Реi Wеnхuan staуеd uр mоst оf the night beforе finаlly drifting off tо sleeр. It fеlt likе hе hаd bаrely slеpt when he was woken uр аgain tо prераrе for thе Моrning Соurt Assеmbly.
When he gоt uр, Li Rong wаs still sleeping sоundly. Pеi Wenxuаn fеlt а suddеn surgе оf irritаtion and соuldn’t helр but рinсh Li Rong’s сheеk. Li Rоng frowned, swаttеd his hand аway, and mumblеd, “What are уоu dоing?”
Hеaring Li Rong’s displеаsurе, Pеi Wеnхuаn finаllу felt а bit bеtter. Нe stоod up аnd left.
Li Rоng wаs аnnoуеd bу Рei Wenxuаn’s cheek-pinching, but shе was too tirеd to dwell оn it and sооn drifted bаck to sleep.
When she woke up later, Li Rong remembered what Pei Wenxuan had done. While washing her face, she let out a cold laugh. Jing Mei, noticing the chill in Li Rong’s smile, couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, did something unpleasant come to mind?”
Usually, when Li Rong had that look in her eyes, someone was about to face misfortune. Li Rong took a towel from the side and said calmly, “It’s nothing. When the Imperial Son-in-Law returns, replace his tea with saltwater.”
Jing Mei was taken aback for a moment, then quickly glanced at Jing Lan. The two of them stifled a laugh. Li Rong shot them a look. “Laughing at me? Feeling bold?”
“Your Highness has been acting much more mature lately,” Jing Lan quickly interjected. “Now that you’re showing a bit of your old temperament, we couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.”
Li Rong found this somewhat pleasing to hear—after all, it meant she was growing younger in spirit. She fanned herself lightly and didn’t pursue the topic further. Turning around, she entered the room and called for someone, saying, “Send a physician to check on Miss Qin. Also, have someone take a message to the Ministry of Justice, saying I’d like to visit the Qin family and see how they respond.”
Jing Mei acknowledged the order and went to arrange the tasks.
Li Rong sat in the courtyard, reclining on a lounge chair, feeling as though she had stolen a rare moment of leisure.
At first, she had been busy with the imperial marriage arrangement and the Yang family’s affairs. Later, she was occupied with the wedding and Li Chuan’s selection of a consort. Now that everything had been decided and the Supervisory Department was to be established, the previous matters were settled. All that remained was to wait for Li Ming’s response. For the first time in a while, she found herself with little to do. Lying on the lounge chair and gazing at the blue sky, she felt unsure of what to do next.
She rarely had such idle moments. After lying in the courtyard for a while, she decided to have someone bring her a storybook, along with some fruit and melon seeds. She cracked the seeds while reading the book.
When Pei Wenxuan returned, he found Li Rong lying on the rocking chair, thoroughly amused by the storybook. He walked over to her and lightly tapped her with his court tablet. “What are you reading that’s so funny?”
“This storybook is absolutely hilarious,” Li Rong said with a laugh, putting the book down and sitting up. “A princess, a prime minister’s daughter, and a famous courtesan are all chasing after a poor scholar. The prime minister’s daughter elopes with him, the princess commits suicide for him—it made me laugh until tears came to my eyes. Tell me, where does this poor scholar come from, dreaming like this in broad daylight? Has he ever even seen a princess?”
“What decent person writes such things?” Pei Wenxuan placed a memorial in Li Rong’s lap and smiled. “His Majesty has responded. The matter of the Supervisory Department is approved as you wished. But to establish such an institution, we still need a pretext.”
“His Majesty said,” Pei Wenxuan continued, tucking his hands into his sleeves, “if you can find a way to give him a proper excuse, he will not only approve the establishment of the Supervisory Department but also grant you ten additional counties as fiefs.”
“Really?”Li Rong sat up straight, her eyes brightening. Pei Wenxuan was amused by her reaction: "Just ten counties, and Your Highness is this happy?"
"Those who don't manage a household don't know the cost of firewood and rice," Li Rong shot him a glare. "All you do is ask me for money all day—how would you know my difficulties?"
Pei Wenxuan leaned against a tree, smiling. "I'm destined to live off others, so I'll have to trouble the princess to take good care of me."
"Go on, get out of here." Li Rong stood up and headed toward the dining hall. Pei Wenxuan followed behind her, lowering his voice. "It's not the right time to stir up trouble now. Wait until the Qin family's case is settled, then reopen it. Make a bigger commotion—that way, when you establish your Supervisory Department, it'll be justified."
"I understand. I sent someone to the Ministry of Justice today to inquire and see how things stand." As she spoke, Li Rong remembered something. "Did you tell Su Rongqing I wanted to meet him?"
Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan's smile faded slightly, and he replied flatly, "I told him after court."
"Did he agree?"
Pei Wenxuan turned to her, a teasing smile on his face. "He refused."
"Refused?!"
Li Rong halted in her steps, shocked. "He actually refused to see me?"
"You're not some celestial beauty," Pei Wenxuan rolled his eyes at her astonishment. "Why should he agree?"
Li Rong fell silent. She truly hadn't expected Su Rongqing to refuse. Perhaps it was the inertia from her past life, or perhaps it was because Su Rongqing had always shown goodwill toward her in this life. His sudden refusal caught her off guard. She hurried after Pei Wenxuan, her tone full of confusion. "Why did he refuse? Did he give a reason?"
"He refused, that's all. Why are you so anxious?" Seeing Li Rong's displeased tone, Pei Wenxuan's own tone turned sour. "He said he knows what you want from him. The Qin Shi case involves too many parties, and he advised you not to get involved."
After receiving the answer, Li Rong pondered for a moment and understood Su Rongqing's meaning.
Previously, when Su Rongqing helped with the Yang family case, it was because the Yang family itself was a noble clan detached from Huajing, entrenched in the northwest for years with little interaction with Huajing's nobility. One could even say that the Yang family, with its military power, maintained a relationship with Huajing's aristocratic families that was both adversarial and cooperative. Su Rongqing faced no resistance in helping her then.
But this time was different. The aristocratic families involved were numerous and complex, and many of Huajing's families were connected by marriage. This time, even the Su family might be implicated. Even if they weren't the ones helping, they certainly wouldn't be the ones standing in her way.
Li Rong tapped her fan thoughtfully. Once she grasped Su Rongqing's reasoning, she suddenly found herself somewhat amusing.
She lowered her head and chuckled. Pei Wenxuan turned to look at her. "What are you laughing at?"
"I was just confirming once again," Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan, "that you still understand me better than I understand myself."
Pei Wenxuan didn't quite follow and gave her a questioning look. Li Rong sighed. "You once said I still had some feelings for him, and I doubted it. But now I believe it. If I didn't still harbor some affection for him, why wouldn't I have realized he couldn't help me this time?"
Pei Wenxuan remained silent. Li Rong shook her head with a light laugh. "I was foolish. Forget it, let's take another path."
"You..." Pei Wenxuan paused, then said slowly, "There's no need to be upset. He's not close to you now, so it's normal for him to act based on interests.""Why are you comforting me?" Li Rong raised an eyebrow. "Would I be so troubled by such a trivial matter? Never mind, do you have anything to do this afternoon?"
"I plan to find Shangguan Ya," Li Rong said, fanning herself. "If you're free, why not accompany me?"
Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan understood Li Rong's meaning. Shangguan Ya might go to the gambling den, and if she did, it would indeed be better for him to go along.
So he nodded and replied, "Alright."
The two went to find Shangguan Ya, first heading to the Shangguan residence as usual. Upon learning that Shangguan Ya had gone to a teahouse, they didn’t take any detours this time and went straight to the gambling den.
Pei Wenxuan borrowed a token from a friend once again. After entering through the familiar route, Li Rong couldn’t help but say, "Next time, let’s just get our own token."
"That works too."
Otherwise, he felt awkward always borrowing tokens.
He shielded Li Rong as they searched through the crowd and found Shangguan Ya at a table playing leaf cards.
Shangguan Ya was dressed in men’s clothing, playing enthusiastically. When Li Rong walked up behind her, she had just heard her shout, "Pong!"
Li Rong patted her shoulder. Shangguan Ya said impatiently, "Young master is playing cards..."
Before she could finish, Shangguan Ya froze. Li Rong looked at her with a smile. "I need to talk to you."
Shangguan Ya forced a smile. "Can you wait until I finish this round? I’m about to win."
Hearing this, Li Rong chuckled lightly and turned away. "Then I’ll wait for you in the private room."
Gambling dens usually had private rooms for distinguished guests. As long as the betting amount reached a certain threshold, one could enter.
Li Rong went directly to the private room on the second floor. After sitting down and playing with the dice cup for a while, she heard Shangguan Ya standing at the door, somewhat nervously saying, "Um, may I come in?"
Li Rong put down the dice cup and straightened up. "Come in."
Shangguan Ya pushed the door open and entered the room. She closed the door behind her and walked to the table with a smile. "Seeing you in a place like this always feels a bit strange."
As she spoke, she took a seat. Pei Wenxuan stood to the side and poured tea for Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya looked Pei Wenxuan up and down, then raised her teacup to Li Rong with a smile. "Your Imperial Son-in-Law is quite good. I like him."
Pei Wenxuan smiled without speaking, standing behind Li Rong and watching Shangguan Ya silently.
Li Rong glanced back at Pei Wenxuan, then looked at the outspoken Shangguan Ya in front of her and chuckled. "How audacious."
"I know the Princess won’t mind," Shangguan Ya said, raising her teacup as if it were a wine cup. After taking a sip, she put it down, leaned lazily against the armrest of her chair, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, tell me, did you come to talk about Qin Shi’s case?"
"How does everyone in the world know I want to handle this case?"
Although Li Rong wasn’t surprised that Shangguan Ya knew about this, she was still curious. Shangguan Ya rested her chin on her hand and looked at Li Rong. "Your Highness handled Yang Quan’s case last time and intervened in the palace’s consort selection. If you didn’t get involved in Qin Shi’s case, I’d find it strange."
"Oh?"
Li Rong raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you think I’m getting involved?"
"Don’t you think," Shangguan Ya looked at her, her eyes full of understanding, "the noble families are meddling too much?"Li Rong remained silent, her gaze fixed on Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya straightened her posture, adopting the dignified demeanor she reserved for the palace. "His Majesty, for the sake of the noble families, forced Princess Pingle to marry Lord Pei. Now the noble families are pressuring the Crown Prince to take a consort. Tell me, when fate is entirely in the hands of others, can Her Highness endure it? Can the Crown Prince endure it? Can His Majesty endure it?"
"Is that why you switched the incense burners in the palace?"
"Your Highness is astute," Shangguan Ya flattered. "I took to heart what Your Highness said to me last time. However, the Shangguan family is not in my hands, and I cannot make decisions for it."
Shangguan Ya’s final words carried a profound meaning. Li Rong looked at her, fully aware of Shangguan Ya’s influence over the Shangguan family.
At present, Shangguan Ya was still too weak, but in her previous life, despite residing in the inner palace, she had become the true power behind the Shangguan family.
The relationship between Shangguan Ya and the Shangguan family was the complete opposite of that between Shangguan Yue and the family. Shangguan Yue lived for the Shangguan family, while the Shangguan family existed for Shangguan Ya.
Li Rong opened and closed the folding fan in her hand, speaking slowly. "So, what do you intend for the Shangguan family?"
"I share Your Highness’s sentiment," Shangguan Ya said earnestly, her smile fading. "The Shangguan family should gradually withdraw from the court. Therefore, I hope to establish a better relationship with Your Highness."
"What kind of relationship?"
"Has Your Highness ever considered supporting someone more easily controlled to take charge of the Shangguan family?" Shangguan Ya’s voice remained calm. "This way, the Shangguan family could pledge complete loyalty to Your Highness, assist in supporting the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne, and then slowly withdraw from the court, leaving only a few members to maintain appearances while the rest return to Youzhou."
"Why not withdraw now?" Li Rong asked with a faint smile. Shangguan Ya traced the rim of her teacup. "Why ask what you already know? His Majesty has been suppressed by the Shangguan family for over a decade, his resentment festering. Can the Shangguan family withdraw now? If we retreat now, it would likely lead to our downfall. The only way is to establish a better relationship with the Crown Prince and you, to reassure you both about the Shangguan family. Then, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, he may allow the Shangguan family to withdraw on our own terms."
Listening to Shangguan Ya’s words, Li Rong laughed. "You want to become the head of the Shangguan family?"
"Not now," Shangguan Ya raised an eyebrow. "But in the future?"
"Why should I help you?"
"Your Highness," Shangguan Ya leaned forward, smiling. "We are both women, and our thoughts align. If I wish to lead the Shangguan family, I will inevitably rely on Your Highness. Wouldn’t such a Shangguan family be much easier to control than the current one?"
"Only then," Shangguan Ya’s expression grew meaningful, "will the Shangguan family truly belong to Your Highness."
Li Rong fully understood Shangguan Ya’s meaning.
Currently, the relationship between the Shangguan family and Li Rong and Li Chuan was one of the Shangguan family controlling them, not the other way around.
In the long run, whether it was Li Chuan or Li Rong, they would eventually become like the current Li Ming.
Shangguan Ya saw this clearly but could not change her father’s arrogance. She could only seek another path.
Shangguan Ya was now placing the future of the Shangguan family in Li Rong’s hands—partly to show weakness and partly to seek a protector.
If the Shangguan family were entirely handed over to Li Chuan or any other ruler, they would inevitably weaken the noble families endlessly for their own power and the court’s stability.When it came to Li Rong's hands, the Shangguan family and Li Rong were bound together in shared interests. Li Rong could not completely weaken the Shangguan family; she could only control it. Faced with the Shangguan family under Li Rong's control, as long as the ruler trusted Li Rong enough, they would relax their vigilance against the Shangguan family. If the ruler did not trust Li Rong, they would have to move against Li Rong before taking down the Shangguan family.
Now, Li Ming and the Shangguan family were already locked in a life-or-death struggle. The goal of Li Rong and Shangguan Ya was to ensure that, after supporting Li Chuan, he and the Shangguan family would not fall into the same predicament as today. Afterward, Shangguan Ya would find a safer position for the Shangguan family, so they would not be as precarious as they were now.
Whether it was Shangguan Yue or Shangguan Xu, they were born during the Shangguan family's most prosperous era. Deep down, they did not believe that Li Ming, as emperor, could do much to them. They firmly believed that the Shangguan family still held the advantage in their confrontation with Li Ming.
Thus, the Empress’s method of protecting the crown prince’s position was to rely infinitely on the noble families, making them an inseparable part of Li Chuan’s rule. In her mind, this was the best way to secure her son’s future. This approach not only ensured Li Chuan’s ascension to the throne but also guaranteed the continued glory of the Shangguan family.
However, she overlooked one thing: those born into the royal family valued their dignity and autonomy over their fate far more than she imagined.
And Shangguan Ya saw this clearly.
Because she herself was someone like Li Rong. She clearly understood Li Rong and Li Chuan’s thoughts and thus recognized the precarious fate of the Shangguan family.
Li Rong looked at her friend from her past life sitting across from her, not particularly surprised by her sharp insight. After a moment, she smiled and said, "Excellent. Then tell me what you need."
"In most cases, I won’t need Your Highness’s help," Shangguan Ya replied, seemingly having anticipated Li Rong’s agreement. She leaned back in her chair, unconsciously fiddling with a die, and added, "On the rare occasions when I do need help, it might be a significant favor."
"I’ll need your help in many ways," Li Rong said without hesitation. "Are you sure about this?"
"Don’t worry, I’ll follow Your Highness’s orders," Shangguan Ya said, looking up. "So, what do you want me to do this time?"
"Do you know who else is involved?"
"Recently, three uncles from my family have visited: the Yingyang Wen family, the Qinghe Cui family, and the Longxi Wang family. You can investigate which of their members hold positions in the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate in the court. That should give you an idea of who is handling Qin Shi’s case."
Shangguan Ya was clearly well-prepared. Seeing her so cooperative, Li Rong felt much more at ease.
"Any other news?"
"The matter has just begun. I’ll keep an eye on it for you. If there’s any news, I’ll notify you immediately."
"Good," Li Rong nodded, offering an exchange. "If you need anything else, feel free to tell me."
"Twenty people," Shangguan Ya said without hesitation. "I need them placed in the Shangguan residence."
"Agreed," Li Rong immediately consented. After the deal was struck, Shangguan Ya stood up. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll go play another round. Time is short, and I need to return to the residence afterward. Since you booked this private room, I won’t pay for it."
The mention of money made Li Rong feel a bit uneasy, but fortunately, the cost of gambling was negligible to her. She waved her hand and sighed, "Go ahead."Shangguan Ya bowed and withdrew. Li Rong turned to Pei Wenxuan and sighed helplessly, "Why is it that all of you are just reaching out for money? When will I ever get a god of wealth to ease the pressure on me as the head of this household?"
Pei Wenxuan found this amusing and walked out with her. "Work a little harder and get His Majesty to grant you those ten counties. Then the silver will come."
Hearing this, Li Rong turned and looked Pei Wenxuan up and down. Pei Wenxuan felt uneasy under her gaze and couldn't help asking, "Why are you staring at me?"
"I just suddenly remembered..." Li Rong reached out and linked arms with Pei Wenxuan, smiling brightly. "Wenxuan, don't you still have a family fortune to inherit?"
Pei Wenxuan stiffened at her touch, his mind turning to mush, unable to form a single word.
Thinking of Pei Wenxuan's family wealth, Li Rong grew excited. "Most of the Pei family's assets were earned by your father, weren't they? Since you're already an adult, it's no longer appropriate for your uncle to manage them for you. How about we find an opportunity to discuss this with your family? What do you think?"
Pei Wenxuan didn't answer. All his senses were focused on where Li Rong was touching him.
Li Rong truly didn't treat him as an outsider, linking arms with him as if they were two young ladies chatting. Pei Wenxuan could tell Li Rong was desperate for money—her tone had softened considerably at the thought of his family's wealth. "Your father-in-law was a capable man. Back then, he single-handedly pushed the Pei family from a second-tier clan into the first tier. He must have left behind a considerable fortune. You should learn from him instead of always thinking about asking me for money. You ought to learn to have some dignity as a man, don't you think?"
When she mentioned "man," Pei Wenxuan finally snapped out of it. He glanced at Li Rong up and down, turned away, and said bluntly, "I have no dignity."
Li Rong was instantly annoyed, knowing Pei Wenxuan was rejecting her proposal. She pinched the soft flesh on his arm and twisted it angrily. "Why are you so useless?!"
"Ouch, my lady," Pei Wenxuan sighed. "Can you be a little more realistic? My second uncle is a counselor in the Chancellery, just a step below people like Shangguan Xu. If we go asking for money now, it's like snatching food from a tiger's mouth. It's fine if you want money, but can't you think of some easier ways?"
Li Rong knew he was right. She sighed, looking troubled. "Making money is so hard."
Hearing her words, Pei Wenxuan glanced at her and, seeing she seemed genuinely worried about this, couldn't help but laugh.
Li Rong looked up at him, displeased. "What are you laughing at?"
With Li Rong still linking arms with him, chatting and joking, Pei Wenxuan no longer felt tense. Arm in arm, they walked toward the carriage as he chuckled softly. "I never thought I'd see the day Your Highness would worry about money."
"Are you making fun of me?"
Li Rong raised an eyebrow. Pei Wenxuan hurriedly replied, "I wouldn't dare. It's just that seeing Your Highness like this is rare... and rather endearing."
"Tsk," Li Rong made a face of disdain. "Pei Wenxuan, you'll say anything to flatter someone."Pei Wenxuan turned his gaze with a smile toward the carriage ahead and spoke slowly, "Actually, Your Highness need not worry. Some of the industries I invested in earlier have already begun to turn a profit, and there should be a surplus by next year. Your Highness’s fief in Qingzhou has fertile soil. After taking over your estates, I sent someone to invite Gu Chenzi. By now, he should already be in Qingzhou, teaching the people how to farm."
Gu Chenzi was the renowned "Rice Sage" of the previous life. He dedicated his life to studying agriculture, particularly excelling in rice cultivation. In the previous life, it would have taken him several more years to write Agricultural Techniques and become famous throughout Great Xia, but now Pei Wenxuan had already invited him to Qingzhou ahead of time.
"Everything is difficult at the beginning," Pei Wenxuan reassured Li Rong. "It will be better by next year."
"Alright, I know," Li Rong sighed. "I was just saying it casually. You’re incredibly skilled at making money—it’s not like I haven’t seen it before."
Li Rong spoke as she reached the carriage. Pei Wenxuan helped her inside, then lifted the curtain and entered the carriage himself.
Hearing Li Rong praise him, Pei Wenxuan felt rather pleased. After sitting down, he glanced up to see Li Rong settling into a comfortable position, lazily nestling in the carriage. He couldn’t help but smile. “Since you know, Your Highness should rest assured. Over the years, I’ve been managing your assets for you. In the future,” Pei Wenxuan lifted the teacup lid, his voice gentle, “any surplus silver can be considered my gift to you as dowry.”
Hearing this, Li Rong burst into laughter. “Pei Wenxuan, you’re really something—even preparing my dowry for me.”
“After all, we’ve known each other for so long,” Pei Wenxuan said with a smile, looking up at Li Rong, who was laughing heartily beside him. “I’ll give you a dowry so you won’t end up unmarried and blame me for the rest of your life.”
“Shameless,” Li Rong poked him with her small fan. “Who wants to blame you for a lifetime?”
Pei Wenxuan smiled without replying, lowering his head to pour tea.
As Li Rong twirled her fan beside him, he could see from the corner of his eye her slender, elegant fingers flipping the golden fan, as if performing a peculiar dance, carrying a silent beauty.
His gaze lingered on those slender fingers. For some reason, he recalled their previous life—when they had just married, and during Li Rong’s monthly cycles, these beautiful hands had served a purpose.
Pei Wenxuan’s eyes darkened slightly, and he hurriedly lowered his gaze, murmuring softly, “Your Highness, let’s discuss something.”
“Hmm?”
“I think we should sleep in separate beds.”
“Oh?” Li Rong turned to look at him, somewhat puzzled. “Don’t you think that’s troublesome?”
They hadn’t done so before—why now?
Li Rong was confused. After a moment, a teasing look crossed her face. “Pei Wenxuan, could it be that you have designs on me?”
“Your Highness overestimates yourself.”
Pei Wenxuan replied swiftly, “After seeing the same person for decades, what designs could I possibly have?”
As he answered, his heart raced wildly. Li Rong nodded slowly. “That’s true. You and I are too familiar. If even that could stir desire, it would just prove that men truly have no standards—beasts through and through.”
Pei Wenxuan: “…”
Hearing Li Rong scold him, Pei Wenxuan felt inexplicably guilty.
He thought Li Rong was right. Given their pure friendship now, how could he look at a hand and have such thoughts?
He truly was too depraved.
So he nodded emphatically, agreeing, “Your Highness is absolutely right!”
“Then why do you want separate beds?”
Li Rong looked up at him, blinking. Pei Wenxuan was momentarily stumped. After struggling for a while, he finally said, “I wake up too early every morning for court and worry about disturbing you.”
“Is that all?” Li Rong laughed, waving her hand magnanimously. “It’s fine. You usually don’t wake me when you get up, so don’t worry too much. Sleeping separately is too troublesome. If others find out and rumors spread that we’re at odds, His Majesty will start doubting how much substance my Supervisory Department really has. After all, a large part of his trust in me now is because of you—thinking that since I married you, I’d follow you like a loyal wife.”
Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan dared not say more. He nodded, pulled a memorial from the drawer, and said calmly, “If you don’t mind, then let’s forget it.”He could just take a few more cold showers.
Author's Note: [Mini Theater 1]
Pei Wenxuan: "I've prepared your dowry for you."
Li Rong: "You're so kind?! Thank you! You're truly my best friend."
Pei Wenxuan: "No need to thank me. You'll bring it back anyway."
Li Rong: "???"
[Mini Theater 2]
Li Rong: "You and I are so close. If even you could have ulterior motives, it just goes to show that you men truly have no scruples—beasts, worse than beasts."
Pei Wenxuan: "Your Highness is absolutely right! I am that beast! I actually have thoughts about you—I'm despicable! Shameless! I'm not a good friend!"
[Mini Theater 3]
Pei Wenxuan's vlog: "Hello everyone, I'm Pei Wenxuan. Today marks the second attempt at sleeping in separate beds, and I've failed again. The princess always finds reasons for us not to sleep apart, and I find them quite reasonable—I can't refuse. Let me see if I can think of another way. After all, if we keep sleeping like this, I'm going to fall in love with her soon. I don't want that, boohoo... I really only see her as a buddy, boohoo..."
OpenNovel