"Godfather!" Jiayin rushed over to greet him, exclaiming, "Why are you back so early today? Weren't you at the military camp?"

The Marquis stepped aside, his orange-red aura softening, and all the hard lines on his face relaxed. He smiled and said, "I'm going on a campaign the day after tomorrow. No matter what, I have to come back and see you today."

Jiayin's heart skipped a beat. Suppressing the sudden anxiety rising in her heart, she replied, "Alright, I'll cook some good dishes for my godfather later. Grandpa Village Chief and the others will also be coming to drink."

The Marquis nodded and took a tour of the medicine workshop.

The girls and boys working were very excited, and they all stepped forward to greet them.

They were originally children of Broken Gold Beach, and they knew all too well about the Marquis's military exploits. It could be said that every major battle the Marquis fought was their bedtime story.

Lord Hou is the person they admire most!

The Marquis smiled gently and offered a few words of encouragement. After Jiayin finished her work, they returned to the village together.

Mu Xu and the others were outside, leaning against the doorpost, chewing on a straw, squinting as they enjoyed the sunset.

Upon seeing this, the Marquis said, "Let's go home first. I'll take care of Fu Niu'er here."

Mu Xu raised an eyebrow, glanced at Jia Yin, and turned away with a hint of reluctance.

The Marquis smiled knowingly and walked slowly with Jiayin along the path.

The grass on both sides of the path is lush and green, emitting a faint fragrance.

Birds eager to return home flapped their wings and flew by, occasionally calling out to their friends.

Everything was in preparation for the approaching night.

The Marquis, not hearing his daughter speak for a while, patted her shoulder and asked, "What's wrong? Are you worried about your godfather going to war?"

Jiayin nodded, her eyes filled with deep worry. She picked up a twig and shook it in her hand.

She offered a few words of advice, but knowing it would be useless, she changed the subject.

"Godfather, do you still remember the first time you came to my house?"

"Of course," the Marquis smiled, a look of nostalgia on his face, and sighed softly, unusually opening up to conversation.

"At that time, I actually had the intention to die. After all, my parents and family had died early, and my only cousin, whom I cared about, had become emperor."

“I dragged my ailing body around, intending to be buried wherever I died. But then I ran into your family, and you, little girl.”

"Your family is poor, but lively and warm. You are like a little fairy who fell from the sky, lovely and bright, with a bright and intelligent look in your eyes. You are loved by your whole family, which makes me very envious."

"I was thinking that if I were lucky enough to be born into a family like yours in my next life, I would be just like you."

"I didn't expect you wouldn't give me that chance!"

The Marquis beamed with joy, his eyes and brows radiating a rare happiness. He gently ruffled his daughter's hair.

“Every day you would come to me with pills in your little fists and exchange them for silver ingots, and then you would save my life.”

"I was naturally both surprised and amazed, but even happier to have survived. So I made a vow: no matter where you came from, whether you are a fairy child or an ordinary child, since you gave me half of my life, I will give you all the glory and love for the rest of my life."

"So, we've come this far together. I'm incredibly grateful that I came to your family and had you as my daughter!"

Jiayin felt both warm and choked up. She couldn't help but hold her godfather's big hand, feeling the calluses from years of holding knives.

"Godfather, being your daughter is the happiest thing in my life. Other people only have one father, but I have two. I am the happiest child in the world."

"Silly girl!" The Marquis shook off his daughter's hand, wanting to let go but reluctant to.

My daughter is all grown up now, and we can't be as affectionate with her as we were when she was little.

But now that night is falling and there's no one on the road, there's no need to avoid suspicion.

After all, no one can guarantee his safe return from this expedition.

Going into battle and dying on the battlefield is almost their destiny.

He thought for a moment, then took his daughter's hand and continued walking forward.

"Fu Niu'er, I'm sorry about something. Your godfather made the arrangement without discussing it with you."

"You should be able to tell that I deliberately placed Mu Xu next to you."

"He... is the husband I've chosen for you."

“I have done him a favor, so I made a promise with him that, in return, he would stay by your side for three years, protecting you with his life and never leaving your side. In this way, you can get to know him better, and he will also be observing you.”

"If you both like each other, you can get married in the future. If you don't like each other, after three years, set him free and you can remain friends."

Jiayin had some guesses about why her adoptive father placed Mu Xu by her side, but she only thought that Mu Xu had some mysterious abilities that could protect her.

Who would have thought it would be about raising a husband!

She was so surprised that her eyes widened, then she blushed a little, after all, she had never been in a relationship with anyone in either her past or present life.

"Godfather, isn't this... too early? I'm only fourteen years old."

The Marquis shook his head and said seriously, "Some noble families, in order to find a good husband for their daughters, will look at each other from childhood, taking into account their character, talent, and conduct."

“Our family has a weak foundation, and the families we often associate with, including the two boys from the Liu family and the boy from the Guo family, are not suitable. In the past few years, I have also been paying attention to the young men from various families in Xindu, but unfortunately, none of them have caught my eye. Large families are not suitable for you either, there are too many rules.”

"Fortunately, I met Mu Xu in Jiangbei, which barely allowed me to pass the test."

"Mu Xu was born into a scholarly family, but his parents died and there were no people left in the clan. This meant that he had no family to rely on and no one to restrain him."

"Without a family to rely on, he was all alone and easily attracted by the liveliness of our home, longing to integrate into it."

"Without the constraints of parents and family, it means that if you marry into the family, you will not suffer any grievances from anyone, and you can even live in Suijintan after marriage without having to leave."

"Mu Xu suffered a severe blow from a family tragedy in his youth, and became ruthless. However, he was also exceptionally intelligent, and his three years of training were equivalent to ten years for others. But he was still kind-hearted and disdained worldly constraints, and hated rules and etiquette the most."

"In this way, he can protect you in the future, and he won't expect you to be confined to the inner quarters like an ordinary woman. He will accompany you to see the world and do the things you like."

Even if... even if you act differently from others at times, he can accept it more easily than others.

The Marquis said too much in one breath, then paused and said, "But these are all my godfather's considerations. Whether he is good or not, you have to see for yourself."

"If you approve of him, everything about him is good. If you don't approve of him, no matter how good he is, it's no good."

"Your godfather hopes that you will have a close and understanding person by your side, and live a happy life!"

Jiayin was already in tears, tears streaming down her face.

In the past two years, her godfather has been fighting on the front lines, and she has also grown up. With so many things to do, they have inevitably drifted apart.

Unexpectedly, her godfather's love for her had not diminished at all, and he had actually planned so much for her behind the scenes.

Today's update is here!