A woman like Shen Xihe would live a compliant life with any ordinary man.

She wouldn’t care about her husband’s affections, and she wouldn’t need him to establish her authority as the mistress of the household – she could establish that herself.

If her husband knew propriety and observed boundaries, they would live in peace; if he didn’t understand the rules and tried to embarrass her, she had ways to become a widow and take charge of the household.

The prerequisite for this was emotionlessness, just being an ordinary couple showing mutual respect. What Xiao Huayong sought was her heart and her feelings.

“Your Highness, Yong has never failed to achieve what he set out to do,” Xiao Huayong replied candidly. “Please rest assured, my feelings for Youyou are not a man’s desire to conquer, but a sincere wish to join hearts with her forever.”

“After Your Highness personally came today, risking danger to help me, I believe in your feelings for Youyou,” Shen Yueshan nodded. “But hearts easily change – can Your Highness guarantee consistency forever?”

Hearing this, a sharp glint appeared in Xiao Huayong’s eyes: “Your Highness has been widowed for many years – why have you remained alone until now?”

“You think I’ve never wavered?” Shen Yueshan didn’t care how Xiao Huayong viewed him. “How many truly faithful people are there in this world? Though I had feelings for my late wife, it wasn’t so deep that I could remain faithful to her memory for life after her death.

Moreover, given my noble status, the ladies who have come and gone around me over these years have been of all types – some even surpassing my late wife.”

“Yet Your Highness never took that step,” Xiao Huayong observed.

“It’s not because of deep love or loyalty, nor exceptional self-control,” Shen Yueshan picked up a stick to poke at the fire. “Rather, in my heart, Youyou and Buwei are more important. Whenever my heart wavered, I would ask myself: if I brought such a woman home, could I bear the cost of alienating my children?”

The answer was no – he couldn’t bear it. Shen Yun’an was his eldest son, the heir he had poured his heart and soul into nurturing. Shen Xihe was his beloved daughter, born weak due to his negligence, and all his guilt and tenderness were poured into her.

He had raised her from a tiny bundle to an elegant young woman. When she was small, even her cries were intermittent, with only tears rolling down like pearls – you couldn’t hear continuous crying. Fearing she might cry herself breathless, he became especially protective.

This protection, as she gradually grew up, and the sense of achievement at seeing her slowly become stronger under his careful care, was no less satisfying than conquering cities. Slowly it became his habit – the habit of caring for her emotions, the habit of seeing her smile…

It was this habitual favoritism, and the joy and warmth she returned to him as she grew, that made him value her more and more – value her so much that he couldn’t bear to see her sad, enabling him to control any impulses that might cause her sorrow.

“If even I as her father am like this, how much more so for you who would just be her husband,” Shen Yueshan was more incisive and honest than Shen Yun’an. “Over these years, if I hadn’t seen her growing day by day, becoming thoughtful, becoming well-behaved, becoming lovable, I might not have managed this either.”

At Shen Yueshan’s age, he no longer believed in passionate vows or promises of eternal love. He believed in the give-and-take of feelings between people.

He didn’t know if Shen Xihe hadn’t grown up to be like this – if instead, she had become willful and rebellious, unfilial, only taking from him and Shen Yun’an without showing care – whether he could still be the good father he was now, indulging and protecting her in everything.

Shen Yueshan’s words left Xiao Huayong silent, a trace of uncertainty flashing in his eyes.

This uncertainty wasn’t doubt about his feelings or sincerity, but rather a reverence for the unknown future. He didn’t have Shen Yueshan’s experience, nor had he been through as many trials. He didn’t know if he too would become someone inconstant in the future.

Xiao Huayong’s reaction pleased Shen Yueshan even more. If he had made firm promises without consideration, such overconfidence would have worried Shen Yueshan and further proved that Xiao Huayong wasn’t truly thinking about Shen Xihe and their future.

“If Youyou shared mutual feelings with you, I might have fewer concerns, but given Youyou’s personality…” Shen Yueshan sighed lightly.

Xiao Huayong’s gaze turned to the heavy snow falling outside the window, his focus shifting from blank to gradually sharpening, his eyes showing unshakeable determination: “Your Highness’s heartfelt words, Yong is deeply grateful.”

He turned his head, meeting Shen Yueshan’s gaze directly without evasion: “Youyou has been determined since childhood to abandon emotions and love. Her mind is strong, and not easily swayed. I know what Your Highness and the Crown Prince worry about – that in the future, my one-sided love might turn to resentment if unrequited, and I might hurt her because of it.”

Shen Yueshan nodded.

“That day, the Crown Prince also mentioned this to me, and I vowed my heart would not change, my feelings would know no regret,” Xiao Huayong slowly broke into a smile that, in the firelight, seemed as gentle and warm as a spring breeze. “Today Your Highness has been honest with Yong, so I will say the same, though Your Highness surely won’t believe it.”

“I don’t,” Shen Yueshan bluntly stated.

Xiao Huayong’s smile deepened: “Then I promise Your Highness, if one day I no longer have the strength to pursue Youyou’s heart, I will withdraw in time and let her return to the northwest, never causing her the slightest harm.”

Shen Yueshan’s eyes were profound as he gazed deeply into Xiao Huayong’s eyes, examining him for a long while: “Why?”

As a father, he naturally felt Shen Xihe was a flawless young lady, but he wasn’t so deluded as to think everyone under heaven should view her this way.

So was Shen Xihe worth Xiao Huayong pouring out his heart like this?

Xiao Huayong pondered seriously for a moment before shaking his head with a rueful smile: “When Your Highness asks me why, I can’t give a single reason. I don’t know when I began caring for her, don’t know when I placed her in my heart, don’t know when I began wanting to hold her hand and never let go for the rest of my life…”

Tracing back to the root, he couldn’t explain the specifics – he only knew his heart was moved, beyond his control, unable to extricate himself.

Shen Yueshan examined Xiao Huayong for a moment before breaking into pleased laughter: “Hahahahaha…”

His laughter was unrestrained and wild, carrying a proud satisfaction.

After finishing his laugh, Shen Yueshan patted Xiao Huayong’s shoulder: “Your Highness, persistence can carve through metal and stone.”

In Shen Yueshan’s encouraging words, Xiao Huayong heard both schadenfreude and the teasing tone of someone looking forward to a good show.

However, though he knew Shen Yueshan was just waiting to see him make a fool of himself, Xiao Huayong didn’t dare point this out. He could only say: “Yong deeply believes that true sincerity can split open metal and stone.”

Shen Yueshan gave him an encouraging look. The lamb soup was ready, and others brought in dishes. In his good mood, Shen Yueshan called for wine, letting everyone drink a few cups to warm up and celebrate.

When Shen Yueshan took out his rattan cup, Xiao Huayong stared at it intently, unable to look away.

Shen Yueshan thought he was looking at how the human figure carved on it resembled Shen Xihe and boasted: “This was a gift from Youyou. She’s always like this – whenever she gets something good, she thinks of me, her father.”