

“Just give it up. You have no chance with Little Sister Niannian.” Xie Yanzhi sighed and shook his head.

“Xie Yanzhi, could it be that you have feelings for Little Sister Niannian too, and deliberately dragged me away?” Jiang Yu pointed at Xie Yanzhi’s nose and scolded him, looking deeply dissatisfied.

“Jiang Yu, can’t you tell that the Third Prince has feelings for Niannian? Besides, His Majesty has long wanted to betroth Niannian to the Third Prince. What chance do you think you have?” Xie Yanzhi sighed. He felt that he must have eaten too much to be meddling in Jiang Yu’s affairs like this.

“Niannian isn’t married. Why don’t I have a chance?” Jiang Yu said, unwilling to accept this.

Yet in his heart, he knew that Xie Yanzhi was right.

What could he possibly use to compete with the Third Prince?

“Tell me, why did Xu Qingshi keep Little Sister Niannian hidden away so well before?” Jiang Yu was filled with regret. If he had known Niannian would grow up to be this beautiful, he should have asked his parents to propose marriage to Prince An’s Residence.

Xie Yanzhi shook his head beside him, wondering what sort of fantasy Jiang Yu was indulging in.

Becoming Prince An’s son-in-law was not something so easily accomplished.

On the carriage returning to Prince An’s Residence, the Third Prince looked at Niannian with an expression full of displeasure.

Why were those two allowed to call themselves her brothers, while he was merely the Third Prince?

“Your Highness, is there a flower on my face?” Niannian asked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under the Third Prince’s stare.

“Niannian, do you remember what you said when you were little?” The Third Prince looked at Niannian with an aggrieved expression.

What had she said when she was little?

Niannian froze for a moment. What had she said back then?

She really couldn’t remember.

“Your Highness, how could anything said when I was little be taken seriously? I must have been too young to know better.” Niannian gave an awkward smile.

She truly couldn’t remember what she had said as a child.

Besides, it couldn’t possibly be that she had borrowed money from the Third Prince, could it?

Her maternal grandfather had once been the richest man in the country. Although he had later entered officialdom, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. There was no way she would have needed to borrow money from anyone.

“Your Highness, could it be that I borrowed something from you and forgot to return it?” After thinking it over, Niannian decided that perhaps she had asked to borrow something from the Third Prince when she was young and had been too immature to know better.

Then she might have gone with her family to Jiangnan and forgotten to return it.

The Third Prince’s expression darkened at her words.

This little liar had promised to marry him, hadn’t she?

He had actually kept those words in his heart all these years, while this little ingrate had long since tossed them aside.

Thinking of how Niannian had just been laughing and chatting with Jiang Yu and Xie Yanzhi, while she was so distant with him that she even insisted on calling him the Third Prince, the Third Prince’s face grew darker and darker.

“Was it something very valuable?” Niannian asked with a frown, inwardly cursing herself. How had she been so lacking in judgment as a child?

She had even dared to ask for something belonging to the Third Prince.

She had borrowed something from him and then forgotten to return it.

What a terrible person she was!

With that thought, Niannian looked at the Third Prince seriously and asked, “Your Highness, I don’t remember where the item is anymore. Why don’t you name a price?”

Niannian carefully calculated how much spending money she had left. It should be enough to compensate him, right?

If it wasn’t enough, she would have no choice but to ask her uncle for help.

“Xu Niannian!” The Third Prince gritted his teeth as he called her name.

He thought bitterly that she really was a heartless little ingrate.

Still, now that she had returned, he would never give her another chance to escape.

At the very least, he would not let her slip away like a little loach as she had last time.

“Your Highness, I can hear you. Don’t worry, Niannian will never refuse to pay her debt.” Niannian nearly swore to the heavens.

“Is that so? You’d better keep your promise.” The Third Prince looked at Niannian, his words carrying an ambiguous meaning.

Niannian was about to say something more when the carriage stopped at the entrance of Prince An’s Residence.

“Your Highness, this subject will take her leave!” Niannian thought that once she returned, she would carefully think over exactly what she had borrowed from the Third Prince.

No matter what, she had to return it before leaving the capital.

Otherwise, if word got out that she had refused to return something belonging to the Third Prince, wouldn’t that tarnish her parents’ reputation?

“But what exactly did I borrow from the Third Prince? Stupid brain, hurry up and remember!” Niannian patted her forehead, but she still couldn’t recall a thing.