Fan Jiang spoke solemnly, “Princess, ever since His Majesty decided he wanted to marry you, his feelings for you have never carried the slightest falsehood. Even if you hadn’t been pregnant at the time, he wouldn’t have let you risk your life for a blood transfusion.”
Di Ronghua’s gaze drifted into the distance. “If that’s the case, why didn’t he say these things himself?”
Back then, she hadn’t believed a single word Xiao Hanjin said.
One lie was enough to make her doubt the other ninety-nine things he’d told her.
But now, there was no need for him to deceive her. If he had said it, she probably would have believed him.
Fan Jiang gave a bitter smile. “Perhaps he feels that after all the suffering you’ve endured, these words are insignificant and can’t make up for even a fraction of it.”
He paused, then added, “I only hope that, even if you leave, you won’t hate him. That way, you might feel a bit better, right?”
A heart filled with hate could never find happiness.
He only wished that, even if his two masters couldn’t be together, they wouldn’t end up in a tragic fate of loving deeply yet hating each other for a lifetime.
…
After walking a long distance, Feng Hua glanced at the woman beside him, her eyes cast downward, and blinked. “Rongrong, if you’re upset, just go back to him.”
“I’m not upset.”
Di Ronghua refuted almost instinctively, then turned her head and smiled. “Xiao Jiu, I just miss my daughter. We’ll soon see Miaomiao, my imperial brother, Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-Law, and my newborn nephew… Are you happy?”
Feng Hua was silent for a moment. “Mm.”
“That’s great. When the time comes, remember to turn into your little fox form for my daughter to play with.”
“…”
Feng Hua rolled his eyes in a distinctly ungraceful manner.
…
Three months later, in the Beixi Imperial Palace.
The serene white crabapple blossoms had filled the entire imperial garden. The early autumn weather was crisp and pleasant, with a faint floral fragrance lingering in the air.
But at that moment, a flash of vibrant red suddenly burst into view, storming angrily towards the pavilion.
From the corner of her eye, Di Ronghua caught sight of that bright yellow figure. Her steps quickened, and she marched over, shoving him hard.
The man staggered, instinctively turning to look at her.
His handsome face had grown sharper, his jawline more defined, pale and displaying an unnatural, almost sickly pallor.
But upon seeing her, the cold impatience in his expression instantly melted into stunned brightness. “Ronghua?”
Di Ronghua’s initial anger faltered for a moment when she saw his face, but hearing his voice reignited her fury, and she laughed in exasperation. “What are you putting on airs for? I barely pushed you, and you’re swaying like that, your face as white as if you’d seen a ghost?”
Xiao Hanjin’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze locking onto her eyes. His voice was hoarse as he asked, “Why are you here?”
“You have the nerve to ask me?”
She practically roared, “Xiao Hanjin, you bastard, where did you hide my daughter?”
Xiao Hanjin’s eyes flickered. “She’s my daughter too.”
Di Ronghua’s eyes widened abruptly. “So you took advantage of my absence to secretly steal her away?”
She’d actually been naive enough to think he’d really let her go!
And the result?
Hah, shameless, despicable!!
The man frowned, displeasure crossing his face as he corrected her, “I didn’t steal her. I took her back.”
“You call that taking?”
She laughed in sheer rage, her sarcasm unmasked. “If you hadn’t tricked my imperial brother into thinking I was with you, would they have handed Jiangjiang over to you?”
Oh, it wasn’t just “with you.”
He’d made it sound like they’d be together forever, hadn’t he?
Xiao Hanjin’s gaze flickered again, a rare hint of guilt and embarrassment flashing across his face.
But meeting her furious glare, a strange mix of tenderness and bitterness welled up in his chest. He couldn’t help but take her hand, speaking softly, “You’re here now, aren’t you? Doesn’t that mean we’re about to be together?”
