As he spoke, he moved to put the ring on her.

Xie Wanqing raised her hand to stop him: "Do you think I’ll encounter any danger?"

Lu Ziyuan paused and said calmly, "There are many reckless people in the world, better safe than sorry."

He did not directly answer, but Xie Wanqing knew.

Once bitten by a snake, one is scared of ropes for ten years.

Her death in their past life robbed him of his confidence in always being in control.

Xie Wanqing herself felt that when it comes to her life, one could never be too careful.

But now that she was Mrs. Pei, how could she take his token and rely on his men for protection?

What would that make of Pei Yuqing?

Pei Yuqing... 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Xie Wanqing suddenly realized, "My hidden guards!"

Before Pei Yuqing left the Capital, he left her with four hidden guards, and Pei Er was visibly looking after things.

Now, this man appeared openly in her room, where were those hidden guards?

Seeing her finally react, Lu Ziyuan pinched the bridge of his nose and softly said, "I didn’t make a move."

Under her gritted teeth and sharp glare, he answered somewhat guiltily: "It should have been Ming Feng who handled it, you know, he has always acted on his own accord..."

"Lu Ziyuan!"

Those were the four hidden guards that Pei Yuqing had meticulously selected for her before leaving the Capital, elite Qingtian Guards able to hold off ten with one!

The last time, a few hidden guards had been handled by his Ming Feng, and this time it was him again!

Xie Wanqing was furious and filled with hatred, her anger shooting straight to her head. Without thinking, she raised her hand and swung it down hard.

A crisp ’slap’ echoed through the room.

Even the maidservant waiting outside heard the commotion and asked softly.

Xie Wanqing’s wrist tingled, her palm hurt, and as she casually brushed off the maidservant, her wrist was caught.

"Does it hurt?" Lu Ziyuan glanced at her reddened palm, gently squeezed it, and said softly: "Do you enjoy hitting me that much?"

On his handsome profile, a handprint was clearly visible.

From a young age, Heir Lu had gotten whatever he wanted, and now he was the Prince Zhenbei holding military power.

Getting slapped was something not even his worst political enemies would dare imagine.

But this was the second slap she had given him.

Xie Wanqing moved her lips and gritted her teeth: "You deserved it!"

"Alright, I deserved it," he wasn’t angry at all, leaned close, coaxing: "Want to hit again? Calm down, only you can hit me, you can hit me all your life, okay?"

Xie Wanqing let out a cold laugh and was about to speak, but as soon as her lips parted, Lu Ziyuan covered her lips, his hand holding her chin.

He kissed her with a posture that allowed her no escape.

The kiss was burning, entwining, with an unmasked fervent love and pain.

It was before this that Xie Wanqing had never realized a kiss could encompass such complex emotions.

It was as if she could truly experience his emotions.

A deep kiss as if he wanted to devour the person, yet until the end, it held no lust.

His eyes reddened, with no tears, but his lashes appeared moist, like a small beast that had retracted its claws and fangs.

Pitiful, harmless.

Such a ridiculous notion — this was Lu Ziyuan!

How could he be pitiful, how could he be harmless!

Xie Wanqing closed her eyes, forcing down her absurd compassion, lifted her hand, and gave a hard slap, "Get out!"

With another ’slap,’ the room turned completely silent.

Lu Ziyuan maintained his position with his head turned from the slap, his beautiful lashes fluttering.

After a long time, he spoke softly: "So heartless."

He was almost ready to dig out his heart to offer it to her.

His pride, his backbone all shattered, even his sense of shame was gone.

He only wanted her, shamelessly only wanted her.

But each time she became more ruthless.

"There was no love long ago, how could there be heartlessness!" Xie Wanqing clutched her shaking wrist, took a deep breath, her voice steely, "Get out of my sight!"

"Can’t get out," after just a moment, he recovered from the stabbing pain of her words, straightened up, and lightly said: "Are you counting on the fact that I can’t bear to harm you?"

He said, "Wanwan, if I were you, I wouldn’t give someone like me no hope at all."

"Are you trying to threaten me again?" Xie Wanqing laughed in anger, "Besides threats, being lustful, and endless entanglement, do you have any other tricks?"

"You say you love me, but your affection doesn’t bring me any joy, only annoyance!"

"I don’t need it! I don’t need you to love me, understand!"