In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

"Have you officially appointed them?"

"Hmm." A slight smile appeared on his lips. "Xitai Tongshi Sheren, sixth rank, upper grade."

"Our Lord Cui, how are you so amazing?" Xie Yige said softly, her eyes full of praise and joy.

She tried to pull her foot back, but he held it down.

"Your feet are cold." His voice was low, but with an undeniable insistence. "Warm them up a bit more."

She stopped moving, letting him hold her foot. Their eyes met in the air, and for a moment, only the two of them remained in the world. His gaze was too deep and intense, like a bottomless pool of water.

She blushed after just one glance and quickly lowered her head.

"Cui Yutang, you'll get tired squatting like that," she whispered.

"Why don't you sit on top?"

"Hmm." Cui Yutang's tall body instantly stood up, looking down at her.

A strange sense of oppression washed over her as his shadow enveloped her entirely.

Xie Yige's heart suddenly started racing.

Cui Yutang sat directly under her recliner, lifted her knees, and hugged her calves to his chest. Her small ankles rested on his thighs, and his warm hands covered the insteps of her feet, his palms dry and warm, like a small heater.

"I heard from Physician Zhao that girls should pay attention to keeping warm, otherwise they will experience pain every month."

How did he even know that? It's so embarrassing.

"Oh, are you talking about Physician Zhao from Donglin City?" Xie Yige suddenly remembered the white-bearded old man.

"Yes, Physician Zhao is a good friend of my grandmother. He took great care of me when we were in Donglin."

"I was seriously ill when I was in Donglin, and it was Physician Zhao who treated me." Xie Yige tilted her head and looked at him. "You didn't hire him, did you?"

Cui Yutang smiled and nodded, but there was a deep bitterness in that smile, as if he had remembered some past events he did not want to touch.

He suddenly lowered his head and gently kissed her knee.

The kiss was light, yet it carried a burning heat, seeping through her clothes and into her heart.

"Yige, I really want to quickly and legitimately tie you to my side."

"Because I never dared to dream of having you in this life." His voice was low and hoarse, and a fleeting look of heartbreak crossed his eyes.

"I'm in such a hurry about our marriage, do you think I'm disrespecting you?" He looked up, his expression serious.

Xie Yige looked into his usually calm and restrained eyes, which now held an almost fragile unease.

Her heart felt as if it had been violently struck by something.

She suddenly sat up from the chair, snuggled into his arms, and hugged his waist tightly.

"Cui Yutang, I sense you're a little sad." Her voice was muffled.

I want to hug you.

After a long while, she finally raised her head, looked at him intently, and a blush rose on her cheeks.

"I actually really like it when you're in such a hurry."

After she finished speaking, she seemed shy and quickly buried her head back in his arms.

Cui Yutang felt his heart melt instantly.

How could she be so wonderful?

His heart trembled, and he was momentarily at a loss, so he could only hold her tightly.

Sunlight streamed down through the layers of flower petals, casting dappled shadows on the two of them, and time seemed to stand still.

A gentle breeze blows, pear blossoms fall, may we grow old together.

"Yige, shall I pick you up tomorrow morning to go to Da Ci'en Temple?"

"Okay, I'll wait for you." Xie Yige nestled even deeper into his arms.

She had a deep attachment to him, but she didn't dare tell him what would happen if he didn't like her as much in the future.

Cui Yutang carried her back to her room and settled her in before going to Zhou Xuan'an's place.

As soon as he entered, he discovered that Zhang Zhiyi had also come.

The two had already started drinking, with several small dishes and two half-empty wine jugs on the table. Zhang Zhiyi's face was flushed, and his voice was louder than usual.

"Brother Xuan'an, from now on we'll be serving in the same court! Come, let's have another drink!"

Zhang Zhiyi was a military advisor in the Jingzhao Prefecture, a lower-ranking eighth-grade official. As the twenty-first-ranked official, it was already a great honor for him to be able to stay in the capital to take up a post.

Zhou Xuan'an, also enjoying his drink, raised his glass and clinked it with his.

Cui Yutang looked at the two drunkards and was speechless.

"Brother Cui?" Zhang Zhiyi, with his sharp eyes, exclaimed as soon as he saw him, "Why are you so late! Come and sit down!"

He waved, then suddenly stopped, squinting as he scrutinized Cui Yutang. "Why do you look like you came from the inner courtyard?"

Cui Yutang calmly sat down: "Yes, I came from my fiancée's place."

"Fiancée?" Zhang Zhiyi instantly sobered up, almost dropping his wine glass. "What fiancée? Besides my sister-in-law, the only other woman in Brother Xuan'an's family is Sister Yige—"

He suddenly stopped, his expression shifting from confusion to shock, and then from shock to terror.

"Your fiancée—could it be Yige's sister?"

Cui Yutang smiled gently, nodded affirmatively, and even raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Waaaaah~ Brother Xuan'an!" Zhang Zhiyi suddenly turned to Zhou Xuan'an and grabbed his arm. "How could you do this! How could you promise Yige to someone else!"

Zhou Xuan'an was shaken sobered up considerably by his shaking: "Huh?"

"What am I going to do?!" Zhang Zhiyi burst into tears and sobs, "Waaaaah~"

Zhou Xuan'an was completely dumbfounded: "When did you start liking Yi Ge? How come I didn't know?"

"I've always liked it! Waaah~" Zhang Zhiyi cried even harder, turning to glare at Cui Yutang, "Brother Cui, you've gone too far! At least let's have a fair competition! Why didn't you even give me a heads-up—"

Looking at him like this, Cui Yutang felt a mix of sympathy and relief.

In matters of the heart, there is no such thing as fairness in this world.

He seemed to recall some unpleasant past events, his eyes darkened slightly, and he patted Zhang Zhiyi on the shoulder before bidding farewell to Zhou Xuan'an.

Zhang Zhiyi was left behind, continuing to wail and cry in Zhou Xuan'an's arms.

"You like her, but I haven't seen you show any reaction?" Zhou Xuan'an patted his back helplessly.

"I didn't do that well on the exam, and I don't even know if I can stay in the capital. I'm afraid..." Zhang Zhiyi sobbed, "Brother Xuan'an, I'm so sad..."

Zhou Xuan'an felt both heartbroken and exhausted. He even considered saying, "Your pursuit of her is pointless."

He knew his sister well; she was also very stubborn, once she made up her mind, it was for life.

What kind of mess is this?

Hey.