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

However, Li Chengze never wanted to owe anyone a favor.

So he said to Tao Jingyang, "You've done me a great favor. I won't take this treasure for nothing."

If there's anything I can help you with, I'll definitely do it if it's within my power.

Upon hearing this, Tao Jingyang chuckled, his eyes darting around as he looked at the scenery outside the door and said, "If that's the case, then I do have something to say."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze breathed a sigh of relief, but for some reason, he felt a heavy weight in his heart.

"You said."

Tao Jingyang couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at his expression, but his tone remained serious:

"Yesterday, as I was leaving the manor in the carriage, I peeked out from behind the curtain. I saw a stall selling sugar figurines, but I was too embarrassed to ask the carriage to stop so I could get out and buy some..."

"Just buy me a sugar figurine, I've been craving one since yesterday."

......

"Hahahaha..." Upon hearing this, Li Chengze laughed heartily for a while.

Her smile was as bright as the sun, and her eyes as sparkling as the stars.

Tao Jingyang was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected that the Second Prince could be so cheerful.

I couldn't help but laugh along.

Li Chengze, who had just come to his senses and was about to send Xie Bi'an out to buy the items, suddenly noticed Tao Jingyang's expression.

Almost instantly, he noticed that there seemed to be some kind of emotion in his eyes.

This was a face Li Chengze had never seen before. If not something similar, he seemed to have seen it on a woman's face before—a woman who delivered food to the gatekeepers.

Recalling the scene, the two people he saw seemed to be a married couple.

And who is this person in front of me...?

[Is this...appreciation...of me?] After realizing this in his mind, Li Chengze was momentarily stunned.

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(Aside: What word is associated with the phrase "both of them are stubborn"?)

(See the discussion in this chapter for the answer.)

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He quickly rejected this absurd idea.

Yes, I am of noble birth, talented and handsome, brave and resourceful, with a face like jade, elegant and dashing... / (Li Chengze tosses his head with a flourish)

I know I'm a special person, but I also understand that not all women in the world will fall for me...

After hundreds of internal debates, he finally reached a conclusion.

—She loves me. / (With certainty)

Why else would she have come to my residence? Why wasn't she angry when Xie Bi'an laid a hand on her? (It must be because of me.)

Why did you tell me these secrets, urging me to be careful? And why did you give me treasures to help me rebuild my strength without asking for anything in return, even promising to protect me?

As she pondered this, she glanced at Tao Jingyang, who had already lowered his head.

For some reason, she seemed more pleasing to the eye. Then, she thought to herself, "It's just that I've never been married; only now do I understand her feelings..."

Alas... it's all because of my own dashing and romantic nature...

Tao Jingyang looked at the person opposite him, puzzled, and noticed that his expression seemed to have become more cheerful.

She couldn't help but stare at him suspiciously.

Tao had no idea that the person in front of him had already won him over.

After a long while, Li Chengze finally snapped out of his reverie and began to recount the events of the day without any reservations:

“Miss Tao, after court today, His Majesty summoned me behind and specifically inquired about your affairs.”

His tone... didn't reveal his joy or anger, he just asked how I was, and I only replied that I seemed to have no memory of it at all.

After I finished speaking, His Majesty dismissed me.

As he spoke, he visibly straightened his expression, but there was still a slight hint of unease in his voice.

He analyzed His Majesty's thoughts about Tao Jingyang. If what she said was true, His Majesty intended to kill her, what should he do?

Unbeknownst to him, Li Chengze had gradually come to regard Tao Jingyang as one of his own when analyzing the situation.