Chapter 106

Si Yanmo caught a glimpse of his expression out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel smug.

"Amo, you're still laughing! Explain yourself!"

She pretended not to hear and followed her parents into the front hall. She watched as Zhou Yanqing pitifully presented the gifts to her in-laws one by one, and then watched her parents accept them with shocked expressions. She almost couldn't help but laugh.

Seeing that the atmosphere had reached its peak of awkwardness, she stepped forward and said, "Father, Mother, we are all family, you don't need to be so polite. His Highness treats me very well, this is his way of showing his appreciation."

Zhou Yanqing couldn't speak, so he could only follow behind her, nodding frantically, trying to show his "goodwill."

However, Si Jianwen and Zhao Shuyun were still somewhat skeptical. After accepting the gifts, they invited the two to dine together.

At the dining table, three out of the four people were sitting on pins and needles, while Si Yanmo buried her head in her food and said, "Aunt Lan, have another bowl of rice!"

She really wanted this.

Although Zhou Yanqing took good care of herself and hired a chef to prepare many dishes from Nandu, they still couldn't compare to the authentic food at home, let alone the food she had eaten since childhood.

The other three were practically going crazy, being incredibly polite to each other.

Si Jianwen: "Your Highness, please try the fish from our Southern Capital."

Zhou Yanqing: "Thank you."

Zhao Shuyun: "And this dish, it's all fresh."

Zhou Yanqing: "Thank you."

...

Finally, amidst the awkwardness of everyone taking turns eating, Zhou Yanqing was about to go crazy and secretly nudged Si Yanmo, "Madam, could you please stop eating for a moment?"

"Huh?" Si Yanmo looked up in confusion, with a piece of meat still in her mouth.

She quickly chewed a few bites and swallowed.

I felt a little choked up, so I took another sip of water.

"Oh dear, Father and Mother, you really don't need to be so reserved. His Highness and I have a very good relationship." As if to prove it, she put her arm around Zhou Yanqing's shoulder.

Seeing that her parents still didn't believe her, she simply cupped their faces and kissed them. Zhou Yanqing blushed instantly, as if he had been harassed by a respectable young man.

"Look! He's so easily embarrassed! He was just faking it all along!"

Her casual remark made Zhou Yanqing feel ashamed and left Si's parents speechless.

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence once more, with only Aunt Lan quietly coming over to serve her dinner.

Zhou Yanqing knew that things couldn't continue like this.

No matter what Si Yanmo says, her parents will always interpret it as their child only reporting good news and not bad.

Then only he can say it himself.

He put down his chopsticks and said solemnly, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, I should now call you Father and Mother. I know what the rumors about the name 'King of Qin' are like in Nandu. I also know that when we got married, I was somewhat... somewhat reckless. But now..."

He turned to look at Si Yanmo, who was still engrossed in eating, smiled and patted her arm. Taking advantage of her momentary daze, he grabbed her hand and said, "I love Amo. I want to be with her forever."

“I swear, I will treat her well for the rest of my life, and she will be the only one for me. As for my previous rudeness…” He stood up and bowed deeply, “It was my fault. Amo is my wife, and you two are my parents. There’s really no need for such formality between family members. You don’t need to treat me like the King of Qin here. My name is Zhou Yanqing, and I am Amo’s husband.”

His words were sincere and did not seem fake. Si Jianwen and Zhao Shuyun also breathed a sigh of relief.

Actually, they were just worried that if they did something wrong, it would make things difficult for Si Yanmo.

Now... they looked at their daughter, who, even while being led by the hand, naturally allowed Zhou Yanqing to serve her food...

Well, this carefree attitude can't be faked.

Si Jianwen spoke first: "Since we are all family, Yan Qing, please don't stand on ceremony and sit down to eat."

Hearing her father-in-law call her that, Zhou Yanqing knew she had finally dispelled their concerns. She sighed and sat down, feeling much more relaxed.

Zhao Shuyun couldn't help but speak up: "When Mo'er married into the family, we were worried that she was mentally challenged and would be disliked by His Highness..."

"No." Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Yanqing said firmly, "No matter what she is like, I will love her. I did before, I do now, and I will do in the future."

Si Yanmo, who hadn't said much, felt a sweet warmth in her heart when she heard his words, but she still couldn't help teasing him: "I don't believe it. If I were still an idiot, you definitely wouldn't like me."

Zhou Yanqing smiled indulgently and secretly put his arm around her waist from behind. "How did you know? What if?"

"I'd be a fool to believe you."

He was displeased now, and leaned close to Si Yanmo's ear, gently biting her earlobe, "My wife still underestimates my feelings."

The two whispered intimately to each other as if no one else was around, making both Si Jianwen and Zhao Shuyun, who were both elderly, blush with embarrassment.

It was only when Si Jianwen coughed that the two of them remembered that their parents were still by their side.

Now, all four people at the dinner table blushed.

After the conversation started, the atmosphere at the table improved considerably, and Si Jianwen even brought out his treasured wine for Zhou Yanqing to taste.

This drinking session was a big deal; the two men, father-in-law and son-in-law, took turns drinking and soon got drunk, and then wanted to drink more.

Si Yanmo and her mother then pulled the two apart and sent each of them back to their rooms.

Zhao Shuyun added, "Your mother has tidied up your room. I'll have Aunt Lan bring His Highness some hangover soup later, so he won't have a headache the next day."

My mother is always so thoughtful.

Si Yanmo helped Zhou Yanqing up, and as soon as they crossed the courtyard, the person who had been dazed and unsteady on her feet straightened up instantly.

"You're not drunk?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Zhou Yanqing smiled and took her hand. "It's just a little bit of wine, you won't get drunk. But if I really get my father-in-law drunk, he'll hate me again. It's better to pretend to be drunk."

"But you just drank a whole jar of wine!" Si Yanmo suddenly thought of something. "So, when you only drank half a jar before saying you were drunk, were you just acting?"

She suddenly realized that she seemed to have been deceived. This person always seemed drunk, which made her think that he was drunk, but it turned out that he was fine at all and had been taking advantage of her.

Seeing that he had been found out, Zhou Yanqing quickly pretended to collapse against her, "Oh dear, I still feel a little dizzy. Amo, I'm drunk..."

Si Yanmo no longer believed him and pushed his head away, "Stop pretending!"

Undeterred, he went over and hugged the person again, saying, "Oh dear, perhaps the wine from Qin is different from the wine from Nandu; it's more intoxicating."

Si Yanmo chuckled, "Do you think I believe you?"

"Madam~" Zhou Yanqing simply used the puppy-dog charm technique, "Why would I lie to you?"

As they talked, they arrived at Si Yanmo's boudoir. Zhou Yanqing had never set foot here before.

The door was pushed open, and the scent of jasmine wafted out.

He looked around, trying to find the source of the scent, but found that it seemed to be coming from an incense burner.

The fragrance came from the incense burner, but there were also many flowers in the room. Vases were placed everywhere, each containing different flowers, and even the screens were decorated with peach, lotus, chrysanthemum, and plum blossoms, representing the four seasons.

He chuckled, "Madam's boudoir is like a fairy's room, why are there so many flowers?"

Si Yanmo felt a little embarrassed by his description, "What little flower fairy?"

"You!" He hugged her from behind, "With so many flowers, what else could you be but a little flower fairy?"

The two walked together behind the screen, where the pattern could be faintly seen on the thin gauze used as a bed curtain.

"It seems my wife really loves flowers, and your mother-in-law has taken good care of them for you."

Si Yanmo nodded, a sour feeling welling up in her heart.

Even though I've been gone for so long, her room is still the same as when I left, which shows that my mother has someone clean it every day, and even the flowers in the vase are changed all the time.

Although Nandu is much warmer than Qin during this season, most flowers are still absent. In the past, when Si Yanmo was at home, her mother would try to build a greenhouse for her to grow some small flowers, and it seems that's still the case now.

Si Yanmo couldn't help but tear up. "Zhou Yanqing, I miss home."

She hadn't said she missed home even after being away for so long, but now that she was back home and saw everything so familiar, she truly missed home and her parents.

Seeing her cry, Zhou Yanqing felt a pang of guilt. He hugged her and gently wiped away her tears. "It's alright, it's alright. We're back now, aren't we? Let's stay a little longer after Tan Muhe's matter is over, okay?"

Hearing him say that, Si Yanmo felt a little better and nodded, "Okay, then you stay with me."

"Okay, I'll stay with you, I'll always stay with you."

As night deepened, Si Yanmo went to the backyard to take a bath, and Aunt Lan, following Zhao Shuyun's instructions, brought them a hangover soup.

Although Zhou Yanqing hadn't drunk too much, he couldn't refuse his mother-in-law, so he obediently drank it and wandered around Si Yanmo's room.

I only glanced at it briefly, but I could tell that the lady of the house loved flowers.

Now, looking around, he discovered many interesting things in the room, which seemed to be things that Si Yanmo used to like.

What attracted his attention most was a string of bells.

If it weren't for the bell still hanging from Si Yanmo's waist when she went to take a bath, Zhou Yanqing would have thought it was the one he had given her. Apart from the slightly different pattern, even the tassels were the same color.

He couldn't help but become curious, so he took the bell and went to find Si Yanmo.

The bathing area was located behind Si Yanmo's small courtyard, in a separate wooden cabin. Outside the cabin grew mugwort to repel mosquitoes, as well as some small blue flowers.

These little flowers grow obediently under the wooden house, looking like butterflies, or perhaps little blue-eared rabbits hiding in the green grass.

He pushed open the door, and a wave of steam rushed in, turning into white mist that blocked his view. He could only vaguely make out the graceful figure amidst the steam.

Feeling a slight chill in the air, Si Yanmo thought it was a maid bringing her clothes. Just as she was about to speak, a large hand touched her slightly damp shoulder.

She turned around abruptly, startled. "Zhou Yanqing! Why are you walking so quietly? Are you trying to scare me to death?"

Zhou Yanqing merely curled the corners of his lips, his voice low and deep, "So timid?"

"It's a dark and windy night, and I'm taking a bath when someone suddenly walks in and puts their arm around my shoulder. Who wouldn't be scared? What if it's a lecherous thief?" the woman complained.

"A flower thief?" He raised an eyebrow, his tone rising. "Who dares to steal the Qin Princess? I'll skin him alive."

"You smooth talker!" After saying that, Si Yanmo suddenly realized that she was still soaking in the bathtub, with only a bare spot on her body, and her face instantly turned red with embarrassment. "Um... if you don't have anything else, you can go out first. I'll be done washing soon."

With the beautiful woman beside him, Zhou Yanqing had no intention of listening to her. He calmly took the towel and asked, "Doesn't Madam want someone to help scrub her back?"