“Xiao Hanjin, who said you could touch me whenever you feel like it?” she glared at him angrily. “Besides, I haven’t asked you about meeting other women alone either. What gives you the right to question who I meet?”
The darkness in the man’s eyes deepened. “I did it. What are you going to do about it?”
Di Ronghua was so angry she almost laughed. “Do you think just because I haven’t hit you recently, I don’t dare to hit you anymore?”
Xiao Hanjin glanced at her. “So, if I touch you, you’ll hit me? Fine, that works.”
Di Ronghua’s eyes widened. “Are you out of your mind?”
The man replied matter-of-factly, “Since I’m the one forcing you, if you hit back, it’s a fair exchange. From now on, I can consider your kisses as willingly given.”
Di Ronghua stared at him in disbelief.
Fair… fair exchange?
And now he’s proud of it?!
Xiao Hanjin looked at her face, flushed either from the earlier suffocating kiss or her current anger, and his expression softened. He leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear. “You didn’t ask me about other women, so I have no right to question you. Then I’ll let you ask, okay?”
Di Ronghua’s breath hitched, and she quickly turned her face away. “Who cares about your nonsense? Get lost.”
“Then you don’t have to ask. I’ll tell you myself.”
“I don’t want to hear it!”
“Alright, I’ll tell you when you’re ready to listen.” The man gently nuzzled her neck, then spoke in a low, slow voice, “Ronghua, earlier I said you’re the mother of my child, and you didn’t deny it. Have you made up your mind?”
“……”
It took Di Ronghua a moment to process his words. Her gaze faltered, and all the anger and emotion drained from her face as she looked at him calmly. “A year from now, if you go back on your word, what will I do?”
The man’s arms tightened around her, and his eyes brightened noticeably.
On this matter, he had made the biggest concession, hoping she might agree.
But before she actually agreed, he hadn’t dared to ask her directly the moment he saw her.
“I won’t.”
The man lowered his head and kissed her earlobe, his voice soft. “If I lie to you, you can stab me with a knife while I’m asleep and then return to Xiliang, okay?”
Hah.
Di Ronghua looked at him expressionlessly. “If you dare kiss me so casually again, maybe I’ll do just that tonight.”
Xiao Hanjin gazed down at her, a faint smile tugging at his lips, reaching his eyes. “You wouldn’t have the heart to, Ronghua.”
Di Ronghua, “……”
At that time, Di Ronghua had taken his words as a jest. But she never expected that jest to come true so quickly, and in such a bizarre way.
The next day, as Juye was accompanying her on a walk, she suddenly noticed a cluster of fiery red fur in the grass.
Di Ronghua was startled. She lowered her gaze and turned to Juye beside her. “You can go back first. I’d like to walk alone for a bit.”
Juye nodded. “Then please be careful, Your Highness.”
Di Ronghua hummed in acknowledgment. Once Juye was out of sight, she walked toward the furry bundle.
Xiao Jiu had shrunk its body to sneak into the palace. It immediately jumped out of the grass and landed at her feet. “Rongrong, I’ve missed you so much.”
Di Ronghua stroked its soft fur and sighed. “I told you not to come looking for me so casually.”
“It’s not casual,” Xiao Jiu said, sounding aggrieved. “I have something important.”
Di Ronghua was taken aback. “What is it?”
“I think… you might be able to leave Xiao Hanjin soon,” Xiao Jiu’s expression was complicated. “His father seems to be… planning to have him assassinated.”
“What?” Her eyelashes trembled.
“If you don’t care about his life or death, then if he dies, you’ll be free.”
