Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I never expected Wei Zhao to see through my selfish little thoughts at a glance!

He dragged me into the room, his beautiful eyes practically spitting fire.

Looking aggrieved, Wei Zhao asked, “Wang Tianjiao, tell me honestly. In the five years you’ve been away, did you find someone else?”

I coughed dryly and gave him a smile.

Wei Zhao immediately said in irritation, “Forget it! Pretend I never asked! You were always a lecher even back then.”

I rubbed my nose and took a few sips of tea.

Wei Zhao stared at my hand, his eyes reddening. “Every time you wrote to me these past five years, you said you were doing well. Then where did the scars on your hands come from?”

I said casually, “It’s war. Who goes to war and doesn’t get hurt? What’s going on with that Yunlan?”

Wei Zhao pinched me hard at the waist and snapped, “I knew you wouldn’t get jealous!”

Then he ignored me.

He turned and ordered people to bring the bathtub into the room and boil hot water.

Then he urged me to wash up.

I soaked in the hot water and let out a comfortable sigh.

Wei Zhao carefully looked over the scars on my body. When he spoke again, his voice was choked.

Blaming himself, he said, “It’s all because I was useless. If I hadn’t fallen so gravely ill back then and used up all the family’s money, you never would’ve had to join the army in my place. I’d already made up my mind. If you died on the battlefield, I would immediately carry your memorial tablet to the northwest and die for love.”

I turned my head, pinched the back of his neck, and kissed his reddened eyes. “Don’t talk nonsense. Your mother worked so hard to raise you. She didn’t do it so you could throw your life away. I saw that the house has quite a few new things, and there are even three more servants. The money I sent back wasn’t that much, was it?”

At the mention of that, Wei Zhao looked a little embarrassed. After a long while, he said, “After you left, my health gradually improved. I’ve studied painting since I was little, so I could make some money with that skill. But… but my mother said that with your abilities, you would definitely earn military achievements in five years. If I was still useless in both letters and martial arts by then, I definitely wouldn’t be able to keep you.”

Ahem. Madam Wei really did understand me.

I had indeed piled up plenty of military merit.

I had worked my way up from a common soldier to the official rank of sixth-grade commandant.

My boss was a first-rank Grand General, and it was said he had a great deal of influence in the capital.

He valued me and wanted to promote me.

He had specifically told me that once I settled my family affairs, I should go to the capital and report to him.

When my boss heard I had a sweetheart at home, he said dismissively, “Romantic attachments will only slow your sword arm! Wang Tianjiao, with your potential, you could even marry a princess in the future! Stop dragging your feet. Go back and break it off with her.”

This time, I had come back with every intention of ending things with Wei Zhao.

I glanced at him and was just about to bring it up.

Wei Zhao immediately said, “There isn’t so much as a hair’s worth of a relationship between Yunlan and me! Yunlan saw that I was good-looking and fell in love at first sight. Yunlan brought a great deal of wealth to our door and was absolutely determined to become my concubine! My mother made the decision on her own and kept Yunlan here! My mother said this face of mine is the only thing I can rely on to make a living. I’ll spend all the money Yunlan brought on you. Wang Tianjiao, let’s live like we used to, all right?”

Something about that sounded rather morally lacking.

As he spoke, he wrapped his arms around my neck and leaned in to kiss me.

Wei Zhao was simply too good-looking.

After five years apart, he had only grown more beautiful.

He was bursting with life, like the most vivid peach blossom on the branch.

Wei Zhao murmured softly, “I won’t stop you from doing great things. I’ll just stay here and guard you, guard our home. All right?”

No wonder they say a gentle embrace is the grave of heroes.

Who could possibly withstand this?

Just as the two of us were kissing like we couldn’t bear to part,

a violent pounding suddenly came from outside the door.

A little girl was shouting at the top of her lungs:

“Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!”

“Dinner! Dinner! Dinner!”

She hammered on the door while calling for her dad.

With that momentum,

it didn’t sound like she was calling her dad to dinner. It sounded like she was yelling for him not to die.

Wei Zhao said helplessly, “That’s Yunlan’s daughter.”

I thought to myself, She’s my daughter too.

I had picked up Wang Lingyue.

But I lived in the military camp every day and had no way of caring for a tiny infant.

So I could only entrust her to Xie Yunlan, who was running a clinic at the time.

Back then, I had thought he was a woman.

It was also because of Wang Lingyue that the two of us became familiar with each other.

Wei Zhao and I changed our clothes and opened the door.

Wang Lingyue stood at the entrance, her big eyes bright and clever.

She gave Wei Zhao a sweet smile and called out in a clear little voice, “Little Dad!”

What kind of address was that?

I glared at him.

Wang Lingyue giggled and called to me, “Big Dad!”

Xie Yunlan stood not far away, his gaze sweeping over me inch by inch.

He wore a simple moon-white dress, his hair pinned up with only a white jade hairpin.

From head to toe, he carried the cool, beautiful air of a fresh breeze beneath a cold moon.

He was completely androgynous.

Wang Lingyue turned her head and obediently called, “Mother!”

I slapped a hand to my forehead.

In despair, I thought,

What the hell is all this?