MY PRINCE HUSBAND HAS SEVEN WIVES AND I AM HIS FAVOURITE!

Zhao Yan's mask glinted in the warm glow of the room as he watched Hua Jing spin around with the energy of someone who'd had far too much to drink.

"Now hurry up, Your Highness! I haven't got the whole day!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together with exaggerated impatience.

Zhao Yan arched an eyebrow. "What exactly am I hurrying for?"

"To play, obviously!" Hua Jing shot back, rolling her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Honestly, do you even know how to have fun?"

Zhao Yan sighed, already feeling the beginnings of a headache. "I didn't realize games were part of the evening."

"They are when I'm involved," Hua Jing declared, placing her hands on her hips. "Now sit."

Before Zhao Yan could argue, Hua Jing grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him toward the low table in the center of the room. She plopped herself down with little grace, the alcohol clearly affecting her coordination, and motioned for him to do the same.

"What game are we playing?" Zhao Yan asked, settling down across from her.

"A drinking game," Hua Jing said with a sly grin, holding up one of the porcelain cups from earlier.

Zhao Yan's brow furrowed. "A drinking game?"

"Yes!" Hua Jing said brightly. "It's simple. I ask a question, and if you don't want to answer, you drink."

Zhao Yan stared at her, his expression blank. "That's not a game. That's an interrogation."

"It's fun!" Hua Jing insisted, pouring herself another cup of the fragrant liquor. "We used to play it all the time after a shoot."

Zhao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. "A shoot?"

Hua Jing froze for a split second before waving him off with a dismissive laugh. "You wouldn't understand. Anyway, let's start!"

She took a sip of her drink and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "What's under the mask, Your Highness?"

Zhao Yan's lips twitched. "No."

"No?" Hua Jing repeated, pouting dramatically. "You're supposed to either answer or drink!"

"I don't want to play," Zhao Yan said flatly.

Hua Jing gasped, clutching her chest as if he'd mortally wounded her. "You don't want to play? What kind of boring prince are you?"

"The responsible kind," Zhao Yan replied, his tone dry.

Hua Jing's pout deepened. "Fine, then. I'll drink for both of us."

She tipped her cup back, draining it in one go, and slammed it down on the table with far more force than necessary. "Next question!"

Zhao Yan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is this going to go on for long?"

"Yes!" Hua Jing said cheerfully, ignoring his exasperation. "Why did you marry me?"

The question caught Zhao Yan off guard. He stared at her for a moment, his usual composure slipping slightly.

"You won't answer?" Hua Jing teased, pouring herself another drink. "Then drink!"

Zhao Yan didn't move, his gaze steady. "I don't see why I should participate in a game I didn't agree to."

Hua Jing groaned loudly, throwing her head back. "You're the worst!"

Zhao Yan sighed, his patience wearing thin. "This is childish."

"Childish?" Hua Jing repeated, sitting up straight. "I'll show you childish!"

She reached across the table, snatching at the bottle of liquor. Zhao Yan pulled it away just in time, holding it out of her reach.

"Give it back!" Hua Jing demanded, rising to her knees and leaning toward him.

"You've had enough," Zhao Yan said calmly, his tone firm.

"No, I haven't!" Hua Jing insisted, her cheeks puffing out as she glared at him.

Zhao Yan stared at her, unimpressed. "You're childish."

"And you're boring!" Hua Jing shot back.

Their bickering continued, each retort sharper than the last. Zhao Yan, usually the picture of calm and control, found himself pinching the bridge of his nose more than once as Hua Jing's drunken antics pushed him to his limits.

Finally, Hua Jing flopped onto the floor dramatically, throwing her arms out to the sides. "You're no fun," she declared, her voice muffled against the carpet.

Zhao Yan exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he found himself staring at her.

Her energy had finally begun to wane, her movements sluggish as she rolled onto her side. Her eyes fluttered, and a faint smile tugged at her lips.

Zhao Yan's gaze softened despite himself.

She was beautiful.

Not in the way noblewomen dressed to impress, with layers of makeup and calculated expressions. Hua Jing was unguarded, her beauty raw and untamed.

The other consorts tried very hard to get his attention. They often dressed flamboyantly and spoke so guardedly that he found it suffocating yet she...

The faint flush on her cheeks, the way her hair spilled across the floor, the quiet rise and fall of her chest as she drifted closer to sleep—it all held a strange, magnetic pull.

Zhao Yan reached out without thinking, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

She's wildly beautiful, he thought, his fingers lingering for a moment before he pulled back.

Hua Jing murmured something unintelligible, shifting slightly as her breathing evened out.

Zhao Yan sighed, straightening and glancing around the room. The mess she had created was still evident, but he found himself less annoyed by it now.

Carefully, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. She was surprisingly light, her head lolling against his shoulder as he carried her to the bed.

He placed her down gently, tucking the blankets around her.

Just as he stepped back, Hua Jing's eyes shot open.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice sharp despite her drowsiness.

Zhao Yan froze. "You were asleep."

Her gaze narrowed, suspicion flickering across her face. "Were you trying to do bad things to me?"

Zhao Yan blinked, startled by the accusation. Then, to his own surprise, he laughed.

"No," he said simply, shaking his head.

Hua Jing frowned, clearly unconvinced. "You better not. I'll fight you."

"I'm not planning to," Zhao Yan assured her, his tone light.

Her eyes stayed locked on him for a moment longer before she seemed to accept his answer. She flopped back against the pillows, her gaze softening as her eyelids grew heavy.

Zhao Yan watched as she drifted off, her features relaxing into peacefulness.

Why does she trust my words so easily? he wondered, his chest tightening slightly.

For a moment, he stayed where he was, his thoughts swirling.

Then, with a quiet sigh, he turned and walked toward the door, leaving her to her dreams...