It was a private moment between him and Liu Wenyuan. Xie Jianyu and Shi Qingyue practically peeped at them. Zhang Fengxi had the right to be upset. Correct?
The words that Zhang Fengxi really wanted to say to the two intruders were, "What are you looking at? Go away."
These words were stuck in his throat when he saw the look on Xie Jianyu's face. For the briefest moment, Xie Jianyu's eyes shook. He looked like he was about to burst into tears. Just for that split second, because when Zhang Fengxi blinked, all he saw was the usual Crown Prince -- prim and proper, devoid of any unusual emotion.
"Liu Wenyuan!"
Shi Qingyue clicked with her tongue and wagged her finger in front of Liu Wenyuan many times. "You sneaked out on your own to meet an alpha in secret! Wait until the Grand Tutor hears this!"
"I..."
"That is not true."
Zhang Fengxi stepped in front of Liu Wenyuan gallantly.
"Wenyuan and I have promised ourselves to each other. Isn't it natural for a betrothed couple to meet up? Besides, his two maids are still waiting at Crystal Jade Pavilion. Shi Qingyue, you should get your facts right."
Shi Qingyue stomped at the ground angrily. She swiveled around and asked for Xie Jianyu's support.
"Crown Prince!!!" she whined. "Are you going to let him talk to me like that??? I am reprimanding Liu Wenyuan for his own good! Omegas and alphas should not meet in private. They even kissed...!!!"
Xie Jianyu closed his eyes for a second when he heard the last word that Shi Qingyue said.
"Zhang Fengxi, the class is starting," he said as if he did not hear what Shi Qingyue just said. Slack-jawed, Shi Qingyue stared at Xie Jianyu in disbelief.
Xie Jianyu flicked his sleeve and turned around. Zhang Fengxi gave Liu Wenyuan a tiny nod before he followed after Xie Jianyu.
The Crown Prince walked quickly. Almost as if he was trying to escape.
Behind him, Zhang Fengxi was practically running to catch up.
"Xie Jianyu."
"..."
"Xie Jianyu, do you hear me?"
"..."
"XIE JIANYU!"
Zhang Fengxi grabbed Xie Jianyu's wrist. The young man whirled around, his hand moved toward Zhang Fengxi's face.
Zhang Fengxi evaded the slap by a hairbreadth.
"Don't touch me as you please," Xie Jianyu said, his voice as cold as his eyes.
Zhang Fengxi stared at him.
Xie Jianyu turned to leave, and Zhang Fengxi chased behind him again.
"Are you angry?"
"I am not."
"You don't have the right to be angry."
"Are you deaf, Prince Zhang Fengxi? I said, I am not angry."
"Are you going to report what you saw to the Grand Tutor?"
Xie Jianyu's shoulders shook slightly before he stopped walking and turned to look at Zhang Fengxi. The coldness in his eyes had been replaced with burning anger.
"Is that why you are pestering me?" he asked.
"What...?"
"Do you think that I go and report everything to the Grand Tutor?"
"... That is not what I..."
"Your filthy affair is not worth reporting to the Grand Tutor," Xie Jianyu hissed at Zhang Fengxi. "You alone know what you did wrong. And if you don't, I pity Liu Wenyuan."
"..."
Xie Jianyu left without saying another word.
Dumbstruck, Zhang Fengxi stayed behind for a while. He stared at Xie Jianyu's back as the latter marched toward the Crystal Jade Pavilion.
"What in the name of heaven...?"
Maybe he was mistaken.
For a moment there, he thought that the Crown Prince was jealous. Maybe he was not jealous. He was just prude, a goody-two-shoes of a crown prince.
He was allergic to romance.
Zhang Fengxi was sure that he and Liu Wenyuan did not do anything wrong.
The heir of the Longjing Palace later found out that Xie Jianyu was not spouting groundless nonsense.
When an omega met with an alpha, the omega was always at fault. Following a decree from the Golden Dragon Palace, Liu Wenyuan was grounded for an entire month for "acting promiscuously" and "seducing an alpha".
This was the first time an Ethereal Beauty was subjected to such a harsh punishment. To make things worse, the news spread to the entire Heavenly Empire too.
The entire Wuyang Palace was overcome with embarrassment.
Zhang Fengxi was livid with anger.
The decree came from Golden Dragon Palace.
Xie Jianyu did not report to the Grand Tutor but to the Emperor instead. Thanks to him, Liu Wenyuan lost face and must hide in shame.