I've Got This Cannon Fodder Trope Covered!

Chapter 36

His gaze was bright and gentle, causing Wei Hanzhang's heart to skip a beat. She hurriedly lowered her eyelids to avoid his gaze and said, "Don't push me..."

A feeling of inexplicable annoyance grew within her.

This man was at such a high level; in her two lives, she had seen many handsome men, yet she almost fell for him. She couldn't help but wonder how many young girls he had charmed with this demeanor.

What she didn't realize was that Xiao Junzhan, who was always composed and dignified, felt just as tense under her repeated questioning. If he weren't genuinely interested...

"Alright, I won't push you," Xiao Junzhan said softly. "It's getting late today. How about I draw a portrait of you tomorrow?"

A portrait?

Wei Hanzhang was taken aback and showed some hesitation. "It's not appropriate for a woman's portrait to be... publicly displayed..."

"It won't be shared," Xiao Junzhan replied with a low chuckle. "It will be a private collection, for my eyes only."

"......" Wei Hanzhang felt somewhat uneasy under his smile and said, "I can't tomorrow; I have to attend a banquet at Princess Chang Le's residence to celebrate Princess Cheng Yi's coming-of-age ceremony."

After a few days together, Wei Hanzhang was no longer as reserved as at the beginning and casually asked, "Princess Cheng Yi is your niece by relation; will you be attending tomorrow?"

Xiao Junzhan paused slightly before answering, "I have other matters to attend to tomorrow and have already sent gifts in my stead."

"I thought you were just going through letters every day..." Wei Hanzhang laughed. "What a coincidence! I can't come to see you because I'm attending a banquet, and you also happen to have other commitments."

The speaker had no intention, but the listener was thoughtful. Xiao Junzhan's gaze dimmed for a moment, feeling somewhat helpless, not knowing how to honestly declare his identity.

He hadn't intended to hide anything from the start; it was just that when she misunderstood, he hadn't thought to explain immediately.

Now, he found himself in a difficult position.

Normally rational and calm, once he developed feelings, he cast aside his usual composure and was left utterly bewildered.

Wei Hanzhang also noticed that he seemed troubled. After thinking for a moment, she reasoned that his worries weren't about her but rather related to court matters. Seeing that it was getting late, she decided to take her leave.

.........

Xiao Junzhan did not insist on keeping her. As usual, he personally escorted her to the gate and stood there for a long time after she left, not moving.

Ning Hai, as a witness, had some knowledge of his master's inner troubles. As he stood there with his head lowered, he suddenly heard his master call him and hurriedly bowed, saying, "I'm here, Your Highness."

Xiao Junzhan rarely showed hesitation, but this time, he did as he asked, "How do you think I should reveal my true identity to Ranran?"

Ning Hai secretly felt bitter inside. As a eunuch, he had no experience with matters of romance, and knowing how much His Highness valued this Wei family girl, he didn't dare to offer advice lightly.

After hesitating for a long time, he cautiously suggested, "Perhaps... you could tell her the truth? These days, I've noticed that Miss Wei has become more and more affectionate toward you. It doesn't seem like she's indifferent..."