The Rise of a General's Daughter-in-Law Doctor

At this point, he felt somewhat guilty, as if he was ashamed for having harbored murderous intentions towards Li Muxia, or as if he was ashamed for admitting that he had once fallen in love with a man.

Seeing this, Li Muxia was somewhat incredulous. If he remembered correctly, they had only spent a few days together. How could one man be so deeply in love with another?

Long Haonan paused for a moment and continued, "I know this is absurd, but I just can't control myself. I think this is what people often call love at first sight. My main purpose in coming to the Eastern Kingdom this time was to find you, but I didn't expect to actually meet you halfway. I think this is fate. I had already made up my mind to be with you even if you were a man, but I didn't expect you to be a young lady from the General's Mansion. You don't know how happy I was when I found out you were a woman. I think we can finally be together legitimately. I go to see you every day, and even when I can't see you, I think about you. I thought you liked me too. At least when you saw me, you had a smile on your face, unlike when you saw Prince Rui and Prince Huai."

Hearing this, Li Muxia realized that Long Haonan had misunderstood. At that time, there was some distance between her and Prince Rui, so seeing him was mostly awkward. Prince Huai was afraid, worried that she would be captured by him again. Only Long Haonan was someone she treated as a friend. She didn't expect that her different treatment would cause him to misunderstand.

Long Haonan continued, "I made a request to the emperor of the Eastern Kingdom for a marriage alliance, but I did not say in advance which family's daughter it was, because I discovered that there were other people who had their eyes on you, and I could not alert them."

"However, I never expected you to reject me at the palace banquet. I thought we were of one mind."

He looked at Li Muxia in disbelief, as if he wanted to ask for an answer.

Li Muxia sighed and said, "Your Highness, I really didn't know you... I'm sorry, it's my fault. I've done too many things that have caused Your Highness to misunderstand."

Long Haonan's eyes were full of hurt: "A misunderstanding? Is it really all a misunderstanding?"

Li Muxia didn't dare to look him in the eye, and lowered her head to whisper, "I'm sorry."

Long Haonan: "You really never liked me even a little bit?"

Li Muxia knew that she could no longer hesitate or give him any hope. She raised her head and looked at Long Haonan seriously, saying, "Your Highness, I have always regarded you as a friend and have never had any romantic feelings for you."

These words were cruel. Long Haonan knew he had lost; he had no hope left.

But still, she couldn't give up and asked, "Is it because you already have someone you like?"

Li Muxia nodded, then shook her head.

Long Haonan said, "It is Prince Rui."

The tone is firm; it is both a question and an affirmative statement.

Li Muxia looked at Long Haonan and said, "I do like Prince Rui, but that's not why I rejected you."

Long Haonan interrupted Li Muxia, saying with a hint of loss, "I know, you just don't like me."

Seeing the light fade from Long Haonan's eyes, Li Muxia wanted to say something to comfort him, but in the end, she said nothing.

A silence fell between them. Li Muxia didn't disturb Long Haonan; she thought he needed time to calm himself down.

After a long while, Long Haonan seemed to have composed himself, and asked with a relieved smile, "We're still friends, right?"

He had thought a lot during this time and realized that there was no possibility between him and Li Muxia. He didn't want to give up on Li Muxia, but he also couldn't use forceful means to keep her by his side. Now, all he could think of was that he couldn't lose Li Muxia, and he would be content even if he could stay by her side as a friend.

Originally, when he thought she was a man, he had already made up his mind to keep her by his side, even if it was just to see her, talk to her, and see her every day. Now it's just the same as before.

Seeing Long Haonan's expression, Li Muxia knew that he had probably come to his senses, and her mood lightened. She smiled and said, "Of course, it is my honor to be a good friend of the Crown Prince."

The two smiled at each other, like old friends.

"It seems I've missed something?"

The two were startled by the sudden sound and turned to look at the person who had come.

Li Muxia asked in surprise, "Your Highness? What are you doing here?"

Looking at Li Muxia's eyes full of doting affection, Dongfang Jincheng realized that he had arrived long ago. He had simply sat aside and watched the two of them open up. When he heard Li Muxia admit to Long Haonan that she liked him, he was so happy that he wanted to hold that little woman in his arms and pamper her.

However, he held back until the two of them actually had a proper conversation.

However, seeing the two of them smiling at each other, he felt a little jealous, which is why he stepped forward and appeared beside them.

Long Haonan felt a burning hatred in his heart when he saw Dongfang Jincheng, but on the surface he said calmly, "Prince Rui wouldn't be so petty. He would even get jealous when Mu Xia chats with her friends."

As soon as the sarcastic words fell, Dongfang Jincheng said with a smile, "Your Highness is joking. I am happy for Mu Xia that she has a few good friends. How could I be jealous? As for Your Highness, I thought you would be sad for a while after being rejected. I didn't expect you to let it go so quickly. Your Highness is indeed able to take things in stride. You are worthy of being the Crown Prince of a country."

While seemingly praising Long Haonan, the implication is that Long Haonan's feelings are too frivolous.

Li Muxia could easily sense the tension between the two, so she quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "We've been chatting for so long, I'm hungry. I haven't had lunch yet, Your Highness. Have you eaten?"

Long Haonan and Dongfang Jincheng both looked at Li Muxia. Dongfang Jincheng said with a doting expression, "I am indeed hungry too."

Then he looked at Long Haonan and said, "Crown Prince, would you like to come along?"

Seeing the unintentional affection between the two, how could Long Haonan possibly stay any longer?

She rose, cupped her hands in greeting, and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I will not go. Farewell."

After saying that, he gave Li Muxia a deep look, then turned and left.

Seeing Li Muxia staring intently in the direction Long Haonan had left, Dongfang Jincheng asked with a hint of jealousy, "What, aren't you hungry now?"

Li Muxia withdrew her gaze, looked at Dongfang Jincheng, and chuckled: "Is Your Highness jealous?"

Dongfang Jincheng readily admitted, "Yes, so you should stay away from those men in the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Muxia strode forward, saying as she walked, "That won't do. I'm a doctor, and I'll inevitably have to come into contact with all sorts of men in the future. Your Highness should be prepared and rein in your jealousy."

Dongfang Jincheng caught up with Li Muxia and said, "Then I'm afraid I'll have to prepare a city to house those jealous people."

Upon hearing this, Li Muxia smiled sweetly, her expression both tender and moved.