Chapter Seventy-Six

Zhou Yan listened quietly to her finish speaking, then opened the cage, touched her cheek with his fingertips, and said with affection, "You're so smart, you can definitely learn it, right?"

She laughed, "I'm smart?"

"Mmm." The puppy nodded, its eyes sparkling, as if in its eyes, the other person was the smartest person in the world.

Looking into his smiling eyes, Si Yanmo also wavered. In her past life, apart from her family, no one had ever said such things to her.

She knew they were just trying to appease her.

In the eyes of others, she was the fool in the Si family, a girl who could not be relied upon.

Even after she regained her senses, she still couldn't outmaneuver Lin Jiao'er when it came to Zhou Junsong. In Zhou Junsong's words, which she overheard, she was both stupid and useless.

In this life, she doesn't think she's become smarter. She's just learning how to speak and act like the people she met in her previous life, and it's only because of the influence of her destiny that she seems a little smarter.

But Zhou Yanqing actually claimed to be smart.

"You've been fooled. How am I clever?"

"Where are you not smart?" Zhou Yanqing held his hand, her tone sincere. "Besides you, who else could pass the divination test so quickly?"

She had heard that in a dog's eyes, its owner is always good.

Hmm...it looks more like a puppy now.

She raised her hand to touch his head, but it was bound by the red cloth. Somewhat annoyed, she said, "Could you loosen it a little first?"

"Hmm?" Zhou Yanqing tilted his head, afraid she would take the opportunity to escape. "What are you going to do?"

This guy is really something! After saying all that, he still thinks he's going to run away?

Si Yanmo sighed, "Then squat down a little."

Zhou Yanqing was puzzled, but felt it was better than her running away, so she obediently squatted down, allowing her to finally touch the puppy's head as she wished.

Seeing the smile in her eyes, Zhou Yanqing asked cautiously, "Then...would you like to learn it?"

Si Yanmo teased, "Why are you being so polite, kidnapper? Shouldn't you have said that if you don't learn, I'll never let you go?"

"If I said that, would you hate me?" He stood up, took the woman's delicate fingers in his hand, and gently kneaded them, his eyes filled with inquiry.

Are you afraid that I'll hate you?

Zhou Yanqing thought for a few seconds. He had originally been in control as the "kidnapper," but now he had been tricked by Si Yanmo once again. However, he still nodded willingly.

"Then why don't you go and resolve Wei Jingzhong's matter?"

really!

The puppy instantly got angry and pushed her hand away, "I knew it!"

Seeing that she had angered the puppy, Si Yanmo couldn't help but chuckle to herself, "Alright, alright, that's not what I meant, but dealing with Wei Jingzhong will do you good."

"You know I don't want the benefits."

It was the same conversation again. This time, Si Yanmo chose to soften her voice. Perhaps she really should try to understand those complex emotions.

After all, she has a long, long life ahead of her in this life. She has friends, family, and... a "little dog" who is so good to her.

"I promise you I'll learn and try. Give me some time, okay?"

Upon hearing this, a surge of overwhelming joy coursed through Zhou Yanqing's body. He even forgot that he was still imprisoning Si Yanmo, hugged her tightly, and buried his head in her chest. "Then learn by my side."

Si Yanmo felt the dampness on her neck, never expecting that her words could excite him so much.

She gently patted Zhou Yanqing's back. "If I'm not by your side, where am I? Aren't I still tied up by you, Mr. Kidnapper?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yanqing gently pushed her away, feeling a little embarrassed. He subconsciously wanted to untie the restraints on her hands, but hesitated and said, "You're not lying to me, are you?"

Si Yanmo was both amused and exasperated: "Why would I lie to you? Besides, when have I ever lied to you?"

"You've never told me about my past life, have you?" the puppy muttered, head bowed.

Seeing his reaction, Si Yanmo simply shrugged and said, "Then tie him up."

Now it was Zhou Yanqing's turn to be stunned. "You...are you angry?"

"Of course not." Si Yanmo shook her head; to her, it was all the same.

"Anyway, there's food and drink here, and people to serve you. You don't have to do anything. It's more comfortable than the Qin Prince's Mansion. If you feel at ease, then just tie yourself up."

She has always been straightforward; once she has figured out two things, she doesn't like to beat around the bush.

Since she had already promised Zhou Yanqing, why not do something that would put his mind at ease?

To her surprise, Zhou Yanqing's eyes reddened because of her words, and she clutched the glossy red cloth in one hand, like a child who had never been paid attention to before suddenly receiving attention and praise from those around her.

"you……"

He didn't know what to say. Over the years, no one had ever been so kind to him, and no one had ever forgiven him or even gone along with him after he made a mistake.

This is something even Qin Zixiu has never done.

The last time he did something like this, he was scolded for a long time.

That was the first time he had seen his mother since he joined the army, and it wasn't that he hadn't hated her.

He wanted to ask her why she didn't want him, why she abandoned him, leaving him to be tortured by human traffickers and almost die outside, with no one even to collect his body.

But his mother only glanced at him before turning away, as if he didn't exist.

So he used his salary earned in the army to buy a remote house and had his mother brought over. When his mother refused to live with him, he locked her up.

At that time, he was just a child. He didn't think he had done anything wrong. He just wanted his mother's love and wanted her to look at him more. But all he got in return was his mother's hatred.

After Qin Zixiu discovered this, he scolded him severely and had someone send his mother away.

He still remembers the look in his mother's eyes when she left. There was no disappointment in her eyes, only hatred, as if she were looking at an enemy.

It was around that time that he realized his mother would no longer love him. But that's how children are; even if their mothers don't love them, they will still love them, hoping that she can give them just a little bit of love.

Ironically, he later gained his mother's "love" not because he did anything to make her happy, nor because she finally remembered her son, but simply because that man reappeared.

She no longer wanted to be his mother, but rather the mother of the King of Qin, and a concubine of the King of Qin.

Zhou Yanqing was still very happy, at least his mother was willing to care about him.

When he heard Si Yanmo say she wanted a divorce that day, all he knew was that he was going to be abandoned again. His mother didn't want him anymore, his master had passed away, and now the only girl he loved was going to leave him.

He couldn't accept it.

He knew that what he was about to do might be wrong, but he did it anyway.

He thought, if she hates me like her mother does, then so be it. Anyway, I am the King of Qin now, and even if she hates me, no one can take her away from me.

Perhaps continuing to hate is actually better than her leaving, or her not even remembering him after many years.

But... Si Yanmo is different from everyone else.

She didn't say that what she did was wrong, nor was she angry, or even hateful.

She even went so far as to examine her own shortcomings, trying to make him happy.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yanqing smiled, a tear sliding down her cheek. She bent down and hugged her, burying her face in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling her breath.

"Amo, thank you." His voice was hoarse, but filled with joy.

He thought he would always love this woman.

No one in this world will ever treat her as well as she did.

Si Yanmo didn't understand his sudden emotion at first, but after she realized it, she gently patted his back.

The puppy was starved for love and lacked the trust of others.

She suddenly wondered, if someone else treated him like that, would he also feel the same attachment to that person?

As she thought about it, she laughed. How had she become just like Zhou Yanqing? She was actually starting to think about such childish questions.

Some ideas, once started, can never be stopped.

In the following days, Zhou Yanqing dealt with Wei Jingzhong as someone had wished. This act of making an example of him deterred others in the court who had secretly wanted to oppose the young Prince of Qin.

When they learned that the matter was resolved by the newly appointed shaman, Princess Qin, they understood that another couple, Qin Zixiu and Mo Wenzhong, had appeared.

Disciplining children should be done early, and such matters should naturally be resolved before the child becomes too powerful.

Unfortunately, they were too late. Wei Jingzhong, the one who was best prepared, could only retire and return to his hometown to preserve his dignity. As for the others...

They either take action now or obediently submit to the rule of the King of Qin, who already possesses his own power.

Most people would choose the latter, since having ambition is a good thing, but if there is no certainty of success, it is best to preserve what you have now.

The court was finally at peace.

As for home... Si Yanmo was happy to be a little good-for-nothing, waiting for Zhou Yanqing to bring her delicious food every day. To keep her entertained, she would even find a few actors to come and sing for her.

Zhang Jiao'er from Tengxiang Garden had seen a lot of the world, but when he arrived here and saw Princess Qin locked in a cage, he acted as if nothing had happened and was in the mood to watch the show, but he was completely bewildered.

Seeing her like this, Si Yanmo waved her hand and smiled, "It's okay, don't worry about me, you sing yours."

Zhang Jiao'er chuckled, guessing it was just a bit of fun between the young couple.

She began to speak in a babbling voice, just then Zhou Yanqing walked in carrying a basket of pastries. He opened the cage door and sat down next to Si Yanmo. Everything seemed perfectly natural, making Zhang Jiao'er even more suspicious that the King of Qin and the Queen of Qin must have some kind of special fetish.

Si Yanmo didn't notice the shock in the eyes of the people on the stage. She immediately saw Xiang Yuzhai's basket. If her hands hadn't been tied, she would have definitely grabbed it.

"You went to Xiangyuzhai?"

The girl's eyes sparkled, which delighted Zhou Yanqing. He opened the basket and handed it to her, naturally taking her hand in his other hand. "Well, I bought you some after court today because I thought you'd like it."

"That's so good?" Si Yanmo took a piece from the basket, took a bite, and happily shook her head. "How was court today? Did those old guys bully you?"