The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

Chapter 131: So You Are the Crown Prince of Xixiang

Li Lingxuan's heart had been in turmoil for the past few days, like fifteen buckets of water being drawn from a pipe – up and down, restless and unable to find peace. Xia Chenghao's attitude towards her was even colder than the coldest days of winter. The passion he had previously felt, wanting to hold her in his hands and cherish her, now seemed as unreal as a mirage, as if it were all just an illusion.

In the past, if she had just acted coquettishly, Xia Chenghao would have surrendered instantly, wanting to rip his heart out and offer it to her. But now? Forget trying to cheer her up; he wouldn't even glance at her, as if she were some kind of monster, something he avoided as much as possible.

Ever since Xia Chenghao left the study that day with a sullen face, he'd suddenly become a completely different person. Those sweet, honey-like words, those thoughtful, caring gestures, those tender, affectionate gestures—all gone without a trace, as if they'd never been. In their place was a bone-chilling indifference, a distance that felt like a thousand miles away, a suffocating silence.

Apart from dealing with the inevitable state affairs, he spent almost all his time locked away in his cold study, staring blankly at a mountain of state documents. He even often forgot his meals, sometimes refusing to eat a single bite. He had lost a lot of weight and his face had turned pale.

"Dean Cen, what...what exactly is going on?" Li Lingxuan sat in Cen Jiexiao's room, her delicate brows tightly knitted together, twisting her fingers anxiously. Her once beautiful face was now completely haggard, and I felt even more pity for her. "Did His Royal Highness...did he discover something?"

Cen Jiexiao looked at Li Lingxuan, who was in tears and looked pitiful, and sighed in her heart, but she didn't know how to comfort her.

She originally thought that even if Xia Chenghao discovered some secrets between her and Li Lingxuan, he would only feel resentful towards Li Lingxuan. After all, Li Lingxuan had always played the role of innocent, simple and kind in front of him. Even if Xia Chenghao was angry, he would not do anything to her because of their childhood sweethearts, the diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the planned marriage.

But now it seemed that Xia Chenghao's attitude towards Li Lingxuan was not simply anger, but more like... disgust? Hatred? Or even... fear?

"Princess, don't worry. Perhaps His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is just in a bad mood because he's been busy with government affairs lately." Cen Jiexiao comforted softly, trying not to reveal anything unusual in her tone, but her slightly trembling hands revealed her inner uneasiness at the moment.

"Really?" Li Lingxuan raised her head, her large, watery eyes filled with anticipation, like a drowning person grasping at a straw. With a glimmer of hope, she asked, "But His Royal Highness has changed a lot recently. Is it really as you say, that he's just... a pawn?"

"Princess, don't think too much. Don't worry, I will help you think of a solution." Cen Jiexiao interrupted her, unwilling to let her continue, but her heart became more uneasy, like a huge wave rolling and a stormy sea.

At this point, we can only take one step at a time.

"How about this, Princess? We invite His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come to Zhaoyin Academy tomorrow. Firstly, it will allow him to change his environment. Secondly, there will be no other strangers here, so we can ask him clearly. What do you think?" Cen Jiexiao put down the teacup in her hand, gently held Li Lingxuan's hand, trying to give her some comfort.

When Li Lingxuan heard this, she felt that this was the only way, so she quickly nodded and agreed, "Okay, I'll listen to Dean Cen, but... will he come?" She was still uneasy in her heart, like a candle swaying in the wind, which could go out at any time.

"Don't worry, this is Zhaoyin Academy. I invited him in the name of cultural exchange between the two countries. How could His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not give me this face?" Cen Jiexiao patted the back of her hand and gave her a soothing look.

The next morning, Li Lingxuan arrived early at Zhaoyin Academy to meet up with Cen Jiexiao to prepare for Xia Chenghao's arrival. They carefully selected the most elegant courtyard in the academy, arranged fresh and elegant flowers, brewed the finest fragrant tea, and prepared Xia Chenghao's favorite chess game and books, hoping to ease his inexplicable boredom.

Time passed minute by minute, and as the sun rose to the top of the sky, Xia Chenghao still hadn't arrived. Li Lingxuan became more and more anxious. She walked to the gate of the academy from time to time, looking into the distance, hoping to see that familiar figure.

"Dean Cen, do you think His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not fail to come?" Li Lingxuan asked anxiously, looking at the entrance of the academy, with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice, as if she was afraid of hearing a negative answer.

"Don't worry, I'll invite him in the name of cultural exchange between the two countries. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will definitely come." Cen Jiexiao picked up the teacup, took a sip, and comforted him in a calm tone.

However, her slightly trembling hands revealed her inner uneasiness at the moment, like an undercurrent surging beneath the calm surface of a lake.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves approached from afar, shattering the tranquility of the academy. Li Lingxuan looked up in surprise, only to see several tall, majestic horses slowly approaching and stopping at the academy gate. Each horse was tall and majestic, with a shiny coat, clearly a well-bred horse that had been carefully raised.

Seeing this, Li Lingxuan excitedly rushed forward, not bothering to tidy up her slightly messy clothes, nor forgetting to maintain her usual dignity and elegance. There was only one thought in her mind, that is, Xia Chenghao was finally here.

"Your Highness, you are here!" There was a barely concealable tremor in Li Lingxuan's voice, like dry land longing for the nourishment of rain, as if she was afraid that Xia Chenghao would reject her invitation, afraid that all this was just a false joy.

However, Xia Chenghao just glanced at her indifferently and walked straight down from the carriage. His eyes were cold and unfamiliar, without a trace of his usual warmth, as if he was looking at an insignificant stranger.

Li Lingxuan's smile froze, and a wave of embarrassment and grievance welled up in her heart, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on her head, chilling her from head to toe. She didn't understand why Xia Chenghao had become like this after just a few days of not seeing him. Was he really treating her like a pawn, as Sister Cen said?

However, when Cen Jiexiao saw Xia Chenghao getting off the carriage, she was stunned. The teacup in her hand almost fell to the ground with a crisp sound. She never expected that the person coming would be him!

How could it be him? !

The scoundrel who had spoken frivolously to her and acted frivolously, trying to get close to her; the scoundrel who had unreasonably imprisoned her in the woods, using threats to pressure her into compromise; the one who had lingered outside her room even as she was suffering from a severe sword wound, finally unable to resist but sneaking in just to check on her and make sure she was alright...was actually the noble and imposing Crown Prince of Xixiang?!

How could it be him? How could it be him?!