She accidentally flirted with the villain and was fiercely criticized as the regent for forcibly mar

She silently wrote down her regrets in her heart.

This face is truly handsome, and the voice is truly pleasant; he excels in every way. But there's nothing I can do; my mind is filled with memories and images of the original owner being cruelly retaliated against by the male and female leads, so I simply dare not look at him for long.

The male and female leads are destined to be together, so she dares not have the slightest involvement! What if the female lead's die-hard fans misunderstand, or the male and female leads feel disgusted by their past involvement with her and want to cause her trouble?

Even though she knows many secrets, the male and female leads' aura is too overwhelming; she simply can't compete!

She absolutely did not want to be forced to follow the same path of death as the original owner!

So she decided to just be blunt, so he wouldn't always think he could fool her!

"Duke Shao, the woman who once caught your eye is your true love. Besides, I can't help but think that you approached her without ulterior motives. So, it's best if we remain acquaintances."

Shao Yunting was surprised.

Besides himself, only Xie Lanheng knew about this. How could she know?

Jiang Ruining smiled and said, "It was on the second floor of the teahouse. I was there at the time. You rode by and saw Chu Jin sitting by the window. Your eyes lit up when you looked back at her, and afterwards you even asked Xie Lanheng to help you inquire about her."

"I consider myself to be beautiful and radiant; in a crowd, I would definitely be the most eye-catching one. But look, I'm here too, yet you didn't notice me at all when you passed by, did you?"

To Shao Yunting's surprise, he hadn't noticed her at the time.

"You have exceptional observational skills, more so than any woman I've ever met. In fact, you are one of the most intelligent people I've ever known."

Jiang Ruining gave a dry laugh.

Those who are not narcissistic and think they are really smart are just relying on reading novels and remembering a lot of details and secrets!

Shao Yunting did not deny it, and said sincerely, "That first glance was indeed stunning, but I didn't understand her. The stunningness was only in appearance. After seeing her again three months later, I am sure that I have no romantic feelings for her."

"Just as you said, you were the most eye-catching in terms of gifts. I didn't see you; it must be because of the angle!"

Jiang Ruining: "..." I didn't expect him to be able to argue like that!

Shao Yun stopped and approached: "Ningning, are you truly not even slightly attracted to me?"

The shadow fell, enveloping Jiang Ruining. She instinctively took two steps back and said honestly, "It's hard not to feel my heart flutter when such a handsome face is right in front of me saying such sweet words, but my heart flutters just as much when I see other handsome men."

"Chun Chun is just lustful; she has absolutely nothing to do with romantic love."

Shao Yunting was stunned by her "self-awareness".

Clearly, I've never heard such bold and unrestrained remarks before.

"Who can make your heart flutter? The Regent?"

Jiang Ruining felt a slight tremor in her heart upon hearing this name.

But does she have an obligation to report to anyone she's attracted to?

Obviously not!

She smiled, but her expression was cold: "It's very impolite to pry into a girl's private life!"

Shao Yunting caught a fleeting emotion in her eyes, a mixture of melancholy and impatience, but it vanished before he could discern it. Seeing her gaze turn cold, he didn't press further and said apologetically, "Okay, I won't ask."

Jiang Ruining really admires his dedication to his work. He is truly willing to make sacrifices to win over the ministers for the young emperor!

If she really wants to marry him and have his children, does he really intend to marry her and consummate the marriage?

When the female lead took over, wasn't it... dirty?

Even though he was willing to sacrifice himself, she was unwilling to be used, and even less willing to become someone's pawn in the end.

"My accompanying Xiao Che represents only my personal stance. I cannot interfere with my father's and brother's decisions. You can try a different approach and advocate for your master's position."

Shao Yunting's eyes flickered slightly.

She has indeed observed a lot by staying in the shadows where no one is watching over her all these years!

But he was certain that she didn't know who was behind him, since she had no way of contacting that person! Moreover, they had done a lot of work, and even if the Regent investigated, he would only find that he had contact with people from the Cui family.

He shook his head, his gaze fixed on her like ripples spreading across a lake: "At first, I did approach you with an ulterior motive, but as I got closer, I saw your intelligence, cunning, and uniqueness, and I truly liked you."

"This affection has nothing to do with one's stance!"

Jiang Ruining couldn't see a trace of lying in his eyes, and felt like she was going crazy!

From arrogant and foolish to feigning stupidity, there are two different people inside. However, because they are wearing the same skin, it becomes evidence of her extraordinary intelligence, which unexpectedly attracts the male protagonist's attention!

But no matter how intelligent she is, she's just a supporting character!

Why is the male lead staring at the female lead instead of going to find her or following the plot?

She panicked a little: "But I'm also very sure that I don't have any romantic feelings for you."

Shao Yunting's expression was calm and composed: "I know, but I want to give it a try. Whether it succeeds or not, at least I won't regret it later. Don't worry, I won't do anything to damage your reputation; you just need to enjoy the process of my pursuit."

Jiang Ruining: "..."

Talking to him feels like entering a maze; once you're in, you can't get out!

The last sentence, if placed in a contemporary romance novel, wouldn't it be a typical line from a domineering CEO?

Shao Yunting couldn't see her expression behind the veil, but her helpless, almost scratching-her-head-in-the-head look was adorable, full of youthful energy and vibrancy, adding a touch of freshness to his stressful life.

boom!

I heard a loud thud behind me as something heavy fell into the bushes.

The two turned to look over.

Then they saw a person lying upside down in the holly bushes.

A man with a chilling aura stood to the side.

Jiang Ruining tilted her head, puzzled. What was going on?

Shao Yunting, however, saw it very clearly.

The two men's eyes met in the air, and invisible sparks flew as neither of them yielded.

He raised his hand and gently ruffled Jiang Ruining's hair: "I'm fairly capable. If you encounter any problems, you can come to me anytime, and I will do my best."

After saying that, she turned and left, ignoring the man's glare that seemed to want to tear him to pieces.

Jiang Ruining couldn't understand how he could still laugh after being rejected so firmly and without hesitation by her.

The hairs on my arms stood on end.

Why do I feel a little chilly even though it's the middle of summer and the air is scorching hot?

I quickly moved to stand in the sun.

The scorching sun was shining on me, but it still felt cool.

My heart is starting to race. What if there's something dirty in this place?

……

After resolving the issues between the Xu and Cui families, Xiao Che came out of the resting place.

Seeing Jiang Ruining teasing Xu Nianyin, her cunning expression was just like that of a mischievous little animal.

A gentle smile flickered in his eyes.

The next second, Shao Yunting appeared in front of her, and the two even started chatting. It was as if dark clouds had passed through her eyes, leaving only a cold and gloomy atmosphere.