Xiao Muchen stopped walking, looking very serious as he gazed at Duan Mingxi.
His intense gaze made her nervous and a bit uncomfortable.
Just as she was about to say something to lighten the mood, she heard him ask, “Do you know what it means to like someone?”
Duan Mingxi didn’t know, but under Xiao Muchen’s firm gaze, she didn’t dare shake her head.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Muchen felt both helpless and amused.
A block of wood is still a block of wood — but at least it’s one that’s by his side.
“Have you never thought that someone might like you?” he asked.
Duan Mingxi fell silent. Of course she had thought about it.
But in her past life, all her girlish dreams had sunk into darkness.
That was a time she never wanted to revisit.
She often thought: it must be because she wasn’t good enough — that’s why no one liked her.
Then she thought again: she was beautiful and wealthy, so why didn’t anyone like her?
It must be because she wasn’t good enough.
When the fire eventually consumed her, she thought: her life was a joke — who would like a joke?
So in this life, she worked hard not to be a joke — but also stopped hoping that anyone would like her.
“Liking” was too vague. She’d rather believe in the power of mutual interests.
That’s why she chose Xiao Muchen.
But the way Xiao Muchen treated her — it was too complicated, too direct, too decisive.
It often made her fall back into self-doubt.
Seeing her silence, Xiao Muchen thought of her troubled past and tightly gripped her hand. He deliberately softened his tone and said:
“I don’t even know when I started feeling differently about you. But I know I love seeing you happy. I want to keep you by my side. I want to build a family with you.”
“My mother told me that a man’s love is fleeting, and warned me to think carefully before making any decisions. But I didn’t want to wait—if I waited until I was sure, you might already be in the Eastern Palace. How could I allow that?”
Duan Mingxi: …
“Before the Shangyang Palace banquet, we hadn’t met, right?”
“We met once. You just didn’t know it.”
Duan Mingxi looked at him suspiciously. They’d met?
She didn’t know?
Xiao Muchen met her puzzled gaze. “Actually, that doesn’t matter anymore.”
Mingxi thought it did matter. When exactly had he seen her without her knowing?
But since Xiao Muchen wouldn’t say, she didn’t press further.
“So, what does matter?” Mingxi asked in return.
“Why did you agree to the ten-year agreement with me?”
This time, Duan Mingxi didn’t avoid answering. She said seriously, “Back then, I wasn’t looking for a husband. I was looking for a partner. I didn’t insist on being physically intimate with you, and being a nominal couple would’ve been fine too—you were the one who disagreed.
“I figured if we were a couple in name only, you could take concubines, enjoy the company of beauties, and I’d have an easier life. Wouldn’t that be ideal?”
“But since you wanted a legitimate son, I had to set conditions—thus, the ten-year agreement. I’m a very practical person. Love is too ephemeral—it comes quickly, leaves just as fast, and can’t be relied on.”
“But if for ten years you took no concubines and had no illegitimate children to compete with my future child for inheritance, then I felt this marriage was acceptable. A mutual benefit.”
So that was her reasoning. Xiao Muchen’s expression was stiff—he’d guessed it all correctly.
“Your adoptive parents are very loving. Why do you see marriage this way?” Xiao Muchen asked.
How was she supposed to answer that?
She couldn’t.
After a moment of silence, she said quietly, “Some things… just because others have them doesn’t mean you will too.”
Gao Zhan married her but remained chaste for Bai Zhiwei for ten years, not touching her once. That kind of love seemed so easily obtained by others—but not by her.
Did Gao Zhan love Bai Zhiwei?
Absolutely.
Yet even without her in this life, and with Gao Zhan and Bai Zhiwei becoming a couple as they wished, why did things still fall apart like this?
Love… she couldn’t obtain it, didn’t dare to dream of it, and didn’t want it.
Xiao Muchen frowned slightly. But he understood one thing clearly: Mingxi didn’t believe he truly loved her.
“We have a whole lifetime ahead of us. Let’s take our time, alright?” Xiao Muchen looked at her seriously. “I won’t make lofty promises. Just take it one year at a time and see for yourself.”
Mingxi couldn’t quite describe what she felt in that moment, so she decided to tease him instead. “I’m a stubborn person. I take promises seriously. I also happen to be strong and rich. If you break this promise someday, I really don’t know what I might do.”
“What a coincidence. I’m also very stubborn—once I’ve chosen someone, I’ll never change until death.”
Mingxi had nothing to say to that. She lowered her head slightly, and after a moment, suddenly laughed.
“Xiao Muchen, sometimes you really deserve a beating.”
“Then let’s spar sometime,” Xiao Muchen said with a mysterious smile. “I’ll give you a chance to knock me to the ground. And if you can’t bear to do that, we can change the location. Like… the bedchamber.”
Mingxi’s face instantly turned crimson. She flung his hand away.
Xiao Muchen quickly caught it again. “Just teasing! Joking around. Of course… if you do take it seriously, I wouldn’t mind either.”
Mingxi seriously considered beating him up right now—for real.
When Qi He walked over, he was greeted by the sight of the Wangfei fuming with anger while Wangye was grinning like a lovestruck fool. He really didn’t want to witness this.
He hesitated, one foot still mid-step, unsure whether he should back away.
Hearing someone approach, Mingxi looked back and saw Qi He. Her face immediately stiffened—how embarrassing.
But would running away make it even worse?
Xiao Muchen cleared his throat and asked, “Got the confession?”
“Yes.” Qi He quickly stepped forward, bowed, and handed over the written confession. “It’s all recorded in here. If there are no further instructions, I’ll take my leave.”
Before Xiao Muchen could respond, Qi He turned tail and ran.
Xiao Muchen stared after him for a moment. “Hmph. Count yourself lucky you ran fast.”
For some reason, Mingxi suddenly felt much lighter. She looked at Xiao Muchen and asked, “Aren’t you going to read it?”
Xiao Muchen sighed. She was still thinking about the confession first—definitely a block of wood.
He pulled her to sit down and read through it together. After going over the entire thing, they saw that Qiao Wan gave detailed confessions about the Dingyuan Marquis household, but mentioned very little regarding the Eastern Palace.
“She’s a smart one,” Mingxi said with a calm face. “But it’s a shame. The person who initially contacted her was Liang Xun, who’s already been exiled. His replacement was an inner servant from the Eastern Palace. Even if we catch him, we may not be able to implicate the Crown Prince directly.”
“Even if guilt isn’t confirmed, a stab wound still leaves a scar even after the knife is removed,” Xiao Muchen said gravely.
“You’re planning to hand this over? But if you do, we might not escape unscathed for interrogating Qiao Wan in secret.”
The Emperor might be disappointed in the Crown Prince—but Xiao Muchen wouldn’t benefit either.
“Of course I won’t hand it in directly.” Xiao Muchen gazed up at the night sky. “I’ll borrow someone else’s hand to let it reach the Emperor’s ears.”
This time, the Crown Prince must lose a tooth—figuratively speaking.
