Yu Qing stood dazed, allowing him to hold her hand, yet giving no response.
Xie Qing Ci wasn’t in a hurry for an answer. He maintained his steady kneeling posture, his figure upright and dignified.
Even while kneeling, such a heaven-favored son lost none of his imposing presence.
Yu Qing finally snapped out of her shock, blinking her tear-filled almond eyes as she whispered with a choked voice, “Please get up first.”
Her slender, pale hand tugged at the man’s, signaling him to rise.
Xie Qing Ci had always indulged her unconditionally, yielding to her whims, but this time he didn’t obey her request to stand.
Instead, he stubbornly remained kneeling, waiting for an answer.
Their hands were only loosely intertwined, fingers barely touching, so Yu Qing remained unaware that the man was so nervous his palms were sweating.
“Baby—”
Xie Qing Ci finally couldn’t help but speak up, yet he didn’t dare to ask directly.
Only then did Yu Qing realize he was waiting for her reply.
“I accept! Please get up now!”
Making the current head of the family kneel for so long in his own ancestral hall—she wished she could vanish into the ground…
Xie Qing Ci finally relaxed his expression upon hearing her answer, his eyes brightening like snow melting under clear skies.
It was the first time Yu Qing had seen him smile so unreservedly—a genuine, carefree expression from the heart.
“A Ci—”
Xie Qing Ci stood up and tightly embraced the young woman, holding her with such force as if wanting to meld her into his very being.
“Baby—”
“My dear baby—”
“Thank you.”
He buried his face in her fragrant neck, inhaling the sweet scent of peonies.
Just as Yu Qing was about to speak, she felt a dampness against her neck.
He was crying.
Realizing this, Yu Qing froze for a moment.
Then she raised her hand to gently stroke his back, comforting him.
Xie Qing Ci simply held her quietly, standing there for a long time.
It wasn’t until Yu Qing’s legs grew sore from standing that he finally released her.
The man’s eyes were tinged with red, evidence that he had shed quite a few tears.
Yu Qing’s heart softened. Clinging to his shoulders, she rose on her toes to kiss his lips.
Xie Qing Ci instinctively moved his hand to support her lower back, leaning down to meet her kiss.
[With the Xie family ancestors as witness, I, Yu Qing, am willing to marry Xie Qing Ci as his wife, loving each other without doubt.]
**
By the time the two left the Zongmiao, it was already afternoon.
“Are you hungry, baby?”
“Not yet.”
“Then shall I take you somewhere else?”
Xie Qing Ci brought her to the rear garden of the hot spring estate.
Yu Qing was stunned by the sea of peonies before her.
In the depth of spring, when hundreds of flowers have lost their fragrance, only the scent of peonies remains by the carved railings.
“This is—?”
“Do you like it, baby?”
Yu Qing’s deer-like eyes sparkled, her delight evident beyond words.
“How did you know I—like peonies?”
Fortunately, Little Milk Candy reminded her in time, preventing another slip of the tongue.
Yet Xie Qing Ci keenly noticed her hesitation.
A flicker of unreadable emotion passed through his eyes behind his glasses, which he quickly suppressed.
Both of them tacitly avoided bringing up that matter again.
“Didn’t you know, baby?”
“Know what?”
( . )
Xie Qing Ci couldn’t resist kissing her brow.
Deliberately leaning close to her ear, he whispered in a deep, magnetic voice that made her heart flutter, “Didn’t you know, baby? You carry a sweet peony fragrance.”
The scorching breath made Yu Qing’s ears burn red with heat.
She shyly tried to retreat backward, but the man pulled her back firmly against him.
“What’s my treasure trying to escape from?”
She’d finally figured it out!
Ever since she’d accepted his marriage proposal, this man had completely revealed his true nature!
All that talk about self-restraint and returning to propriety, all that elegance and integrity – it was all fake!
A complete hypocrite!
(ˇˇ)
Reading the accusation in the young girl’s eyes, Xie Qing Ci found it somewhat amusing.
Patiently, he softened his voice: “Everything I said was true, where did my treasure’s thoughts wander to? Hmm?”
Yu Qing naturally knew everything he said was true.
Her true form was a peony flower – if she didn’t carry the scent of peonies, would she smell like jasmine instead?
Xie Qing Ci adored the young girl’s coy demeanor at this moment.
He embraced her from behind, facing the sea of flowers together.
Yu Qing thought of something, her heart stirring slightly as she asked: “What was originally here?”
Xie Qing Ci’s posture stiffened slightly – this young girl was truly perceptive.
“It was a bamboo forest.”
Better to go without meat than to live without bamboo.
After taking charge of the Xie family, Xie Qing Ci had planted vast bamboo forests behind the manor.
Yu Qing was shocked once again.
(°°)
“Bam—boo—forest—?”
“What’s wrong?”
He actually asked what was wrong!
So he had cleared an entire bamboo forest to plant peonies for her?
Xie Qing Ci was always like this – he never spoke the word “love,” yet he had long since offered his sincere heart to her on a platter.
Yu Qing could barely hold back her tears, turning around to bury herself in the man’s embrace.
As she nestled against him, she rubbed her face against his chest.
Xie Qing Ci chuckled: “Why is my treasure acting like a little kitten? Hmm?”
A soft murmur came from his embrace: “I’m not—”
Xie Qing Ci leaned close to her ear and whispered: “How does my treasure know how to be so coquettish?”
Without waiting for the young girl’s response, he bent down, lifted her in his arms, and started walking back.
Yu Qing: “???”
“Put me down, I can walk by myself.”
“Be good, don’t fuss. Weren’t your legs hurting earlier? I’ll carry my treasure back.”
She had never shown any sign of leg soreness or discomfort, yet he had noticed her discomfort with his meticulous attention.
If he hadn’t been completely focused on her, he could never have been so attentive.
Yu Qing’s heart swelled with love until it felt ready to overflow.
She looked up and gave the man a kiss.
“Love you.”
Another kiss.
“Love you.”
Yet another kiss.
“Love you so much.”
Xie Qing Ci’s arms around her suddenly tightened.
His voice grew slightly hoarse: “Treasure—”
Yu Qing had only been unable to contain herself, wanting to express her love.
But seeing his reaction, she realized she might have gone too far…
How could he be so easily provoked!
Little did she know that even just standing there, she held fatal attraction for this man.
**
The two had lunch quite late.
After eating, Yu Qing began feeling drowsy.
Xie Qing Ci knew he had been excessive these past couple days, so he held her and coaxed her until she fell asleep.
When Yu Qing opened her eyes again, it was already dark outside.
She glanced around but didn’t see the man’s figure.
Unhappy.
The young girl sat on the bed in a daze for a while.
Still no sign of Xie Qing Ci returning.
[Little Milk Candy, where did your Emperor Lord go?]
[A Li host, the great one is soaking in the hot springs at the back.]
Yu Qing: ???
He went to soak in the hot springs by himself?
Is this how he treats her right after she accepted his proposal?
Fuming, Yu Qing rolled out of bed and marched toward the backyard.
Approaching the entrance, she indeed saw the man in the hot spring pool with his back facing her, leaning against the edge.
His pale skin stood out distinctly in the night.
Though Xie Qing Ci usually appeared slender, he exercised regularly and had a subtle layer of muscle that looked just right.
Yu Qing found herself staring blankly at the man’s back.
Sensing something, Xie Qing Ci turned his head and spotted his little darling staring dazedly at him.