Di Ronghua stood expressionlessly for a long while, her demeanour gradually tinged with impatience. Her brows furrowed, and she abruptly let go.
With a sharp clang, the scissors fell to the ground, emitting a shrill, piercing sound.
Xiao Hanjin’s grip tightened instinctively.
For a fleeting moment, even this man, fearless in the face of life and death, felt a flicker of fear at that noise.
It was as if happiness had come too suddenly, carrying an unreal quality.
…
But in the days that followed, she remained this way.
She regained her former liveliness, not just as she had been when she first arrived in Beixi, but as if time had rewound to their days in Xiliang.
That was the original Di Ronghua, the truest Di Ronghua.
So Xiao Hanjin gradually began to believe—perhaps she had truly let go and forgiven him.
No, not perhaps—she had forgiven him.
A month later, at the spring hunt, Xiao Hanjin initially refused to let her join, citing her pregnancy. But she insisted, even throwing a tantrum and giving him the cold shoulder, “If you’re dead set against me going, is it because you want to sneak off and fool around while I’m not around?”
Xiao Hanjin frowned, “Where would I go to fool around?”
“Who knows?” she sneered, “The spring hunt is so far away—it’ll take at least a month round trip. Maybe you’ll just bring someone along, or perhaps you’ll spot someone there on a whim.”
“…”
Xiao Hanjin rubbed his temples, exasperated, “You didn’t go to the last hunt either. Why the sudden interest now?”
The woman huffed, “Last time we were fighting—who’d want to bother with you?”
Xiao Hanjin’s expression took on a half-smile, “So now you’re especially eager to bother with me?”
Di Ronghua bit her lip and abruptly averted her gaze.
If she’d said yes outright, Xiao Hanjin might have overthought it. But her sulky, put-upon look softened him instantly, “Alright, Your Highness, I’ll take you—happy now?” He leaned down, kissing her eyes, “Don’t be cross, hmm?”
He gave her no chance to argue, his deep gaze fixed on her as he added, “Ronghua, shall we get married?”
Di Ronghua’s pupils shrank slightly, “Married?”
Xiao Hanjin saw her face stiffen, his eyes dimming as he murmured, “If you’re not willing, we can talk about this later…”
“Fine.”
She cut him off, her eyes smiling up at him, “After the spring hunt, we’ll get married.”
This time, it was Xiao Hanjin’s face that froze.
He’d thought she wouldn’t agree—she’d once sworn she’d never marry him again.
Even if she seemed to have forgiven him, over the past month, he hadn’t dared cross that line, let alone broach this topic.
But he hadn’t expected… she’d actually say yes.
Bearing his child, ending the cold war, marrying him…
All the things he’d deemed impossible were now unfolding before him.
Di Ronghua watched his focused expression and closed her eyes. Her face flushed with a shy, annoyed charm, but her heart was an unmelting iceberg.
Xiao Hanjin.
She silently repeated those three words, an irrepressible thread of hatred rising within her.
In the end, she truly hated him.
