Xiao Hanjin, “…”
Perhaps it had been an act, but more likely, he’d thought it was an act—only to find himself sinking deeper without realizing it.
He just hadn’t noticed.
But Xiao Hanjin didn’t want to dwell on this and risk stirring up her unhappy memories, so he deftly changed the subject. “Now that I like you this much, would you turn around and kiss me?”
Di Ronghua rolled her eyes. “You’re holding me so tight—how am I supposed to turn?”
His expression shifted, and he immediately loosened his grip.
Di Ronghua turned to face him, noting the tension in his handsome features—genuine nervousness. Her gaze softened, and she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I’ll be out with Miao Miao these next few days. Don’t bother me until you find that medicine. Got it?”
—
At dinner.
Su Miao sat by the window in the tavern, marveling. “And then he just agreed?”
“What else could he do?”
Di Ronghua frowned, displeased. “I’m already staying. If he can’t even agree to that, he might as well drop dead.”
Su Miao raised an eyebrow. “Drop dead? Could you bear that?”
Di Ronghua, “…”
Propping her chin, Su Miao clicked her tongue in amazement. “I’ve got to say, Xiao Hanjin’s a strange one. A jerk when he wants to be, but also pitifully devoted. All this time, enduring that pain, refusing the medicine, even throwing it away—if you didn’t accept him, was he really planning to die as an apology?”
Di Ronghua’s face flickered, and she gritted out, “He’s a lunatic!”
Su Miao nodded sympathetically. Pretty unhinged, yeah.
But as Fan Jiang had put it, when this man didn’t love you, he’d hurt you without mercy. Yet once he fell for Di Ronghua… he wasn’t entirely irredeemable. If not for that sudden revelation and misunderstanding, they might not have lost these four years.
Their situation wasn’t like those who exploit a woman’s love to save an ex. It was different.
Su Miao suddenly perked up, as if remembering something. “Oh, right—I’ve got something for you.”
Di Ronghua glanced at her as she pulled a pouch from her bag, revealing something square inside.
She blinked. “What is it?”
Then she saw it—a square, golden… holy crap?!
Di Ronghua’s eyes widened. “Miao Miao, are you ditching my brother again? You even stole his imperial seal?”
Su Miao, “…”
Deadpan, she said, “This is Beixi’s national seal.”
Di Ronghua’s expression grew even stranger. “Why’d you steal that?”
Su Miao frowned, her face full of disdain. “Why do I feel like you say you’re reluctantly accepting Xiao Hanjin, but deep down, you’re totally hung up on him?”
Di Ronghua, “…”
Su Miao snorted. “He gave it to us himself when he came to Xiliang to pick up Jiangjiang.”
Back then, they’d handed Jiangjiang over for three reasons.
First, Ronghua was in Beixi, and they didn’t know if she was there willingly—they had to let her go for the time being.
Second, the Manyue Flower was hard to come by, and Xiao Hanjin had clearly put in effort.
Third… he’d offered the national seal.
What had he said back then?
“With my kingdom as a betrothal gift.”
She placed the seal on the table and slid it slowly toward Di Ronghua. “Your brother and I don’t need this thing. Take it. If he ever treats you badly, you can usurp his kingdom.”
