bookrandom Chapter 171 discusses whether He Mingning likes Fan Junyu.
Chapter 171 discusses whether He Mingning likes Fan Junyu.
At that moment, He Yanxi, as if having successfully conquered an impregnable fortress, finally finished peeling the last grape in his hand. The grape, like a dazzling pearl, radiated an alluring luster, seemingly containing endless sweetness and juice. He Yanxi's hands trembled slightly as he carefully held the grape in his palms, as if handling a rare treasure, afraid of damaging it in the slightest. Then, he gently placed the grape on the plate in front of Qin Yaoyao, his movements elegant and skillful.
After finishing all this, He Yanxi slowly moved his slightly sore fingers, and casually said, "You really are incredibly foolish!" As soon as he finished speaking, He Mingfeng's expression changed abruptly, his previously calm face instantly darkening. He frowned deeply, his face full of displeasure as he questioned, "Uncle, what exactly do you mean by that?" However, facing his nephew's question, He Yanxi didn't even bother to lift an eyelid, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor as he replied, "I just said what I meant literally." He paused for a moment, seemingly considering how to phrase it, before continuing, "Ah Feng, don't you understand Ah Ning's personality and temperament?" Hearing this, He Mingfeng stared blankly at He Yanxi, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. He couldn't help but press, "Uncle, what exactly do you mean? I really don't understand..."
He Yanxi gazed at the bewildered He Mingfeng before him, shaking his head helplessly and letting out a soft sigh. After a brief pause, he continued, "A-Ning is like an incredibly timid little lamb. Her gentle and mild nature makes her terrified of any potential harm. Even when interacting with other women, she's as timid as a startled bird. Whenever she goes out to meet someone, she always takes A-Yan or A-Xuan with her, never having the courage to go alone."
He Mingfeng was completely bewildered, his confusion growing. His brows furrowed tightly, like two intertwined ropes, impossible to untangle. He pressed on urgently, "Of course I know all this, but what does it have to do with whether she's changed or not?" Just then, Qin Yunji, who had been listening silently, suddenly seemed to awaken from a dream, like a sage illuminated by a flash of wisdom. He excitedly interjected, "Oh my! Now I finally understand! Today at that restaurant, before we arrived, there were only A-Yu and the eldest princess alone in that room!" He Mingfeng looked blank, as if lost in a fog, utterly clueless. His mind was like a rusty, malfunctioning machine; despite Qin Yunji's clear explanation, he stubbornly persisted, "So what? I really can't understand the connection."
Qin Yunji stared at the blockhead-like He Mingfeng, his anger rising. He desperately wanted to crack open He Mingfeng's head to see what was inside, how could he be so dense? Filled with rage and disappointment, Qin Yunji raised his voice, shouting in exasperation, "Are you stupid?! Don't you even understand such a simple principle? The eldest princess is so wary and guarded towards an ordinary woman, let alone a man!"
Still seemingly unsatisfied, Qin Yunji took a deep breath and began his lengthy analysis again. He gestured as he spoke, trying to make He Mingfeng understand. However, He Mingfeng remained suspicious, repeatedly interrupting Qin Yunji and asking, "What does this mean? I still don't understand!"
Qin Yunji finally couldn't help but roll his eyes and replied irritably, "Is there even a question? This clearly shows that the eldest princess trusts and is completely at ease with A-Yu! Otherwise, why would she be so wary of everyone else, but have no reservations about A-Yu?"
However, He Mingfeng remained unconvinced, even arguing vehemently, "There's a world of difference between the two! Aning already knew Fan Junyu was her future husband, so naturally she'd feel more at ease. Besides, since they're already engaged, some time alone is essential to strengthen their relationship. But to conclude that Aning likes Fan Junyu based solely on that is far-fetched!" Qin Yunji frowned slightly, lost in thought. After a while, his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he'd figured something out, and he nodded repeatedly, indicating his agreement with what had been said. Just then, Qin Yaoyao, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly smiled, her flower-like face even more captivating. She parted her lips slightly and said softly, "But you know, if you just want to cultivate feelings, it doesn't necessarily require the two of you to be alone together."
Hearing this, He Mingfeng, who was already a little confused, became even more perplexed. He scratched his head, looked at Qin Yaoyao with a puzzled expression, and asked, "If we're not spending time alone like this, what methods can we use to better understand each other?"
At the same time, Qin Yunji looked equally bewildered and asked, "That's right, little sister. If we don't choose to be alone, how can we possibly have enough opportunities for each other to get to know and understand one another?"
Facing the questioning gazes of her brother and He Mingfeng, Qin Yaoyao remained remarkably calm and composed. She first elegantly picked up her teacup, took a small sip, then set it down and slowly shook her head. Next, she smiled slightly and continued, "Actually, the method is incredibly simple!" After saying this, she deliberately paused, remaining silent and simply smiling at the two men before her, seemingly waiting for them to press for more information.
Seeing the questioning looks on the two people's faces, Qin Yaoyao's lips curled into a slight smile. She decided to stop teasing them. She parted her lips and said directly, "If I were Sister Ning, I would absolutely not be in a closed space with a man I've only met a few times. Even if this man were my fiancé, it would be absolutely impossible! You see, I know so little about him. Who knows if he has any ill intentions towards me? If he suddenly becomes malicious and does something to harm me, then even if I scream my lungs out and cry my heart out, no one will be able to come to my rescue! I would never put myself in such a dangerous situation!" Having said that, Qin Yaoyao winked playfully and cast her gaze at everyone present.
Seeing everyone silent, seemingly still immersed in her words, Qin Yaoyao's eyes darted around before she spoke again: "However, if there really were a man with whom I could be alone in a room without any worries, without even needing anyone to guard the door, oh my, how much trust and peace of mind I would have to have for that person!" As she said this, a look of longing appeared on her face. She turned to look at He Yanxi, who was also looking at her, and the two smiled at each other.
At this point, Qin Yunji's heart tightened, and he quickly interjected, "That's true. If one harbors doubts but urgently needs space to get to know each other better, then instinctively, the first thing to do is ensure one's own safety before having the energy to investigate what kind of person the other is. And the best strategy for protecting oneself is undoubtedly to place trusted confidants at the door. That way, if one unfortunately finds oneself in danger, one only needs to shout, and the person waiting outside can rush in quickly to rescue one from dire straits."
Qin Yaoyao continued, "I heard Sister Ning say that she specially brought a maid and a guard with her when she went out today. But when we rushed over, did any of you see them?" Qin Yunji shook his head slightly and replied, "We didn't see them! So..." He hesitated for a moment, but everyone present understood the meaning behind his unfinished words.
Just then, He Yanxi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke. He calmly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then slowly placed it back on the table—a series of elegant and composed movements. Then, in a deep and soothing voice, he said, "Given A Ning's cautious nature, she would definitely have sent people to guard the door to ensure her safety."
He Yanxi narrowed his eyes slightly, then said slowly, "Since she didn't make such an arrangement, the only reasonable explanation is that she has extreme trust in that person. She is certain that she will not be in danger, which is why she dared to act this way." After speaking, he leisurely turned his gaze to He Mingfeng, and then said nothing more, simply waiting quietly for He Mingfeng to understand the deeper meaning on his own.
After listening to everyone's words, He Mingfeng frowned slightly and began to think carefully. After a while, he finally spoke: "Judging from this, it means that Aning dared to stay alone with Fan Junyu in a room today because she trusted him deeply. She must be very sure that Fan Junyu would never hurt or bully her."
Standing to the side, Qin Yaoyao nodded slightly in agreement, and then said, "That's right, Your Highness. Think about it, isn't this strong evidence that Sister Ning likes A-Yu?"
He Mingfeng frowned slightly, crossed his arms, and pondered for a moment before slowly raising his head and replying with a firm gaze, "Yes, it's undeniable that I must admit Aning does have a considerable degree of trust in that boy Fan Junyu. However, this trust may simply stem from his consistently excellent character and the good reputation he enjoys among others; furthermore, it's possible that their engagement was personally arranged by our esteemed Father and Mother, and Aning firmly believes from the bottom of her heart that Father and Mother are insightful and discerning, and will surely choose a suitable and reliable husband for her to entrust her life to. However, based solely on these factors, it's probably still difficult to definitively prove that Aning is deeply in love with Fan Junyu!"
At this moment, Qin Yunji, standing to the side, could no longer contain his anger. His eyes widened, burning like raging flames, and he angrily pointed at He Mingfeng, shouting, "You, He Laowu, even now, you're still like a cooked duck—stubborn to the core! All the facts are clearly laid out before us, obvious to everyone, yet you refuse to honestly and willingly admit it. Instead, you stubbornly deny everything, refusing to admit anything. If you truly feel you can't accept defeat, you can simply and openly admit it. Why do you have to spout nonsense and make baseless excuses? Where is even a shred of the dignity and style expected of a man of your stature?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingfeng's face flushed red with anger. He glared at Qin Laowu and retorted indignantly, "Hmph! Qin Laowu, stop spouting nonsense! Who is the one who can't accept defeat? And who is accusing whom of being unreasonable? Furthermore, how dare you say I'm not a man? Believe me, I'll beat you up right now!"
Just as the atmosphere between the two became increasingly tense, as if they were about to draw their swords and clash at any moment, Qin Yaoyao hurriedly stepped forward, anxiously trying to calm them down: "Oh dear, Fifth Brother, Fifth Prince, please stop arguing! Even if Sister Ning has complete faith in the Emperor and Empress's judgment, if she wants to do anything intimate, she must first get past her own internal hurdle. Only when she truly agrees and accepts it from the bottom of her heart can she naturally put these affectionate gestures into practice. Otherwise, how could she do it so easily?"
Qin Yaoyao's words were like a gentle breeze, instantly silencing He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji, who had been arguing heatedly. As if frozen in place, they both turned their gazes to Qin Yaoyao, their eyes filled with surprise and anticipation, seemingly waiting for her to say something more convincing.
At this moment, He Yanxi, who had been observing coldly and remaining silent all along, couldn't help but nod slightly, indicating that he agreed with Qin Yaoyao's words and echoed, "Yes, that's true. If a person doesn't genuinely believe in something, how can they willingly engage in intimate behavior with others? Ultimately, it depends on one's own will and state of mind."