Chapter 4: She Actually Has a Fiancé

“Yan’er, welcome back. Mother and Father regret not being able to personally greet you, but it’s okay—we believe you won’t mind.”

When An Xiyan read this line, her eyes widened in shock and alarm surged in her heart. Could it be… she is An Xiyan? An Xiyan is her? Did she guess correctly?

Otherwise, why would her mother say something like that out of the blue? No wonder she felt such a strong sense of belonging to everything here.

She continued reading.

“Yan’er, don’t be startled, and don’t be confused. It’s exactly as you think—you are our daughter. Are you curious about how all this came to be?”

An Xiyan nodded. She really did want to know the truth behind everything.

“But… Mother won’t tell you. When the time is right, you’ll naturally understand. For now, just live well with your little brother. Don’t overthink the rest.”

“Because, with that little brain of yours, no matter how hard you try, you won’t figure it out. In short—it’s all something quite fantastical.”

An Xiyan was so furious she nearly lost it. She finally understood where her twisted sense of humor came from—it was clearly inherited from her dear mother.

Fuming inside, she saw there was still a long paragraph left. She didn’t want to keep reading; she just knew it wouldn’t be anything good.

And yet… her curiosity got the better of her, and she kept reading.

“Yan’er, just now were you really close to going berserk? So mad you wanted to beat up your mother? Haha, well too bad—your wish won’t come true.”

“Damn it!” An Xiyan exploded, slamming her hand down hard on the table in front of her.

“Crack—Crash!”
A thick, solid table shattered beneath her palm.

Sensing something was off a split second earlier, An Xiyan had already grabbed little An Xixuan and dodged quickly to the side.

She had lifted the boy by the scruff of his neck like a baby chick.

An Xixuan stared blankly at the scene before him, mouth agape. After a moment, he pointed at the broken table and stammered, “S-Sis, y-you’re amazing!”

An Xiyan smiled awkwardly. Oops. She really hadn’t meant to unleash her inner Hercules. She quickly placed An Xixuan back on the bed.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself—what else did her dear mother have to say?

“Yan’er, calm down, okay? Mother didn’t accidentally make you mad… it was completely intentional. Hee hee. Mother just wanted—”

“…just wanted to see if my little girl’s temper has changed.”

“If you lost your temper, it means your personality is still exactly like when you were little. But if you didn’t, then it means you must’ve had a really hard life these past years. And Mother would actually prefer that you get angry.”

An Xiyan’s expression froze. Thinking back on her days in the apocalypse, she had been an orphan—but honestly, she’d lived pretty freely. She never lacked food or water, all thanks to a mysterious space she had.

Inside that space were fifty mu (about 8 acres) of farmland, a spring of spiritual water, a small livestock pen, and countless supplies she had stockpiled—more than enough to support her alone.

When she was bored, she’d go hunting zombies for fun, or mess with survivors just to entertain herself.

Living alone could get lonely, sure, but she enjoyed it. She wasn’t the kind to suffer in silence. If someone dared cross her, she made sure they paid for it.

Put simply, she was the type who held grudges and always got even.

Still, there were times she deeply longed for a family. Now that she had returned—and found she had one—though her mother’s words were annoying, deep down, she was actually happy.

With her emotions sorted out, she continued reading.

“Yan’er, I won’t say too much more. There’s something important I need to tell you next, so I hope you’re mentally prepared. Whatever happens—stay calm, okay? Stay calm.”

An Xiyan frowned. What kind of news needed such emotional prep from her mother?

“Yan’er, when you were still a little baby, you personally picked your fiancé. You grabbed that handsome little boy’s hand and refused to let go. Your father and I had no choice but to set up a childhood engagement for the two of you.”

“What?” An Xiyan exclaimed, shocked. She has a fiancé? And she was the one who chose him?

“Yan’er, don’t worry—your fiancé treats you very well. He’s six years older than you, but he’s a gentle and caring husband.”

“Our requirements for him were strict: he must remain faithful, love only you, never take concubines, and put you above all else. And he agreed to all of it.”

“Plus, his parents are our closest friends—your father’s bros and my besties. Once you marry him, you won’t have any trouble from your in-laws.”

An Xiyan couldn’t help but mutter, “I haven’t even met this guy. What if I don’t like him?”

“Yan’er, your fiancé is the total package: tall, handsome, elegant, dashing, refined, with a noble presence and extraordinary charm…”

“Sigh—”

“Oh my goodness! Writing this is exhausting, so I won’t go on and on. In short—just imagine every good adjective you can think of. They all apply to him. Once you meet him, you’re guaranteed to like him!”

An Xiyan furrowed her brows tightly. “Mother, this is basically an arranged marriage. No matter how amazing you make him sound, I don’t feel anything.”

“Anyway, if I don’t like him, I absolutely will not acknowledge this so-called fiancé.”

“Yan’er, Mother understands that you’re resisting this right now. I won’t force you. But I do hope you won’t judge too soon. Spend some time with your fiancé—you’ll discover his good qualities.”

An Xiyan pouted. She enjoyed freedom and didn’t want to be tied down by marriage.

“Yan’er, your fiancé is named Yu Qinghan. He’s also from the capital. After you and your brother go to rely on your maternal grandfather, you’ll be able to visit him often.”

“If anything happens, you can go to him directly for help. He’s the Imperial Advisor of Qiming Kingdom and is highly trusted by the Emperor.”

“If you cling tightly to his thigh, you’ll be able to walk sideways in all of Qiming Kingdom—no one will dare bully you.”

An Xiyan’s clear eyes suddenly lit up. That was exactly what she wanted to hear! Her mother had spoken right to her heart.

She had a fiery temper and couldn’t stand all these rigid ancient customs.

She also couldn’t tolerate even the slightest grievance. If marrying this fiancé meant she could walk around Qiming Kingdom without fear—then sure, she’d gladly cling to that “fiancé thigh.”

As for whether she’d fall for him… that could wait until after they got to know each other.

And who’s to say he’d like her either? She wouldn’t flatter herself into thinking she was irreplaceable.

“Yan’er, I won’t say much more. Your father and I are still quite busy. But remember everything your mother told you, don’t forget it.”

“Let me repeat the most important thing three times: you must take your little brother to the capital to find your grandfather and grandmother. You must remember this.”

“Lastly, everything valuable in the house—silver, gold, treasures—is in my room. Take it all. And don’t be afraid to spend. Your father and I have plenty of money.”

“Also, as for Uncle Meng and his family—you can trust them completely. Their loyalty to our family is one hundred percent.”

At the end of the letter were the words:
“Love from your Father and Mother. Don’t worry. Everything is well.”

An Xiyan held the letter in her hand and let out a long breath, her heart filled with a swirl of emotions.

Even she couldn’t tell what she was feeling right now.