Xie Yuancheng is just so annoying sometimes. I get bullied by him, so I have to get back at him, otherwise I'll be in real trouble.

"Go away~ I want to sleep." I covered my head with the blanket, and he started saying nice things again. I nodded from time to time, and then fell asleep while smelling the soothing sachet.

I haven't seen Xie Yuancheng for several days. I guess he hates me, that's why he's not showing up. The whole of Linyang belongs to him; he's free to go wherever he wants.

I'm a little tired. It's not that I don't like him anymore; it's just that I love him too much, which is why I always wish he could feel the same way I do. But he always gets unreasonable with me over the smallest things, never giving me a chance to explain myself.

"Mommy~ I want Daddy~" Xizhi came in carrying a small pillow. I came back to get them some small toys, and then they came.

"Xizhi, you little one, your father is busy, but your mother will play with you."

Xi Zhi shook his head, so I pinched his little nose and took him outside. He actually refused to walk anymore. I squatted down and hugged him, but he shook his little body and wouldn't let me hold him.

"Your father is not at home; he will be back in a few days."

Xi Zhi still shook his head. I placed the small toy in front of him, and Xi Zhi's big eyes followed the toy. When I saw him reach out his little hands to grab it, I deliberately led him outside.

Xi Zhi ran over with a small pillow in his arms. He's quite fast now. I went out and saw Su Ling. Both of them wanted the little toys. I deliberately brought one with me to see who would grab it.

"Sister-in-law, you can't coax the child like that." Li Ruowei's voice came from over the phone, and I turned around to look at her.

"Sister, I only brought a small doll with me. Just now, Xizhi was hugging her little pillow and looking for her father. If I don't lure him out, he'll probably start crying."

"Yuan Cheng hasn't returned yet?"

"No, he's probably busy." I don't care. Life without him is so much better, I just feel sad.

"Why don't you go out and look for him? What if he's drunk and rolled around in some corner, and some woman carries him home? Then you'll see if you cry."

"Whatever, I don't care." If he really dares to do that, I'll pack my things and leave.

"Mommy~" The two little ones circled around me, no, they should be circling around the little toy in my hand. I held it in the middle, and they smiled at me, neither of them trying to take it.

"You two are such good little darlings, Mommy will take you out to play."

I haven't left the manor yet. Last time I went out in a hurry and didn't even get a good look at the new Linyang City. When they heard we were going out to play, Xizhi and Suling came and hugged my legs. They've been cooped up in the manor for ages and wanted to go out.

"I know, you two had a fight. It used to be resolved in a day or two, but it's been almost five or six days now."

I had forgotten that Li Ruowei was here. Both she and her brother are shrewd people; they definitely planned this.

“Yes, it’s good for them to argue occasionally.” I picked up Xizhi and pulled Su Ling along. “Sister, I’ll take them out for a walk.”

Thankfully, Li Ruowei didn't come along. It was so hard for me to take care of the two little ones. One minute they wanted to be held, the next they wanted both of them. They didn't want to be held except at the mansion.

"Mother~" We had just stepped out the door when Su Ling saw something interesting and wanted to go see it. Luckily, I held their hands and we didn't go far.

Xi Zhi is quite quiet. I feel like their personalities and faces have been completely swapped. Su Ling and Yu Er have exactly the same personality. Xi Zhi is different. He's like a little girl. If he sees something interesting, he'll want it. If you don't give it to him, he'll look at you with a shy smile.

"Madam, it must be tough raising two children alone," an older woman said as she chatted with him. She was incredibly knowledgeable; she knew all this.

I talked to her for a while, and the two little ones stood very well-behaved when they saw a stranger. This place has really been renovated; the roads are much easier to walk on than the dry roads they used to be.

Xi Zhi and Su Ling love to hold hands. They are interested in everything. They don't walk very fast, their short legs wiggle. I have to wait for them to go first before I take a step.

"Hehe~" When they saw the place selling small animals, they started clapping and laughing.

Xi Zhi stared at the little rabbit, tilting her head as if to run over. These little animals are so cute, but I'm really reluctant to go near them. Children are very curious about animals when they're young, so I have to stop her.

I couldn't take them too far, just out for a stroll. When I led them back, the two little ones kept looking back, their expressions so pitiful they looked like they were about to burst into tears.

It was better when we were at the manor; I could talk to Mother whenever I wanted. Here, I can only talk to Li Ruowei. Bizhu went to pick up Anxiang. The two sisters were separated when they were little, so of course I agreed.

Yan'er hasn't been feeling well these past two days, so Li Ruowei has to stay with her. The two little ones can call out to people, but they can't say it very clearly yet. However, we know what they're saying, but they can't say anything else.

As soon as I brought them back, two nannies came over to wash their hands. I realized that they were much better at taking care of children than I was. All I knew was to play with them.

"Madam, would you like to go back to the courtyard to rest?" A new maidservant came over and asked. I hadn't let anyone come with me when I went out earlier; I just wanted to take the children out for a walk by myself.

"No need, where is the stable in the manor?" I saw the old woman take Xizhi and Suling away. It's still early, and I want to go out of the city to take a look.

"I'll take you there." The little maid walked forward happily. I looked at my clothes. Anyway, Xie Yuancheng wasn't there, so I didn't care. He's so petty.

I went back to change into men's clothes first, because riding a horse in women's clothes is really uncomfortable, and men's clothes are more durable. I had just changed my clothes and was tying my hair up when I didn't notice the door open.

I thought it was a young maidservant who had come in; her name was so hard to remember, I could never recall it. There were a few other familiar maidservants in the courtyard. She was new, knew some characters, and was good at taking care of children, so I had her stay with the older women.

I finished and went outside, only to find Xie Yuancheng back, leaning against the carved pillar inside, smiling. I took the Phantom Sword and went out, pretending not to see him!

"Ying'er~ I just got back and you're leaving again. I'm so sad."

"There are so many people in the manor, you can chat with anyone for half a day."

I had just opened the door when he closed it. "I haven't been home for days. After what you said last time, I went out for a walk to clear my head. I'll change that in the future, so please don't ignore me."

I pulled him away. "He can stay here since he's back today. I want to go out for a walk." Xie Yuancheng leaned against the door, refusing to let me go out.

“Ying’er, don’t always wear men’s clothes. There are so many people in the city now. If you go out and someone takes a liking to you, I’ll never have a wife.”

"Just find another one, anyway."

Before I could finish speaking, he revealed his true colors. All the clothes I had just put on and the hair I had just combed were gone in an instant.

"Marry one? You probably just want me to stay away so you can go find someone new!"