After refusing marriage, she was pampered by the prince who acted as a shield.

Chapter 21: Do you like me?

King Jinglie glanced at the delicate woman hiding behind him, feigning fear, and a smile flashed in his eyes.

He turned to Luo Lan, and in the blink of an eye, his expression changed.

"What is Miss Luo trying to do?"

His face was grim, his brows furrowed slightly, and a chilling, intimidating glint flashed in his narrow, fox-like eyes.

He shielded the trembling Lin Rusi behind him and sneered, "Miss Luo, do you intend to hit someone in public?"

King Jinglie's angry roar abruptly pulled Luo Lan back from the brink of madness.

Meeting Jing Lie Wang's cold, unsettling gaze, Luo Lan's heart sank to the bottom.

Her legs trembled, and her face was deathly pale. "Your Highness, I..."

In front of everyone, she had threatened to teach Lin Rusi a lesson; no amount of explanation could change that.

Luo Lan bit her lip in frustration, knowing full well that she had been tricked by Lin Rusi.

Unfortunately, King Jinglie was protecting her, so no matter how dissatisfied Luo Lan was, she could only swallow her resentment and leave reluctantly.

Once the person was out of sight, Lin Rusi softly thanked King Jinglie.

"Thank you for your help, Your Highness. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid..."

She blinked, squeezed out two tears, and her performance was incredibly convincing.

King Jinglie laughed heartily, "Just now, Miss Lin was quick-witted and knew how to conduct herself properly. How could she be afraid of a brainless fool?"

Lin Rusi felt embarrassed after being exposed by Prince Jinglie.

She cleared her throat, wiped away her tears, and said, "It seems Your Highness has misunderstood me."

King Jinglie smiled enigmatically and said, "It seems I have truly misunderstood."

"However, Miss Lin is as clever as rumored, but she's not as arrogant as she used to be."

A dark glint flashed in Lin Rusi's eyes as she recalled her past life.

In her past life, she was too arrogant, which led to her own downfall and death.

She will take this as a lesson for the rest of her life and never dare to follow the same path again.

She avoids showing off her talents and prefers to keep a low profile.

"Indeed, seeing is believing."

Lin Rusi looked at Prince Jinglie with a forced smile and awkwardly explained, "Rumors are just exaggerated stories fabricated by people."

"That's right, they're all exaggerations."

King Jinglie agreed, but his eyes kept darting back and forth across her profile.

Lin Rusi could sense his gaze.

King Jinglie may seem unassuming, but he possesses exceptional insight and a profound and unfathomable mind.

Perhaps they noticed something, but remained silent.

As I was pondering, King Jinglie's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

"After talking with Miss Lin for so long, I still don't know what you like."

When asked about her favorite items, Lin Rusi immediately thinks of glittering gold and flashy jewelry.

In her past life, she loved money, expensive and trendy jewelry, and fine silks and satins—all common things.

Of course, my favorite thing to do is to bully Lin Ruqin.

Recalling the past, Lin Rusi felt a sense of loss.

Having lived a lifetime, she has come to see many things clearly: seemingly luxurious things are nothing more than decorative ornaments.

It's absolutely impossible for them to bully Lin Ruqin now.

As for the rest...

Lin Rusi couldn't remember anything.

Other noble ladies were skilled in needlework, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she knew nothing about these things.

In my past life, I was only concerned with indulging in a life of luxury and extravagance. I never knew I should learn a skill to rely on.

Lin Rusi felt a pang of regret, realizing that she had wasted her previous life in a life of decadence and extravagance.

Fortunately, she was given a second chance to change everything; otherwise, she probably wouldn't be able to find peace even in the afterlife.

"What are you thinking about?"

The voice of King Jinglie pulled Lin Rusi out of her chaotic thoughts. She steadied herself and stared blankly into the distance.

"My daughter can't think of anything she likes."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "You should decide what you like based on your own feelings."

"You might like it now, but you might not like it later. Aren't humans fickle creatures?"

King Jinglie frowned, realizing another layer of meaning from Lin Rusi's words.

Her implication was that she might like him now, and enjoy his wealth and status, but that might not be the case in the future.

Thinking of this, King Jinglie felt a tightness in his chest; this woman was truly extraordinary.

The small boat drifted on the emerald green lake, creating ripples in circles.

King Jinglie remained silent throughout, his face expressionless as he gazed thoughtfully at the distant, rolling mountains.

Lin Rusi felt strange. Just a moment ago she was talking non-stop, how come she's acting like a completely different person?

"Your Highness?"

Prince Jinglie looked at her, and Li Xucai continued to ask, "Is Your Highness feeling unwell?"

King Jinglie tugged at the corners of his lips, a hint of bitterness in his smile.

"What you just said has bothered me greatly."

What did I just say?

Lin Rusi pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Was it the prince who asked me what I liked, and I answered?"

King Jinglie looked hurt, nodded slightly, and sighed, "I know that your marriage to me was not voluntary."

"But since things have come to this point, and we are powerless to change the situation, why don't we try to make things a little better for each other?"

He gazed earnestly at Lin Rusi, his expression sorrowful, "I wanted to know more about you, but I didn't expect you to be so uninterested..."

Lin Rusi was somewhat bewildered.

What is Li Jingyang doing?

However, when he was sad, he looked so pitiful that people couldn't help but want to care for and love him.

Lin Rusi's most tender part was deeply touched.

In her past life, she liked handsome men, especially those who were pitiful and lovable.

Therefore, he was bewitched by Li Zeyan and embarked on a path of no return.

He had finally managed to escape Li Zeyan in this lifetime, but unexpectedly, he encountered Li Jingyang, who was even more stunning and lovable than him.

If it were her past life, Lin Rusi would definitely have been unable to hold back and would have shown weakness to Prince Jinglie.

She can't continue like this!

Lin Rusi pinched her palm hard, and the excruciating pain immediately brought her to her senses.

She composed herself and looked earnestly at Prince Jinglie. "Your Highness, what I said is from the bottom of my heart."

"It's not that I don't want to get to know Your Highness, it's just that I'm hungry and don't have any refined hobbies."

“I no longer find the gold and silver jewelry that I used to like attractive, which is why I said those things. I wasn’t just trying to appease the prince.”

King Jinglie stared intently at Lin Rusi, his eyes filled with emotion, and asked, "Really?"

Lin Rusi suppressed her urge to bring Prince Jinglie under her control and said seriously, "Really!"

A sly glint flashed in King Jinglie's eyes. He half-closed his eyes, and his long, curled eyelashes fell like raven feathers, making him even more alluring and captivating.

"And what about me?"

His eyes misted over, giving him a captivating allure. "Miss Lin always says I'm handsome. Do you like me?"

The two people were standing extremely close, only a fist's distance away from touching.