Quick Transmigration: The Sweetheart Everyone Loves Is Stuck in Romantic Chaos Every Day - Chapter 49

Helian Zijun was supposed to mock her.

But she was standing so close, close enough for him to catch the faint, sweet fragrance clinging to her, and it made his heart pound wildly.

He forgot what he’d meant to say.

Ruan Tang flashed him a smile. “Just play however you like. I’ll match you!”

Her peach blossom eyes shimmered with a gentle light, and when she looked at him with such focused warmth, it was as if she could draw away his very soul.

Helian Zijun hurriedly averted his gaze and coughed lightly.

“If you can’t keep up, don’t force it. Our musical styles are different—it’s normal if you’re not used to mine.”

Hearing this, Tuoba Hong leaned in and muttered under his breath,

“Funny, he wasn’t this gentle when he was competing with you earlier. It’s like he’s turned into a completely different person.”

Luo Qingli gave a cold snort but said nothing.

The competition began.

Helian Zijun played an improvised melody, yet Ruan Tang accompanied him as if she already knew the tune, matching him flawlessly.

At first, there was still some whispering from the surrounding crowd, but as soon as she began to play, the room fell silent.

With Ruan Tang’s participation, the piece lost much of its previous eerie chill and gained a livelier, more ethereal quality.

She played with ease and joy, even glancing over at the young man with a bright smile in her peach blossom eyes. She clearly loved playing the qin, and when her fingers danced over the strings, her entire being seemed to shine, making it impossible to look away.

Helian Zijun was first stunned, then overcome with excitement—having someone understand his music so well was intoxicating.

Gradually, he found himself swept up in her melody, losing control of the rhythm and simply following her lead.

In the end, distracted by her sweet, soft smile, his hand slipped and struck a wrong note.

It was over.

Ruan Tang withdrew her hands and smiled sweetly.

“You lost. But I had so much fun—thank you!”

She truly loved playing the qin and had a natural gift for it.

After all, for someone like her—confined at home for so long due to her frail health (t/n: common trope in historical settings, where a “delicate” constitution limits social activities)—there were only so many pastimes available.

She often spent long hours alone in her room, playing music, reading, or painting. This was the first time she’d played together with someone else, and it was incredibly fun.

Her eyes sparkled, her delicate cheeks flushed with excitement, making her even more enchanting.

It took Helian Zijun a while before he could speak. “N-no need to thank me…”

Only then did the onlookers recover from their daze, and the room erupted in praise so loud it nearly lifted the roof.

Tuoba Hong slapped his thigh in delight. “Brilliant! Brother Luo, your princess consort is truly a marvel!”

Luo Qingli stared blankly at Ruan Tang, now surrounded by admirers and basking in their compliments.

This… was his princess consort?

Since when did he have such a capable princess consort?

Meanwhile, in a corner of the hall, Chen Jing—who had barely managed to escape—watched the scene with eyes burning red from jealousy.

“This should have been mine, mine! How dare you steal my spotlight—Ruan Tang, I won’t forgive you!”

The Luo estate was no longer a place she could stay. She needed to find somewhere else to start over.

“Just you wait, Ruan Tang. I’ll come back for revenge—you’d better be ready!”

…

“Hey, kid—willing to gamble, willing to lose. Haven’t you forgotten to do something?”

Tuoba Hong grinned smugly.

Helian Zijun’s face flushed with embarrassment, his expression tangled in hesitation.

A moment later, bracing himself, he dropped to his knees, shut his eyes, and prepared to kowtow.

Ruan Tang quickly crouched in front of him, placing her small hand between his head and the floor.

“Don’t! That’s not necessary. Just give everyone a proper, sincere apology and we’ll call it even!”

Seeing that the young man was about her age and gifted at the qin, she felt as though she’d found a kindred spirit and couldn’t bear to humiliate him.

But Helian Zijun, not seeing clearly, lowered his head and instead brushed his lips against something soft and delicate, sending a strange jolt through him.

Opening his eyes, he realized that instead of kowtowing to the floor, he had kissed her fair, slender hand.

Luckily, no one noticed.

His face instantly turned crimson, and then he seized her hand.

“I’ve fallen for you!!!”

Ruan Tang blinked. “Eh?”

Helian Zijun’s features were refined and striking, his blue cat-like eyes filled with infatuation.

“Divorce that useless prince and be with me! I’ll make you happy!”

Crowd: “…?!!!”

As if throwing caution to the wind, Helian Zijun tightened his grip on her hand and lowered his head again, intending to press a burning kiss to its back.

But a long, pale hand shot out from the side and snatched Ruan Tang away.

It was Luo Qingli—his face dark, his aura murderous.

At the same time, Tuoba Hong grabbed the boy’s collar from behind and yanked hard.

Helian Zijun was light and slender, and his feet left the ground instantly, dangling like a kitten caught by the scruff.

“Bastard! Let me go, you son of a—!”

Vulgar curses spilled from his pretty lips, sharp enough to make one wince.

Tuoba Hong narrowed his eyes dangerously.

“Brat, do you even know who you’re trying to flirt with? Not afraid of dying far from home?”

Luo Qingli pulled Ruan Tang into his arms, one arm barring her in protectively, radiating possessiveness.

His icy gaze swept over the youth’s irritatingly handsome face.

“As long as this prince lives, she will remain my only consort. Dare to covet my woman, and you court death.”

Seeing Ruan Tang held so tightly in Luo Qingli’s embrace, Helian Zijun’s eyes reddened with anger.

“You sickly wreck! Just hurry up and die already! You don’t even treat her well—what right do you have to keep her?!”

Luo Qingli’s anger flared. He coughed, tasting blood, and ground out through clenched teeth,

“It’s true I haven’t treated her well—but that was before! And regardless, it’s not your place to interfere! Men! Bind this insolent whelp—”

Just then, a squad of foreign soldiers burst into the banquet hall.

Their leader, a towering officer, dropped to one knee before the youth.

“Your Highness, this subordinate is late in rescuing you. Please punish me.”

Tuoba Hong froze. “…Prince?!”

Luo Qingli, however, didn’t so much as furrow his brow. His voice stayed cold.

“Tie him up, cut off his hands and feet, and throw him onto the street.”

“Wait! Your Highness, please—spare him!”

An elderly eunuch rushed in, hurriedly saluting the gathered nobles before speaking urgently.

“Your Highness, this is indeed the Crown Prince of Haixi. He came to Liguo in secret to promote friendly relations and discuss trade between our two nations. Under no circumstances can you harm him!”

This man served directly beside the Emperor, so his words could not be false.

No matter how much Luo Qingli disliked Helian Zijun, he would not jeopardize national interests.

With a wave of his hand, he ordered impatiently, “Forget it. Tuoba, let him go.”

Tuoba Hong gave a cold snort and released him.

Helian Zijun straightened up, smugly made a face at them, then smiled at Ruan Tang.

“I’ll be staying in Liguo for a while. I’ll come find you again! Think carefully about my offer—when you’re ready, you can come to me anytime. I’ll marry you in the grandest ceremony my country can offer!”

Leaning close, he whispered in her ear,

“I live on Bamboo Branch Lane. You can come to me whenever you like. Also, since I lost, I owe you a favor—anything you want, no conditions. Come find me anytime to claim it.”

Then, ignoring Luo Qingli and Tuoba Hong’s murderous glares, he strode away, thoroughly satisfied.

Only Ruan Tang tilted her head, utterly baffled.

How had this suddenly turned into a marriage proposal?

She already had a husband.