Xiangyang remained silent.

Xiao Jingying got into bed and put his arm around him under the covers.

Xiang Yang suddenly asked him, "Xiao Jingying, what would you do if I wanted to get married and have children someday?"

Xiao Jinying's hand suddenly paused.

“You can get married and have children,” Xiangyang said. “Anyway, you didn’t like men from the beginning.”

Xiao Jingying remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

He said...

"good……"

Xiao Jingying withdrew his hand as well.

Xiangyang loosened his grip on the blanket a little, and the two of them remained silent.

Xiao Guai: "Xiangyang, are you really going to get married and have children?"

“I’m not getting married or having children,” Xiangyang said. “I’m just telling him that he can change his mind at any time, turn back at any time, and go wherever he wants.”

Little Darling: "Oh..."

Little Guai seemed to understand but not quite.

"So, do you want to get married and have children now?" Xiao Jingying suddenly asked with some trepidation.

Xiang Yang immediately rolled over again: "...Mind your own business!"

Soon after, news spread that the eldest prince's steward had caused a scene at the Xiao residence, leaving Old Master Xiao no choice but to invite him in.

All his threats and inducements were useless; Old Master Xiao had them all beaten back into submission.

Finally, after much persuasion, the eldest prince humbled himself and said that any future grudges would be wiped clean.

Old Master Xiao sighed and said that he had no reason to bring this up. He admitted that he did not have any miracle doctors in his household, but he could not bear to see the eldest prince confined to a wheelchair at such a young age. He said that he knew a good doctor and pointed them to a place to go and see for themselves.

Not only did they completely distance themselves from the situation, but on the surface, the Xiao family had also earned a favor from the eldest prince.

The eldest prince had no choice but to accept this injustice in silence.

The fourth prince, however, went mad.

It was he who orchestrated this conflict between Xiao Jingying and the First Prince.

Now things have turned out this way. Not only has Xiao Jinying escaped his control, but he has also developed this "favor" with the First Prince.

The old master of the Xiao family is truly a wonderful person!

“Prime Minister Xiao’s magnanimity is truly extraordinary,” the prince’s mother, Consort Xu, sneered. “For the sake of the Xiao family’s wealth and glory, he could even tolerate Xiao Jingying’s desire to marry another man, helping Xiao Jingying without batting an eye and forcing the Emperor to bestow a ‘maid’ upon him in marriage. What else could he not tolerate?”

Fourth Prince: "Mother, what should we do now?"

Consort Xu raised an eyebrow. "That Minghe, do you think he can hold both sides?"

The fourth prince understood what she meant and then smiled.

Xiangyang knew this day would come eventually, so when it actually arrived, he wasn't surprised at all.

Xiao Jingying said to Xiang Yang, "If you don't want to go, you don't have to."

“Let’s go,” Xiangyang said. “Prime Minister Xiao is a big shot. I’ll need to rely on him in the future.”

Xiao Jingying laughed and joked, "You're going there just to rely on him, aren't you? You just want to see him, don't you?"

Xiangyang pursed her lips and looked up at him.

Xiao Jingying knew he had overstepped his bounds, and felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He simply said, "Let's go..."

Who knew that upon arriving at the Xiao residence, Xiangyang would meet an old friend again—Xiao Jinying's adoptive father, the former county magistrate, Shi Mingli.

Shi Mingli didn't know Xiang Yang's identity back then, and now he's really not up to the task of being called his godfather.

Xiao Jinying respectfully addressed him as "godfather," and Shi Mingli only reluctantly agreed after glancing at Old Master Xiao.

"Xiangyang, come here!" Old Master Xiao said to Xiangyang with a kind face.

Xiangyang walked towards him, not daring to show that he had already met him before.

Grandpa Xiao was very satisfied with this, and began to talk at length about some things he had just learned from Shi Mingli.

"Speaking of which, it was thanks to you that Jin Ying caught the eye of Lord Shi and was taken away as soon as possible, so that he wouldn't have to suffer in that courtyard back then."

Xiao Jingying was also hearing about this for the first time, so he looked directly at Xiang Yang and asked him, "Why have you never told me about these things before?"

Xiang Yang didn't know how to explain for a moment. Looking at the affectionate gaze directed at him, he was really a little overwhelmed.

It was Shi Mingli who broke the awkward silence, saying, "Ming... Xiangyang, I heard you've already passed the imperial examination? Wow, so young, that's truly remarkable!"

Xiangyang didn't understand what they meant, so he didn't want to respond to them easily.

It wasn't until Old Master Xiao said, "Our Xiao family has relied entirely on Jin Ying to support us this generation. He has truly worked hard. Now that he has you to help him, I can rest assured."

Support?

Grandpa Xiao placed his hand on Xiangyang's head, as if treating a child, and said, "It doesn't matter if you don't have any children in the future. You can adopt one from a branch of our Xiao family."

Xiangyang was completely stunned.

"From now on, you and Jinying will live together in our Xiao family, is that alright?" Old Master Xiao asked, seemingly inquiring but actually threatening.

It's not good for the grandchildren of the Xiao family to be entangled with a man, but it's even worse if they can't win the fight.

Besides, Xiangyang is a promising talent, not much worse than a woman who manages the inner quarters.

The future is long, and one of them will eventually change their mind. And then…

"Prime Minister Xiao," Xiang Yang spoke.

Xiao Jingying didn't let him continue. Instead, she took his hand and said, "We came here to have a meal. Since the meal isn't ready, we'll be leaving now."

Grandpa Xiao was stunned as he watched the two leave.

Xiang Yang was thus pulled away by Xiao Jingying and left the Xiao residence.

"Your old man is quite open-minded," Xiang Yang joked, "which is really unexpected."

Xiao Jingying asked him, "...So what are your thoughts?"

"What are you thinking?" Xiangyang looked at him. "You mean you want me to live with you as a couple?"

Xiao Jingying didn't dare ask him if he was willing.

Xiangyang was silent for a moment before saying, "Haven't you already slept in my bed?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingying immediately grabbed his hand, looking as if she didn't know what to do.

Xiangyang looked at the hand he was holding and said, "But we can only date for now..."

"What?" Xiao Jingying didn't understand what he meant.

Xiangyang looked at him: "Didn't you say I could use you however I wanted?"