The two sat in the pavilion, and Tingyu served him cold brew tea. "Miss Molan, it's been a long time, but you're the same as before, you haven't changed at all."

Mo Lan looked at Ting Yu, who was still dressed in a bright red robe, and nodded slightly, "Likewise."

Qin Su glanced at Tingyu, coughed lightly. This woman lived freely and hadn't changed much. In contrast, he himself was constantly dealing with endless reports and official duties, rarely able to relax. Compared to the woman before him, did he look much older?

Thinking of this, Qin Su subconsciously touched her cheek. "If I hadn't come, were you planning to never see me again?"

"Pretty much. You are now the ruler of a country, while I am just an ordinary citizen. The difference between us is not something I can see whenever I want." Mo Lan picked up her teacup, smelled it, and appreciated the faint, refreshing aroma of tea.

"...Who in the world doesn't know that the real Queen of the Northeast is a woman? She's elusive and refined, and doesn't concern herself with worldly affairs." Qin Su stared at Mo Lan, her words laced with venom.

“Rather than talking about me, I should talk about myself. Looking across the world, who doesn’t say that the King of Qin is a benevolent and righteous ruler?” Mo Lan raised her teacup to him, a slight smile playing on her lips.

After not seeing each other for several years, Qin Su had imagined their reunion many times, even rehearsing in advance how to start the conversation and how to appear weak. But now, sitting opposite each other, they were still the same as before, their temperaments unchanged.

"Do you really want to keep wandering forever?"

"Hmm, is there something wrong with it?"

"Don't all women hope for a stable home? A man who loves them, a bunch of kids, and companionship until old age? Why have you never thought of that?" Qin Su looked at Mo Lan, questioning her from the depths of her soul. "You're still young now, but what about when you're old? Will you spend your whole life homeless, with no one to rely on in your old age?"

"Ha~, Qin Su, this isn't the first time you've met me. You should know what kind of person I am. I don't have the typical woman's thoughts, and the idea of ​​getting married and having children has never crossed my mind. As for when I'm old, I'll give myself an explanation."

As Mo Lan spoke, she gazed into the distance. The more she traveled, the less she felt at home. Every time she woke up in the middle of the night, she thought of her original world.

Although she had no relatives there either, she had a familiar living space where she could act freely without anyone finding it strange. Here, however, any extreme behavior would be seen as demonic or supernatural, too restrictive.

Since her heart wasn't here, she didn't want to implicate anyone here, and she certainly wouldn't cause any trouble for anyone here.

"Hua Molan, I don't know what you're so fixated on. As a woman, you need to find a place to belong. You can't always be so unconventional and out of step with the world." Qin Su looked at Molan and his heart suddenly tightened. Even though she was sitting right in front of him, why did he feel like they were worlds apart?

Unacceptable to the world?

Maybe.

So, I'm leaving.

"You're leaving? Where are you going? I won't allow it."

Qin Su suddenly stood up, placed one hand on the stone table between the two of them, leaned forward, and stared intently into Mo Lan's eyes. "I have always reserved the position of Queen for you. As long as you come back with me, you will be the most honored woman in the world, and no one can replace you."

Looking at the determination in Qin Su's eyes, Mo Lan sighed inwardly, "You are a king now, don't act like a child, okay?"