Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I was that unlucky heroine from a “strong female lead, even stronger male lead” story.

Every time Xiao Quan took a concubine, my feelings for him dwindled a little more.

By now, there wasn’t much left.

I couldn’t understand how the spirited boy Xiao Quan had rotted into this, but perhaps it was because Heaven had shown him far too much favor.

His fate was too lowly. He couldn’t bear such blessings.

But Xiao Quan refused to believe I could stop liking him.

I had drunk poisoned wine for him, shielded him from hidden arrows, and even ventured deep into enemy territory to lobby the feudal lords on his behalf.

Xiao Quan said, “If you don’t like me, then after everything I’ve done to you, why haven’t you left me? Why have you never harmed me?”

I had no answer.

Xiao Quan took several steps back, facing me as he moved to the wardrobe.

“Ah Yin, if you really had someone else, then why wouldn’t you hide him in the wardrobe?”

Before I could react, Xiao Quan flung the wardrobe open with one hand.

My eyes went wide.

He hadn’t turned to look inside yet.

The frail young man hiding in the wardrobe silently gestured at me.

I immediately lunged forward and wrapped both arms around Xiao Quan’s head.

“Yes, yes, yes. I like you.”

Only when I saw the wardrobe door close on its own did I let out a breath of relief.

Seeing me give in only made Xiao Quan more excited.

He pushed me away again and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“If you really had someone else, then why wouldn’t you hide him under the bed?”

A corner of a robe beneath the bed was quickly pulled farther inside.

My blood pressure shot up.

Good heavens. How was he getting every single guess right?

I hurried over and shoved Xiao Quan, who was about to bend down and look, hard onto the bed.

“Enough. Enough.”

Xiao Quan sprang upright from the bed.

“Not enough.”

Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the very center of the room, staring straight into my eyes.

He pointed upward, toward the rafters. “If you really had someone else, then why wouldn’t you hide him up in the rafters?”

The instant he finished speaking, a few drops of water fell onto his face.

My heart stopped. I swallowed.

Xiao Quan froze. “Ah Yin, is it raining inside your room?”

I wiped at my sweat. “No.”

He was about to look up.

My heart rate skyrocketed.

So I steeled myself, covered his eyes with my hand, rose onto my tiptoes, and kissed him.

“I was just being stubborn earlier. I do like you.”

He stopped investigating the rafters and instead looked down at me.

“Ah Yin, I knew you loved me. If I become emperor, the empress will be none other than you.”

Xiao Quan left in complete satisfaction.

He even said he would come fix my roof another day, and scolded me for not telling him when it was leaking.

Only after he had gone far away did I finally let out a long breath.

“All right. You can all come out now.”