“Zhuo Yi,” I said seriously, “This is non-negotiable. I will not agree.”
An Jin was slightly stunned. “What?”
Yuan Xiao growled threateningly at An Jin.
“Today, Madam Song came to propose marriage, wanting her daughter to become your concubine,” I watched his expression carefully.
“I know,” he said with a knowing smile.
As expected, he knew? I continued, “I refused.”
His smile deepened, and the sunset’s afterglow shone in his eyes, making his usually deep black pupils look transparent.
I looked at him suspiciously, trying to find signs of embarrassment or anger, but found none.
He laughed softly, feeling relieved. The small deerskin crown on his head swayed with his movement, and combined with his rosy lips and white teeth, I thought of “delicate and trembling.”
“You’re not angry?” I asked. “I offended someone on your behalf.”
He walked towards me. Yuan Xiang hesitated, tucking his tail and hiding behind me. “You did well, why would I be angry?”
I stood still, watching him come closer. The phoenixes on his purple official robe seemed to come alive, coiling on his body.
An Jin stopped a step in front of me, lowered his eyes, and softly said: “I’m happy.”
I nodded, realizing he didn’t like the third young miss of the Song family. Another thought struck me.
“How did you know about Lady Song’s visit?”
An Jin reached out to pull me, but his fingers froze midair at my question, awkwardly withdrawing. “I met Lord Song on my way home, and he mentioned this.”
Though it was an unconvincing explanation, I didn’t press further. Knowing An Jin for over a decade, I understood that if he didn’t want to share, it was impossible to pry it out of him.
An Jin rarely came home for dinner, but my father-in-law seemed pleased and kept asking when we would have a grandchild.
Even my usually stern mother-in-law’s expression softened. Yuan Xiang wandered around the dining table, finally settling under my father-in-law’s legs, contentedly eating the meat bones he occasionally handed over.
The family had not enjoyed such harmonious moments for a long time. At night, An Jin breathed slightly on my shoulder, softly asking if I was truly willing to bear a child for him. I shamelessly pulled down his neck.
