Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 164 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (68)

Lu Liruan was furious when she heard his crazy talk.

He always talks to himself, so stubborn that he only believes in his own judgment. Others' words are like water off a duck's back to him. He only follows his own set of logic.

Lu Liruan felt like she was being driven crazy by him. There was no way to communicate with him. He was too good at lying and deceiving people. If he wanted to, he could lie low and endure to an unbelievable degree. There was no way to predict what he would do next.

A lunatic, a madman, who does things completely unpredictably!

Originally, Lu Liruan had gradually withdrawn her judgment of him, but when she turned around, she realized that she was the only one who had been fooled, while he continued to do as he pleased.

Anyone would go crazy if they asked for that.

Completely wasting my time...

“I bet you’ll be dead tomorrow. What, are you going to drag me down with you?” Lu Liruan asked him fiercely.

Her hand was still on Ji Shumin's neck, as if she would strangle him again if she heard anything she didn't want to hear.

Ji Shumin, however, did not care at all. His voice was low and hoarse: "I will not die."

"How come you won't die? Are you so arrogant and delusional that you think you're indestructible and can defy fate?" Lu Liruan mocked him.

"With your frail body, how can you withstand all this? If you end up killing yourself one day, that's fine too. Then I can go home and live the good life of a noble lady!"

Lu Liruan was speaking in anger. Even if Ji Shumin died, she would not be able to return to the Marquis of He'an's mansion and would have to live alone as a widow in the Prince's mansion.

Needless to say, if Ji Shumin were to die, her mission would be a complete failure.

But Lu Liruan spoke recklessly at this moment, not even caring about the mission anymore; she just wanted to anger Ji Shumin to death with her words.

When His Highness the Crown Prince heard Lu Liruan repeatedly use the word "death," his expression remained unchanged. However, when he heard that they had arrived and were going home, he braced himself with his arms and lurched forward!

Before Lu Liruan could withdraw her hand, Ji Shumin's Adam's apple collided with hers, trembling in the palm of Lu Liruan's hand.

"What did you say?" He stared at Lu Liruan, his eyes, like those of a fine brush painting, unblinking in the darkness, making the surrounding darkness seem even more stark.

"What do I have to do for you to belong to me?" he asked, each word uttered with resentment.

"What are you saying?" Lu Liruan's heart was pounding as he looked at her.

"The way you look at me... it's like you could walk away at any moment. I'm just something you can play with and discard at will. Li Ruan, you care about me, but you don't belong to me." His cold fingertips touched Lu Li Ruan's face.

With focused, obsessive attention, he stroked under Lu Liruan's eyelids, from the inner corner of her eye to the outer corner, again and again, until the skin was warm from his caresses.

"You say I lied to you, but why didn't you lie to me?" he murmured.

“I…” Lu Liruan choked, not knowing how to refute him for a moment. What he said was too much, but he was also too smart. Lu Liruan felt that he saw right through her.

But no, Lu Liruan couldn't figure out what her feelings for him really were.

Only deep concern leads to worry and heartache.

The deeper the love, the more intense the hate.

When Lu Liruan realized that Ji Shumin was still lying to her and deceiving her, and was still tormenting her fragile life, she truly felt hatred.

"If I die, will you be sad for me?" Ji Shumin gently cupped her face in his hands and asked calmly, his aggressive tone gone.

“You will be sad, you will be very sad…” He came to this conclusion himself, his expression softening considerably, and he even managed a smile: “Now I look much more sincere.” He said.

"Don't change the subject." Lu Liruan closed her eyes, still clinging to the previous topic with her last bit of persistence, as he had seen her keenly at his insightful observation.

“Heh…” Ji Shumin chuckled softly, seemingly amused by Lu Liruan.

"I won't hide anything from you, but you have to ask me yourself." He avoided the main point.

"Okay, I'll ask you."

"Ah."

"Why did you keep today's events from me and send me away?"

"The birthday of Marquis He'an will not change..." Ji Shumin buried his head on Lu Liruan's shoulder as if he had lost all his strength, and said with a smile.

"I don't care how you did it. If you keep beating around the bush, I'll take it as you having no sincerity whatsoever." Lu Liruan pretended to push him away and get off the bed, but Ji Shumin held her tightly around the waist.

He held Lu Liruan tightly in his arms, and the more she moved, the tighter he held her.

“I said…” he sighed.

"I don't want you to see me like this, being restrained, attacked, and forced to bow my head and beg for mercy, kneeling and pleading to be deposed as crown prince. It's too unsightly..."

"I'm putting my face on the ground for people to trample on, dragging these useless legs around and exposing my scars for everyone to see." He said these self-deprecating words, but his tone was not self-pitying.

Instead, she seemed light and agile: "You love to dress up so much, I don't look good like this."

"When did I..."

He couldn't see Ji Shumin's expression behind him, but he could feel his chest trembling with laughter: "When you're staring at my face."

Lu Liruan curled up, her hands and feet trembling. The bitterness and sadness she felt from hearing his words were mixed with the embarrassment of having her beloved's beautiful face discovered. She gasped.

"There's nothing wrong with that..."

Ji Shumin forced her to turn around, which only made him pant heavily. In the end, Lu Liruan had no choice but to roll over with his help.

Ji Shumin twirled a strand of Lu Liruan's hair around his pale, thin fingertips and leaned forward, as if to let Lu Liruan see him clearly.

"All faces eventually turn to dust and bones. I wonder how long this skin of mine can please you..."

Lu Liruan was speechless at his arrogant attitude.

“There’s no need to feel ashamed or annoyed.” He blinked. “The fact that my sickly appearance can still attract you in this way is truly a blessing from Buddha.”

“Buddha doesn’t care about this,” Lu Liruan sighed.

"Why didn't you become the crown prince?"

"Just as I said today."

“It’s fake. If you want to stay in the position of Crown Prince forever…” Lu Liruan had no doubt.

"Because you don't like the palace." Ji Shumin touched her furrowed brow.

"You were having so much fun with the girl from the farm..." he said softly, "but I've trapped you."

Lu Liruan never expected him to think this way, or to be so accommodating to her.

“You will still come back.” He was certain: “I left with you, and you will eventually come back with me.”

"At that time, it will be under a different identity."

"I want everything..." he said frankly and ambitiously: "I want you, and I want the world."

"I'm willing to do anything to make you happy, except for making you leave."

He spoke of all his desires in the most understated tone.

He lowered his head and, under the cover of night, gently kissed Lu Liruan's temple. With that kiss, his lips parted and closed beside Lu Liruan's ear.

"I have already planned my future mausoleum. There will only be one coffin. Even if Li Ruan and I are reduced to bones, we can still be together."

I don't know how he could speak of such things with such tenderness.

Enveloped in the heavy scent of medicine, Lu Liruan felt a mix of emotions, both bitter and tender, unsure how to react. Ji Shumin's feelings were too heavy.

But Lu Liruan did not feel burdened.

It's a strange feeling, a heavy weight yet also a sense of responsibility entrusted to me.

His Highness the Crown Prince's possessiveness and affection are on par with his ambition; one doesn't know whether to be flattered or to consider stepping back.

"Just stay alive first. You talk a good game, but what's with the medicine you're taking?"

Lu Liruan tilted her head slightly to avoid him. Since he was being so honest and would tell her anything, Lu Liruan didn't hold back.

"Which one is Li Ruan referring to?" Ji Shumin frowned, catching Lu Li Ruan off guard.

Damn, you ate too much!

"So, it's not just a leg injury you have, is it?" Lu Liruan pressed on.

"Oh... you figured it out." Ji Shumin feigned surprise, but his tone was very calm.

"You haven't tried to hide it either, have you?" Lu Liruan sneered.

Ji Shumin smiled frankly: "Yes, I was thinking that if Li Ruan had any bad intentions, I would deal with her." His tone was soft, and his breath teased the side of her neck.

Lu Liruan had no doubt about the truth of his words. If she really did something to harm him, he would definitely not show any mercy.

Making ruthless decisions was a natural part of his daily life.

"Li Ruan, I'm so lonely." He suddenly said, his entire body weight pressing down on Lu Li Ruan, his voice becoming muffled.

"You want to..."

Before Lu Liruan could finish speaking, she felt his breathing suddenly slow down. For a moment, Lu Liruan almost thought he had stopped breathing!

Subconsciously, Lu Liruan reached out and touched his pulse on the side of his neck. There was still a weak beat, and Lu Liruan breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Shumin vaguely sensed Lu Liruan's movements: "I won't die suddenly... I will tell you whatever Liruan wants to know. Let me... rest well first."

Lu Liruan had never seen him show such weakness before. Perhaps it wasn't weakness, but rather that his spirit had truly been stretched to its limit. Because he was with someone he trusted, he was able to let himself collapse.

The taut bowstring finally released its tension, threatening to snap.

Since the afternoon, Ji Shumin had not closed his eyes. During the time when Lu Liruan had fallen asleep, he had a splitting headache but could not rest. Lu Liruan's indifference made him anxious and uneasy. No one had ever affected his emotions so much.

The key was seeing people willing to talk to him, and only after he had firmly grasped their presence did the weariness seep from his very bones completely invade his limbs. Ji Shumin felt as if he had suddenly sunk into an endless darkness.

He didn't find his honesty heavy or offensive; on the contrary, he was pleased with himself for expressing himself completely.

If Lu Liruan knew his relaxed attitude, she would definitely sigh:

His brain is indeed different from that of a normal person.

Lu Liruan was already used to having another person sleeping next to her, so she didn't feel uncomfortable snuggling together like this.

Ji Shumin's faint, almost fading aura subtly became the most familiar to Lu Liruan, hypnotizing her, and before she knew it, she too fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke up the next day, the bedside was empty as always; I didn't know when Ji Shumin had left.

Watching Qinghe tiptoe over to help her change, Lu Liruan felt inexplicably embarrassed.

I was furious with her yesterday and told her to go to rest in the middle of the night, but she went to a different place this morning.

Clearly, Qinghe would not show any attitude, but looking at the bright daylight, Lu Liruan felt that she had been completely fooled.

Although she was mentally prepared, Lu Liruan still felt a tremor in her heart when the imperial edict arrived.

The Emperor granted Ji Shumin's request, removed him from his position as Crown Prince, and allowed him to leave the palace and establish his own residence in the near future.

The mansions in the capital are all ready-made; they can't just be built from scratch. Lu Liruan felt that this "soon" would be very soon.

Suddenly I remembered!

Yesterday, Ji Shumin seemed to say: "Follow the style of the Marquis of He'an's mansion?"

He started building it a long time ago, didn't he?

Once she calmed down, Lu Liruan figured out why Ji Shumin had asked the emperor to depose him from his position as crown prince at this time.

Because of himself, he came to the conclusion from who-knows-where that he disliked the palace and longed for life outside of it.

He is destined to ascend the throne, and ultimately he will have to live in the palace.

So he took advantage of the matter of deposing the crown prince to take her out of the palace and let her live the life she wanted.

Knowing that in the original storyline Ji Shumin was capable of maintaining his position as crown prince, Lu Liruan believed that this change was indeed because of her...

This feeling was so heavy that it made one's chest swell and one's face turn red.

Before Ji Shumin returned, Lu Liruan met the nanny who served the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager invited Lu Liruan over.

Upon entering the palace of the Dowager Consort, Lu Liruan bowed and was led into the inner room by the Dowager Consort's hand.

"Good child, I'm sorry you had to go through this..." The Empress Dowager sighed and pulled Lu Liruan to her side.

Lu Liruan thought she was referring to the matter of deposing the crown prince.

"Your Majesty, please don't worry about me."

"I know about the matter of the Marquis of He'an's residence." The Dowager Consort's expression suddenly turned serious. She was usually all smiles and good-natured, and never mistreated the palace servants. Everyone in the palace said that the Dowager Consort had the heart of a bodhisattva.

But at this moment, her sharp aura made Lu Liruan deeply realize that there was indeed no one in this palace who was truly indifferent to everything and had a soft heart.

The Empress Dowager's information network is incredibly efficient.

Lu Liruan said no more.

"It's good that the Third Prince has left the palace to establish his own residence; at least he can avoid this headwind." The Dowager Consort spoke earnestly, advising Lu Liruan to put her mind at ease.

"I'm perfectly fine, Your Majesty, please don't worry about me," Lu Liruan said with a smile.

"It's good that you're able to think positively. Sometimes forcing things can backfire." The Empress Dowager's words were ambiguous, and it was unclear whether she was referring to Ji Shumin or someone else.

“The Marquis of He’an’s family doesn’t fight or compete, yet people are still plotting against them, really…” Lu Liruan thought the last part of her words meant: “They’ve really messed with the big boss.”

"I summoned you here today to tell you that I'm here to help you. Don't worry about everything on your own. You're so young, yet you're quite capable," the Empress Dowager teased.

Lu Liruan looked at her, knowing that she already knew what she had done.

The Empress Dowager is no ordinary person.

Lu Liruan felt a chill. Yes, how could a woman who chants Buddhist prayers in the deep palace possibly have such methods, even without having a child of her own?

"If you can leave the palace, then take good care of your good-for-nothing father for me." The Empress Dowager spoke with a hint of helplessness when she mentioned her brother.

"Those from the Marquis of He'an's lineage have all their brains and ambitions focused on young women. Don't let what happened yesterday scare your father too much!"

Hearing the Empress Dowager's light laughter, Lu Liruan recalled that Marquis He'an had indeed seemed very uneasy yesterday.

After I leave the palace in a few days, I'll have to give him a good talking-to.

Waiting to leave the palace...

Lu Liruan arrived late, but the thought filled her with joy.

Ji Shumin seemed to understand her better than she did.