Afraid she might suddenly leave him too.

Xuan Yanyu curved the corners of his mouth into a mischievous smile. “Didn’t I say it — let Father Emperor take Yan Shiyao as a consort? Since Father Emperor has set his heart on Yan Shiyao, let Father Emperor marry her himself.”

“Xuan Yanyu, are you out of your mind?” Yan Yunning lay sprawled across the bed, pinching his cheek. “Why are you finding yourself a mother?”

“I was joking. Father Emperor can’t do anything to me — I won’t provoke him. If I stubbornly refuse to marry, forcing me will do him no good either.” Xuan Yanyu gazed at her with burning intensity. “Yan Yunning, this palace guarantees you — you are the only imperial consort our father emperor’s son will ever have.”

Meeting the man’s deeply affectionate gaze, Yan Yunning found herself unable to hold her ground.

Xuan Yanyu gave a soft laugh and tilted his head up, pressing his lips to hers in light, repeated pecks.

The young woman turned her head slightly, and her soft, delicate lips landed on the man’s throat.

The man on the bed stiffened, his throat moving involuntarily.

Yan Yunning mimicked his movements, kissing him the same way, over and over.

“Yan Yunning.” The man’s voice had grown considerably hoarser. He turned his head aside, quietly exhaled a breath, then released her hands and left in hurried strides.

Yan Yunning blinked her eyes innocently. “…”

She still had so much left to say!!

Glancing at the darkening sky beyond the window, Yan Yunning clicked her tongue. Was she still going to eat dinner?

Never mind — she could eat tomorrow.

She pulled the brocade quilt over herself and tucked in.

Two hours later, the side chamber door was pushed open again.

“Come and eat.” Xuan Yanyu picked up the shoes beside the bed and said softly, “Weren’t you hungry just now? Have your meal, then come back and rest.”

Yan Yunning threw off the quilt and stretched her small feet out toward the man.

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow, then resigned himself to crouching down. He took hold of her foot and helped her into her shoes.

Yan Yunning let out a soft laugh. “You went to bathe?”

The ink-dark brocade robe had been changed for a black style with ink-dragon prints along the cuffs, and there was a faint, precious fragrance of rare spices about him.

Xuan Yanyu lowered his voice and gave a quiet “mm.”

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning hooked her thumb around his finger, bent down close to his cheek, and pressed a kiss there.

The man’s breath trembled. His throat bobbed up and down.

Yan Yunning hopped off the bed, her voice carrying a soft, coaxing lilt. “Let’s go — Xuan Xixi, time to eat.”

Xuan Yanyu lightly licked his lips and let out a helpless sigh.

Was she teasing him on purpose?

……

With Yan Shiyao absent, Xuan Yanyu led Yan Yunning by the hand to his side chamber.

Ye Jian watched the two of them holding hands again and felt the corner of his eye twitch.

This time, without Yan Yunning even having to ask, Xuan Yanyu took the initiative to pick out dishes and held them to her lips.

“Is it because of A’Yao?” Yan Yunning swallowed the dish he had picked for her and teased, “Tomorrow when A’Yao wakes up, should I thank her properly? Look — it’s because of her that you let Imperial Physician Wen treat my injuries.”

“And it’s because of A’Yao that you’re keeping me company for dinner. Xuan Yanyu, you’ve truly mastered loving one person and extending that love to everyone around her. You……”

“Are you still eating or not?” the man said through gritted teeth.

“I’m not eating anymore.” Yan Yunning pursed her lips.

Xuan Yanyu’s composure faltered. “You don’t need to thank Yan Shiyao.”

Yan Yunning twirled a strand of hair around her fingertip and ignored him.

Ye Jian ladled some soup and handed it to Xuan Yanyu. The man spooned a mouthful and brought it to Yan Yunning’s lips. “Tell me — this palace won’t interrupt you anymore.”

Yan Yunning parted her lips, swallowed the soup, and said lazily, “When are you taking A’Yao back to Xuanzhao?”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together. “…”

The young woman’s eyes curved with amusement. “I forgot — whenever A’Yao wants to go, you’ll let her.”

Xuan Yanyu said nothing and quietly went on feeding her soup.

Yan Yunning sighed. “A’Yao hasn’t even woken up yet — who knows when you’ll ever put your heart to rest.”

“…” the man said helplessly. “Could you please just eat your meal properly?”

Yan Yunning shook her head, thought for a moment, then said, “You don’t have to marry only me either — you could still marry A’Yao. And the bracelet and jade pendant would need to be washed before giving them to A’Yao. Xuan Yanyu, do you think I’ve dirtied them by wearing them?”

Ye Jian ventured a quiet interjection, “Second Young Miss Yan, the jade pendant and bracelet — His Highness never ordered them to be washed.”

“…” Yan Yunning took a bite of the shrimp he had picked for her and asked, “Didn’t you say they’d be washed before being given to A’Yao? So you gave them to her directly?”

“I didn’t give them to anyone. They are kept for you, always. This palace only said those things out of anger when you pushed me away — none of it was meant.” Xuan Yanyu explained, “The jade pendant sent to Yan Shiyao was something this palace grabbed at random. Saying I’d marry Yan Shiyao was only to make you jealous.”

“As for asking Yan Shiyao to come to Xuanzhao — that was because this palace wants to marry you and wanted her there to witness the ceremony.”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “What if we never make up?”

Xuan Yanyu took the square cloth handkerchief Ye Chen offered him and dabbed the corner of her eye. “Not making up doesn’t stop this palace from marrying you.”

“How would you marry me if we haven’t made up?” Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Would I agree to that?”

“It doesn’t matter.” The man poured a cup of tea and fed her a sip, his tone imperious and unabashed. “Yan Yunning, whether you agree or not — this palace intends to marry you. Who would dare object? If anyone refuses, this palace will march on Qilan, bring you back to Xuanzhao.”

“Believe me — the Qilan Emperor would never dare refuse this palace. He’d hand you over cheerfully, issue an imperial edict giving you to this palace. Would you dare refuse an imperial edict?”

“If you refuse, you’d be offending the Qilan Emperor and this palace both. Never mind finding someone willing to marry you afterward — could you even go on living?”

His words sounded oddly familiar. Yan Yunning fell silent for a moment, and then it hit her — she jolted. Wasn’t this exactly what had happened to her A’Jie? Marched upon, brought back to Xuanzhao!

Was this the only trick he knew?

Couldn’t he think of anything else??

So quarreling with him was pointless???

No matter what, he would marry her regardless!

She had spent days stewing in frustration for nothing!!

And she’d been called foolish and stupid on top of it all!

The man wrapped his hand around her wrist and produced the gold bracelet that marked her status, moving to slide it back onto her wrist.

Yan Yunning pulled her hand back. Her beautiful eyes curved into a smile. “Xuan Yanyu — beg me. Beg me, and I’ll accept it.”

Ye Jian and Ye Chen both shuddered.

Make His Highness beg?

Would he do that?

A future Queen of Xuan of such noble standing — and she needed His Highness to beg before she’d accept? What a joke.

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow, set the bracelet down on the wooden table, and then drew out a jade pendant, which he proceeded to tie at her waist.

As the man bent down fastening the jade pendant, Yan Yunning’s fingertips played with the gold crown securing his high ponytail. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, is this the prettiest way you know to tie a pendant for your Crown Princess?”

“It is not. May I trouble the Crown Princess to teach this palace personally?”

The amusement in Xuan Yanyu’s eyes was unmistakable.

Yan Yunning patted his head. “Didn’t I already say I don’t know how?”

While she wasn’t paying attention, the man seized her hand and slipped the bracelet onto her slender wrist.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning exploded.

“Told you that you were foolish.” Xuan Yanyu laughed with obvious delight.

Better left unsaid — the moment he brought it up, Yan Yunning erupted even more furiously. “Who exactly did you call foolish and stupid?!”

The man laughed freely and with abandon. “Ye Jian and Ye Chen — take your pick, whichever you think fits.”

Yan Yunning, Ye Jian, Ye Chen: “…?”

“I pick you!” Yan Yunning grabbed his ear and gave it a tug.