Please Call Me Prince

Upon hearing this name, both Jiang Yu and Wen Qiaoan were taken aback.

Xiao Chi left in a hurry due to family matters and did not meet the legendary Yu Fuli, but the two of them had interacted before.

Wen Qiaoan clearly remembered that he personally handled the medical record for that person's broken arm.

Jiang Yu's reaction was even more direct—the moment he heard the name, the tiny, scabbed abrasion on his forehead seemed to throb slightly.

What started as a whim turned into a memorable over-the-shoulder throw that left him in the hospital for a full week.

Jiang Yu paused almost imperceptibly, her breathing rhythm seemingly slightly off-beat.

Fragments of memory, almost buried by trivial matters, along with a familiar, stinging excitement, surged up uncontrollably like an undercurrent submerged in water, gently stirred by this name.

Especially... that person's figure.

The thought slipped uncontrollably through my mind, bringing with it a more pronounced physiological throbbing.

"What does it have to do with him?" Jiang Yu's voice was lower than usual, with a hint of barely perceptible hoarseness.

Xiao Chi frowned upon hearing his unusual tone, wondering why this person had suddenly become so aroused.

He suppressed his doubts and stated, "The day I found the fox, Yu Fuli was in the vicinity. It's very likely that the fox was his pet. Moreover, it might have been running towards the lower city to find him."

"Now that we've identified this direction," Wen Qiaoan astutely pointed out the illogicality, "shouldn't you, with your style, go directly to their doorstep?"

This is inconsistent with Xiao Chi's usual domineering and unquestionable way of doing things.

"Yeah," Jiang Yu seemed to snap out of his daze, reverting to his usual carefree demeanor, the corners of his mouth returning to their usual playful curve, but his eyes deepened. "This isn't like you. What, our young master Xiao has suddenly learned to cherish women?"

He thought that if Xiao Chi was also interested, it would be troublesome, but he could wait until he had played with it before giving it to Xiao Chi.

Xiao Chi's face instantly turned cold, his gaze piercing Jiang Yu like an icy blade: "Jiang Yu, if you can't speak properly, you can shut up."

"I'm straight," Xiao Chi emphasized, his face cold and deliberate.

"Oh—" Jiang Yu drawled, her azure eyes instantly brimming with undisguised joy, and answered with utmost ease, "That's wonderful."

Xiao Chi: "…………"

A deep sense of powerlessness suddenly welled up inside me.

He decided to give up communicating with this guy with abnormal brain circuits.

"Let's get down to business." Wen Qiaoan spoke up at the right moment, pulling the stray topic back on track. "What exactly happened? Since you suspect that the fox is involved with him, given your personality, there's no reason not to investigate."

"Yeah," Jiang Yu crossed her uninjured leg and pressed on with interest, her tone becoming even more sarcastic, "Let's hear what special charm this Teacher Yu has that can intimidate even our fearless young master Xiao?"

Xiao Chi remained silent for a few seconds, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, before finally revealing the real reason, his tone unusually hesitant: "He is a member of the royal family."

"What?!" Jiang Yu's playful expression froze instantly. He sat bolt upright, ignoring the pain in his injured leg. "Isn't he from some minor, marginal family? Royal family?!"

Seeing his shocked expression, Xiao Chi's anger from the earlier mockery finally dissipated somewhat. He sneered and retorted, "You dare to get involved without even checking this? Calling you a piece of trash is no exaggeration."

"How is that possible?!" Jiang Yu retorted instinctively, her face showing genuine astonishment. "I clearly checked his background before, and I couldn't find anything at all!"

"Not being able to find anything is the biggest problem in itself, isn't it?" Xiao Chi's impatience was almost palpable. "Were you perhaps blinded by something else back then?"

Jiang Yu choked, recalling her perfunctory background check and her tacitly dismissive thoughts. She remained silent, her expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

Although Wen Qiaoan was equally surprised, he quickly grasped the key point: "Even if you really are a member of the royal family, given your status, it seems you don't need to be so wary."

He spoke subtly.

While the royal family is undoubtedly prestigious, its vast and powerful structure means that not everyone holds real power.

Given the Xiao family's foundation and Xiao Chi's own personality, ordinary members of the royal family would not be enough to make him so hesitant and even appear somewhat reluctant.

Unless the other party holds a very special position in the royal hierarchy, or is deeply involved.

"You guessed right." Xiao Chi's expression was even more solemn than before. "His royal connections are not ordinary; the Duke of Cornwall stands behind him."

"The Duke of Cornwall?!"

Wen Qiaoan and Jiang Yu spoke almost simultaneously, clearly aware of the weight this name represented.

The Duke of Cornwall is a very special figure in the intricate royal lineage and power network.

He was not only the Queen's cousin, but more importantly, during that thrilling struggle for the throne, when almost everyone was pessimistic about the then-young Queen, it was he who defied public opinion, mobilized unimaginable energy and resources, and gave his full support, ultimately helping her ascend to the throne.

After the Queen's power was consolidated and the people's hearts were won over, he was able to gradually relinquish power without any attachment to it. This foresight and composure established his extraordinary and highly respected position within the royal family, and his influence was far beyond that of ordinary nobles.

"But," Wen Qiaoan quickly recovered from her shock and raised a question, "Duke Cornworth has always kept to himself and stayed away from the daily affairs of the power center. I have never heard of him having any particularly close young nephews or nieces or anyone under his protection."

Xiao Chi nodded slightly, his voice deepening: "I also heard this story by chance from my grandfather. When the Duke of Cornwall was middle-aged, he met a woman, and the two fell in love. Just as they were about to get married, the woman was kidnapped by the Duke's political enemies, and her whereabouts became unknown afterward."

The part he omitted was something everyone present knew perfectly well: the woman was probably in grave danger.

"But what does this have to do with Yu Fuli?" Jiang Yu pressed, a hint of urgency flashing in his azure eyes.

"What almost no one knows is," Xiao Chi paused, his gaze sweeping over the two people in front of him, "that woman was already six months pregnant and about to give birth before she disappeared."

Wen Qiaoan's eyes flickered, and she immediately understood: "You mean Yu Fuli is very likely that child?"

"Yes," Xiao Chi nodded, "He survived and has been secretly protected by the Duke of Cornworth. The Duke cherishes this child very much, so the news has been kept completely under wraps."

Jiang Yu suddenly realized, stroking his chin thoughtfully: "No wonder I couldn't find out anything about him no matter how I investigated."

A knowing glint flashed across his face. Although his family was not as deeply rooted as the Xiao family, it was by no means an ordinary one. If Yu Fuli was just an ordinary person, he would definitely not be without any clues.

"In that case, we need to plan this carefully." Wen Qiaoan picked up her medical kit and said to Xiao Chi, "I'll take Jiang Yu to the hospital first. You stay here..."

He glanced at the mess around him. "Let someone clean it up."

Xiao Chi did not object, but simply nodded silently.

His gaze returned to the clear claw marks on the sofa armrest, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing his other intact wrist, where the faint sensation of being struck by sharp teeth still lingered.

Xiao Chi was left alone in the living room, amidst a frozen silence.

He slowly leaned back on the sofa, a dull pain shooting through his injured arm, but it was nothing compared to the emptiness and surging anger and anxiety in his heart.

Ran?

He closed his eyes.

Then let's find it.

No matter what method is used, no matter where it is hidden.