The man’s eyes darkened slightly, “Neither. I just want to hold your hand.”
Di Rong Hua ignored him, turning her gaze away and jumping off the carriage from the other side, walking straight along the palace path.
She walked slowly, without any particular destination in mind. The man behind her quickly caught up and walked by her side.
The journey was silent.
Di Rong Hua could feel his gaze fixed on her, but she didn’t even glance sideways. It wasn’t until his deep voice, tinged with displeasure, sounded beside her ear, “Are you planning to ignore me like this from now on?”
She remained silent for a moment, then said, “Let Xiao Yi Xun go to Jiangnan with your father.”
The man’s gaze on her suddenly turned cold, “Di Rong Hua, are you deliberately trying to make things difficult?”
Di Rong Hua frowned at him, “You’re the one who wanted me to speak. Besides this, what else do you think we have to talk about?”
Xiao Han Jin stiffened, his handsome face freezing in place.
A long time ago—or perhaps not so long ago, when their relationship was still good—he had always been the quieter one. When they were alone, it was usually her who chattered away, finding topics to talk about. Occasionally, she would complain that he was too reserved, but most of the time, she would happily talk to him on her own.
So now, when she no longer spoke, the atmosphere felt strangely stagnant.
She no longer wanted anything to do with him, while he was still stuck in the past, slowly realizing the belated sense of confusion and helplessness.
And so, he became increasingly aware of what she had said—it was best not to fall in love with her.
Otherwise, he would have to endure all the pain and suppression she had once experienced, just as he was doing now.
“I won’t let him go,” he said coldly. “Letting him stay with my father—are you hoping they’ll team up and cause trouble because you think I have too much free time?”
Di Rong Hua’s lips twitched, “You actually figured that out.”
Xiao Han Jin, “…”
The man’s thin lips pressed into a tight line as he stared at her expressionlessly.
Di Rong Hua calmly averted her gaze, but then she heard his icy voice, “Fine. If you’re so worried about him staying in the capital, afraid I might harm him, I can always send him to the harsh, cold northwest as a feudal lord.”
“Xiao Han Jin!”
The woman suddenly turned to glare at him.
From the moment they returned from the wedding until now, this was the first time he had seen any expression on her face other than coldness and mockery—even if it was just anger. At least her emotions had finally shifted slightly.
Although, this small change was still because of Xiao Yi Xun.
Hah.
Xiao Han Jin said coldly, “So, Rong Hua, don’t mention him in front of me. You should know how jealousy can make people terrifying. I promised you I wouldn’t kill him, but I can’t guarantee what I might do to him if I lose control.”
Di Rong Hua bit her lip.
Just as she was about to say something, her peripheral vision caught sight of a woman approaching in the distance. “Xiao Han Jin, I suggest you don’t do anything,” Di Rong Hua said, a cold smile curling her lips. “Otherwise, with such a frail, sickly woman constantly hovering around me, it wouldn’t be impossible for me to accidentally end her life.”
Xiao Han Jin’s expression changed slightly, and he followed her gaze.
“What are you doing here?”
His suddenly cold voice made Mu Qing Shuang stop in her tracks. “I heard about what happened at the wedding…” The woman bit her lip softly, “So I came to see you.”
