In the novel "Joy of Life," the protagonist wakes up at Li Chengze's residence.

Leisurely.

The person who was placed next to Tao Jingyang by Li Chengze.

The task His Highness assigned her was to report Tao Jingyang's whereabouts to him every day.

Big or small matters, no matter how trivial.

At first, driven by the desire to survive, she secretly reported to Li Chengze every day, hiding her true intentions from Tao Jingyang.

Even though You Ran lived alone in the world without parents, she had long believed that she could abandon anything in order to survive.

But in the end, they can never overcome their own flesh and blood hearts.

What exactly are You Ran's feelings for Tao Jingyang? Perhaps even You Ran herself can't say for sure.

She had once secretly asked Fan Wujiu why he served under the Second Prince. Fan Wujiu gave her the answer, saying:

"Your Highness is the one who changed his fate. If it weren't for Your Highness, Fan Wujiu would have been escorted to the Yama's palace by Ox-Head and Horse-Face long ago."

Change your destiny?

With a sudden realization, it seemed that her fate had also changed since she met Miss Tao.

That night, Tao Jingyang and Li Chengze returned late at night, with Miss Tao carrying a small box in her hand. She took out a stack of silver notes and You Ran's indenture from the box and handed them to her.

"You Ran, you can keep all of these from now on. The world is vast, and if you can leave here, you can go wherever you want."

You Ran took the stack of white paper with the official seal on it, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of beads, one by one soaking into the paper.

[The young lady treats me so well, yet I was still reporting to the Second Prince this morning.]

You Ran was crying, crying for her own cowardice and betrayal of the sincerity that had been shown to her.

Yes, the immortal who gave me the "fate-changing talisman" that day was her; the Bodhisattva who sprinkled a drop of "Guanyin water" on me was also her.

Let's just say she was blinded by joy; almost instantly, You Ran made a decision.

“Girl, You Ran will not go anywhere; she will stay by your side forever.”

Just like Xie Bi'an and Fan Wujiu, what they can do for Your Highness, I can do for you too.

My life should have belonged to a girl long ago.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

You Ran remained kneeling on the ground, her bent back looking rather stiff.

Even if I have to disobey the orders of the current prince... so what?

“You’re willing to follow her; that’s your destiny. But…” Li Chengze took out a pill from his sleeve and asked You Ran to look up at him.

"This pill is called 'Shaoxin'." Li Chengze threw the pill in front of her.

“If you continue to do my work, you don’t need to eat. If not, then eat it.”

You Ran didn't know what kind of poison it was, but given the situation, even a fool could guess that the Second Prince was threatening her.

Perhaps knowing she might not live to see today, You Ran became a bit more assertive: "What if I don't choose any of them?"

"Kill you and the one lying in bed together."

The oppressive aura of the superior struck a person who had long been in a subordinate position, startling You Ran so much that she instantly lost her ability to think.

Li Chengze didn't give her any time to think. He said impatiently, "Choose quickly."

As he spoke, he reached out his hand toward Tao Jingyang.

Her only reaction was: "The Second Prince is going to kill Miss Tao?!"

Hands react faster than brains, and the body reacts before the brain.

She didn't even make a choice; she simply picked up the pill from the ground and swallowed it without the slightest hesitation.

"Hehe..." You Ran gave a bitter laugh.

"Your Highness, is this all for the gold hidden in the mountains? It's such a waste of Miss Tao's sincere feelings for Your Highness."

What about royal relatives, or emperors and generals who "love the people like their own children"?

Just like those relatives who sold her back then, they're all greedy bastards.

With a vicious thought in her heart, You Ran rushed to Tao Jingyang's bedside and stood between Li Chengze and Tao Jingyang.

Li Chengze's hand, which had been hovering in mid-air, bypassed her and continued the action he hadn't finished earlier—tucking in the blanket.

His gaze shifted to You Ran, who was now vomiting black blood. He shook his head helplessly and then walked out of the room.

As soon as he went out, he ran into Fan Wujiu, who was jogging back: "Your Highness, everything has been arranged."

In addition, the Eldest Princess set off for her fiefdom of Xinyang this morning, and Fan Xian is seeing her off at the city gate.

Li Chengze walked forward with an air of elegance, yet his demeanor was lifeless. He asked, "Wujiu, what do you think of You Ran?"

"Her? She's a really nice person," Fan Wujiu recalled.

Li Chengze relaxed and said:

"He is loyal and righteous, but lacks flexibility." After saying this, he glanced at Fan Wujiu and then quickly walked towards the sleeping quarters.

Fan Wujiu looked bewildered, not knowing what had just happened, and once again he didn't understand what His Highness was saying.

Yu Ran, who was coughing up blood in the room, thought that his time was up and buried his head by the girl's bedside, quietly waiting for "death" to come.

...... ...... ...... ......

Half an hour later.

The bloodstains around You Ran's mouth had long since dried, and she still sat cross-legged on the couch, dazed.

She muttered to herself, "This poison... does it take so long to take effect?"

Li Chengze was preparing to take Fan Xian's only route back to the Fan residence, intending to abduct him halfway back.

But before he could even leave the mansion, an imperial decree arrived from the palace: "Second Prince, come to the palace."

[Li Chengze]: So annoying. (Enduring)

"Your Majesty...didn't you say why you wanted me to go to the palace?"

"They never said that, they just let this information get out."

"...Understood, I'll go right away."

Beneath the wide sleeves, a fist was clenched tightly.

It's like when it rains, it pours; the more anxious you are, the more problems arise.

"Wujiu, write a letter to Fan Xian, telling him to wait for me to return to the manor." After saying this, Li Chengze got into the carriage to go to the palace.

The sky briefly cleared, but Li Chengze had little time to appreciate it.

Upon arriving at the viewing platform, they saw the prince again.

"Hey, Second Brother, you're here too?" Li Chengqian smiled sheepishly and patted Li Chengze's arm familiarly.

"But Second Brother, why are your eyes so dark again? You had the same thing the last time I saw you, and now it's..."

Second brother, you must take good care of yourself, otherwise I, as your younger brother, will always worry about you~

Li Chengqian was all smiles, as if the princess's return to her fiefdom today had no effect on him whatsoever.

"How could I trouble Your Highness with such concern? It's just that the nights have been chilly these past few days, and I haven't been sleeping very well."

However, Your Highness should also be careful, I seem to be thinking...

Li Chengze extended his index finger and pointed under the Crown Prince's eye: "Your Highness, your eye is also covered in dark circles."