AMTPA Chapter 41

Today’s “fishing” went pretty smoothly. With the data in hand, I’m sure Manye Zhe will know how to make good use of it and get rid of some of those rats.

There wasn’t much left that needed Ji Chenxi’s personal attention after that, so he drove his hovercar home, relaxed and unhurried.

When he arrived, his eyes drifted to the ‘mineral rose’ resting on the passenger seat. The flower had cooled down in the cold air, returning to that same icy blue shade he’d first seen it in. If it were winter—or if he kept it somewhere even colder—it would probably deepen into a rich ocean blue.

What had caught Ji Chenxi’s attention back at the auction was exactly this—its ability to shift color with the temperature.

When it’s hot, it burns like a flame; when the warmth fades, it turns cold again—just like love.

He picked up the mineral rose, letting it roll lazily between his fingers. The piece was expensive, but he didn’t seem to care much. Ignoring the people bowing respectfully as he passed, he just wondered where he should put it.

He could build it its own little “home”—even a simple glass case would do. With a temperature control device, he could make it stay any color he wanted. For the price he’d paid, it was certainly worthy of being displayed among his other collectibles. But after thinking about it for a while, Ji Chenxi simply set it down on his dressing table.

The vintage vanity was covered with delicate earrings—mostly dangling ones, though there were also some artistic studs, a few gemstone necklaces, and a handful of bracelets. Sitting quietly among all those sparkling pieces, the mineral rose somehow looked perfectly at home.

The spot didn’t exactly show much respect for a gift like this, but it was where Ji Chenxi sat for a few minutes every morning.

To make room for the rose, a ruby necklace got pushed aside. Ji Chenxi glanced at it—beautiful, deep red—and for a moment, a woman’s face flickered in his mind. After a pause, he carefully gathered all the jewelry he never actually wore and tucked it into a box.

They weren’t really his things anyway. No point in looking at them every day.

The now-cleared surface looked almost bare. Ji Chenxi tapped the mineral rose lightly with his fingertip and asked softly,

“So… are you mine?”

Of course, a lifeless object never answers.

The next morning.

The sky was clear, the air soft and just warm enough — a perfect day to be outside.

But given the information he’d handed over last night, Ji Chenxi was pretty sure Manye Zhe would be busy for a while. He honestly didn’t expect Lu Churan to ask him out today. So when her message popped up during his slow, lazy breakfast, the surprise on his face was obvious.

Could it be that Manye Zhe hadn’t made a move last night?

That thought didn’t last long. When he arrived at the meeting spot, Ji Chenxi not only saw Lu Churan — dazzling as always — but also caught sight of Manye Zhe, whose eyes were shadowed with faint bluish circles.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?” Ji Chenxi asked.

Lu Churan laughed lightly. “Or maybe he didn’t sleep at all.”

Manye Zhe, who indeed hadn’t slept, clearly had no intention of joining the conversation. He lowered his eyes, pretending to nap, trying to steal a few seconds of rest.

Seeing that, Ji Chenxi said gently, “If you’re that tired, why not head back and rest? We can always meet another day.”

Lu Churan immediately objected. “But I really want to look around Imperial Star today. I’ve spent almost my whole life on the Twelfth Fairy Star — this is my first time here!”

The message was clear: even if Manye Zhe went back, she wasn’t going to.

She was about the same age as Chi Zhuo, yet when she said that, there was still a bit of girlish charm in her tone — soft, playful, and impossible to turn down.

Manye Zhe clearly wasn’t used to seeing this side of her. He hesitated, lips parting slightly as if to speak.

Just as Ji Chenxi thought he was about to respond to Lu Churan, Manye Zhe suddenly turned to him instead and asked,

“Who did you meet with yesterday?”

Unexpectedly, it wasn’t just Lu Churan — even Manye Zhe was now curious about his private life.

Ji Chenxi’s eyes curved slightly as he smiled. “Went to see the one who gave me the flower.”

“The person I saw before?”

“Mm-hm. You could say that.” Ji Chenxi’s answer was vague, teasing even. Then he added, “You sure you don’t want to rest a bit?”

But Manye Zhe, who had looked half-asleep just moments ago, suddenly seemed to wake up as if he’d just inhaled a lungful of fresh air. The drowsiness vanished from his face almost instantly. “I’m fine. This is nothing for me — I can hang out with you guys.”

Lu Churan raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly not expecting Manye Zhe to change his mind that fast.

Ji Chenxi, however, just kept smiling — polite, warm, and perfectly oblivious to the subtle tension between the other two.

Their destination that day was a park on Imperial Star. Not far from the ticket booth were a few stands selling fruit juice. Using that as an excuse, Ji Chenxi offered to buy drinks and wandered off first, leaving the two some space to talk. Sure enough, by the time he came back, Manye Zhe — who’d just insisted on tagging along — was gone.

Ji Chenxi arched a brow.

Lu Churan did the same when she saw he’d only brought back two cups of juice. Clearly, he’d expected Manye Zhe to leave.

As a royal, Ji Chenxi could’ve easily taken the VIP route — they’d have cleared out the entire park if he’d wanted, and the park director himself would’ve probably come along to give him a private tour. But Ji Chenxi didn’t go for that. Instead, he lined up like everyone else, bought tickets, and led Lu Churan inside.

He was dressed casually, relaxed and understated. Lu Churan, on the other hand, was stunning — elegant outfit, light makeup, every detail just right. They drew plenty of glances as they walked, and even a few people secretly snapped photos. Yet the two covert bodyguards following her — there to protect this high-born omega’s safety and privacy — didn’t stop them.

Amused, Ji Chenxi waited until they reached a quieter spot before turning to her with a half-smile.

“Miss Lu,” he said, “don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me at first sight?”

Lu Churan opened her folding fan, covering the lower half of her face as she smiled.

“All this way,” she said playfully, “I thought Your Highness wasn’t going to ask. So tell me — do you think I am in love with you at first sight?”

Ji Chenxi chuckled. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“But Manye Zhe seems to think so,” she said, eyes glinting. “He was so uneasy about me walking with you that he even told me you already have… someone special. That person — wouldn’t happen to be the one who gave you flowers yesterday, would it?”

Ji Chenxi couldn’t help but laugh. He hadn’t even started questioning her, yet somehow, she’d turned the tables and was testing him first.

“Hold on,” he said lightly, “maybe I should be the one asking the questions. You came here with Manye Zhe, yet once you met up with me, you found a way to send him off. That feels a bit unnecessary, doesn’t it? If you didn’t want him coming along, you could’ve just told him not to from the start. So how should I read this little setup of yours?”

“With Your Highness’s sharp mind and skill at reading people,” Lu Churan said smoothly, “why don’t you take a guess?”

Ji Chenxi’s brows drew together slightly. There was no way she’d suddenly developed romantic feelings for him — just yesterday, she’d been more interested in the person who’d sent him that flower.

“Was this your family’s idea?” he asked. “Or Morning Star’s?” Then, after a pause, he added, “Though if I had to guess, I’d say Morning Star. On paper, you’re the heiress of the Twelfth Fairy Star’ most powerful family, but in truth, you’ve already taken control after that power struggle. Those old folks can’t exactly dictate who you marry. So, if you personally have no interest in me… there’s only one explanation left — Morning Star’s stirring the pot.”

Morning Star — their little seven-person group’s leader — the true schemer among them.

“‘Stirring the pot,’ hmm?” Lu Churan said with a soft laugh. “If Morning Star heard that, I think he’d be heartbroken. You’re the ruler he admires most, after all. Everything he’s done — gathering us, building this circle — it’s all to help you.”

“So you’re admitting it then?” Ji Chenxi asked, smiling faintly.

“The lake here is beautiful,” she said instead, deftly changing the subject. “Why don’t we take a boat out? We can talk more once we’re seated.”

Ji Chenxi looked toward the lake — deep blue, calm, reflecting the sunlight like scattered glass — and nodded in agreement. Along the shore were rows of rental boats. The price was steep, but that didn’t stop plenty of people from lining up, eager to drift across the quiet water.

When their little boat drifted to the middle of the lake, Lu Churan finally spoke, her tone soft and calm.

“Actually, before we came here, I already told Manye Zhe about our plan,” she said. “He agreed. After all, it wouldn’t look proper if I’d met with you alone from the start. But if he suddenly had to leave midway, then the two of us — one Alpha, one Omega — spending the day together wouldn’t seem strange. Still, just wandering around together wouldn’t be enough to get the result we want. So next, I’ll ‘accidentally’ fall into the water. You’ll jump in without hesitation and save me. And after being rescued, I’ll naturally develop feelings for you. Out of gratitude, I’ll offer my full support — even bring my family’s influence to back you up. That part of the story makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?”

She gave him a small, knowing smile before continuing. “At that point, Your Highness would have two choices. The first — we announce an engagement. As your fiance, my help would seem proper and legitimate. The second — you make it clear that you have no romantic feelings for me, but if I still choose to love you from afar, well… no one can stop that. Then, you could pick another bride from one of the four legions or the four great noble families. Morning Star prefers the second option. That way, you’d gain one more faction’s support. He’s even picked out a few suitable candidates already.”

Ji Chenxi had listened quietly the whole time. Only when she finished did he say, “So that’s why you invited me to this forest park — even making a point to say you wanted to mingle with the crowd.”

“Morning Star said it’d be best if we got some pictures and attention out of it,” Lu Churan admitted with a faint laugh. “You’ve been keeping too low a profile lately, and public support matters. A ‘hero-saves-the-damsel’ moment would boost your image in no time. But honestly, with Your Highness’s looks, I think you’d win fans even without playing hero.”

Ji Chenxi smiled too, but this time there was a trace of frost behind his eyes. “Since Morning Star planned all this so carefully, why didn’t he tell me himself?”

She hesitated, then said, “He figured you’d refuse outright if he did. But if the request came from me — an Omega — you’d be less likely to turn me down.”

Ji Chenxi had suspected as much from the moment he noticed her little signals with Manye Zhe. Even so, it still annoyed him.

But standing before an Omega, he kept his temper in check. His voice stayed warm as he asked, “So, Miss Lu — do you actually plan to go through with this?”

Lu Churan tilted her head slightly. “If I fall into the lake, will Your Highness save me?”

“Of course,” Ji Chenxi said, his voice steady.

“Even if it means letting their plan lead you by the nose?”

“Compared to your safety, that doesn’t matter,” Ji Chenxi replied.

After all, the two of them had known each other for years.

Lu Churan smiled, this time not bothering to hide behind her fan. The gentle curve of her lips softened her small, delicate frame, giving her the quiet warmth of an older sister.

“But I’ve changed my mind,” she said softly. “I don’t want to go through with the plan anymore. Manye Zhe asked what you did after last night — he even wanted to stay behind for you. He just wanted to respect your choice. And now, I want to do the same. Even if we were to carry this out, it should only be with Bai Wei’s approval. Before you’re the one we’re destined to follow, you’re still our little rose first.”

That faint irritation from earlier melted away at the sound of her calm, gentle voice.

Ji Chenxi sighed, half helpless, half amused. “The lake water’s still cold this time of year — not even June yet. Let’s skip the part where you ‘accidentally’ fall in.”

Lu Churan laughed. “Looks like Your Highness just turned me down. Still, I am curious — who exactly is that mysterious someone you’re seeing? You really don’t plan to tell me?”

Ji Chenxi only shook his head. “Even if I didn’t have anyone, I’d still turn this proposal down.”

As he spoke, his comm bracelet gave a soft buzz. He lowered his gaze to check the screen — and there it was, a new message flashing at the top:

[Your Highness is doing great — you take my flower, and the next thing I hear, you’re getting cozy with some little girl.]

Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)