Li Yue Shu leaped out of Qin Mo Yuan's embrace abruptly, touching her earlobes in shock, her flushed cheeks feeling as if they would ignite.
To Qin Mo Yuan, her demeanor resembled that of a startled little rabbit.
In that moment, Qin Mo Yuan's eyes darkened further.
Just as he was about to make a move, a noise suddenly came from his side.
The two turned to look, only to see the door of Mo Yu Lin's room open, and a man entirely clad in black emerged.
The man glanced at them, then leaped up, disappearing into the night.
Apart from the sound of the door opening, his appearance and departure were utterly silent, a testament to his skill.
After the man left, Mo Yu Lin appeared from the room.
Seeing the two in the courtyard, he seemed unfazed and even greeted them proactively, "It's so late, are you two not yet asleep?"
Li Yue Shu and Qin Mo Yuan exchanged a glance, instantly shedding their previous emotions.
Was Mo Yu Lin… exposing his forces deliberately?
Li Yue Shu walked to Qin Mo Yuan's side with a blank expression, though her ears still burned hot.
She smiled faintly at Mo Yu Lin and asked, "Isn't Young Master Mo also not asleep?"
Mo Yu Lin walked out, his frail body appearing even more delicate in the night.
"My subordinates reported that mice have been sneaking in every night recently and asked how to handle it, so I stayed up late."
He tilted his head, looking at Li Yue Shu, "Madam Shen, how do you think I should handle it?"
He could tell that all four of them revolved around this Madam Shen, so he directed his question to her.
Facing his seemingly sincere inquiry, Li Yue Shu's lips twitched.
She was certain that Mo Yu Lin knew who had been coming every night, as he was aware of the nightly intrusions.
Was he openly calling the Crown Prince a mouse?
There seemed to be a personal grudge involved in this!
Li Yue Shu maintained her smile, "Since this is Young Master Mo's courtyard, how it's handled is naturally up to Young Master Mo."
Mo Yu Lin remained silent, his gaze fixed on the two of them. The dim night concealed all his expressions, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke, letting out a laugh, "Since that's the case, then… let's beat the mice out!"
As his words fell, dozens of dark figures instantly appeared around them.
Li Yue Shu and Qin Mo Yuan remained still, showing no surprise at the sudden appearance of these people.
As early as their excursion on the lake, they had sensed they were being watched from the shadows. Today, the individuals in the shadows had clearly increased in number.
Mo Yu Lin's face still bore a smile, projecting an image of harmlessness.
"Go, capture that mouse."
Upon receiving the order, all the black-clad figures moved towards Hong Dai's room.
Li Yue Shu raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but glance at Mo Yu Lin.
Since he knew Ji Quan Si had arrived, he should also know what they, a man and a woman alone in a room, were doing.
To send so many people barging in at this moment seemed intentional.
Li Yue Shu hesitated for a moment and did not step forward.
She didn't know Ji Quan Si's martial arts prowess, but with Hong Dai's abilities, she would surely notice the presence of so many people in the courtyard.
As expected, before the black-clad figure leading the group could even open the door, the person inside emerged first.
Hong Dai wore her signature red attire, her graceful and seductive figure, coupled with the lingering allure in her eyes, made her appear more captivating than usual.
Ji Quan Si, with his arm around her waist, wore his clothes loosely, revealing a chest marked with suspicious red dots.
The next moment, Li Yue Shu's eyes were suddenly covered, and Qin Mo Yuan's voice reached her ear, "Don't look, you'll get pink eye."
Li Yue Shu: "..."
This utterance of "pink eye" was exceptionally loud in the quiet night, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Ji Quan Si smacked his lips. "Is someone envious that I can openly be intimate with my woman?"
Qin Mo Yuan still covered Li Yue Shu's eyes with one hand, giving Ji Quan Si a cold glance. "The Crown Prince's woman should be He Xiao Yu, the Crown Princess, shouldn't she?"
He then shifted his gaze to Hong Dai, "Are you planning to be his concubine? Or his kept woman?"
These two questions struck at the heart.
Hong Dai's expression faltered. She slapped the hand around her waist away and stepped out of Ji Quan Si's embrace.
But Ji Quan Si was clearly not letting go and pulled her back into his arms.
"Good girl, don't listen to sour grapes. I've already explained everything to you."
Ji Quan Si, unfazed by the surrounding gazes, kissed Hong Dai directly.
Qin Mo Yuan released Li Yue Shu's eyes, but his body shielded her.
This way, it didn't obstruct Li Yue Shu's view of the unfolding drama, nor did it allow her to see anything she shouldn't.
Mo Yu Lin's gaze, however, remained fixed on Ji Quan Si and Hong Dai. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, have you perhaps forgotten that you are married to the Crown Princess?"
Ji Quan Si, holding Hong Dai, glanced at him askance. "Little brat, since you like my Crown Princess, shouldn't you be happy seeing me with another woman?"
Being called "little brat" caused Mo Yu Lin's expression to change immediately.
He was indeed younger than Ji Quan Si, but that didn't warrant such a title!
Mo Yu Lin's lips twitched, but he quickly composed himself.
He tilted his head, his expression innocent. "It is widely known that the Crown Prince dislikes the Crown Princess, so why slander the relationship between me and my sister?"
Ji Quan Si smiled at him, then said nothing, instead turning his gaze towards Li Yue Shu and Qin Mo Yuan.
He finally released Hong Dai from his embrace and cupped his hands towards the two. "I entrust Hong Dai to your care."
Li Yue Shu: "???"
Wait, what did he mean by that?
Li Yue Shu quickly looked at Hong Dai, who sheepishly rubbed her nose, clearly hiding something.
Li Yue Shu's lips twitched, wanting to question him, but ultimately remained silent.
Ji Quan Si turned his gaze back to Mo Yu Lin. "Young Master Mo, you must also know that my marriage to He Xiao Yu is in name only, and the reason she insisted on becoming Crown Princess."
This time, he had changed his address, and his tone had become more serious.
"Young Master Mo, I do not wish to be your enemy. In a while, I will publicly return He Xiao Yu to you."
This time, Mo Yu Lin did not respond.
Ji Quan Si had always been frivolous, and despite being the Crown Prince, he paid no heed to his reputation.
However, his recent behavior seemed different from the world's perception of the Qingyan Crown Prince.
What did he mean by saying he would return his sister to him?
Ji Quan Si's smile remained wicked, showing no intention of explaining to Mo Yu Lin.
He gently squeezed Hong Dai's side. "Good girl, I'll visit you again next time."
With that, he walked directly towards the main gate, seemingly oblivious to the vigilant black-clad figures.
Mo Yu Lin hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand, signaling the black-clad men to step aside.
Li Yue Shu had not anticipated the turn of events and felt a slight disappointment at not seeing a proper confrontation.
From Mo Yu Lin's demeanor, it seemed he was about to make a move against Ji Quan Si, but in the end, nothing happened, and he simply let him leave.
And regarding Ji Quan Si asking them to take care of Hong Dai…
Thinking of this, Li Yue Shu cast a questioning glance at the person leaning by the doorway.