The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

Lin Qingzhi watched the Fourth Prince walk toward her, her heart involuntarily quickening.

She was waiting here on purpose, all for the sake of a "chance" encounter with the Fourth Prince.

Originally, she had bet everything on the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, his life was too short, and he was fated to miss the throne, so she had no choice but to find another powerful figure to rely on.

After sifting through the four princes, she quickly set her sights on the Fourth Prince, Li Ying, as her next target.

She remembered that before her rebirth, it was the Fourth Prince, Li Ying, who had ascended the throne.

Although Li Ying hadn’t remained on the throne for long, he at least had the power to contend for it.

Lin Qingzhi believed that with the information she possessed from her past life, she could help the Fourth Prince change his fate and secure his throne for a longer, more stable reign.

The reason she knew the Fourth Prince would appear at the Lantern Festival tonight stemmed from a piece of gossip she had overheard from the servant women in her household before her rebirth.

According to rumor, the Fourth Prince went to the Lantern Festival every year.

One year, he brought a girl back from the festival. The girl’s looks were only slightly above average and her family background was ordinary, but because of a fated connection she shared with the Fourth Prince from their childhood, he had taken a liking to her at first sight, keeping her by his side and cherishing her.

Even after he ascended the throne as Emperor, he continued to treat that woman like the apple of his eye.

Later, for some unknown reason, Li Ying suddenly had the woman killed, her body ground to dust and scattered.

Lin Qingzhi didn’t know the specific reason, but she guessed the woman must have done something to wrong Li Ying, provoking his terrible wrath.

There was a Lantern Festival tonight, and she knew the Fourth Prince would definitely be there.

So she had deliberately waited here, wanting to meet the Fourth Prince before that other woman appeared.

She intended to take that woman’s place by his side.

Li Ying walked step by step until he was in front of Lin Qingzhi, his gaze fixed on her.

Lin Qingzhi, holding her breath, stared back at him without blinking.

Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought the two were lovers reunited after a long separation.

After a long moment, Li Ying finally spoke in a low voice.

"Is it you?"

Lin Qingzhi knew she couldn’t appear too eager.

Her eyes gradually reddened, and her lips trembled slightly. It seemed she wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to begin.

After a good while, she replied in a trembling voice.

"I thought... you had forgotten."

Hearing this, Li Ying felt that the heart that had been empty for so many years was finally full again.

He said softly, "I have never forgotten you."

Lin Qingzhi took a deep breath and looked at him, her eyes rimmed with red.

"But... but I’ve forgotten so many things. I’m sorry. It’s been too many years. At first, I could still think of you every day, but later... gradually... I couldn’t remember clearly anymore."

Li Ying soothed her in a voice gentler than any he had used before.

"It’s all right. You don’t have to apologize to me."

The two gazed at each other for another moment.

Li Ying studied her features carefully. "You don’t look much like you did as a child."

Lin Qingzhi dabbed the tears from the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and gave a wry smile. "It’s true, I don’t look the same as when I was little. Many people say so."

Li Ying nodded, accepting her explanation.

"Where do you live? I’ll take you home."

Lin Qingzhi hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

Li Ying said, "Just say whatever is on your mind."

After much hesitation, Lin Qingzhi finally spoke. "I am currently the Crown Prince’s concubine, living in the Crown Prince Mansion."

Although the Crown Prince had passed away, the Crown Princess Consort and the women of his rear court still resided in the Crown Prince Mansion. However, some at the imperial court had already begun to suggest appointing a new heir apparent.

Once a new Crown Prince was chosen, the Crown Princess Consort and the other women would have to move to Qinglian Temple.

Lin Qingzhi, naturally, was no exception.

This was the main reason she was in such a hurry to find her next patron.

Although Li Ying was a little surprised, he didn’t say much, only stating.

"Let’s go. I’ll take you back."

Seeing that he showed no sign of disgust or disappointment at the fact she was already married, Lin Qingzhi felt a small sense of relief.

She nodded shyly. "Thank you."

She paused, then asked cautiously.

"I haven’t had the honor of asking your name yet."

Li Ying: "My name is Li Ying. And you?"

"My name is Lin Qingzhi."

After escorting her back to the Crown Prince Mansion, Li Ying rode back to the palace.

He instructed the guard accompanying him.

"Go and investigate Lin Qingzhi’s background and origins."

"Yes, sir!"

...

After Hua Manman and Prince Zhao returned to the Prince Mansion, they each went to take a bath.

While soaking in the bath, Hua Manman secretly communicated with her system.

’Where’s my mission reward?’

The time limit for the mission was half an hour.

But several hours had already passed since the system issued the mission.

The system hadn’t notified her of failure, nor had it said the mission was a success.

Hua Manman suspected it was trying to welsh on the deal, so she took the initiative to demand her reward.

The system said coldly, ’You did not complete the mission according to the requirements.’

Hua Manman was indignant and began to argue her case.

’How did I not meet your requirements?

You told me to dance, and I danced. You told me to seduce the Emperor, and I seduced him.

I did everything you asked. What more do you want from me?’

System: ’You danced the Yangge.’

Its voice was still the same stiff, mechanical tone, but now there was a faint, teeth-grinding quality to it.

Hua Manman retorted, ’But you never said I couldn’t dance the Yangge, did you? Besides, what’s wrong with the Yangge? It’s a unique folk dance of our Chinese nation. How dare you look down on it? This is racial discrimination! Give me your employee ID, I want to file a complaint!’

System: ’...’

’It had only said one thing, and she had shot back with a whole tirade. She even escalated it to the level of racial discrimination. Does she think she can ascend to the heavens or something?!’

Hua Manman asked sharply.

’Why aren’t you talking? Are you cursing me out in your head?’

System: ’We’ll say you barely passed on the Yangge. But what about seducing the Emperor? How did you seduce him?’

Hua Manman: ’I smiled at the Emperor! A really brilliant smile, too. Didn’t you see it?!’

System: ’...’

’Her smile was so over-the-top. She looked like a bratty kid going door-to-door asking for red envelopes during the New Year. How was that seductive in the slightest?!’

Hua Manman urged, ’Stop playing dead. I know you can hear me. Hurry up and give me the reward. You’re a system, you’re not going to welsh on the deal, are you?’

In the end, the system gave her the lucky bag.

But it didn’t forget to add a warning.

’This is the only time. It won’t happen again.’

Hua Manman replied perfunctorily, ’Alright, alright, I get it. You’re such a nag.’

System: ’...’

’I am a system with professional integrity,’ it silently told itself. ’I cannot insult my host.’

Hua Manman: ’Oh, right, you still haven’t given me the reward for the random mission I completed last time. You can hold onto it for now. I’ll see what I want to exchange it for later, depending on the situation.’

The system replied with a single word: ’Mm.’

Then it promptly shut down, not wanting to say another word to her.

Hua Manman deliberately washed her hands first before carefully opening the lucky bag.