The sword wind descended swiftly. Ye Tianjiao couldn’t care about dignity at all and dove behind Jiang Zhaoxue. Jiang Zhaoxue was so frightened she quickly raised her hands to shield her face. Then she felt the sword wind stop urgently before her. Pei Zichen looked in disbelief at Jiang Zhaoxue blocking in front of Ye Tianjiao. He gripped the sword hilt tightly, looking at Jiang Zhaoxue standing before Ye Tianjiao, and said tremblingly, “Miss Jiang, please move aside.”

“Sis!!”

Ye Tianjiao called out urgently. Jiang Zhaoxue quickly said, “Don’t, don’t, don’t get agitated. There’s a bit of a misunderstanding between us. Let me expl—”

Before she could finish, Pei Zichen seemed unable to restrain himself. He sheathed his sword and left.

Jiang Zhaoxue froze at the sound, turning to exchange glances with Ye Tianjiao. Ye Tianjiao came to his senses and quickly said, “Go after him! I’ll find Qian Sisi to fix the door!”

Was fixing the door the issue right now?!

Jiang Zhaoxue was speechless, but she didn’t dare delay. She quickly dusted herself off, got up, and chased after Pei Zichen.

Pei Zichen walked extremely fast. Jiang Zhaoxue jogged to follow him, calling out, “Pei… Shi Cang! Daoist Shen! Shen Chen! Ah, A Chen!”

Jiang Zhaoxue finally caught up to him and grabbed Pei Zichen’s arm. She saw that his eyes seemed to have moisture in them, but he forcibly suppressed it, maintaining composure. “I apologize, Miss Jiang. I’m somewhat out of sorts right now and cannot discuss matters. Let’s talk again tomorrow…”

“Your being out of sorts is unnecessary!”

Jiang Zhaoxue interrupted him urgently. “Listen to me. Actually, this place is an illusion.”

Pei Zichen’s movements paused. He looked up dumbly to see Jiang Zhaoxue say seriously, “We’re not engaged to be married. I was originally your master’s wife. Because you were falsely accused, in order to protect you, I fled with you. Then we had an accident and ended up in this illusion. That Ye Tianjiao is a good friend to both of us. My interactions with him are purely to discuss the major matter of leaving the illusion! So you don’t need to be jealous over such things. We only have the relationship of elder and junior.”

As Jiang Zhaoxue spoke, Pei Zichen’s face turned white inch by inch.

When she finished, Pei Zichen confirmed, “So you and I are neither engaged nor people who love each other?”

“Correct.” Jiang Zhaoxue nodded.

“You are my master’s wife, which means I have another master. There is a generational barrier between us, without the slightest personal feelings?”

“Yes!” Seeing that he understood, Jiang Zhaoxue quickly said, “Have you remembered anything?”

Listening to this, Pei Zichen seemed to find it absurd. He laughed. After thinking for a long while, after restraining himself again and again, he finally said, “What did I do wrong?”

“What?” Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t understand.

Then she saw Pei Zichen raise his eyes, his eyes slightly red as he stared at her. “What about me is so bad that even after knowing me for so many years, you cannot bring yourself to like me?”

“That’s not it.” Jiang Zhaoxue frowned. “Didn’t you understand what I said? This place is an illusion…”

“I have someone in my heart!”

Pei Zichen said decisively. Jiang Zhaoxue froze.

She stared blankly at the young man before her, dressed in frost-white snow, looking like the bright moon. He looked at her solemnly, his tone extraordinarily serious. “If you truly are my master’s wife, how could I harbor such thoughts? Whether this is an illusion or not, I know clearly in my heart. Miss Jiang need not say more! You and I are engaged to be married. The feelings between us are those between man and woman. No one can change this! If you want to leave,” Pei Zichen said, unable to restrain the moisture in his eyes. He turned away awkwardly and only said, “Shi Cang dares not keep you, but you need not use such lies to humiliate me.”

With that, Pei Zichen turned to leave.

Jiang Zhaoxue came to her senses and quickly chased after him, saying urgently, “Listen to me! Who would lie like this? Hey, don’t you have the Yuan Luogong? Didn’t the Yuan Luogong tell you about the situation? Where’s Yuan Luo?”

Jiang Zhaoxue sensed for it but couldn’t feel Yuan Luo’s presence. She quickly raised her hand to grab Pei Zichen’s life meridian. Pei Zichen immediately withdrew his hand. Jiang Zhaoxue pursued closely.

Compared to a sword cultivator, though she had no real martial skills, she had some show techniques. After chasing Pei Zichen’s hand for a few moves, both her wrists were caught in one of Pei Zichen’s hands. Pei Zichen frowned slightly. “Miss Jiang…”

“Let me look at your spiritual soul.” Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat anxious. “You’re my Life Attendant. Your spiritual soul and mine should be able to sense each other directly!”

“Miss Jiang, please stop making trouble!” Pei Zichen seemed somewhat weary. He said softly, “Tonight was my fault. I’ll have Sisi change your room right away. Please go rest.”

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue knew struggling was useless. She could only swallow her frustration and said, “Fine, let me go.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen released her hands and bowed his head. “I apologize for the offense—”

Before the word “offense” finished falling, Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly lunged forward, cupped his face with both hands, and forcefully knocked her forehead against his!

Her spiritual soul instantly invaded his consciousness sea. Jiang Zhaoxue heard Yuan Luo shout, “Help—”

Then she was violently expelled by Pei Zichen!

Jiang Zhaoxue was expelled so unexpectedly that she staggered backward. Pei Zichen hurriedly caught her, calling out urgently, “Miss Jiang!”

“You…”

This was the first time Jiang Zhaoxue had been expelled when entering his consciousness sea. Looking at the person before her, she actually felt somewhat angry and wronged. She couldn’t help but say, “Didn’t you say you liked me?! You like me but won’t even let me into your consciousness sea? You were better when you didn’t like me!”

These words made Pei Zichen freeze. For a moment he was at a loss. After panicking for a while, he quickly released his hands and said vaguely, “Sharing consciousness seas… is something only Dao companions can do. Since Miss Jiang has decided to leave, I cannot humiliate you in such a way.”

“Where do all these rules come from?!”

Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat angry. “What if I insist on entering?!”

Listening to this, Pei Zichen gradually calmed down. He raised his eyes to look at Jiang Zhaoxue and only asked, “Then will Miss Jiang marry me?”

“Fine, I’ll marry you.” Jiang Zhaoxue said through gritted teeth. “Open your consciousness sea to me. Don’t you even know about the Yuan Luogong’s existence?”

“Miss Jiang.” Hearing this, Pei Zichen smiled bitterly and only said, “Please go rest. Stop making trouble.”

With that, Pei Zichen bowed his head slightly and turned to leave.

Seeing him impervious to reason, Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but curse, “Is he an idiot or something? Why is communication so difficult? Who uses such lies to reject someone?!”

“Have you considered that this might be the illusion’s doing?”

A’Nan began to think. Jiang Zhaoxue thought about it and understood. “I get it now. Although the illusion doesn’t stop us from speaking, it processes all words that would make people wake up as information, deliberately preventing the involved parties from thinking in directions that would make them lucid. Yuan Luo definitely hasn’t had a chance to speak with him either. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have shouted for help just now.”

Jiang Zhaoxue spoke while pondering. “I need to find a way to enter his spiritual soul once.”

Jiang Zhaoxue contemplated this as she walked back to her room. Just as she reached the door, she saw Qian Sisi had already finished repairing the door.

Seeing her return, Qian Sisi smiled. “Oh, Miss Jiang is back? The door is fixed.”

Qian Sisi patted the door. “Look, how sturdy!”

“Where’s Tianjiao?”

Jiang Zhaoxue asked curiously. Qian Sisi smiled. “I was afraid he’d disturb you, so he went back to sleep.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t think much of it and thanked her. “Thank you.”

“Then I’ll go to sleep.”

After greeting Jiang Zhaoxue, Qian Sisi turned and left. She went straight to Pei Zichen’s room. His door wasn’t closed—he was looking at letters he and “Jiang Xue” had written to each other in the past. Qian Sisi walked in boldly. With one glance, she knew what they were and laughed. “Oh, commemorating your soon-to-be-lost love?”

“What are you here for?” Listening to this, Pei Zichen wasn’t angry. He calmly put away the letters and only said, “It’s too late. Go back to your room.”

“Don’t be so cold to your junior martial sister. I came to teach you. Tonight Ye Tianjiao climbed onto Miss Jiang’s bed—you know that, right?”

Pei Zichen’s movements froze. Then he frowned and looked up coldly. “Say one more word of nonsense and you’ll spend a hundred years on Reflection Cliff.”

“I’m only telling you this. How could I possibly say it outside?” Qian Sisi spoke earnestly. “Senior Brother, I came to advise you. When pursuing a girl, you can’t be too reserved or conservative. Since you like Miss Jiang, you should change for her. Haven’t you noticed that Miss Jiang doesn’t like all these rules of yours?”

These words made Pei Zichen somewhat uncomfortable. He only said, “She’s lively by nature, but I must give her respect.”

“If she doesn’t like it but you insist on giving it, that’s not respect—that’s being stubborn! Look at Ye Tianjiao. Miss Jiang is obviously happier with him than with you…”

“Enough!”

Pei Zichen shouted sternly. “Have you no sense of propriety?!”

“Really,” Qian Sisi stood up and said seriously, “I’ve observed that Ye Tianjiao. He’s not as good-looking as you, his character isn’t as upright as yours, his abilities aren’t as strong as yours. The only thing better about him is that he’s proactive enough. He pounces on Miss Jiang, hugs her, speaks sweetly to her. You’ve been together with Miss Jiang for so long—how many times have you even held her hand?”

“Stop this nonsense…”

“Master just sent a message saying the Jiang Family has already set out for Wenjian Manor. The manor has started preparing wedding clothes and the ceremony hall. Master asked me to inform you that the Jiang Family said they have a house at the foot of Jincheng Mountain. Miss Jiang will leave from Jincheng for the wedding. If you’re certain Miss Jiang won’t change her mind, tell Master quickly to avoid canceling on the wedding day and making both the Jiang Family and Wenjian Manor lose face throughout all of Shu.”

As Qian Sisi spoke, Pei Zichen unconsciously clenched his fists.

Just hearing “wedding canceled” made his heart ache sharply.

This was someone he had been looking forward to for over ten years.

From the moment he met her, knew of her existence, from when he was twelve years old, every single day he had been anticipating this day.

For this day, to be worthy of her, so people wouldn’t mock Miss Jiang for marrying beneath her station, he had struggled and fought his way to where he was today.

How could it just…

He didn’t dare think further. Seeing his expression, Qian Sisi sighed. “Senior Brother, I know you can’t let go, so pull yourself together. We still have a ways to go on the journey back. Treat Miss Jiang well. Don’t go against what she likes. I’ve already tied Ye Tianjiao to his bed. Every night from now on, I’ll go tie him up. I’ll help you keep watch over him. Junior martial sister can only help you this much!”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen made no sound.

Seeing his wooden expression that wouldn’t produce a word even if beaten, Qian Sisi sighed and turned to leave.

This night passed extraordinarily slowly. Near the hour of mao, thunder rumbled and heavy rain fell, startling Jiang Zhaoxue awake from her sleep.

She opened her eyes in alarm, only then realizing what time it was. She quickly took out the Qiankun Lots and divined whether Pei Zichen was sleeping soundly. After confirming he was deep asleep, Jiang Zhaoxue quickly tiptoed to Pei Zichen’s room.

She brought sleeping drugs. At the door, she first blew several tubes at Pei Zichen, causing her to cough quietly the whole time.

In the past, she wouldn’t use such crude methods—she would directly draw divination lots. But Pei Zichen was Heaven’s Favored Child. Her probability of winning through divination was too small. If she drew an extremely unlucky lot, the thing she begged for would descend upon herself instead. It was better not to try.

After blowing in the sleeping drug for a while, Jiang Zhaoxue heard the breathing inside become deeper and more prolonged. Knowing Pei Zichen was fast asleep, she quickly pushed the door open. She saw Pei Zichen’s bed completely covered by bed curtains.

Jiang Zhaoxue carefully closed the door and ran forward on tiptoe. The moment she reached out to lift the curtain, a hand from within the bed curtains suddenly struck out, pulling Jiang Zhaoxue forcefully into the canopy. At the same time, a silver sword reversed in his hand pressed horizontally against her, its sharp edge instantly cutting Jiang Zhaoxue’s neck.

Jiang Zhaoxue was completely scared stiff. Pei Zichen was also stunned.

The bed curtains fell down. Inside the bed, everything was pitch black. Jiang Zhaoxue and Pei Zichen were only inches apart. She looked in shock at the young man before her wearing only an inner robe. Her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

Pei Zichen usually dressed in layers upon layers, so his figure couldn’t be seen. Now wearing only one layer of inner clothing, he showed broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and defined muscles.

The warmth of his skin came through the clothing. Jiang Zhaoxue swallowed, and this finally awakened Pei Zichen.

He tilted his head, somewhat puzzled. “Miss Jiang?”

“I…”

Jiang Zhaoxue knew Pei Zichen was asking the reason for her late-night visit. Her mind began frantically making things up.

What reason could reasonably and respectably explain her coming to his bed curtains in the middle of the night without being driven away by Pei Zichen?

She ran through all the possibilities. Pei Zichen just waited quietly.

He should push her away, but after enduring this whole day, no matter how many rules of propriety constrained him, they couldn’t match his desire for this person at this moment.

He looked at her with suppressed anticipation, telling himself not to let her notice. He said softly, “If there’s nothing, then please, Miss Jiang…”

Before his words finished, lightning struck. Inspiration hit Jiang Zhaoxue. The moment thunder sounded, she lunged toward Pei Zichen on the bed and shrieked, “Ah!”

Pei Zichen’s movements froze. Then he felt Jiang Zhaoxue’s arms locked tightly around his waist as she said with exaggerated dramatics, “A Chen, I’m so scared! It’s thundering tonight! I’m so afraid! Will you let me stay, please?”

Jiang Zhaoxue raised her head, her eyes full of pleading. “I only feel at ease by your side. You can’t leave me alone.”

These words struck Pei Zichen’s heart heavily, creating ripples.

He instinctively wanted to refuse, to tell Jiang Zhaoxue he could stand guard at the door.

However, Qian Sisi’s words echoed in his ears.

“I’ve observed that Ye Tianjiao. He’s not as good-looking as you, his character isn’t as upright as yours, his abilities aren’t as strong as yours. The only thing better about him is that he’s proactive enough. He pounces on Miss Jiang, hugs her, speaks sweetly to her. You’ve been together with Miss Jiang for so long—how many times have you even held her hand?”

“Senior Brother, I know you can’t let go, so pull yourself together. We still have a ways to go on the journey back. Treat Miss Jiang well. Don’t go against what she likes.”

Don’t go against it.

Must… must make her like him.

Pei Zichen struggled internally. He looked at the person before him whose eyes were full of pleading as she looked at him. After struggling for a long while, he finally said, “Then… you sleep on the bed.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Zhaoxue froze. She saw Pei Zichen’s face seemed to have reddened.

He lifted the blanket and got up from the side to get dressed, not daring to look at Jiang Zhaoxue. He only said, “You sleep on the bed. I’ll go to the outer room… oh no,” Pei Zichen said as he lowered his head to tie his belt, his face flushed with heat. “I’ll meditate beside the bed. You needn’t be afraid.”

“Then thank you.”

Jiang Zhaoxue smiled and quickly burrowed into the covers, pulling the blanket over herself properly. She said obediently, “Going to sleep.”

Seeing Jiang Zhaoxue lying in his bed, Pei Zichen somehow felt his day’s frustrations dissipate.

He turned back and walked to the bedside, pulled over a cushion, and sat down cross-legged. After just a moment, he saw Jiang Zhaoxue extend one hand out and place it by his side.

Pei Zichen froze. He thought it was just Jiang Zhaoxue’s arm casually thrown out, but in the next moment, he heard Jiang Zhaoxue say, “A Chen, I’m still scared inside. Hold my hand, will you?”

Pei Zichen didn’t understand. He silently watched the window patterns casting shadows in the room, feeling his heartbeat become particularly pronounced and heavy in the darkness.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s voice was like fingers trailing across every muscle of his body. He silently listened to her ask, “Shi Cang?”

He shouldn’t touch her.

Pei Zichen thought—this was improper.

However, the moment she called his name, he still couldn’t restrain himself. As if possessed, he turned his back to Jiang Zhaoxue and reached out to hold her hand.

This hand was tender and smooth. He could feel the jade-like softness of her touch.

His throat tightened. His heart beat so fast he didn’t dare think anything more.

This wasn’t the first time he’d held her hand, but it was the first time in the deep of night.

He couldn’t quite distinguish what the difference was. He only felt that… this time, the hand Jiang Xue extended seemed different from the past.

He dared not say more. Jiang Zhaoxue knew his mind must be in chaos. She took the opportunity to secretly activate the hypnotic formation, transmitting it through their clasped hands.

After a while, she heard Pei Zichen’s breathing gradually become steady. She turned her eyes to glance outside the curtain, quickly lifted it, stepped down, and looked at the sleeping young man with his eyes closed. She half-crouched down and gently touched her forehead to his.

As soon as Jiang Zhaoxue entered Pei Zichen’s consciousness sea, she heard Yuan Luo cry out urgently, “Help! Save me!”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat surprised. She looked around. Yuan Luo’s voice came from within a patch of darkness. Jiang Zhaoxue followed the sound and asked doubtfully, “Yuan Luo? Is that you?”

“That’s right! Walk toward me!”

Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue walked into the darkness. When there was no more path to walk, she still raised her hand and pushed forward.

Her hand smoothly entered the darkness. Jiang Zhaoxue actually passed directly through the black wall.

As soon as she entered, Jiang Zhaoxue froze.

This was a simple, plain room. The room displayed both male and female items at the same time, as if there were a mistress.

The only thing out of place with the room was a wooden cage. Yuan Luo was inside. Seeing Jiang Zhaoxue, he said urgently, “Quick, get me out!”

Jiang Zhaoxue walked forward and looked up and down, only saying, “I can’t do anything in his consciousness sea. It could easily cause his mind to become confused. What happened to you?”

“What happened? I was locked up!”

Yuan Luo immediately said, “I have some grudges with the Lingxu Fan. As soon as we came in, it targeted me. Now both the master’s and my memories from the past have been obscured. We can only stay in this consciousness sea domain that no one discovers.”

“You and it are brothers?” Jiang Zhaoxue understood. “Then can you find it?”

“Of course.”

Yuan Luo immediately claimed credit. “As long as I can be activated, I can sense the Lingxu Fan. But now he’s sealed me. How can I find anything when I can’t be used?”

“Pei Zichen can’t use you?”

“He’s happily immersed in the illusion right now. His mind is confused—how can he use me?!” Yuan Luo became agitated, then quickly said, “Alright, stop wasting words. He could wake up at any time. The Lingxu Fan placed a restriction on him. Before he becomes lucid, there’s no way to use me. You need to find a way to awaken him. Once he’s awake, he can use me.”

“I can’t?”

“There’s a layer between you, sis!” Hearing Jiang Zhaoxue still arguing at this time, Yuan Luo was somewhat on the verge of collapse. “Wait until you open the Spirit-Locking Array and we truly link with you before using it. Right now you can use Pei Zichen, so you can use me. But if Pei Zichen can’t even use me, how can you?”

Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue nodded, somewhat regretfully. “Alright then. How should I awaken him?”

“Fulfill his wish, as quickly as possible.” Yuan Luo said solemnly, “As time passes, the illusion becomes more and more real. People immersed in the illusion basically do it to achieve a certain goal. If this goal comes too early or too unreasonably, it’s very easy to detect, and then they realize this is an illusion.”

“Besides his wish, can’t we use other unreasonable things to remind them?”

“To achieve their wish, they’ll rationalize all unreasonable things.” Yuan Luo explained. “Only the wish cannot be compromised.”

“I understand.” No wonder she was talking at cross purposes—no matter what she said, Pei Zichen could twist it to mean she was lying to him. Jiang Zhaoxue nodded, then inquired, “What is Pei Zichen’s wish?”

“How would I know?!” Yuan Luo said painfully. “You figure it out yourself! Anyway, if you guess correctly, I’ll sense it here.”

As they spoke, the consciousness sea began rumbling. Yuan Luo said urgently, “Oh no, he’s about to wake up. Leave quickly. I’ll handle everything else. He won’t know you came. Come visit me more often.”

Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t say more and quickly withdrew.

After withdrawing, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately returned to the bed, covered herself with the blanket, and held Pei Zichen’s hand again.

Pei Zichen opened his eyes groggily, feeling dawn light vaguely falling.

Only then did he realize he was still holding Jiang Zhaoxue’s hand. After his movements froze slightly, he suddenly remembered something and quickly pulled open the bed curtain, carefully lifting Jiang Zhaoxue horizontally in his arms.

Jiang Zhaoxue pretended to wake from sleep in confusion, asking puzzledly, “Shi Cang?”

“Sleep well. I’ll take you back.” Pei Zichen lowered his voice. He didn’t know why, but though they hadn’t done anything, he felt abnormally guilty. His face slightly flushed as he said, “If you leave my room in the morning, I’m afraid it would damage your reputation.”

Jiang Zhaoxue: “…”

Who else was here? Only his fellow disciples. Good grief, he was even guarding against his own sect members.

But since he wanted to conceal it, Jiang Zhaoxue was too lazy to care. She closed her eyes and curled up in his embrace, letting him carry her through the window into her room and gently place her on the bed.

He gazed tenderly at Jiang Zhaoxue’s face in the morning light, suddenly having some presumptuous thoughts.

Then he turned away in panic, saying softly, “Miss Jiang, I’ll leave first.”

“Wait, hold on.”

Jiang Zhaoxue grabbed his sleeve, remembering the main issue.

Pei Zichen looked back at her puzzled. He saw Jiang Zhaoxue examining him. “Do you have any wishes?”

Pei Zichen froze. “Huh?”

“I’m asking, what is your greatest wish?”

Jiang Zhaoxue inquired seriously, leaving Pei Zichen somewhat bewildered.

But he would never be perfunctory with any of her questions. After thinking seriously for a moment, he answered, “Peace and prosperity for the nation, that the people be cared for in their youth and supported in their old age, without disaster or misfortune, living in health their whole lives.”

“Isn’t this world peace?” A’Nan was somewhat shocked. “Who could possibly achieve this?”

Jiang Zhaoxue also felt it was impossible. She quickly said, “Change to something about you, about yourself. What is your wish?”

This made Pei Zichen freeze. He said vaguely, “I… I don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Jiang Zhaoxue frowned. After thinking, she said, “Then let’s talk about right now. What do you want to do right now?”

“Nothing… nothing.”

Pei Zichen seemed embarrassed. His face flushed as he said, “I’ll leave first.”

With that, he pulled his sleeve free and fled in a flustered manner.

Jiang Zhaoxue stared blankly at the person who nimbly jumped out the window. After being stunned for a moment, she covered her eyes and fell back in pain. “Good heavens, how am I supposed to complete this task?!”

Just as the words left her mouth, Jiang Zhaoxue heard a “pat” at the window. She saw Pei Zichen had returned, standing at the window somewhat nervously. “Why is Miss Jiang asking me this… what do you want to do?”

“Oh,” Jiang Zhaoxue immediately said, “I want to fulfill your wish.”

“Is it… compensation?” Pei Zichen hesitated, speaking with some awkwardness.

Jiang Zhaoxue was about to explain when she heard Pei Zichen look up. “Then I don’t want to break off the engagement with Miss Jiang.”

He spoke extraordinarily seriously. Even knowing this was an illusion, Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart still skipped a beat.

She watched Pei Zichen support himself with one hand on the window and lightly enter, coming before Jiang Zhaoxue. He knelt on one knee before her with his hand on his sword, looking up at her sitting on the bedside. He said with unusual seriousness, “If Miss Jiang wants to compensate me, this is the only compensation I want.”

“You…”

Actually, Pei Zichen seemed to have knelt on one knee before her many times in the past, but perhaps because she was blind then and hadn’t seen it, she didn’t have such a strong impact.

At this moment, watching the young sword cultivator kneel on one knee before her, she inexplicably didn’t dare look at him. She said nervously, “You want to marry me?”

“Not marry.” Pei Zichen saw her seemingly shy expression and couldn’t help but smile. He spoke gently, “I want A Xue to like me the way I like you.”