Chapter 60

Xie Yun suddenly remembered that not long ago, she had indeed mentioned that she had a cat, which was originally given to her by Lu Li.

The name was clearly chosen with some ulterior motive, and yet she still had the nerve to say it openly in front of him.

“Do you like it that much?”

Sang Yao nodded. She had never raised any small animals since she was little.

The small kitten was chubby and cute. Every time she felt bad, she would feel her heart melt when she saw Bai Bai.

“It’s really cute. I’ll bring it to show you next time. It’s already grown up.”

At this point, Sang Yao remembered another important thing.

She immediately restrained her expression, leaned closer to Xie Yun, and asked seriously, “Do you like it?”

Xie Yun stared at her pretty face and asked, “Like what?”

Sang Yao said, “Like kittens.”

She asked softly with a heart in her mouth, “Can I keep it?”

She added, “Not in our room. It can be taken care of by others. I just want it to be with me.”

Her eyes carried a bit of request, but Xie Yun didn’t really pay attention to the full meaning of her words.

He was thinking about the phrase “our room” she mentioned.

Xie Yun had never shared a bed with anyone else since he was young.

At first, he intended to marry Sang Yao mainly to appease the urging of his clan members.

Now, he suddenly realized that sharing a bed and meals with his wife meant that there would be someone who would always be with him in the future.

For Xie Yun, this was somewhat unfamiliar.

However, this strange feeling lasted for less than a moment.

When he looked at the serious look on her face, he felt that it might be okay after all.

Thinking of this, he reluctantly agreed.

Thinking that Xie Yun didn’t answer because he disagreed, Sang Yao’s eyes showed a pleading look. “I’m not lying to you. Bai Bai is really cute.”

Xie Yun found the name awkward to use. He said, “Do as you wish.”

Sang Yao was relieved and promised, “It can also help you catch mice.”

Xie Yun hadn’t seen a mouse in the house for a long time, but it was nothing to be concerned about.

The carriage was moving smoothly, and the outside market was not noisy. Even inside the carriage, it was incredibly quiet. Sang Yao’s hand was still on the small table where the porcelain cup was placed.

Today, she was wearing a light purple embroidered Confucian dress, with her long hair partially tied up, and the rest hanging in front of her.

Her cloak was half-fallen on the carriage floor, and the young girl sat upright in front of him, looking very well-behaved.

Except for the milky white stain still not wiped clean on her hand.

Xie Yun didn’t want to look, but his gaze involuntarily fell on it.

The more he looked, the more displeased he felt, and his brows lightly furrowed. However, she seemed to have the intention of not wiping it off.

After a while, Xie Yun impatiently lifted his eyelids and looked at her face.

Sang Yao’s fingers curled slightly under his gaze, and she asked, “Do you regret it?”

Xie Yun reminded her, “Your hand isn’t clean.”

Sang Yao looked down. She hadn’t planned to go out today, and Xie Yun’s arrival was sudden, so she hadn’t had time to tidy herself up, and she didn’t even have a handkerchief with her.

The goat milk was a bit sticky. She had wiped it off casually earlier, removing most of it. Now, only some white spots remained, which were barely visible without careful observation.

She tried to wipe it off with her fingertips, but it was no use. She said, “I’ll wipe it off when I go back. I didn’t bring a handkerchief.”

With that, she raised her hand again, brought her wrist to her face, smelled it, and then said to him, “… There’s no smell, don’t mind it.”

But Xie Yun seemed to mind a lot. His brows furrowed more and more, and finally, he took out a clean white handkerchief, dipped it in some tea water, and then threw it in front of Sang Yao.

Sang Yao picked up the handkerchief and looked at Xie Yun’s displeased expression. Her little face drooped.

Why was Xie Yun like this? They weren’t even married yet, but he was already finding fault with her.

Did he find her so displeasing to the eye? He hadn’t been like this before.

Could it be that he didn’t cherish her now that he had gotten her agreement today?

Thinking of this, Sang Yao also became unhappy.

She gently wiped her wrist with the damp cloth. When she had completely wiped it clean, the strange feeling in Xie Yun’s heart slowly dissipated, and he said, “Don’t do this in the future.”

Sang Yao didn’t know what he was talking about.

She was a little angry now and didn’t want to talk to him. With a hum, she placed the handkerchief on the table.

Xie Yun didn’t notice that she was angry at all and continued, “I’ll go propose tomorrow. You should go back and tell Master Sang.” Did he have to be so hasty?

She wanted to refute, but she was still angry and ignored him.

Xie Yun continued, “If you have any requests, you can mention them, and I will try my best to fulfill them.” What requests could there be for a proposal? She bit her lip and remained silent.

At this point, Xie Yun finally noticed something was wrong with the person in front of him.

He half-closed his eyes and stared at her, asking, “What’s wrong with you?”

Sang Yao originally wanted to say that she wasn’t angry, but she blurted out her true feelings, “I’m not angry!”

The air fell silent for a moment, and after Sang Yao’s outburst, Xie Yun couldn’t help but feel at a loss.

He said, “…What are you angry about?”

Sang Yao bit her lip, feeling a little deflated under the man’s oppressive gaze.

But then she thought, if this person already thinks she’s easy to bully before they’re even married, wouldn’t she be unable to speak up in the future? Sang Yao suddenly raised her head and stared at Xie Yun seriously, “Don’t talk to me like that next time!”

Xie Yun: “…?”

Sang Yao hardened her heart and added, “I’ve told you a long time ago, you’re not gentle with me at all. You always speak harshly to me. If you find me so displeasing, why did you agree to marry me?”

Sang Yao knew in her heart that Xie Yun was naturally cold, and he was not very warm to others either.

But knowing this didn’t change the fact that she didn’t want every conversation with him to feel like a reprimand.

Her words sounded tough, but she remembered that she still had to rely on him for now, so she softened her tone.

She said carefully, “…Don’t you think so?”

Xie Yun didn’t know what she was angry about or what she found fault with, and he didn’t think he had been harsh to her.

Just as Sang Yao finished speaking, the carriage slowly came to a stop.

A voice outside said respectfully, “Young Master, we’ve arrived.”

Sang Yao avoided Xie Yun’s gaze, feeling a bit guilty, and quickly opened the carriage curtain and got off, but because she was in a hurry, her body tilted slightly.

Jing Lian happened to be nearby and instinctively reached out to support Sang Yao’s arm. At that moment, Xie Yun walked over from the carriage.

Jing Lian keenly sensed a sharp gaze on him.

His heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged.

He quickly withdrew his hand and said loudly, “Madam, be careful.”

Xie Yun withdrew his gaze.

They sat in Xie Yun’s and Chen Ke’s usual spot, on the second floor by the railing. There was only a Chinese scholar tree next to them, shielding their figures.

The pink and white flowers swayed in the wind, releasing a pleasant fragrance.

Sang Yao had no strength to ask him why he didn’t find another room. Xie Yun went straight to the point, “Speak, what are your conditions?”

Sang Yao rested her arm on the table.

Because this was not a love match, she felt that her conditions were a bit excessive.

But after thinking about it, she still thought it was necessary to mention them.

She said seriously, “In the future, if you want to take a concubine or something, can you let me meet her first?”

She knew she couldn’t be assertive and wouldn’t argue with others, so she was worried that if Xie Yun took a concubine in the future, and she turned out to be aggressive and spoiled, she might bully Sang Yao.

So she wanted to help Xie Yun choose a concubine with a better temper so they could get along.

Xie Yun remained silent for a long time. Gradually, a coldness appeared in his eyes and brows.

He didn’t understand. If Sang Yao liked him, why would she say something so outrageous? He didn’t even want to deal with her.

After a moment, he said expressionlessly, “I’m sorry to disappoint you. Marrying you is already troublesome enough, there won’t be anyone else in the future. Moreover, in the Xie family, the family rules state that one must be thirty years old without children before taking a concubine. None of his relatives would take a concubine.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and Xie Yun’s expression became even more unpleasant.

Sang Yao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Since her mother passed away, there hadn’t been another woman by her father’s side. So, even though she had just said that, deep down she still had some resistance to the idea.

Feeling a bit better, she decided not to dwell on Xie Yun’s coldness earlier and extended her finger, saying, “The second condition.”

With an unfriendly expression, Xie Yun said coldly, “Speak.”

Sang Yao tilted her head and looked at him, “Can you be a little gentler with me in the future?”

Seeing that Xie Yun didn’t respond, Sang Yao didn’t insist. She placed her hands on her knees and said, “Alright, those are my only two requests.”

After a while, Xie Yun asked, “For example?”

Sang Yao was momentarily stunned before realizing what he meant by “gentleness.” This question was a bit difficult for her to answer. How should gentleness be described?

Xie Yun neither scolded her nor glared at her; he just looked cold.

Sang Yao still couldn’t come up with an answer. She said, “There’s nothing to explain.”

With people coming and going, she felt uncomfortable sitting there. She stood up and said, “I’ll go back first.”

Xie Yun didn’t stop her. He glanced at Jing Lian, who immediately understood and said, “Madam, please come with me. I’ll prepare the carriage for you.”

But Xie Yun seemed to change his mind. He stood up with Sang Yao and said, “Forget it, come with me.”

He was also going back to the mansion. Since the matter had been settled, he needed to go back and make arrangements.

Today was late May, and if he could complete the six rites process within half a month, Sang Yao could marry him in early June.

They descended the steps together, but Sang Yao realized that Jing Lian was the only one behind her.

Jing Lian nodded slightly and said, “Madam, the master was called over by Master Shen just now. He should be here in a moment.” Sang Yao felt embarrassed every time she heard this address.

It was still too early to hear the servants changing their address when the marriage hadn’t even been finalized yet. She said, “Jing Lian, please don’t call me that…”

As she spoke, Sang Yao saw Ming Rong and Li Yao Ge coming out of the Fragrant Jade Pavilion not far away, heading towards them.

Sang Yao thought of her miserable encounter and didn’t want to see Ming Rong. As the two approached, Ming Rong looked up and saw Sang Yao.

Her expression changed, and she said, “Miss Li, I suddenly remembered that I have something to do, so I’ll take my leave first.”

With that, she turned around without giving Li Yao Ge a chance to reply.

Li Yao Ge stopped in her tracks. She had noticed that Ming Rong had been absent-minded these past few days, so she suggested coming to the Fragrant Jade Pavilion for a walk.

But Ming Rong had been silent the whole time, and now she had just left her alone.

Before she could get angry, she saw Sang Yao standing opposite her, accompanied by Jing Lian.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Yao Ge bit her lip and, holding her skirt, walked over with her maid. She asked, “Sang Yao, what are you doing here?”

Sang Yao didn’t want to talk to her but didn’t dare to offend her out of habit. She said casually, “Just here to play.”

Li Yao Ge glanced at Jing Lian and softened her voice, “Is Mr. Xie here too?” Sang Yao remained silent.

She turned her head and wondered why Xie Yun hadn’t come over yet. Li Yao Ge asked again, “Are you looking at Xie Yun? Why are you two together?”

Sang Yao didn’t like Li Yao Ge’s aggressive manner, which always reminded her of the way she framed her that day.

Sang Yao stepped back a bit, creating some distance between them, and said, “Miss Li, do you need something?”

Sang Yao’s attitude made Li Yao Ge feel a bit offended, but thinking of Jing Lian, she just whispered, “Yao Yao, can’t I even talk to you now?”

“After all this time, why are you still so petty—”

Her words abruptly stopped.

Sang Yao didn’t know why she stopped halfway, but that didn’t stop her from feeling angry.

She took a deep breath, about to retort, when a broad hand landed on her shoulder.

Xie Yun skillfully guided her to his side and looked at Li Yao Ge in front of him, asking in a calm voice, “Do you have any objections to her?”