Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

Li Yunrui felt a warm breath on her back, and then a pair of strong arms reached out from behind her, wrapped around her slender waist, and gently yet forcefully embraced her.

Li Yunrui's body stiffened instantly, but she gritted her teeth and did not utter any screams or make any struggles.

Li Chengze's chest was pressed tightly against Li Yunrui's back. Through the thin fabric, Li Yunrui could clearly feel his strong heartbeat and the unique scent of sandalwood and ink emanating from him.

Li Chengze rested his chin gently on Li Yunrui's shoulder, his warm and steady breaths gently spraying onto Li Yunrui's sensitive earlobes and snow-white neck, stirring up a subtle shiver.

"Auntie, don't be afraid," Li Chengze's voice whispered in Li Yunrui's ear.

Li Yunrui closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the shame and panic in her heart. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was already focused on the black box in front of her.

Since we've already fallen into the abyss, let's just dance wildly in it!

She ignored Li Chengze's aggressive embrace from behind and focused all her attention on the black box.

She finally mustered her courage, reached out her hands, and gently cradled the black box.

It feels cold to the touch.

That kind of cold wasn't the coldness of ice, but a deathly stillness unique to metal, devoid of any warmth.

The black box was much heavier than she had imagined, as if it contained not an object, but a mountain.

Li Yunrui carefully took the black box out of the hidden compartment and placed it on the desk next to him.

She stared wide-eyed, examining the box as if it were a rare treasure.

She tried to find a gap, a latch, or any mechanism that could open it.

However, no.

This black box is like a perfectly formed black meteorite, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and no trace of any stitching.

"How could this be? What material is this made of? How come there isn't even a gap? How am I supposed to open it?" Li Yunrui muttered anxiously to herself. Her fingers quickly groped the surface of the black box, and she even tried to scratch it with her fingernails, but the black surface was so hard that it couldn't even leave a scratch.

Just when she was about to despair, her fingers suddenly touched a tiny indentation in an inconspicuous corner on the side of the black box.

Li Yunrui was overjoyed and quickly moved closer to take a closer look.

In the dim light, she finally saw the dent clearly.

That wasn't an ordinary scratch, but an extremely precise, oddly shaped little hole.

"This is... a keyhole?" Li Yunrui, with his vast experience, immediately realized. This seamless black box actually required a key to open!

Moreover, looking at the strange shape of the keyhole, Li Yunrui was certain that no craftsman in the world could replicate the key that could open it.

"There's a keyhole! It needs a key!" Li Yunrui turned her head sharply as if grasping at a straw. Because the two were so close, her lips almost brushed against Li Chengze's cheek.

Ignoring these ambiguous details, her eyes, slightly reddened with excitement and anxiety, were fixed on Li Chengze as she urgently demanded, "Where's the key? Chengze, since you got the box, you must have the key, right? Quickly take out the key and open it!"

Let me see what's inside!

Li Yunrui's voice became somewhat shrill due to excitement.

However, Li Chengze did not answer immediately in response to Li Yunrui's urgent urging.

He remained in the position of embracing Li Yunrui from behind, his deep gaze passing through Li Yunrui's shoulder and landing on the black box.

"aunt……"

Li Chengze's voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it.

"I'm sorry, I don't have the key."

These seemingly casual words, when they reached Li Yunrui's ears, were like a bucket of ice water poured over her head, instantly extinguishing the fervent flame that had just ignited in her heart.

"You...what did you say?" Li Yunrui's body jolted. She turned her head in disbelief, staring intently into Li Chengze's eyes. "You don't have the key? How could you not have the key?! Since you went to such lengths to get this box, how could you not have the key?!"

Looking at Li Yunrui in his arms, who resembled an enraged mother leopard, Li Chengze wasn't angry. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips once again.

He reached out a hand and gently stroked Li Yunrui's shoulder, which was trembling slightly with anger, as if soothing a cat with its fur standing on end.

"Auntie, don't worry..."

Li Chengze's voice was still that lazy, nonchalant tone. His warm breath brushed against Li Yunrui's earlobe, bringing an indescribable tingling sensation.

His hand, with its distinct knuckles, slid slowly down Li Yunrui's slightly trembling shoulder and finally gently covered the back of her hand, which was gripping the edge of the black box tightly, her knuckles white from the force.

"Although I don't have the key," Li Chengze lowered his head slightly, his chin brushing lightly against Li Yunrui's neck, and said softly in a tone that only the two of them could hear, like a lover's whisper, "I know where the key is."

"Where?!" Li Yunrui turned around and looked at Li Chengze, her tone somewhat urgent.

"Father."

These two words, as light as a breeze, exploded like a thunderclap in Li Yunrui's ears.

"What did you say?" Li Yunrui's body stiffened abruptly, and his pupils contracted to the size of pinpoints in that instant.

Li Chengze's smile remained, but his eyes became incredibly deep. "The only key in this world that can open this black box is in the palace, in the imperial study, and in Father Emperor's hands."

Li Yunrui was stunned.

It felt as if ten thousand warhorses were galloping through her mind, crushing all her reason and thoughts to dust.

Is the key in Emperor Qing's hands?

What use is it for Li Chengze to show her this unopenable scrap metal box?!

In a flash, an idea shot through Li Yunrui's mind, instantly shattering all her fervor and excitement.

She got it.

She understood everything!

This was a carefully orchestrated trap, a bait specifically designed to lure her in!

"You..." Li Yunrui bit her lip hard, her chest heaving violently, staring intently at Li Chengze.

Seeing Li Yunrui's ever-changing expression, a mixture of shock and anger, Li Chengze remained silent, simply watching her and waiting for her reaction.

If Li Yunrui were to lose her temper at this moment, or even shout for help, he wouldn't be surprised at all. However, the anger in Li Yunrui's eyes only lasted for a few breaths before quickly dissipating without a trace.