The system forced me to blow up the female lead's fishpond.

After finishing her boasting, Shen Zhizhi watched as carriages sped past one after another, and she fell into a dilemma.

The Red Prince's Mansion is quite a distance from the palace. Does that mean we have to walk back?

"Sigh, if only there were shared bikes in this ancient world, I could just scan one. I'm walking such a long way, and these cloth shoes have such thin soles, my feet will get blisters!"

As Shen Zhizhi walked, she couldn't help but raise her hand to shield her forehead from the sun like an umbrella.

Just as she was about to walk out of the palace gate, a carriage slowly came up and stopped beside her.

"Miss Shen, may I give you a ride?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Shen Zhizhi looked up in surprise. A slender, pale, and well-defined finger lifted the carriage curtain, revealing Zhang Ruyu's face.

Zhang Jiali's starry eyes sparkled, a faint smile playing on them, as he asked again, "If Miss Shen doesn't mind, I would be happy to give you a ride."

In an instant, Shen Zhizhi felt as if her heart had been struck a heavy blow!

Ahhh! As expected of the male lead!

This damn trashy novel, setting aside all the crazy characters, the only normal one she found to be Zhang Jiali, who was as gentle as a breeze and as clear as the moon.

She just couldn't understand it. The author's thought process was so abnormal that he could write such a normal male protagonist.

"If you don't mind, then I'll trouble you, Lord Shaoqing."

Shen Zhizhi, drooling, was about to step onto the platform, lifting her skirt, when she heard the sound of rapid car wheels approaching from afar.

"Shen Zhizhi!"

Then, a shout filled with anger suddenly rang out.

"?"

Shen Zhizhi paused, then turned her head to look.

A carriage made of Phoebe zhennan wood and two Akhal-Teke horses worth a fortune were speeding toward her.

Needless to say, besides Chu Tu, there is no one else in this article who can afford to be this extravagant.

[What to do? Host, it's Chu Tu, he's definitely here to settle scores with you.]

Ya Dan was so frightened that she kept screaming in her mind.

[Damn it! I was too hasty! I knew Shen Qinshou wouldn't abandon Chu Tu to go after Chu Chouchi. It seems she wanted to separate me from Chu Chouchi so that Chu Tu could make a move against me!]

That's fucking ridiculous! What I feared most has come to pass!

Shen Zhizhi now deeply regrets her actions.

Knowing that she was going to die anyway, she might as well stay by Chu Chouchi's side. Maybe if she flattered him and made him happy, he would forget about the arranged marriage and she would have a chance to survive.

Now that they've fallen into Chu Tu's hands, even if they aren't poisoned to death, they'll be poisoned to the point of being unable to take care of themselves for the rest of their lives.

Shen Zhizhi moved her outstretched foot back, turned around, swung her arms back and forth in a stepping motion, and gave Zhang Jiali a grateful smile. "Thank you, Lord Shaoqing, but I suddenly have something to attend to. I won't trouble you to see me off. Goodbye."

After saying that, she pretended to be deaf and dumb and turned to run away.

Seeing that she was about to escape, Chu Tu behind her lifted the carriage curtain, used his toes to push off the horse's back, and leaped off, landing steadily behind her.

Shen Zhizhi felt a cool breeze blowing from behind her, and the next second, she was grabbed by the back of her collar and lifted up.

"I'm calling you, can't you hear me?"

Chu Tu turned her around almost effortlessly so that she could look him in the eye.

Shen Zhizhi gritted her teeth, deciding to go all the way and simply become the 'successor of the deaf'.

"Huh?" She tilted her head, her expression blank.

Chu Tu frowned. "Run! Let's see where you can run to!"

"Huh?" Shen Zhizhi continued to play dumb.

"Without my second brother, I will make sure you suffer today."

Shen Zhizhi completely ignored her: "Huh?"

After three consecutive attempts, Chu Tu finally realized that this reckless woman was playing a trick on him.

His fierce gaze shot straight at her, a dangerous smile curving his lips. "You like to play dumb, don't you? Then I'll do you a good deed and poison you until you're mute, blind, and deaf."

"..."

Despite the scorching midday sun, Shen Zhizhi felt inexplicably cold.

She shuddered, and just as she was thinking of a way to escape, a gentle voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"Your Highness, I just agreed to give Miss Shen a ride. If Your Highness has nothing else to do, may Miss Shen leave with me?"

Zhang Jiali lifted the carriage curtain, bowed slightly as he stepped down, and greeted Chu Tu with a salute.

Chu Tu sized him up for a moment, exuding a gloomy aura, and coldly refused, "Lord Shaoqing, please leave first. I have important matters to discuss with Miss Shen today."

Zhang Jiali lowered his eyes, and although Shen Zhizhi couldn't see his expression, she could sense that he had no intention of backing down.

She was both happy and worried; she was happy that he had come to her rescue time and time again.

What worries her is that Chu Tu is also one of the villains she needs to save. She can't let these two become enemies because of her!

Thinking of this, she forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and waved to Zhang Jiali with feigned nonchalance, "Lord Shaoqing, the Third Prince and I do have something to discuss. You may leave now."

Zhang Jiali naturally didn't believe it. He took two steps forward as if he wanted to say something, but Shen Zhizhi quickly turned her head and winked at him, while giving him a reassuring look.

"What's wrong? Does this mean that I, the Prince, am discussing matters with Miss Shen, and Lord Shaoqing is going to listen in?" Chu Tu's voice was clearly laced with displeasure, and the murderous intent he was building up seemed ready to explode at any moment.

Zhang Jiali glanced at Shen Zhizhi's pleading expression as she begged him to leave quickly. After hesitating for a long time, he respectfully bowed to Chu Tu and said, "In that case, I will take my leave first. I would be grateful if Your Highness would ensure that Miss Shen is safely returned to the Prime Minister's residence."

Chu Tu remained silent, coldly watching Zhang Jiali turn and enter the carriage, gradually disappearing from sight.

He stared ahead and sneered, "Rest assured, I will bring your corpse back to the Prime Minister's residence safely."

Screw you! Kill her, and you'll be the one whose corpse is safely brought back to the palace.

Shen Zhizhi cursed inwardly.

However, her body betrayed her; she quickly prostrated herself on the ground, crying pitifully, "Your Highness! I have no grudge against you, why do you want to kill me?"

Chu Tu withdrew his gaze and walked step by step toward Shen Zhizhi, frightening her into retreating repeatedly until she was pinned against the red wall to the side. Only then did he coldly say, "That day, A-Shou personally went to the Red King's Mansion to bring you back to the Prime Minister's Mansion, and you dared to drive her out?"

Shen Zhizhi blinked, then understood.

The little chibi character inside him shed tears of joy. Sure enough, Shen Qinshou must have done something in front of him to make Chu Tu want to kill her!

Before Shen Zhizhi could catch her breath, a cold, large hand suddenly gripped her throat. Chu Tu used all his strength, as if he wanted to snap her neck.

[Dog Egg! I'm going to die! Hurry up and find a way to save me!] Shen Zhizhi roared in her heart.

Ya Dan silently shrank her mechanical neck: [Host, I'm just a useless piece of trash, what can I do?]

You son of a bitch—!

Indeed, believing this guy has a way to save her is less likely than believing a sow can climb a tree.

Shen Zhizhi came to her senses and felt the air around her thin. Her will to survive made her think quickly, and she came up with a plan.