AEKMEM chapter 16

An Qiao caught a glimpse of An Yuchun. His expression was indifferent, as if he didn’t recognize An Qiao. His steps were still composed and elegant.

An Yuchun hadn’t appeared in front of him for a while, so An Qiao had automatically relegated all memories of him to the back of his mind. He was always too lazy to pay attention to unimportant people and things.

However, when he heard An Yuchun call him “Big Brother,” An Qiao paused, furrowing his brows slightly.

He had emphasized several times before that An Yuchun shouldn’t address him that way.

But An Yuchun clearly hadn’t taken it to heart, happy to put on a show of “brotherly affection.”

What about the couples’ restaurant An Yuchun mentioned?

A hint of doubt flashed across An Qiao’s cool face.

Chu Heng said he would treat him to a meal to apologize and mentioned that Qingyuan Pavilion was quite good but didn’t say that it was a couples’ restaurant.

Maybe Chu Heng didn’t know or forgot to mention it. After all, couples’ restaurants usually allow more than just couples to book.

An Qiao glanced indifferently at An Yuchun, about to say something.

“Qiao Qiao.” A deep, magnetic voice, as alluring as a cello, suddenly rang out.

An Qiao: “… ”

He stiffened, goosebumps rising on his skin. This address was truly…

Not even the elders of the elf clan who raised him when he was young ever called him so intimately!

“Qiaoqiao, have you been waiting long? I’m sorry. Something suddenly came up at the military headquarters. I promised to pick you up, but I couldn’t make it. Luckily, I made it in time and didn’t miss our dinner.”

Chu Heng’s tone was extremely affectionate, almost tender.

Had An Qiao not seen Chu Heng subtly wink at him from an angle An Yuchun couldn’t see, he would have doubted whether the man in front of him was Chu Heng.

Realizing that Chu Heng was “acting,” An Qiao didn’t bother to expose him.

He shook his head and said calmly, “It hasn’t been long. I just arrived.”

He couldn’t possibly act out an “intimate scene” like Chu Heng could.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.” An Yuchun stood to the side, his eyes wide with astonishment.

Seeing An Qiao appear alone at Qingyuan Pavilion, An Yuchun felt schadenfreude and found it satisfying.

He’d heard that the crown prince had personally gone to the school to pick up An Qiao and had given him a life-saving, specially significant 2S-grade energy shield, showing that he truly valued and liked An Qiao. Now, however, it seemed that was nothing more than a facade. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have refused to accompany An Qiao to the couples’ restaurant, leaving him alone.

His previous actions were probably just to prevent An Qiao, the “Crown Princess,” from being provoked and having his reputation damaged. Since his care was only superficial, going to a couples’ restaurant together was naturally impossible.

Driven by jealousy and resentment toward An Qiao and a desire to see him fall into disgrace, An Yuchun lost his temper and his usual caution. This led him to speak sarcastically to An Qiao.

Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince witnessed it.

Outwardly, An Yuchun maintained a semblance of composure, but inwardly, he was filled with anxiety and panic.

But his anxiety was overshadowed by an intense jealousy.

Why? Even though An Qiao was crippled, why would anyone still care about and protect him?

This person wasn’t just anyone—he was the crown prince of the empire, marshal of the second army corps, and the empire’s strongest beastman!

Was the Crown Prince blind? What did he see in An Qiao?

Although he, like most of the empire’s elves, feared Chu Heng and trembled at the sight of the cold and ruthless emperor, he still coveted the position of crown princess and future empress. Unexpectedly, the brain system matched this good-for-nothing An Qiao with Chu Heng as the Crown Princess!

Even more surprising was that Chu Heng, who had vowed never to marry the crown princess and had always been cold toward elves, seemed to have genuinely fallen for An Qiao. He completely changed his usual cold and ruthless demeanor, becoming incredibly gentle and patient with An Qiao.

“Oh, you’re the illegitimate son the An family just brought back?” Chu Heng half-lifted his eyelids and glanced at him casually.

An Yuchun trembled under that gaze. Those blood-red eyes made him feel as if he were being stared at by a large, ferocious beast.

“Yes…it’s me.” His voice trembled uncontrollably.

“You’re quite bold,” Chu Heng chuckled. However, his eyes remained cold and devoid of any amusement.

An Yuchun turned deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

“I remember my Qiaoqiao doesn’t seem to like you calling him ‘Big Brother,'” said Chu Heng.

He could see the immense animosity An Yuchun harbored toward An Qiao, and he knew An Qiao disliked An Yuchun.

“Don’t call him that anymore.”

“Also, your presence makes An Qiao unhappy. If he’s unhappy, then I, the crown prince, won’t be happy either.”

“So, you should know what to do from now on, right?”

“Let’s go, Qiaoqiao. You must be hungry, too.” The last sentence was addressed to An Qiao. His voice was lower, and his tone was less cold than before toward An Yuchun. It carried a hint of helpless indulgence.

They entered the reserved private room.

An Qiao glanced at Chu Heng displeasedly and said, “Don’t call me that anymore.”

The silver-haired beauty was pale and cold by nature and had an arrogant and aloof temperament. When he looked sideways at someone, the long, narrow tail of his eye lifted slightly, softening his cool distance and adding an indescribable allure.

“You mean… don’t call you like earlier… Qiaoqiao?”
Chu Heng’s lips curved upward as he teased him.

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