CHAPTER 700: CHAPTER 286: THE EMOTIONAL THAW BETWEEN HEZHEN AND WU XUFAN (ONE MORE UPDATE)

Xiao Hezhen was stunned again for a while.

She slowly said, "I don’t mind."

The three faint words, however, revealed to Wu Xufan her perfunctoriness.

Indeed.

How could Xiao Hezhen actually want him to stay?

It was merely out of courtesy that she spoke as such.

Wu Xufan remained silent and did not say much.

In front of Xiao Hezhen, he was accustomed to deceiving himself.

"I really don’t mind, I’m even grateful," Xiao Hezhen seemed to see through Wu Xufan’s thoughts.

Right.

Just now in the great hall, when her third brother mentioned Yuan Wenkang, she did feel a stir in her heart, thinking if Yuan Wenkang could stay by her side... but the next moment she stopped herself, she couldn’t let romantic feelings delay important national affairs.

At this moment, with Wu Xufan asking her so suddenly, she naturally felt somewhat disappointed.

But reason told her, it was more appropriate for Wu Xufan to stay.

Yuan Wenkang was more suited to be by her third brother’s side, to fight battles; he wasn’t suited to stay in the Imperial Palace and engage in cunning battles with her, although Wu Xufan was not a cunning person either, he was more domineering than Yuan Wenkang, and could disregard etiquette when he encountered things he disliked, thus not being at a disadvantage, whereas Yuan Wenkang would only suffer beside her.

"I know you actually hate the intrigues within the court," Xiao Hezhen looked at Wu Xufan, "If it weren’t for me, you would not have stayed. You would have preferred to go to battle with third brother. I genuinely appreciate you. And you staying is more suitable than Lord Yuan staying."

"Do you really think it’s better for me to stay than Yuan Wenkang?" Wu Xufan half believed.

"Yes," Xiao Hezhen said, "Actually, I and Lord Yuan..."

Ultimately, Xiao Hezhen couldn’t bring herself to say it.

She knew that saying such things to her husband was disrespectful to him.

But she didn’t want to hide it from Wu Xufan either.

"We shouldn’t. My sister-in-law has told me many times, and I’ve taken it to heart," Xiao Hezhen spoke, "I will try, gradually, to let go of my feelings for Lord Yuan. I also know that this way, I am also delaying Lord Yuan."

Wu Xufan was surprised.

He hadn’t expected Xiao Hezhen to suddenly say these things.

To suddenly openly tell him about her feelings for Yuan Wenkang, her future thoughts towards him.

Xiao Hezhen said, "I never really thought about properly living our lives together before, even getting married felt like I was forced into it. In the future, I will try to accept our relationship, try..."

Xiao Hezhen’s face turned somewhat red.

That word ’like’ was ultimately difficult for a woman to utter.

Mainly because, she also didn’t know if she could ever come to like Wu Xufan.

Wu Xufan probably doesn’t have much of a fondness for her now anyway.

Who would want to like a woman.

Who has someone else in her heart.

"I’ll wait for you," Wu Xufan suddenly spoke.

His tone suppressed with excitement.

No matter whether Xiao Hezhen can truly let go of Yuan Wenkang down the line.

As long as she has such thoughts now, he wanted to thank the heavens.

"I wait for you to let go of Yuan Wenkang," Wu Xufan emphatically said, "And then to fall in love with me."

"Then you also need to..." Xiao Hezhen mustered courage, "try to like me."

"I don’t want to," Wu Xufan flatly refused.

"Wu Xufan, why are you still so annoying!" Xiao Hezhen couldn’t help but lose her temper.

Why is this man so aggravating.

Always opposing her.

Every time she tries to have a nice conversation, he can drive her mad.

"I like you," Wu Xufan suddenly spoke, his expression serious.

Xiao Hezhen was startled.

"It’s true." Wu Xufan looked at Xiao Hezhen’s expression, his face also a bit shy.

His eyes flickered, and his ears turned red.

Xiao Hezhen felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at Wu Xufan.

"Seeing how much you dislike me, that’s why I pretended not to like you," Wu Xufan said with a flushed face, "Now that you said you’ll try to like me, I have no choice but to lay my cards on the table."

"When did you start liking me? Haven’t you always hated me?" Xiao Hezhen was skeptical.

In her memory, Wu Xufan had never made it easy for her.

"It’s because you didn’t like me, I was afraid of losing face," Wu Xufan admitted through gritted teeth, "Anyway, I just like you, that’s all."

"...Uh." Xiao Hezhen suddenly didn’t know how to talk to Wu Xufan anymore.

She was used to arguing over disagreements with him.

She was used to Wu Xufan never being considerate toward her, never yielding to her.

At this moment, Wu Xufan suddenly confessed his affection for her, and she didn’t know how to interact with him.

"Don’t bother about me," Wu Xufan also felt embarrassed to lose face, "Just do your own thing, I know how to handle my affairs."

"Oh," Xiao Hezhen nodded.

"Also," Wu Xufan seemed to muster up courage to say, "I’ve never touched Wu Niang."

"What?" Xiao Hezhen was stunned.

One, Wu Xufan suddenly brought this up.

Two, doesn’t Wu Xufan frequently visit Wu Niang’s room?!

"It was just to make you angry on purpose, but instead of getting angry, you seemed even more at ease," Wu Xufan got angry just thinking about it, "Xiao Hezhen, do you know you’re really annoying? If my mentality weren’t a bit better, you would’ve infuriated me to death."

She initially had good intentions.

Thinking that if she did not consummate their marriage, she would allow him to take a concubine to satisfy his male needs.

Little did she know, this was what Wu Xufan was thinking.

"Even if you don’t like me in the future, no matter how you don’t fall for me, don’t take a concubine for me," Wu Xufan said earnestly, "Apart from you, I’m not interested in any other woman."

It was clearly a sincere statement.

When said, it felt as though it implied something else.

Xiao Hezhen’s face turned red.

"Anyway, just remember that," Wu Xufan also felt a bit awkward.

He turned his head, purposely facing away from Xiao Hezhen.

The atmosphere inside the carriage suddenly became a bit... ambiguously unclear.

Xiao Hezhen looked at Wu Xufan’s ears, which were now thoroughly red.

She didn’t know why.

She used to think Wu Xufan was just a troublemaker, a pest who always annoyed her.

Now, suddenly, she thought he was kind of cute.

Not as annoying as she had thought.

And.

When he said he hadn’t touched Wu Niang, when he said he had interest only in her, it was as if suddenly, warmth spread through her heart...

...

The next day, Xiao Hezhen and Wu Xufan moved into the Imperial Palace.

After moving into the Imperial Palace, they spent their days by Xiao Jinxing’s side, learning the matters of the court officials.

Xiao Jinxing was teaching Zhen while preparing for the military campaign.

Still as busy as ever.

Bai Mowan was still the one accompanying Xiao Jinxing.

It was rare to see Ye Qichi.

Ye Qichi frequently left the palace; she had to regularly check on Song Yanqing’s condition.

Considering this military campaign, either Xiao Jinxing would leave Song Yanqing in the palace to help Xiao Hezhen with strategies, or he would bring him to the border to fight. Either way, they had to first ensure his health was fully restored!