Di Beiyu sneered, “If I never came, would you just keep gallivanting out here forever?”
Su Miao bit her lip. “No way! I missed you so much I couldn’t eat or drink—you see how thin I’ve gotten!”
Di Beiyu’s gaze darkened as he sized her up. “What kind of misunderstanding do you have about yourself?”
Couldn’t eat or drink? He’d been watching her for ages, and she’d been wholeheartedly devouring her food. That was her version of pining?
If she really missed him, would she dive headfirst into a cooking pot?
Su Miao’s mood soured instantly. “Di Beiyu, what’s that supposed to mean? Are you calling me fat?”
He tugged at his lips. “Are you dodging the point?”
Su Miao: “…”
She tightened her arms around his waist, nuzzling into his chest. “Don’t you love me anymore? You see me and don’t even kiss me—just scold me instead.”
Di Beiyu’s throat bobbed. He gripped her chin and kissed her hard.
Scolding could wait. She rarely played coy and begged for affection—he couldn’t miss this chance.
—
A long silence followed, even the wind hushing its clamor.
Di Ronghua’s face stayed frozen for a while. Watching his cautious gaze, she suddenly curved her lips into a half-smile, her red lips parting to whisper three words: “I don’t want to.”
Xiao Hanjin’s eyes flickered. “I understand.”
Understand what?
Did this man have any sincerity? Su Miao had teed him up inside, and he’d ignored it. He must’ve talked with her for ages in there, then come out and blurted this half-baked question. She refused once, and he just accepted it?
Di Ronghua’s anger flared. “Let go of me. Jiangjiang hasn’t seen me all day, she must—”
“How about we marry in half a month?”
Di Ronghua froze.
After a long pause, she looked up at him, smirking faintly. “I think I said I didn’t want to.”
His gaze locked onto hers, deep and steady. “I heard you. But Su Miao said you’d definitely say no, and I should just ask a few more times.”
Di Ronghua: “…”
She snapped, “That was only once!”
And what was this “ask a few more times” nonsense? Did she look desperate to marry?
Xiao Hanjin’s throat moved. “Sorry, don’t be mad. It’s not that I didn’t want to ask or marry you—I just… didn’t dare.”
He lowered his eyes with a faint laugh. “I want to give you everything, but I’m afraid you’d only accept it out of helplessness, that it’d just be a burden to you. Ronghua, the closer you get, the more I fear I’ll lose control and hurt you.”
Her heart twinged—not a sharp pain, but a subtle ache that stirred a bittersweet pang.
She remembered meeting Xiao Hanjin for the first time. Back then, he’d been so spirited, even as a mere guard. His presence was commanding, his demeanor cold and proud.
Now, he’d humbled himself to the dust.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want this—it was fear, insecurity, self-doubt.
Though she’d told him last time she wasn’t with him out of pity, and he’d seemed to accept it quickly, deep down, he couldn’t believe Di Ronghua truly loved him too.
She sighed almost inaudibly, wrapping her arms around his neck. “How could you hurt me? Don’t you love me so much?”
“Possessiveness, control… those could hurt you.”
“They won’t.”
She tilted her head, pressing against his sharp jawline. “I’m yours. It’s only natural you’d feel possessive or controlling. I feel the same about you—okay?”
