Goodness! Xiao Yingtao took a deep breath, and after her shock wore off, pursed her lips.

“How exactly did this happen? Can you tell me? How could you two do this — wait until I wasn’t around and secretly get together?”

“I’ve been waiting so long, and you couldn’t even wait until I was around to…”

“This kind of thing happens when the feeling is strong enough — does it need a chosen date?” Qiao Mu cut off Xiao Yingtao.

“Besides, we’re not even married yet. I already said we’ll treat you to drinks at the wedding, why are you in such a hurry?”

“How could I not be in a hurry?” Xiao Yingtao still hadn’t come to terms with this.

“I… aren’t you my good sister? I want to share in your happiness!”

Xiao Yingtao held onto Qiao Mu’s hand and wouldn’t let go.

She herself wasn’t sure why she was so fixated on this.

Clearly she should be congratulating her good sister, yet she still felt a pang of loss over having missed such an important moment.

“Xiao Yingtao, don’t be upset!” Feng Jiu’er tilted her head and gave Xiao Yingtao a smile. “Even I only found out about this after the fact.”

“It was just one night — Master Bao called her out, and the next day she came back like this. Nothing special about it.”

“Besides, we don’t even know when you and Xing Zizhou got together, do we? Stop dwelling on it.”

“We… haven’t.” Xiao Yingtao shook her head furiously.

Her face flushed red, and the faint trace of loss from a moment ago was instantly forgotten.

“You think we’d believe that?” Qiao Mu rolled her eyes at Xiao Yingtao. “That day, your clothes were both… indescribable.”

“Lucky for me, my Little Bao isn’t that kind of man. He said we’d wait until after the wedding, otherwise this would’ve happened ages ago.”

“Who knew my Little Bao would be so old-fashioned.”

“We really haven’t done anything, believe it or not.” Xiao Yingtao’s ears turned red at being called out.

She wasn’t like Qiao Mu — Qiao Mu’s face was clearly much thicker-skinned.

Then again, Miss Qiao had seen all sorts of things in her life; matters between men and women came naturally to her, nothing to be embarrassed about.

“So when are you two going to pick a date and get it done?” Feng Jiu’er asked with a smile.

“Since you’re both in love anyway, the sooner you’re together, the better for everyone.”

“Right.” Xiao Yingtao nodded. “Qiao Mu, you should handle your matter soon too.”

Xiao Yingtao tried to change the subject, but unfortunately Feng Jiu’er wasn’t going to let her off that easily.

“You and Xing Zizhou are the same — if you truly love each other, settle it sooner rather than later.”

“It’s not good for a man to hold it in too long, bad for his health.” She added with a smile.

So, she and Ninth Imperial Uncle should settle things too, shouldn’t they?

Feng Jiu’er’s lips curved up slightly, and her gaze shifted to Qiao Mu. “It’s the same for women — holding it in too long isn’t good for the health either.”

“Jiu’er, what do you mean by that?” Qiao Mu wasn’t dim — she caught the implication behind Feng Jiu’er’s words.

“What do you mean by a woman holding it in too long? Am I that desperate?” Even if she was, Qiao Mu would never admit it.

After all, she was still a woman — she couldn’t let herself be seen through so easily.

Xiao Yingtao looked at Qiao Mu, smiling with delight.

“Qiao Mu, was it you who made the first move?” Picturing Qiao Mu flipping Feng Jiang onto his back, the scene was almost too funny to imagine.

“Xiao Yingtao, don’t talk nonsense.” Qiao Mu glared at Feng Jiu’er before turning to fix her stare on Xiao Yingtao.

“My Little Bao was plenty proactive himself, alright? If I hadn’t been unwilling…” Ah — actually, it seemed she’d been pretty willing.

“Anyway, if I hadn’t held back, we’d have been husband and wife long ago.”

“No matter how you look at it, marriage only happens once in a lifetime, and all the proper customs should be observed — that way there’ll be no regrets.”

In truth… in truth, these were all Feng Jiang’s words; Qiao Mu hadn’t thought that deeply about it herself.

But whatever her man said was how it would be — after all, she was the one who chose him.

“I don’t believe it.” Xiao Yingtao’s smile only grew wider.

“Jiu’er, let’s pick a time and hold their wedding — I bet it’ll be a lot of fun.”

“Qiao Mu, once you’re carrying a big belly, will you still be able to wield your dragon-tongue silver spear?”

“But don’t worry — if you get pregnant, we won’t assign you any missions.”

Qiao Mu didn’t argue. She lifted her gaze to glance at the sunlight, composed herself, and said, “I want at least three children.”

Qiao Mu’s words reached Feng Jiang’s ears just as he stepped outside.

He looked at the woman walking across the courtyard, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

A faint smile, gentle and doting, full of contentment.

“Three? Qiao Mu, you’ve got some nerve!” Xiao Yingtao opened her mouth, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“What’s so hard about having kids? Nothing I can’t handle.” Qiao Mu arched an eyebrow.

Xiao Yingtao shook her head and turned her gaze toward the pavilion in the courtyard.

“I really never thought Qiao Mu would have such ambitions. But honestly, picturing tough-as-nails Qiao Mu acting like a virtuous wife and loving mother — it’s almost too cute!”

Cute, but mostly just unbelievable!

Qiao Mu’s bold, forthright nature was known to everyone, but no one knew she had such a delicate, tender side too.

The three of them came to sit under the pavilion, laughter and chatter never ceasing.

With Yang Sheng nowhere in the east wing, the women had nothing to hold back as they chatted — it was all idle talk anyway.

Since Lei Shenbao had already seen Feng Jiu’er’s true face, she now appeared openly as herself.

No matter how she tried to hide, she couldn’t stay hidden forever — sooner or later, people from Feng Qiongcang’s side would come looking.

Feng Jiu’er only hoped that before Feng Qiongcang’s people tracked them down, their own wings would have grown sturdier.

After lunch, Lei Shenbao couldn’t help but come calling again.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er’s true face for the first time, Lei Shenbao stared at her for a long, long while.

Naturally, even more people now wanted to beat him senseless.

Feng Jiu’er, already strikingly beautiful by nature, had dressed up specially to “meet” Lei Shenbao.

Compared to before, both her clothing and her styling were utterly transformed.

If not for the unique aura she carried, Lei Shenbao might nearly have lost control of himself.

“Beautiful, so beautiful! Truly beautiful.” Lei Shenbao, seated on the main throne in the hall, gazed at Feng Jiu’er for a long stretch of time before finally sighing from the heart.

“Miss Long, you’re a thousand, ten thousand times more beautiful than your portrait.” Lei Shenbao shook his head with a soft sigh. “How could the world hold such a ravishing beauty.”

“Miss Long isn’t human, she’s an immortal maiden, truly an immortal maiden.”

“Miss Long, if you don’t mind, why not stay at my residence for a while?”

“It’s only because Miss Long is so beautiful that I fear other men might set their sights on you.”

“Rest assured! Before we’re married, I won’t do anything improper toward Miss Long.”

“I, Lei, stake my own head on it — before our marriage, I will treat you with proper respect.”

“Miss Long, what do you say? Will you move over so I can take good care of you?”

Lei Shenbao had gone completely mad, wanting only to settle things as quickly as possible.

Feng Jiu’er took a light sip of tea and set the cup down.

She looked back at Lei Shenbao, the corner of her mouth curving slightly.

She was beautiful, noble — a single smile from her alone could move the entire world, as though all things in creation lost their color beside her.

In that moment, her every flicker of expression, every smile, tugged at Lei Shenbao’s heart.