The girl was dragged away by her just like that. She looked at her in confusion, “Who are you?”
“Why did you call him the Crown Prince just now?” Ji Xueli also had a bit of a selfish motive; she needed to understand the male lead’s background.
“You don’t even know who he is, yet you still approached him.” Upon hearing this, the girl sneered.
“Have you heard of the Duan family? Among the noble chaebols, there are four families: the Ji family, the Cheng family, the Ji family, and the leading one is the Duan family, who hold immense power in Huacheng.”
Ji Xueli nodded. As expected of the male lead, his identity and background were so impressive.
“You must be new to this circle. Let me tell you, anyone the Crown Prince supports becomes famous all across the country.” Seeing her agreeing expression, the girl added a few more words.
Oh, in that case, the female lead should also be someone in the entertainment industry…
“OK, thanks.” Ji Xueli waved at her understandingly and was about to turn and leave.
“Hey…” The girl frowned as she watched her leave. Sure enough, relying on a pretty face, she recklessly approached without regard for the consequences.
When she returned to her original spot, Duan Qingyu was nowhere to be seen. She looked around a few times but couldn’t find him, so she decided to grab her bag and leave. However, someone stopped her.
“Leaving so soon?” Cheng Du had somehow come up to her and was looking at her.
“Yeah, it’s not really interesting.” Ji Xueli glanced at the woman in his arms.
Seeing her even more refined features than before, Cheng Du couldn’t help but ask, “You came to the sea party as soon as you returned. Was it for him? You never liked these kinds of occasions before.”
“I never liked these occasions before?” Ji Xueli picked up on the keyword and probed further.
“Yeah, you were either on set or on the red carpet.” Cheng Du nodded.
The original host was a workaholic… Ji Xueli gathered this information.
“But you left so decisively. Now that you’re back, do you still love him?” Cheng Du laughed and gossiped.
She knew it—such questions were unavoidable.
“Where’s Duan Qingyu?” Ji Xueli ignored his question and asked instead.
“Him?” Upon hearing this, Cheng Du also looked around. “Huh, where did he go?”
Ji Xueli took out her phone. “Forget it, just give me his number.”
She and the male lead must have deleted each other’s contacts, so she needed to get his contact information first.
Cheng Du looked at her suspiciously. “What for? Asking for his number—are you planning something shady?”
He used to be quite close with Ji Xueli; they grew up together. Although they drifted apart later, he still spoke to her without any reservations.
“Yeah.” Ji Xueli nodded and admitted. Since they knew each other anyway, once he told the male lead, it would indirectly reveal her feelings.
Perfect.
“…”
No rebuttal?! And so direct?! Cheng Du froze mid-action while entering the number, his eyes wide with shock. “What! You really are planning something shady with him.”
He was completely bewildered. A few years ago, didn’t she get into a fight with Duan Qingyu over Ji Yanzhou… How did things turn out like this now? Did going abroad make her see things differently?
“Why such a big reaction? Is there a problem?” Ji Xueli thought he was overreacting. Was it really that shocking to want to get back together after a breakup?
The woman in his arms, having heard everything, looked at the person in front of her and said with a sarcastic tone, “It seems the Crown Prince’s popularity never wanes. As soon as Xueli returned to the country, she rushed straight to His Highness.”
“Otherwise, should I rush to you?” Ji Xueli smiled. Why were there so many reactions just because she wanted to add the male lead? Was there something wrong with humbly asking to get back together?
Cheng Du shot an impatient glance at her.
Under Cheng Du’s gaze, the woman backed down, lowering her voice to say, “Sorry, Miss Ji…”
“Are you done losing?” Ji Xueli wasn’t looking at her anymore, turning her attention to Cheng Du instead.
“Wait a minute… but Xueli, Duan Qingyu isn’t easy to pursue.” Seeing how composed she was, Cheng Du swallowed hard and spoke dryly.
Ji Xueli took her phone back, shrugging indifferently. “A forced melon can still be sweet.”
Cheng Du watched her leave, unable to help but marvel inwardly. After going abroad, she could actually say something like “a forced melon is sweet”—that was something only the childhood version of her would say.
In recent years, she had been completely devoted to her career and Ji Yanzhou, but now…
Cheng Du chuckled softly. He was growing more and more eager to see Ji Yanzhou’s reaction when he finally met her.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but take out his phone and send a message: Ji Xueli is back.
Just after sending it, a voice sounded from behind him. “What’s up?”
It was Duan Qingyu, who had disappeared earlier.
“Xueli just asked me for your contact information,” Cheng Du told him honestly.
Duan Qingyu raised an eyebrow slightly. “Mine?”
“Yeah, she said she wants to pursue you,” he added.
Cheng Du was expecting to see some kind of emotion on his face, but he merely curled his lips and said lightly, “Got it,” without any further reaction.
Cheng Du grew even more curious. He patted his female companion’s waist, signaling for her to go off on her own for a while.
“Your Highness, aren’t you even a little curious? She’s Ji Yanzhou’s long-cherished white moonlight. She finally returns to the country and falls in love with you at first sight. Even though we played together as kids, after you left Huacheng in high school, you…” Cheng Du stopped there, not saying more to avoid unpleasantness.
Duan Qingyu took a sip of his wine, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “What does Ji Yanzhou’s secretary look like?”
“I’ve seen her a few times. She’s quite pretty, but her eyes and brows bear some resemblance to Xueli’s.” Cheng Du hadn’t thought much of it before, but after seeing Ji Xueli just now and hearing him bring it up, he started to sense something.
He covered his mouth as if he’d discovered a secret. “A substitute?!”
“Wow, it seems Ji Yanzhou really can’t forget Xueli. But aren’t you afraid he’ll come after you when he finds out she wants to pursue you?”
“Quite interesting. If she wants to pursue me, let her.” A playful smile appeared at the corner of Duan Qingyu’s lips, his dark eyes filled with indifference.
Hearing him say this, Cheng Du knew he wasn’t afraid at all. He shrugged. “Alright, you’re the crown prince. You’re not afraid of stirring up trouble.”
“Does Ji Yanzhou know she’s back?” Duan Qingyu asked again.
“I just told him,” Cheng Du replied, clearly someone who enjoyed watching drama unfold.
“Then things are about to get even more interesting.” Duan Qingyu leaned back on the sofa, a few buttons of his shirt undone, revealing the collarbone beneath his fair neck.
He looked every bit like a seductive enchantress, utterly captivating…
Cheng Du averted his gaze, understanding why so many people wanted to climb into his bed. Just based on that face alone, even he was almost tempted…