The Strategy of Love

Duanyang brought over a poetry collection and handed it to Yan Qing.

Yan Qing took it, stroking the book cover over and over with a look of extreme reluctance on his face.

Cheng Chu watched him nervously, afraid that he'd change his mind and not give it to him.

After enough caressing, Yan Qing finally handed the book to Cheng Chu with evident reluctance, "Here, take it!"

Cheng Chu immediately reached out to take it, filled with shame. It was his own poetry collection after all, yet he felt like a scoundrel who seemed to have taken something precious from someone else. He thanked Yan Qing sincerely again and again, "Thank you so much, Brother Yan, for parting with this."

"I don't want to hear those two words; just go," Yan Qing shooed him away.

Cheng Chu nodded repeatedly, holding the book as if it were a treasure, "I'm going, I'm going. I won't disturb Brother Yan any longer."

He hurried away but suddenly stopped, remembered something, and turned to look at Yan Qing.

Yan Qing was slumped over the table, listless as if someone had taken something precious from him. Cheng Chu didn't dare to stay any longer and, without saying anything more, immediately left.

After Cheng Chu had vanished from sight, Duanyang looked at Yan Qing with an expression that said it all, "Young Marquis, aren't you bullying him too much?"

Yan Qing sat up straight and laughed, "He just looks so easy to bully!"

Duanyang: "..."

The butler escorted Cheng Chu out and, with the intention of gathering information, asked tentatively, "Master Cheng, has my young Marquis recently offended the Second Prince in any way?"

Cheng Chu thought for a moment, "Not that I know of!"

"Then do you know who the Second Prince is particularly close to?"

Could it be someone close to the Second Prince was offended?

Cheng Chu wasn't very familiar with the Second Prince, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Among the people I know, the Second Prince seems to have some dealings with Qin Huan."

"The third son of the Duke of Anguo's House?"

"Exactly him."

"He seems to be quite friendly with my young Marquis," the butler had seen Qin Huan several times. Among all the young nobles, he was a new face, having visited the Marquis Duanjing Residence a few times this year, and the young Marquis seemed to enjoy his company.

"The person who gets along best with Brother Yan is me," Cheng Chu defended his position staunchly.

"Er, yes, yes, you do get along with my young Marquis the best," the butler hastily agreed.

Cheng Chu didn't bother arguing with the butler, "Speaking of which, I just wanted to talk about Qin Huan with Brother Yan, but I was afraid of annoying him. I ran into Qin Huan this morning, and he seemed a bit mad."

The butler was startled, "What kind of madness?"

"He wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, hopping and skipping down the street like a madman, looking really foolish," Cheng Chu said, "In short, he seemed mad! Not very normal!"

The butler was puzzled, "Did something happen to him?"

"I suppose so! I asked him, but he wouldn't say and ran off," Cheng Chu shook his head.

Contemplating, the butler wondered if it could be related to the Second Prince.

After seeing Cheng Chu off, the butler quickly returned and asked Yan Qing, "Young Marquis, Master Cheng just mentioned that Qin Huan seemed a bit mad. Do you think it could be related to the Second Prince seeking him out?"

Yan Qing was at a loss for words, "What does that have to do with anything? How could Qin Huan's madness have anything to do with Xiao Zhen? You can't connect them with eight poles, can you?"

"It's connected. It's said that Qin Huan has had dealings with the Second Prince."

Yan Qing raised an eyebrow, "What does that have to do with me?"

"Because everyone says that the third young master of the Qin family learned to be a profligate from you."

Yan Qing: "..."

He clicked his tongue, "Anyone can be a profligate, there's nothing to learn. If that's the case, who did I learn from?"

The butler was at a loss for words.

When the young Marquis first intended to become a profligate, truly no one enticed him, it was his own desire to be one.

Yan Qing waved his hand dismissively, uninterested in delving further, "What a mess of nonsense, whether it's related or not, in any case, pay him no heed. If Xiao Zhen comes again, lock the door tight, don't let him in. I don't want to see him anymore. It's best to see less of people with issues to avoid contagion like the plague. Look at you, all jittery these past few days because Xiao Zhen came in the middle of the night out of nowhere."

Butler: "..."

Alright, he was a bit jittery, but the young Marquis was too laid-back.

The butler sighed in resignation, with no other choice but to let it go.

Qin Huan was still unaware that because he was too happy and couldn't contain himself, he made some abnormal gestures on the street, which by chance were seen by Cheng Chu, who then branded him a madman in her heart. He went joyously to Juxian Building, arriving an hour early, eagerly waiting for Ling Hua to keep their appointment.

This was the first time in three years that he was looking forward to seeing Ling Hua so much.

He excitedly waited for an hour, and as the time approached, his excitement became unbearable.

Just as the hourglass marked midday, and Qin Huan's excitement reached its peak, someone arrived at Juxian Building, found Qin Huan, and said, "My miss suddenly had something come up and won't make it. She sent me to inform the third young master and to reschedule another day!"

Qin Huan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him and leaped up, "Is Ling Hua playing me?

The messenger watched him expressionlessly, "The third young master is not worth the time it would take for my miss to play tricks on you."

After dropping that remark, the person turned and left.

Qin Huan, furious, jumped up and chased after him, blocking his way, "What urgent matter does Ling Hua have?"

"The miss's business is not something the third young master should inquire about."

"Then when will she reschedule with me?" Qin Huan was not reconciled.

"When the miss has time, she will naturally make an appointment with the third young master. Just wait for it."

Qin Huan wanted to ask more, but the person's face chilled, "Knowing too much can lead to an early death. Does the third young master wish to die?"

Qin Huan immediately shut his mouth and stepped aside.

The person left swiftly and was out of sight in a blink.

Qin Huan slumped onto the ground, what do they say about greater expectations leading to greater disappointment? That was him. Why was it so hard to not want to marry Ling Hua, to call off the engagement?

Was he born just to amuse Ling Hua? Over these years, he had been nothing but a joke.

Throughout the Capital City, many noble sons had betrothed fiancées from childhood, one by one gentle and lovely. Why was he so unlucky to have encountered Ling Hua?

He was so angry he wanted to cry, and he indeed cried.

Thus, on that day, everyone dining in Juxian Building heard the miserable and sorrowful weeping of Qin Huan, the third young master from Duke of Anguo's residence.

When the old Duchess of Anguo received the news, she too was surprised that Ling Hua did not keep the appointment, yet she did not dare to send someone to question Ling Hua about why she had made an appointment and then failed to meet. She could only send someone to bring Qin Huan back.

Seeing Qin Huan's pitiful crying, she felt indignant, "What's the big deal about Ling Hua not keeping the appointment? What are you crying for? You've brought shame upon yourself all the way to Juxian Building. You truly are promising! You've brought utter disgrace upon our Duke of Anguo's residence."

"I'm unworthy, so be it, I'm the one who has lost the Duke of Anguo's face. Just disown me!" Qin Huan lost his temper, lashed out at the old Duchess of Anguo, and then turned and ran out of the residence.