Feng Anning always felt that she was inexplicably afraid of Shen Qiu.
It was quite strange. As the pampered young lady of the Feng household, she had grown up willful and picky, doted on by Lord Feng and his wife, with all her siblings yielding to her whims. This upbringing had molded her into someone who looked down on everything.
Yet there were two exceptions.
One was Shen Miao. Feng Anning herself didn't understand how she ended up befriending Shen Miao, who was once notorious for being foolish and uncouth. Somehow, Shen Miao had gradually stopped making those ridiculous antics. Since they shared a desk at the Hall of Extensive Learning, Feng Anning slowly realized Shen Miao was actually quite intelligent.
In their youth, people naturally admired those who seemed more profound than themselves. Moreover, Shen Miao's transformation from her former uncouthness to current dignified demeanor made the contrast even more striking.
Feng Anning found herself drawn to Shen Miao's company. While she disdained the other noble young ladies at the Hall of Extensive Learning, she showed particular favor to Shen Miao. Shen Miao neither flattered her nor curried favor, treating her with casual indifference. Ironically, Feng Anning found Shen Miao more genuine than those who constantly followed her with sweet words.
Feng Anning thought she must be ill.
Setting Shen Miao aside, the second person who wouldn't yield to her was Shen Qiu.
By all accounts, Shen Qiu enjoyed an excellent reputation among both elders and peers. Even having such a notorious sister didn't tarnish his good name.
Feng Anning had seen Shen Qiu once or twice before, merely thinking him a handsome young man who appeared as warm and approachable as sunlight.
But after growing closer to Shen Miao and consequently having several close encounters with Shen Qiu, she began feeling an inexplicable fear toward him.
Firstly, Shen Qiu didn't show her the deference typical of noble young men. Perhaps this was because he came from military background and had a rough, straightforward manner. Secondly, he treated Feng Anning like any ordinary person, not giving her special regard just because she was Shen Miao's friend.
This was unbearable for the proud Feng Anning.
Yet whenever she wanted to lose her temper, seeing Shen Qiu's sharp gaze as he commanded his soldiers would inexplicably make her hesitate.
Feng Anning couldn't understand herself. If Xie Jingxing of Marquis Lin'an Manor was the male tyrant of Fixed Capital, she could at least be considered the female counterpart. She looked down on everything, so why was she helpless against this particular pair of siblings?
Her elder brother would scold her, saying she only knew how to act tough at home.
Chagrined, Feng Anning would always vow that next time she saw Shen Qiu, she would hold her head high. But when they actually met, she would find herself shrinking her neck and walking past with lowered eyes.
Even Shen Miao's cousin Luo Tan noticed something amiss, remarking, "Why does Anning always become quieter when visiting the Shen residence?"
Shen Miao would smile meaningfully and say, "Or rather, she becomes quieter when seeing my elder brother."
Flustered and angry, Feng Anning would retort, "What nonsense! If I want to be quiet, I'll be quiet. Do I need anyone's permission?"
Then Luo Tan would call out toward Feng Anning's back, "Cousin Qiu, why have you come so suddenly?"Feng Anning stiffened instantly and wanted to turn and flee, but Luo Tan pointed at her gleefully: "So my little cousin was telling the truth! Is the young lady of the Feng family actually most afraid of Cousin Qiu?"
Feng Anning stood up angrily, swearing never to speak to Luo Tan again.
...
What happened next took Feng Anning by surprise. When she went out with Shen Miao, her own carelessness led to Shen Miao falling into the hands of bandits. Feng Anning was naturally filled with guilt, but Shen Qiu's attitude frightened her even more.
Shen Qiu mercilessly expressed his anger toward her.
With Shen Miao missing, Feng Anning was distraught. Someone must have told her elder brothers about Shen Qiu's harsh words to her. The brothers, protective of their sister, all said: "That eldest Shen brother is truly too much. At this point, searching for Miss Shen should be the priority. How can he take it out on a young girl like you? Aren't you already blaming yourself enough? Why add insult to injury?"
"No," Feng Anning covered her face. "He was right. It was my fault."
Her heart was torn between worry for Shen Miao and self-loathing—she felt utterly detestable, and surely Shen Qiu must despise her too.
Fortunately, Shen Miao returned unharmed. But Feng Anning no longer dared to set foot in Shen Mansion—not for any other reason than sheer shame. If not for her, Shen Miao wouldn't have suffered so. Though the outcome was good, the ordeal had been real.
She longed to visit the Shen residence—to see Shen Miao, bicker with Luo Tan, or even just catch a glimpse of Shen Qiu—but she restrained herself. Even when Luo Tan sent her invitations, Feng Anning declined.
Though others saw her as spoiled and immature, she was actually deeply stubborn. She couldn't bring herself to lower her head or pretend nothing had happened, so she punished herself this way instead.
Who could have imagined Shen Miao's marriage would go so terribly wrong?
Listening to her father and brothers discuss court affairs, Feng Anning learned that the Shen family had become a target. Whoever married Shen Miao would bring no benefit to the Shens—least of all Shen Miao herself. If even her own marriage had become a pawn in political schemes, what could Shen Miao do?
Feng Anning thought of her eldest brother.
Feng Zixian was gentle and upright in character. More importantly, Feng Anning knew him to be a true gentleman—far better than marrying someone like the Crown Prince. So she persuaded him to propose to the Shen family.
Feng Zixian was stunned at first, but he had heard Feng Anning speak of Shen Miao often. Though his sister was willful, she was guileless—if she thought well of someone, they couldn't be deceitful.
Feng Zixian agreed to visit the Shen residence, but in the end, Shen Miao refused the proposal.
Still, this incident eased the tension between Feng Anning and the Shen household. On her way home, she encountered Shen Qiu, who must have already learned of Feng Zixian's visit. He glanced at her and said, "Thank you."
Those two simple words left Feng Anning tossing and turning in excitement.
Her maidservant cautiously asked, "Young Miss cares so deeply for the eldest Shen young master—rejoicing and worrying for him... Could it be... could it be that you have feelings for him?""What nonsense are you talking about?" Feng Anning instinctively retorted, her willow-like eyebrows shooting up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
The maid was startled and quickly knelt down, saying, "This servant spoke out of turn. Please forgive me, Miss."
But after a long while, there was no response from Feng Anning. Just as the maid’s heart was pounding with unease, she heard a voice from above: "Forget it. Get up."
Feng Anning bit her lip as she stared into the mirror.
Some things, even if unacknowledged or unspoken, didn’t mean they hadn’t happened. If even her personal maid could see it clearly, Feng Anning thought, then she must have been quite obvious about it. At the very least, if she couldn’t hide it from her maid, there was no way she could have hidden it from Shen Miao’s sharp eyes.
If Shen Miao knew her feelings, would she tell Shen Qiu…? And did Shen Qiu already know?
Feng Anning irritably turned her gaze back to the mirror.
The girl reflected in the mirror had a delicate and pretty face—large eyes, a pert nose, and slightly upturned lips that gave her an air of a pampered young lady.
She feared nothing in the world, except for the two siblings of the Shen family. Shen Miao was one thing—after all, it was just because Shen Miao always seemed so mysterious. But Shen Qiu? He was perfectly fine in everyone’s eyes—approachable, kind, straightforward, and magnanimous. So what was she afraid of?
It wasn’t Shen Qiu she feared, but herself—the version of herself that Shen Qiu might see: willful, unreasonable, and good for nothing.
When you admire someone, you constantly scrutinize yourself in your heart, worrying about every little flaw. If the other person is outstanding, you start doubting yourself, wondering if you’re even worthy. You carefully try to present your best self in front of them, striving to do everything right, yet still, your heart remains unsettled, fearing you might make a mistake somewhere.
But the more nervous you are, the more mistakes you make, and the more you embarrass yourself in front of them. When Shen Qiu scolded her over Shen Miao’s affairs, she feared his disdain and felt miserable. Yet when he thanked her, she could instantly brighten up. Happy for him, worried for him—Feng Anning could almost hear the songstress outside the door, singing with her delicate fingers curled:
"On the grave of longing, plant a bright red bean,
When ripe, it falls into the heart’s deepest seam,
Tell me, do you know what it means?"
The lyrics were terribly cliché, but Feng Anning felt they were absolutely right—as if they had sung out all the secrets of her heart.
Yet she also felt that she was probably hopeless, because Shen Qiu showed no signs of treating her differently. Feng Anning was both disheartened and bored, feeling that even her own solitary performance was dull.
And just then, Shen Miao got married—to Great Coolness, a thousand miles away.
This didn’t just mean that Fixed Capital would lose a friend. It also meant she no longer had any reason to visit the Shen residence and indulge her secret little hopes.
Feng Anning was despondent.
……
Times changed, and no one could have predicted the sudden upheaval in Fixed Capital.
Perhaps the clever ones knew, the officials knew, the court insiders knew—but Feng Anning, a sheltered noble daughter who paid no attention to worldly affairs, was utterly bewildered.
In the span of a single night, Emperor Wenhui fell gravely ill, and Prince Ding Fu Xiuyi seized power. The imperial princes met fates of death, punishment, injury, or exile. The noble families of Fixed Capital trembled in fear.
Feng Anning didn’t understand what was happening, but she could see the solemn expression on her father’s face and the daily busyness of her brothers.One day, Lord Feng called Feng Anning into his room and said to her, "Anning, you're not a child anymore. It's time for you to get married."
Feng Anning immediately sensed what Lord Feng was about to say next, but it was too sudden for her. Without thinking, she blurted out, "Father, I don’t want to get married yet. I want to stay by your side, with Mother and my brothers."
Lord Feng, who had always doted on her, did not indulge her this time. Instead, he said, "Silly child, no girl stays at home forever without marrying. Do you want to become an old maid? Your cousin will be arriving in Fixed Capital in a few days. You should show him around."
His words carried an unmistakable implication. Feng Anning, never one to hold back, stood up abruptly and exclaimed, "Father, what do you mean by that?"
"Such recklessness—what kind of behavior is this?" Lord Feng frowned. "What do I mean? Your cousin is coming to Fixed Capital. Isn’t it natural for you, as his cousin, to receive him?"
"Receive him? I’m not a servant—why should I be the one to receive him?" Feng Anning retorted. "Besides, there’s Eldest Brother and Second Brother. I won’t go!"
"You!" Lord Feng’s face darkened. "You must go!"
Lord Feng had never once spoken harshly to Feng Anning her entire life, yet today, in front of the servants, he showed her no face. Feeling both hurt and wronged, Feng Anning stood up and declared, "Father, our Feng family isn’t short on money—there’s no need to resort to selling your daughter. I haven’t seen this cousin in years. Even if you’re not embarrassed, I’d find it awkward and have nothing to say to him! Are you trying to use this 'receiving' as an excuse to push me into some cousin-marriage arrangement? I won’t do it! Whoever wants to can go—I refuse!"
Having spent so much time with Luo Tan, her words had become rather unrestrained.
Lord Feng suddenly stood up and slapped Feng Anning across the face with a loud "smack!"
Feng Anning froze, her cheek burning with pain. She stared at Lord Feng in disbelief, but he didn’t even lift his eyelids as he said coldly, "Get back to your room and reflect on your behavior. Don’t let it be said that the Feng family raised such a shameless daughter!"
The servants around them were stunned.
Lord Feng had never so much as laid a finger on Feng Anning before. Once, when a tutor from the Hall of Extensive Learning punished her by striking her palm for unfinished homework, Lord Feng had nearly fought the tutor upon seeing the marks on her hand. Yet now, he had personally slapped her.
Feng Anning let out a loud "Wah!" and ran out of the room in tears. She dashed straight back to her own quarters, slammed the door shut, and threw herself onto the bed, crying her heart out.
She had only met that distant cousin once when she was a child. He was older than her, could smile and call her "cousin," wrote beautifully, and composed elegant poetry even in his youth. But Feng Anning had also witnessed him, still young, forcibly kiss a maidservant right in front of her.
The memory disgusted her, and she had told her family about it. Yet the Feng family dismissed it as her misunderstanding and refused to believe her. From then on, Feng Anning had loathed that cousin even more.Not to mention receiving him, she didn't even want to see him. Moreover, Feng Anning was no three-year-old child—she could naturally understand the implications behind Lord Feng's words. It was clear he intended to matchmake her with this outwardly impressive but inwardly rotten cousin.
The more Feng Anning cried, the more heartbroken she felt. The man she liked didn't return her affections, and she probably felt like a burden. Now her own father and brother were pushing her toward a life with someone she despised. With Shen Miao and Luo Tan gone, she had no one in Fixed Capital to confide in. Her grievances piled up with no outlet, and now her father had even struck her. Feng Anning truly felt life had become unbearable.
But she was spoiled—not just spoiled but stubborn to the core. Lord Feng might stop doting on her or grow to dislike her, but her defiance remained unchanged. She even began a hunger strike in protest, refusing to yield and meet that disgusting cousin.
In the past, such a hunger strike would have thrown the household into chaos, but this time it had little effect. Instead, Lord Feng doubled down, his stance growing even more unyielding.
The standoff between Feng Anning and Lord Feng continued until Feng Zixian returned from business outside Fixed Capital. Learning of the situation, he came to console her.
Feng Zixian said, "Little sister, don’t blame Father. He has no choice now. The situation in Fixed Capital is unstable, and our Feng family is in peril. Father wants you to marry early to avoid disaster. The Cao family is wealthy—you’ll want for nothing after marrying your cousin. He’s talented and handsome, and as family, he won’t mistreat you. I know you’re upset, but times have changed. If not for these circumstances, you could have freely chosen a husband you liked. But now... Anning, bear with it. Father has no other choice. Marrying him is better than staying with our family, not knowing what fate awaits us."
Feng Anning was stunned. No one had ever explained this to her before. Recently, she had noticed the Feng household bustling with unusual activity and found it strange, but whenever she asked, Lord Feng dismissed her concerns. She hadn’t connected the dots between those events and her own marriage.
She asked, "Elder Brother, what do you mean? Is the Feng family in trouble?" Without waiting for his reply, she continued, "If the Feng family is truly in danger, how can I, as a daughter of the family, stand aside and do nothing? Does Father think marrying me off to shield me from this is for my own good? If we’re family, shouldn’t we share both joy and hardship?"
Feng Zixian sighed. "Little sister, I understand how you feel, but many things aren’t as simple as you think. Your willingness to stand with the family is admirable, but how could Father and Mother bear it? You’ve been pampered since childhood—none of us want anything to happen to you. Moreover, there are many scheming people who might use you to threaten the Feng family." He paused before adding with difficulty, "Staying here wouldn’t help the family. Instead, you’d distract Father and Mother and even become a weakness. If you marry into the Cao family, not only will it ease their worries, but the Cao family might even offer some assistance."
Feng Anning fell silent for a long time.
"Anning..." Feng Zixian grew concerned at her silence.
"Elder Brother, I’m fine." She took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Just give me some time to think it over."Feng Zixian saw that she didn’t want to talk much and knew that Feng Anning would have a hard time accepting such a sudden change. He didn’t say anything more and left on his own.
After Feng Zixian left, Feng Anning stared blankly at the bronze mirror, her hands trembling slightly.
Life is unpredictable, and Feng Anning never imagined that in what seemed like just one night, she could go from being the envied young lady of a noble family to such a precarious position. Even more unexpected was that she would become a burden.
Her youth had been spent in naive indulgence, unaware that fate was stingy—even cruel. The blessings of the first half of her life had to be repaid with an uncertain future.
On one side was continuing to live willfully as she pleased; on the other was her family.
Feng Anning wondered: When Shen Miao had to protect the Shen family, constrained at every turn, forced to weigh every decision, had she felt this same torment?
She looked at her reflection—the pampered, beautiful young lady. Could she bear such a heavy responsibility?
She couldn’t go on like this anymore. Feng Anning thought that even if she wanted to be spoiled, she needed someone to spoil her. Not everyone was part of the Feng family, and she couldn’t rely on their protection forever.
Besides… the person she liked didn’t like her back.
Feng Anning made up her mind.
……
Feng Anning’s transformation shocked everyone.
She agreed to Lord Feng’s hints and decided to meet and converse with that young Master Cao. Perhaps one day, she would even become his wife.
The Feng family knew why she was doing this, but they were powerless to change it. Among the few paths ahead, this seemed the only one that could make Feng Anning’s life easier. If possible, they didn’t want her to suffer even the slightest grievance. But when suffering became inevitable, they wished she could endure less—far less.
Feng Anning’s change wasn’t just in her attitude toward her cousin from the Cao family but also in her own temperament. It was as if she had become a different person overnight—more subdued. To outsiders, this seemed mature and gentle, but to the Feng family, it was heartbreaking. Yet whenever they asked her about it, Feng Anning would only smile and brush them off with a few words.
Master Cao, however, was quite pleased with Feng Anning. After all, she was lovely, and now that her temperament had softened, she was even more agreeable. He liked her quite a bit.
Before long, the two families were almost ready to discuss marriage.
The Feng and Cao families exchanged the marriage certificates, and Feng Anning sat in her room, staring blankly at the flowers and plants outside.
Then, she heard her personal maid rushing over in a panic, crying, “Miss, something terrible has happened!”
“What is it?” Feng Anning asked.
“Young Master Cao was beaten at the Drunken Immortal Building!” the maid said. “He was beaten by the eldest young master of the General’s residence—the Shen family!”
At first, Feng Anning didn’t care about the maid’s news, but when she heard the last part, she couldn’t help but gasp. “You said… he was beaten by who?”
“The eldest young master of the Shen family—Shen Miao’s eldest brother!” The maid was nearly in tears. “Master Cao is making a scene at the residence, saying he wants to cancel the engagement!”
……
When Feng Anning arrived at the main hall, she saw Lady Feng and Lord Feng trying to soothe Master Cao, addressing him as “worthy nephew” repeatedly. But Master Cao was still fuming. The moment he spotted Feng Anning, he stormed toward her.Feng Anning finally got a clear look at Young Master Cao's face, which was covered in bruises—blue here, purple there—as if he had been beaten quite badly. Especially the two dark circles under his eyes made her unable to suppress a sudden "pfft" of laughter.
Seeing this, Young Master Cao grew even more furious and humiliated. Pointing at her nose, he cursed, "If you've already been sneaking around with someone, getting involved with that Shen Qiu, why bother pretending to consider marriage with me? Or do you plan to marry into the Cao family just to cuckold me?"
"Enough!" Lord Feng's expression darkened. Young Master Cao's words were truly vile. Though he wanted Feng Anning to marry into the Cao family, she was his beloved daughter, raised with his utmost affection—how could she be insulted like this?
Feng Anning also stopped smiling and said, "Young Master Cao, be careful with your words. I thought someone from a family like yours would never stoop to gossip and slander. It seems I was mistaken."
Having spent so much time with Shen Miao, she had learned to lace her words with a hint of sarcasm. Young Master Cao was momentarily speechless, but then he sneered, "Why put on such a righteous act? If you weren’t involved with him, why would he step in for you out of the blue?"
Step in for her?
Feng Anning frowned. Feng Zixian asked, "Anuo, tell us what happened."
Anuo was a servant of the Feng household. Since Young Master Cao was temporarily staying with the Feng family and was unfamiliar with the roads of Fixed Capital, Feng Zixian had assigned one of his own servants to assist him for convenience.
Anuo stepped forward, casting a nervous glance at Young Master Cao before speaking slowly.
It turned out that while Young Master Cao appeared to be attentive and courteous to Feng Anning on the surface, he was far from proper in private. His intention to marry Feng Anning was solely because her family background and looks were a decent match. Although he had no concubines in his household, the number of women he had dallied with was far from few.
While drinking at the Drunken Immortal Building, his dubious friends from Fixed Capital asked him, "Young Master Cao, we heard the Feng family’s young lady is quite spoiled. Now that you’re here drinking and enjoying yourself, will you have to rein it in after marriage?"
"What nonsense!" Young Master Cao replied. "It’s only natural for a man to socialize outside. Besides, marrying her is elevating her status. My Cao family isn’t just any woman’s door to enter. If she weren’t so docile and obedient, she wouldn’t even have the chance to step into my household."
"Docile and obedient? Isn’t Miss Feng said to be arrogant and domineering?"
Young Master Cao smirked smugly. "That’s just hearsay. She probably knows her place and is deliberately trying to please me. Well, since she’s making such an effort, as long as she doesn’t cause trouble and stays meek in the future, I might show her more affection." The conversation soon devolved into vulgar jokes, crossing the line of decency.
While Young Master Cao was reveling in his own words, someone suddenly strode over from another table. Before he could react, he was punched squarely and knocked to the ground. The assailant landed a few more blows, leaving Young Master Cao wailing in pain. Finally, the man said, "The Feng family’s standards for a son-in-law are truly abysmal! A spineless coward like you dares to aspire to marry their daughter?"
The onlookers were stunned. Humiliated and battered, Young Master Cao was furious. Upon inquiring, he learned the man was the eldest young master of the General’s household—Shen Qiu. Unable to retaliate against Shen Qiu, he turned his anger toward the Feng family instead.
Lord Feng and Lady Feng were livid upon hearing this—not at Shen Qiu, but at Young Master Cao’s behavior. They had initially thought him a decent man, given his family ties and proper demeanor. Had this incident not occurred, they would never have known his true colors. If he looked down on Feng Anning so much, why bother proposing? If Feng Anning had truly entered the Cao household, it would have been like jumping into a pit of fire. How could someone who didn’t even respect his own wife be expected to genuinely cherish Feng Anning for a lifetime?
Lord Feng roared in anger, "You deserved that beating! Since you hold the Feng family in such contempt, we certainly can’t accommodate someone of your stature. Get out of my sight!"Young Master Cao was stunned, disbelieving. "What?"
"Didn't you hear? Get out," Feng Anning said coldly, not bothering to hide the disgust in her eyes. Years ago, she had personally witnessed this Cao fellow toying with maidservants and had long since abandoned any illusions about him. If not for the sake of helping the Feng family, she wouldn't have stooped to compromise. Now that the facade had been torn away, there was nothing left to say.
Strangely, she felt a hint of relief in her heart.
As Young Master Cao tried to speak, Feng Zixian, his face livid, had him forcibly escorted out.
Lady Feng looked at Feng Anning, her heart aching with bitterness, nearly having pushed her own daughter into a pit of fire. It was Feng Anning who ended up comforting her instead.
But Feng Anning's marriage arrangement was ultimately ruined.
...
Free from dealing with her repulsive cousin, Feng Anning's days became much more relaxed. Though the Feng family's situation remained precarious, she no longer obsessed over it as before. Let things take their natural course.
Yet she never expected to encounter Shen Qiu on her way out.
She hesitated, unsure how to speak to him. Meeting again, she felt awkward, abrupt, and utterly at a loss—completely unlike her usual straightforward self.
Shen Qiu was the first to step forward.
As he approached, Feng Anning noticed he had grown even taller and more imposing, dashingly handsome. Compared to those soft, pampered young masters, he seemed as if forged entirely from iron.
Her heart flustered for a moment, and what blurted out was: "Why did you hit Young Master Cao?"
Shen Qiu frowned. "What of it? Someone like him deserves it."
"You shouldn't have hit him," Feng Anning shook her head. "These are troubled times. If he holds a grudge, he might scheme behind our backs. To break ties now..." In truth, she didn't know why she said this—just grasping for words in her panic.
Shen Qiu stared at her. "If I hadn't hit him, would you have married someone like that?"
Feng Anning froze, then whispered, "Perhaps. It wouldn't have been so bad."
"Not so bad?" A sudden edge of anger crept into Shen Qiu's voice. "That spineless fool carouses outside and gossips about his betrothed behind her back. You'd be willing to marry him?"
Feng Anning lifted her head to look at him. "What does that have to do with Deputy General Shen?"
She held a sliver of hope.
"Before Jiaojiao left, she asked me to look after you. If she knew you married such trash, she'd be furious," Shen Qiu said. "So it does concern me."
Feng Anning's expression dimmed. "Thank you for your concern, Deputy General Shen. But times have changed. In Fixed Capital, few families would dare marry me at this critical juncture. I don't have many choices. Still, I appreciate your kindness."
Shen Qiu was taken aback.
After saying this, Feng Anning gave him a slight bow and turned to leave.
She had always stood tall and straight, proud as an untamed young filly. Now, her silhouette seemed unbearably thin.
For no reason, Shen Qiu felt a pang in his chest. That once somewhat spoiled little girl, who used to be afraid of him, had somehow grown up. But growing up had brought her sorrow, and it was unbearable to see.
Acting faster than thought, he suddenly strode forward and grabbed Feng Anning's arm, pulling her back.
Feng Anning turned, startled, to look at him.Shen Qiu gazed into her eyes, and in that instant, he made a decision—one that would bring an involuntary smile to his face whenever he recalled it in the distant future, a decision he would be grateful for all his life.
He said, "Nonsense, how can there be no choice? What do you think of me?"
Feng Anning's eyes widened abruptly.
"Look at me. Am I better than that fellow Cao?" he repeated once more.
Warriors value emotions, unlike the roundabout ways of scholars—direct and passionate, sincere and genuine.
Two blushes instantly bloomed on Feng Anning's cheeks.
She said, "If I say yes, would this count as an improper private arrangement?"
This time, it was Shen Qiu's turn to be stunned.
But then the girl smiled radiantly, tilting her face up to look at him, enunciating each word clearly: "Yes."
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Happy New Year, everyone!
There will be one last extra chapter tomorrow!
OpenNovel