At dusk, Yun Xi was having dinner with Qi Rong when Zhan Feng walked in from outside. He stepped up to the dining table and bowed respectfully to Qi Rong.
"Your Highness, just now Eunuch Li, who serves beside the emperor, came and said that the emperor has summoned you to the palace today to discuss important matters."
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Zhan Feng glanced at Yun Xi, who was eating with relish, and continued, "This subordinate guesses that it may be related to the marriage with the fifth princess of Kekeqin."
Clatter! The chopsticks in Yun Xi's hand suddenly dropped. Meeting Qi Rong's gaze, she quickly and awkwardly picked them up and then neatly placed them horizontally on the bowl.
"I'm full. You can continue talking."
Saying that, Yun Xi stood up and was about to leave, but Qi Rong suddenly grabbed her wrist, preventing her from running away. He said in a calm and forceful tone, "You've eaten too little. Have some more."
He knew Yun Xi's concerns. Without any explanation, he pulled Yun Xi back to her original chair and began to pick up her favorite dishes for her.
However, Yun Xi was afraid of losing her composure again. Knowing that Qi Rong was stubborn, she urged him, "You should go to the palace quickly. Don't worry about me. I can eat by myself."
She thought she had well concealed the panic in her eyes and even managed to force a smile. But the next moment, Qi Rong held her hand and turned to Zhan Feng, saying coldly, "You can leave. I'll go to the palace after I finish my meal."
Hearing Qi Rong's order, Zhan Feng hesitated but finally glanced at Yun Xi and turned to leave.
After Zhan Feng left, Yun Xi tried to pull back her hand, but Qi Rong held it even tighter. Meeting Yun Xi's anxious eyes, Qi Rong said gently with a smile, "Don't worry. I will never marry her."
In the face of Qi Rong's promise, Yun Xi shook her head.
"No. I'm worried about you. If you defy the emperor's order, the emperor won't let you off easily!"
She had never doubted Qi Rong's words, but she was worried that Qi Rong would put himself in danger in order to fulfill his promise to her.
But if she were to persuade Qi Rong to marry the fifth princess of Kekeqin, her heart would ache, and she just couldn't say it.
"She knew she was selfish, but she still couldn't be magnanimous!"
Yun Xi looked self - reproachful, and a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.
Qi Rong smiled and pinched her smooth peach - like cheek. He seemed very happy. Staring at her, he said, "I just like your lack of magnanimity."
Rather, this proved that Yun Xi cared about him, loved him, and couldn't tolerate even a speck of sand in her eyes. Just like him!
Qi Rong leaned over and gently pecked Yun Xi's lips. At this moment, his deep black eyes were as bright as stars. He said seriously to Yun Xi, "After all the problems are solved, I will definitely give you a grand wedding and let you be my proper wife, Qi Rong's wife! Just as you wish, one man, one woman for a lifetime."
Not the princess of the Xian Palace, but his wife! It had nothing to do with status.
One man, one woman for a lifetime. For what she wanted, he would go all out!
Hearing Qi Rong's words, Yun Xi couldn't help widening her eyes. The next moment, she covered her mouth with both hands. Her bright eyes slowly filled with mist, and the tears welled up and slowly spilled out.
Because she knew that at least at this moment, Qi Rong wasn't lying to her.
He had given her the promise of one man, one woman for a lifetime.
It also meant that whether it was Nightingale or Wushuang, they were just women who had been left in the mansion by Qi Rong for some reasons.
He had never broken his promise to her!
"Don't cry."
Looking at Yun Xi, who was both crying and laughing, Qi Rong lovingly hugged her into his arms.
"Why have you never told me?"
Yun Xi pounded Qi Rong's chest. She felt that all her recent mood swings and awkwardness had turned into her being overly sensitive at this moment.
She had even thought about how to force Qi Rong to give up on her, but just thinking about leaving him made her heart ache, so she always hesitated.
Qi Rong sighed and wiped the tears from the corners of Yun Xi's eyes. His tone was full of helplessness.
"I know I've wronged you all this time, but do you know? I also have things I'm afraid of."
Yun Xi was surprised. She sniffed and turned to look at him.
"What are you afraid of?"
Qi Rong always gave people an indestructible and powerful aura. It seemed that no matter how difficult a problem was, it became insignificant in front of him.
It was really incredible to hear the word "afraid" from a man like him!
Looking at Yun Xi's skeptical look, Qi Rong raised his hand and curled his index finger to gently tap the bridge of Yun Xi's nose. He said helplessly, "I'm afraid you'll get hurt, I'm afraid you'll be sad, and I'm even more afraid you'll leave me... So, don't you think you should say something to me?"
Qi Rong listed many things, all related to Yun Xi. And the uneasiness on his face was something Yun Xi had never seen before. Suddenly, she felt that Qi Rong was just an ordinary person!
"I suddenly feel a bit ashamed of you."
Yun Xi murmured. Her heart was filled with both sweetness and sorrow.
She had never known that all along, Qi Rong had cared about her so much, far beyond her imagination.
Hearing Yun Xi's words, Qi Rong laughed heartily and tightened his arms around Yun Xi.
"In that case, just stay by my side obediently. Don't climb onto the roof and always have wild thoughts about leaving me in your little head!"
Seeing that her little thoughts had long been seen through by Qi Rong, Yun Xi felt a bit embarrassed but still pouted.
"That depends on your future performance."
Qi Rong's eyes suddenly turned sharp. He gently bit Yun Xi's earlobe and deliberately made his voice a bit colder.
"What did you say? I didn't hear clearly."
Yun Xi trembled all over and immediately covered her ear. Blushing, she said timidly, "I said I heard you. Don't bite my ear all the time. Be careful or I'll bite you back!"
In response to Yun Xi's "threat", Qi Rong smiled and said ambiguously, "Okay. I'd like to see whose teeth are harder."
Before his words fell, Qi Rong kissed Yun Xi's lips again. From a gentle kiss at first to a passionate entanglement of lips and tongues, Yun Xi's mind went blank, and she could only rely on him...
Yun Xi was already full without eating much of the meal. After Qi Rong sent her back to the South Courtyard, he went to the palace.
Only then did Yun Xi know that there was actually a secret passage between the courtyard where Qi Rong lived and the South Courtyard where she lived. No wonder Yuzhu said she hadn't seen how Qi Rong entered the door, and Qi Rong always seemed to appear out of thin air in her yard, even scaring her more than once.
But after she learned that Qi Rong had deliberately been cold to her in order to protect her, she felt as if she were immersed in a honey jar.
However, speculating about the purpose of the emperor's summons to Qi Rong this time, she still felt a bit uneasy in her heart.
She couldn't help but think that Qi Rong was so unruly in dealing with things and extremely capable. With the emperor's suspicious and jealous nature, how long could the emperor tolerate Qi Rong?
And what could she do before the emperor decided to deal with Qi Rong? She had to plan ahead!