After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

Xie Xing shrank back. "Haha, Your Highness, I was just curious."

"If Your Highness gets angry, I won't ask anymore."

What a contrast, Your Highness.

Would you still be shy after kissing someone?

Jun Lanjin: "..."

He took a deep breath, slammed an angry character onto his forehead, and punched Xie Xing on the head.

"I forbid you from having such wild thoughts."

Xie Xing covered his head and replied with a wronged tone, "Oh."

It's true that you can't joke around.

The night was utterly silent.

Xie Xing and Jun Lanjin walked ahead. As they walked, Xie Xing asked, "Since Your Highness has no interest in the throne, what are Your Highness's plans for the future?"

Xie Xing walked beside Jun Lanjin, tilting his head to look at Jun Lanjin's profile.

Upon hearing this, Jun Lanjin paused for a moment: "I bear a heavy burden. Some things are not something that I can do as I please."

What does it mean?

Xie Xing had some doubts.

Having risen to the position of Jun Lanjin, even the emperor listened to him without question; basically, the emperor never refused anything Jun Lanjin said.

The throne is something he can have if he agrees.

However, Jun Lanjin's expression remained calm and indifferent, as if he had little desire for worldly things.

Xie Xing seemed to have figured something out.

So, is the key to increasing goodwill what Jun Lanjin truly wants?

Xie Xing felt as if he had been enlightened.

Yes.

She had known Jun Lanjin for so long, but she had never asked him what he really wanted or what he liked.

The concern should have been whether Jun Lanjin could survive, and how he would survive.

Now that living a long life is no longer an issue, we should start thinking about Junlan Jin's own needs.

Xie Xing asked the system.

The system said: [Regarding this person, the plot doesn't mention what he originally liked. Besides his intelligent appearance, the most frequent description of him upon his introduction is his ruthlessness.]

【ruthless?】

Yes, he basically lacks the normal emotions a person should have. To him, people are either useful or not; it's extremely difficult to truly get to his heart.

Xie Xing frowned.

She felt that what the system said was wrong.

At least she could still sense that Jun Lanjin was still a person with flesh and blood, with the normal emotions that a person should have.

The system stated: "Even if it's his own mother, upon discovering her betrayal, he'll risk his life to take her with him."

Such people are always weighing the pros and cons.

He was even more rational than the male lead.

You can't manipulate people with emotions.

Upon hearing the system's response, Jun Lanjin chuckled inwardly.

That's quite a good point.

I wonder how Xie Xing will respond after hearing about this?

Will she be like she was with Luo Hanfeng, fearing and staying away from him?

Or should I feign compliance with him for the sake of the mission?

Jun Lanjin's dark eyes were like polished lacquer, and a sense of anticipation, unknown even to himself, was rising within him.

Xie Xingdao asked, "Why do I need to know what kind of person he is?"

Xie Xing felt a sense of bewilderment. She said, "What right do I have to judge others? I just need to know what he needs, and I'll provide it."

Moreover, she received kindness from someone, yet she went behind their back to judge them as a cold-hearted person and became wary of them. That's just too ungrateful.

What's the difference between what she did and what Xie Mingzhu did?

All things deteriorate regardless of one's heart; no one is always pure-hearted and perfect.

Everyone has flaws. Should she harbor resentment towards someone who has saved her countless times because of some inexplicable remark?

It's fair to say that without Jun Lanjin, she wouldn't even be alive today in this ancient world.

She should have been killed by her naivety when she fell off the cliff.

Where does a second chance come from?

The system replied: "I don't know about that. After all, the book focuses most on the male and female leads, and doesn't give as much attention to the villains."

[A villain who has achieved a comeback, possessing both a certain identity and appearance, has already become a highly sought-after character. If a childhood trauma were added to justify all his actions, then the male lead would no longer be Luo Hanfeng, but rather Jun Lanjin.]

[This is something you, the host, will have to discover for yourself.]

Xie Xing: "..."

Fine.

She can dig it herself if she wants.

Xie Xing feels that she is currently in a relationship with Jun Lanjin.

While Xie Xing was pondering how to figure out what Jun Lanjin wanted, little did he know that Jun Lanjin, after overhearing the conversation between Xie Xing and the system, slowly stopped in his tracks.

For the first time, he stared blankly at Xie Xing's back.

Xie Xing, who was ahead, finally realized that Jun Lanjin hadn't followed, so he stopped and turned around to look at Jun Lanjin with a puzzled expression: "Your Highness?"

She beckoned to Jun Lanjin: "Your Highness, what are you doing standing there? Come over here quickly."

The full moon hung high in the sky, and not far behind the two, flames spread. The red and cool moonlight was soft, and the faint warm light shone on Xie Xing's face.

At this moment, those clear eyes fell on Jun Lanjin, and within the jewel-like bright pupils was a little bit of red light, and a tall figure.

It was his figure.

"Plop, plop."

At this moment, Jun Lanjin's heart was pounding.

He covered his chest with his hand, his face showing some confusion.

strangeness.

Why does he feel his heart beating so fast?

"Your Majesty?"

Seeing that he didn't move, Xie Xing walked over, took Jun Lanjin's hand with her cool little hand, and gently lifted him up, saying in a soft, girlish voice:

"Your Highness, why aren't you leaving?"

Are you feeling unwell?

"Your hands are so cold, let me warm them for you."

"So, Your Highness, what is it that you really want to do? Tell me, and maybe you can make it happen in the future?"

Xie Xing's chattering voice rang in Jun Lanjin's ears.

What overlapped with this was what echoed in Jun Lanjin's mind—

“Jin’er, you have carried the fate of the family since you were a child. You are not just yourself, you are the entire Jun family.”

"Jin'er, you should know that in this world, only when you are strong will people give way to you."

"Jin'er, stand up! You're all alone on this path; no one will help you."

"..."

Behind him were the solemn and dignified voices of countless clan elders.

Serious, expectant, proud...

He had shouldered the burden of the entire Jun family since childhood. His father died early, and he was the only male heir in the Jun family. The Jun family was huge, and its resources were coveted by many, with the other three major clans around them eyeing it covetously.

He shouldered everything, carrying the weight of the vast Jun family on his back.

He gradually rose to a high position, believing that it was the result of his lifelong struggle and hard work, and that he was rightfully entitled to that position.

Until one day, he heard a voice from his heart—

Everything has changed.