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“If you marry him, you won't be happy.” Jing Yi insists.
Leng Yue barely refrains from rolling her eyes. Deep down she knows Jing Yi is a true friend who would actually care about her being stuck in a loveless marriage, but his childish rivalry with Xiao Jinli has stopped being cute a long time ago. “Then tell me, who should I marry to be happy?”
He does this stupid blinking thing before stuttering out, “M-me.”
Her heart drops at his pronouncement and a flicker of what feels suspiciously like want curls in her belly before she realises he’s just messing with her. As always. “You’re sick.” She turns on her heel and stalks off, irritated at him for making light of marriage.
“What’s wrong with me? Consider it!” He hollers after her.
“I won’t.” Ugh. Stupid boys with their stupid unfunny jokes.
==
She sheathes her sword with a decisive click, internally grumbling that Jing Yi always was light on his feet and prone to sneaking up on people. “Don't you see the door is locked?”
“We climbed this wall when we were four years old. Now that we’ve learned martial arts, you start looking for the key…” He sounds exactly like when he’s questioning a criminal, and it makes her want to slap him.
Leng Yue wonders why she thought he would have ever understood. “I want to walk through the front door. What do you care?” What would Young Master Jing know about abandoned childhood homes and broken families when his is whole and perfect?
Then she whirls around at the sound of keys jangling. “How do you have the key?”
He smirks at her as he unlocks the door and pushes it open grandly. “General Leng passed it to me.”
It takes her a while to parse that sentence. “Why on earth would he have given it to you?”
He laughs awkwardly and continues walking at a distance from her. “Ah, I was planning to clean it up before bringing you here, as a surprise on his behalf. But it's also good that you've come now – you can see if there's anything you need for the house and I will get it done.”
She turns to look at him, and for once his expression is perfectly sincere. Her heart warms at the thought of him ordering new furniture and arranging people to clean the thick layer of dust that is currently covering everything. “I think Grandfather is afraid to come back. It would bring back memories of my father and when we all lived here.”
The corner of Jing Yi’s mouth curves gently. “General Leng told me he’s left this place to you, but next time he comes back, he hopes you'll let him stay here. He really wants to come home and see that you’re living well.” He looks like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t.
“I’ll have to continue living well to show him, then.” She concludes and returns his smile. “Thank you, Jing Yi.”
“Eh, why are you thanking me?” He laughs. “That’s what friends are for, right?”
Leng Yue smirks and gives him a firm pat on the shoulder that has him mock wincing. Jing Yi is a good friend indeed.
==
One of the benefits of Xiao Jinyu’s successful discovery of Xue Rucheng’s rebellion is that General Leng manages to get his name cleared of any suspicion. This in turn reduces the Emperor’s motivation for suggesting the nuptials between Xiao Jinli and Leng Yue, but as everyone is aware, it is a difficult thing for the Emperor to rescind a command.
Even Princess Xi asks Leng Yue if she would reconsider. After all the upheaval in the army, Xiao Jinli is General Leng’s most trusted subordinate, and surely he would approve of him as a suitable husband for his granddaughter. And for the army that is staunchly loyal to General Leng, it might solidify Jinli’s standing even more if he were to be married to General Leng’s flesh and blood.
It takes a lot of self-control for Leng Yue not to burst into an angry tirade about not using one’s children for political means. Instead she politely explains to Princess Xi that she only thinks of Jinli as a brother and that he thinks of her in much the same way, so that any marriage between them is bound to end in tears. Princess Xi agrees, but has not had much success in dissuading the Emperor, other than by delaying the actual date due to some hogwash about inauspicious dates.
“It’s archaic and all a matter of pride and reputation,” Leng Yue bitterly gripes to Chu Chu. She doesn’t begrudge Chu Chu an iota of happiness with Xiao Jinyu, but she longs for the days when she could just wander the jianghu without worrying about what was happening in the capital, let alone her own nuptials.
“Should we ask His Highness to plead with the Emperor on your behalf?” Chu Chu asks hopefully. “After all, the Emperor allowed Prince An to marry a commoner, so perhaps he will change his mind.”
“He already tried, but even Xiao Jinyu cannot singlehandedly overturn court politics.” Leng Yue grimaces. It had felt like an acute betrayal to find out that Minister Jing was the one who had started this entire fiasco. Jing Yi had made a half-hearted apology on his father’s behalf, but he has also been suspiciously out of sight lately. She’s not sure if it’s out of some misplaced guilt on his part or fear of her wrath, but it feels odd not to see him flitting in and out of the judicial offices with some new case.
==
Without resolution of the marriage issue, Leng Yue finds herself remaining in the capital for longer than she had expected. She spends more time with Princess Xi, who has all kinds of useful advice for her regarding the refurbishment and upkeep of Leng Manor. True to his word, Jing Yi sent one of his family’s staff to assist her in the logistics but he himself hasn’t really come back to the manor even for a quick visit.
Leng Yue itches with the lack of real activity, and finds herself popping by the Three Judicial Offices more frequently to help Jinyu and Chu Chu in their investigations. If Jinli were around, he would probably scoff at her and say, “Assisting? More like being a nuisance.” Thankfully that stupid soldier has already returned to his army base, saying something about helping to sort out the mess left in the wake of a partial rebellion and multiple deaths.
Chu Chu is delightful as always, never making Leng Yue feel like a burden in the workplace despite not losing any focus on her work while simultaneously chatting. Leng Yue finds Chu Chu’s coroner work fascinating, especially because of Leng Yue’s own medical experience after her travels. She supposes they are like two sides of the same coin, one trying to preserve life and stave off death at all costs, the other trying to get answers from death and preserve the truth.
“I don’t know as much about medicine as you do,” Chu Chu comments, while coolly sawing open the cranium of her latest corpse, “but I imagine it is much more stressful to treat the living. After all, my patients have already reached their end, and there is no expectation of pulling them back from it.”
Leng Yue frowns at that. “Yes, but a lot of the judgments and investigation outcomes are dependent on your findings. The families of these victims rely on you to bring them justice and peace. No matter what public opinion says, being a coroner is just as noble a profession as being a doctor.”
Chu Chu hums noncommittally, clearly not believing her. Not for the first time does Leng Yue curse everyone who ever mistreated this brilliant and kind girl just out of discrimination, to make her think she is somehow unclean and less worthy than others. Leng Yue counts herself as blessed to have Chu Chu as a sworn sister, and Xiao Jinyu is lucky to have her for a wife.
“I suppose work is slower nowadays for you.” Leng Yue says as nonchalantly as possible. “Since Vice-Minister Jing is nowhere to be found in the entire Three Judicial Offices these days, there must be fewer cases.”
Chu Chu doesn’t speak for a moment, but Leng Yue can forgive it since she is apparently inspecting the dead person’s brain, which is a little more than Leng Yue can handle. “I think he must be busy outside investigating, then.”
Leng Yue huffs scornfully. “Who doesn’t know that Young Master Jing has been seen frequenting the musical houses and brothels lately? That lazy idiot.”
Chu Chu finally replaces the cranium. “He did mention that he’s been seeing a lot of Miss Gong Yu, that famous musician. But I don’t know much about music appreciation. I only heard him talking to His Highness about it the other night when he came over for dinner.”
Irritation spikes through her, and Leng Yue tells herself it’s because she’s jealous of being left out of a dinner party, not because Jing Yi is regularly visiting the most beautiful guqin player in the entire city.
==
Leng Yue can’t believe she actually came to check out the Hong Xiu pleasure house. She can admit to herself that it doesn’t sit well that she has been hearing all kinds of rumours about that ‘womaniser Young Master Jing’ and his frequent visits to this…establishment. She pretends to be browsing some items in the stalls on the busy street where Hong Xiu Zhao is located while trying to figure out how best to infiltrate the building.
Then she sees a familiar carriage stop at the entrance, followed by Jing Yi hopping out cheerfully with one of his friends. It’s sometimes strange to think that Jing Yi has friends who are not Xiao Jinyu and Leng Yue, but then she guesses he probably needs to build good relationships with the younger generation while his father does the same with the older officials.
“Oh, I’m really looking forward to Miss Gong Yu’s musical talents tonight!” Jing Yi declares loudly. Even the people in the opposite building probably heard him, she scoffs internally. “How privileged to receive a private performance from her, eh?”
His friend next to him giggles like a lascivious drunkard, and Leng Yue finds herself gripping her sword hilt tightly. Surely Jing Yi isn’t really that kind of person, right? Something in his voice rings false – like whenever he questions criminals and pretends to be dumber than he really is, so that they’ll unwittingly give up information. Yes, it must be all part of a plan.
With a bit of qinggong, she manages to sneak into the pleasure house via the second floor. She’s aware of how much she must stand out with her plain-coloured sensible outfit compared to the gaudily embroidered robes and flashy jewels the ladies of the pleasure house wear. She ducks behind a couple of servants and guests before ending up outside the room where Jing Yi is. She isn’t able to linger for long without getting caught, but it just sounds like typical young men getting drunk and talking rubbish amidst some beautiful music playing in the background.
The second night she does this, she has some inkling that Jing Yi isn’t quite as drunk as his friend, and that for all that they claim to be here for fun, Jing Yi is asking quite a lot of questions of the other young man, whom Leng Yue thinks might be the son of one of the ministers.
Eventually, Xiao Jinyu is the one who calls her out on her behaviour. It was meant to be an innocent visit to the Three Judicial offices to ask if he needs an extra pair of hands on deck before going to disturb Chu Chu at work, and yet now she finds herself sitting in Jinyu’s office like a child being called to see his tutor for a scolding.
“Wait, why are you accusing me of spying on Jing Yi?” She tries to bluff. “All I asked was whether he has any ongoing investigation involving the Minister of Defense.”
Xiao Jinyu gives her an utterly unimpressed look. “Did you really think Jing Yi wouldn’t notice you following him so many times to such a place as Hong Xiu Zhao?”
Leng Yue knows that Jinyu wouldn’t really bring it up if he was just speculating. She sighs, mostly ashamed at herself for getting caught by someone as dim as Jing Yi. “I’m not the one keeping secrets.” It sounds petulant coming from her mouth, but it’s not like she needs to protect her image in front of Xiao Jinyu.
“If you wanted to assist in an ongoing investigation, you could have approached him or myself and offered.” Jinyu points out reasonably.
Urgh, she hates it when he’s reasonable. Why can’t he be more irrational like his twin?
Jinyu leans back in his chair, looking at her thoughtfully. “Or did you think he had other reasons to visit a pleasure house?”
She refuses to reply. How can she admit that she was actually afraid that Jing Yi was becoming one of those horrible men who sought to enjoy themselves with wine and women? That she didn’t have enough faith in her childhood friend’s character? That she secretly dreads the thought of Jing Yi consorting with any woman, for that matter?
Jinyu is starting to look a little concerned at her prolonged silence. “Did something happen between the two of you?”
“Ha!” Leng Yue scoffs. “I haven’t even spoken to him in weeks.”
Now Xiao Jinyu really looks worried, but to his credit he doesn’t say a word about how miserable she seems. “Well, we intend to arrest Minister Gao’s older son next week, and we suspect he might not go down without a fight, so we could use your help.”
Leng Yue nods, cheering up slightly at the potential for some action. Her sword has been very lonely lately.
“After that we’ll all have dinner at my house and catch up.” Xiao Jinyu’s tone brooks no argument. “I hope you will remember not to let the rice grow cold.”
What on earth does he mean by that?
==
To her surprise, it is her grandfather himself who eventually manages to get the Emperor to relent about the marriage issue. The official reason has something to do with the elderly general’s terminal illness and requesting for more time with his only grandchild. Leng Yue knows better, and straightforwardly approaches her grandfather to ask him about it.
“Child, is it such a surprise that I want you to have a happy marriage?” General Leng looks a little put out as he settles into his room. It’s obviously the largest room in the manor, and Leng Yue is thankful that they had enough advance notice for his return to Chang An to do up the manor as befitting someone of his status.
Leng Yue chuckles awkwardly. “Ah, of course not, Grandfather. It’s just that, well, I thought you really like Xiao Jinli.”
The conversation pauses as a maidservant brings in a tray of tea and pastries before excusing herself politely.
General Leng pours himself a cup of tea. “Of course I like Jinli. Why, that boy reminds me of myself when I was a lad. He’ll make a great general one day, but that doesn’t mean he would make you a good husband.”
She sits down opposite him and fiddles with her teacup. “Oh?”
He chuckles. “I’ve seen how the two of you interact – always fighting, and not a spark of romance! I think you would murder each other before completing one year of marriage. And then I would have no great-grandchildren!”
Leng Yue can’t help but blush at the mention of having children. She’s never been inclined to motherhood, but she’s not…opposed to the idea forever. Grandfather is right, though. She probably would murder Xiao Jinli on their wedding night, let alone cohabit with him for a year.
“Now, if you happen to have a handsome, intelligent young man whom you fancy…” He pauses suggestively, and Leng Yue maturely pulls a face. “…well, you can always bring him to meet me.”
Her traitorous mind goes to Jing Yi, for some unfathomable reason. She must be going mad.
He seems to sense her mood and changes topic without any subtlety. “Anyway, the manor has been cleaned up well. The credit must go to you. And that young master Jing, of course. We should invite him over one day for a drink.”
“Actually, I wanted to ask Grandfather about him.” Leng Yue says, and to her confusion, General Leng looks almost excited. “Why did you give Jing Yi the key to our manor?”
General Leng deflates at her question, and Leng Yue feels like there is something she’s missing out on. “Ah, that child came to apologise to me for disguising himself as a soldier and deceiving me. Of course, I forgave him but I made him drink with me as punishment. He asked about my intentions to return to the capital to visit you, and he was happy to help out with the manor to pay me back for my leniency.”
“You could have just passed the keys to me.” Leng Yue feels she needs to point out.
General Leng rolls his eyes and huffs out impatiently. “The boy just wanted to do something nice for the Leng family. Why shouldn’t I let him?”
Leng Yue still feels like there’s something he isn’t telling her but decides not to press him anyway.
==
The arrest of Minister Gao’s son goes off without a hitch, and Leng Yue even got to exchange a few blows with him during his attempt to escape from his home via a different entrance. It makes sense that the son of the Minister of Defence would have some military training, so it isn’t too surprising that he managed to nick her on the arm before she subdued him. She expects Jing Yi to fuss about her bleeding arm – heaven knows he has fussed over a lot less – but he merely hands her a roll of bandages and proceeds to escort the arrested man to the judicial offices.
It leaves her feeling wrongfooted and it must still be evident by the time she goes to Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu’s home, because Chu Chu takes one look at her and immediately asks her what’s wrong. Leng Yue tries to brush it off as coming off an adrenaline high after the arrest, but Chu Chu doesn’t seem to believe her.
Dinner goes well, and Leng Yue can almost believe things are back to normal. Jing Yi makes fun of Xiao Jinyu, Jinyu is his usual deadpan self, Chu Chu shares some interesting things she found in her latest autopsy, and Leng Yue invites them to come over to the Leng manor while her grandfather is still in Chang An.
Jinyu and Chu Chu agree readily enough, but Jing Yi says something about having a lot of things lined up in the week to come. He sounds sincerely regretful, but the annoyance that has been simmering under her skin for the past month is not so easily appeased.
“Apologies, I didn’t realise Young Master Jing was so busy.” She says it with just enough humour mixed in with the sarcasm to come across as a joke, but Jing Yi isn’t really smiling. “Is it court business?”
“Oh, is it that blind date your mother set up for you?” Chu Chu suddenly mentions.
Jing Yi looks faintly embarrassed. “Not just one, she set up a few meetings just in case the first one doesn’t work out.” He lets out a dramatic sigh. “At least the food will be good!”
Leng Yue frowns. Since when has Jing Yi even attended one of these xiangqin meetings? Didn’t Jinyu say that Jing Yi always rejected them without thinking?
“That reminds me.” Xiao Jinyu suddenly interrupts. “My mother gave us some delicacies this afternoon and asked us to pass some to Leng Yue since we were going to see you anyway. Jing Yi, why don’t you help Leng Yue carry these to Leng manor and just briefly pay respects to General Leng in case you have no opportunity next week?”
“At this hour?” Jing Yi balks.
Chu Chu hastens out to bring back a few large boxes of pastries and all but dumps the load into Jing Yi’s arms. “It’s not that late! We had dinner quite early today. Besides, uh, His Highness and I have some things to do for the uh…the chickens! Yes, the chickens.”
Leng Yue has never seen Chu Chu this awkward before. “No need for excuses. I didn’t realise you guys were still in your honeymoon period.” She grins cheekily, to which Chu Chu turns a delightful pink and starts spluttering, even as Jinyu wraps an arm around her waist and lifts an eyebrow as if challenging her to say more. “Alright, alright, we won’t impose on your hospitality any longer.”
She half expects Jing Yi to toss the boxes back to her the moment they leave the Three Judicial Offices, but he continues walking next to her. She takes pity on him and takes one of the boxes so that it’s less unwieldy for him.
“I didn’t realise you attended blind dates.” She ventures. “Jinyu said that you always just ignored them.”
“My mother is relentless, you should know that.” Jing Yi laughs. “I guess you just can’t put off the inevitable. I can’t help it that I’m so handsome and charming that everyone wants their daughter to become my wife. I might as well have a say in who I marry before my mother decides to just accept on my behalf.”
It feels like a stone has lodged in the middle of Leng Yue’s chest at his casual words. The way he talks it’s as if he is prepared to get married this year. “But I thought…wouldn’t you want to wait to find someone you actually love? Do you actually think you’re going to find a girl like that with all these blind dates?”
“Not all of us are as fortunate as Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu to find a person who loves you back just as much as you love them, and have your marriage blessed by the Emperor’s royal decree.” He retorts, and she recognises that there is some resentment underlying his tone. “Sometimes you just have to settle for what life gives you.”
“Is that what you’re doing? Settling?” She can’t quite believe what she’s hearing. Since when was Jing Yi a coward when it came to the big matters of life?
“Not all of us can just decide to leave Chang An and wander the jianghu whenever we feel like it.” Jing Yi’s tone is increasingly sarcastic. “Do you think I only have to concern myself with work in the judicial offices? I also have my duty to the Jing family, and that requires marriage and producing heirs!”
Leng Yue takes a step back, so angry at his accusation about her running off to the jianghu that she can feel the rage bubbling up in her chest. “Don’t lecture me about duty! You…you’re a man, that automatically offers you more options than any woman will ever have! At least you didn’t get ordered by imperial decree to marry someone because they suspect your grandfather of trying to rebel against the Emperor! As if I was nothing but a pawn in their politics!” It’s true that her grandfather has managed to sort it out, but the sheer injustice and helplessness she felt is still burning bright in her mind.
Jing Yi quietens down and expression turns slightly sad. “I’m sorry about what happened to you and Xiao Jinli, okay? Neither of you had a choice in that and…that really sucks.”
She nods, slightly mollified. They continue walking, the Leng Manor already in view.
“Look, I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Jing Yi chuckles before turning serious, “but Xiao Jinli is a good guy. He wouldn’t be a bad husband to anyone, least of all to you. At least he really knows you, what you like and don’t like, and he would never do anything to deliberately hurt you.”
Even Leng Yue cannot believe he’s saying this. “What- what happened to stinky socks, and being bad-tempered, and- and all that stuff you said?”
“It’s all still true!” Jing Yi quirks a smile. “But if you see how he treats his family, his friends, and his soldiers, you know that he will treat his wife with no less honour and care. He’s not afraid of hardship, and he’s honest to a fault. Plus, your grandfather obviously likes and trusts him.”
Her mind is still reeling from what he says, that she barely notices as he pounds on the door and waits for a servant to relieve them of the boxes before promising to visit General Leng at another time. She doesn’t even bid him goodbye as he vanishes into the night.
She would never have imagined a day where Jing Yi would be pushing her to marry another man. Truth be told, she had always suspected he had a soft spot for her even when they were teenagers, and secretly enjoyed whenever he fussed over her wellbeing. But these past few weeks he hasn’t really been around, and she finds herself missing him with a deep ache that doesn’t go away. She doesn’t know if he once had feelings for her but she allowed the feelings to grow cold, or if she has just misinterpreted how he feels about her.
Leng Yue is not one to cower in fear or back down from a challenge, though.
==
General Leng is quite keen to visit the Jing family manor, saying something about going a few rounds with Minister Jing. Leng Yue rolls her eyes at his jokes, but takes his pulse just in case.
The minister and Mdm Jing are nothing but hospitable when the General and Leng Yue come to visit, although Leng Yue is aware that Minister Jing must have had some vague suspicions of her grandfather in the past. She can hardly blame him, given her own previous attitude towards General Leng.
“Is Jing Yi here?” Leng Yue asks Mdm Jing after all the pleasantries are out of the way.
“Ah yes, we just came back from a meeting with Minister Shen’s granddaughter.” Mdm Jing explains before she waves down a servant to fetch young master Jing to greet their esteemed guests.
“I- I see.” Leng Yue can’t quite make her smile genuine, but perhaps Mdm Jing won’t notice. “How did it go?”
“Oh you know, this son of mine is so picky!” Mdm Jing sighs, sleeves all aflutter. “Such a slender, pretty girl, and yet he keeps going on about how she looks like she would keel over if the wind blew too hard!”
Leng Yue chokes back a laugh at the description.
“And what about yourself, my dear?” Mdm Jing asks politely. “Now that you are no longer betrothed to Xiao Jinli, I suppose you-”
“What?”
Leng Yue turns around to find the source of that strangled sound, only to see Jing Yi looking like he’s been hit in the head by something very large. “Good afternoon, Jing Yi. My grandfather wanted to visit your parents.”
Jing Yi’s gaze sweeps over to General Leng, who is sporting a shark-like grin for some unfathomable reason. “My respects to General Leng!” He immediately bows his head.
General Leng chuckles and puts up a hand to ease him. “Yes, yes, good to see Young Master Jing again. I was just speaking to your father about my latest trip to court. I don’t have the silver tongue your father does, but at least I managed to stop him from forcing my granddaughter into an arranged marriage she didn’t even want.”
“Silver tongue?” Minister Jing laughs and shakes his head. “General, your forthright speech is just what his Majesty needs to hear nowadays.”
Leng Yue frowns. Jing Yi has turned rather pale, like he might faint, so she stands up and moves closer to him. “Jing Yi, are you alright? You look a bit ill.”
“I, ah, yes. I think I might be coming down with something.” Jing Yi coughs weirdly. “Elders, please forgive me, I think I should go outside for some fresh air.”
“Oh, off with you then.” His mother huffs. “Young people these days.”
Leng Yue bows slightly to her and then follows Jing Yi out to the front courtyard, concerned that he might not make it safely. “Do you need me to check your pulse?” She takes his hand unthinkingly, and he suddenly stops in his tracks.
“You didn’t say that your arranged marriage with Xiao Jinli is cancelled!” He hisses.
She blinks. “Wasn’t it public knowledge? Your parents knew.”
He closes his eyes in frustration. “Of course. They knew and obviously didn’t tell me because-” He cuts off the end of his sentence.
“Because what?” She looks confused.
“Because it wouldn’t have made any difference anyway.” He says, but she feels that isn’t what the end of his sentence was originally going to be.
“Please, Jing Yi, stop with the riddles.” Leng Yue still hasn’t let go of his hand. She’s tired of all this guessing and miscommunication, or rather, lack of communication they’ve been having for so long. “Please just tell me what you mean.”
Jing Yi looks extremely pained and even sadder than last night. “It wouldn’t make a difference because you don’t want to marry me. They wouldn’t have wanted me to get my hopes up for nothing, just because you’re no longer engaged.”
The wind is roaring in her ears. She can’t have heard him correctly. “Since- since when have you wanted to marry me?” She asks, her voice embarrassingly much higher pitched than usual.
“Since forever.” He admits quietly, looking deep into her eyes. He seems to realise her disbelief, and continues to say, “I asked you once, in Qianzhou. But you laughed it off like it was such a joke that you might ever consider me as your husband.” The hurt is clear in his expression.
“I- I thought you were just messing with me! I didn’t mean-” She stammers and understanding dawns on his face. “Is this why you’ve been avoiding me for so long? And- and why you’ve been going on all those blind dates?”
His gaze drops down to his shoes, rather self-consciously. “I thought it would make it easier when the time came for you to marry Xiao Jinli. And if the one person in the world I love doesn’t love me back, then I guess I thought it wouldn’t really matter who I end up marrying.”
It takes a few moments for her to realise that there are tears in her eyes. Jing Yi panics for a moment before seeing her wobbly smile. “Your mother says you’re picky.”
“I can’t help myself.” He replies simply. “None of them can compare to you.”
He’s been really brave so far, and Leng Yue can be brave too. “I love you too.”
Jing Yi grips her hands with both of his. The hope on his face is blinding. “Really? You’re not just…taking pity on me, or-”
“I spied on you at the brothel because I was jealous, alright?” She admits huffily, even as the tears start rolling down her face. “The thought of you with someone else…and you hadn’t spoken to me in weeks, and I thought I was losing you.”
He cups her face and wipes her tears with his thumbs. “You’ll never lose me. Please stop crying, alright? It makes you look uglier than usual.”
That startles a laugh out of her and she whacks him hard on the shoulder before swiping her sleeve to dry her face.
“Ouch! You know I’m afraid of pain!” He grips his shoulder with an exaggerated pout. “I was just trying to stop you from crying, you mad swordswoman.”
“Then let me ask you once more.” Leng Yue grins at him. “Who should I marry to be happy?”
Jing Yi breaks into a bright, lovely smile. “Marry me.”
“I will.”