"really?"
Xie Lang suddenly looked up, and all the loneliness and desolation in his eyes vanished.
His breathing tightened slightly, as if he was restraining his excitement.
It's not so hard to say it a second time.
Wen Heming gave a definite answer again: "It's true, I will attend."
Wen Hemian thought that it must not be that she felt sorry for Xie Lang, but that he was really good at acting cute and charming.
After many days, Wen Hemian finally rediscovered the familiarity from Xie Lang's actions, which vaguely resembled old memories.
Considering Xie Lang's personality, Wen Hemian warned again: "Don't cause any trouble. If you're going to do it, do it properly. We can talk about it later."
Xie Lang readily agreed: "Don't worry, Han Shuang."
His eyes and brows were full of smiles.
Although he wanted to take this opportunity to announce that Wen Heming was his, the world was ultimately more harsh on women.
Although Xie Lang didn't care about the criticism he was receiving, he couldn't bear to see it fall on Wen Hemian, who had no official status or title.
If he insisted on dragging Wen Hemian into this abyss, then he must have paved the way for her beforehand.
Wen Hemian is no longer bothered by the form of address. Anyway, he won't listen to her anyway, and she's already done things that go too far. What does this matter?
She wasn't unaware that her guard was quietly slipping away.
It just seems that I don't care as much as I did at the beginning.
Especially after hearing Xie Lang repeatedly reveal his inner thoughts.
She wavered.
"What are you thinking about?"
After Xie Lang finished speaking, he saw Wen Hemian staring blankly.
During her time in the palace, she spent far more time in a daze than before.
Whenever this happens, Xie Lang feels as if there is an invisible barrier between them, and while feeling flustered, he desperately wants to talk to her.
It seems that this is the only way to slightly shorten the distance between them.
Wen Hemian snapped out of her daze and unconsciously touched her neck.
She hesitated for a few seconds before finally asking somewhat awkwardly, "Xie Lang... do you really like me that much?"
Wen Hemian has not yet brought this matter up in the open. She finds it difficult to define her own feelings and therefore cannot easily give a response, for fear that Xie Lang might have hope only to be disappointed again.
However, seeing how unwilling the little brat is to let go, perhaps we really need to have a serious talk.
Xie Lang was taken aback, then smiled.
"Yes, I like it very much."
"The Grand Tutor may not know, but the first dream I ever had was also about you."
"Later, on Qixi Festival, I saw you meeting with that Murong man, and that's when I realized what I wanted."
"There are many dark things in the palace, and I have never seen two people who love each other... Later, I struggled for a long time. On one hand, I felt that my thoughts were wrong and I couldn't control myself. On the other hand, I was afraid that if you knew, you would be disappointed in me."
As he spoke, his gaze fell downwards.
“You’re right. Three years ago, I was reckless and arrogant, and I was determined to force things, which put you in that predicament. But later, I really reflected on myself.”
"I don't know how to get your attention again. I used some wrong methods to force you to compromise and make concessions... But I like it, it's clean."
Her loose hair fell down, covering her slightly reddened ears.
Wen Heming blinked with difficulty, her heart filled with an emotion she had never felt before. She panicked for a moment: "What dream?"
Xie Lang remained silent for a few moments: "A fleeting dream."
He said, "After having such a dream, I didn't know how to face the Grand Tutor the next day. But the Grand Tutor was oblivious and even said it to my face."
Wen Hemian's memories returned, and she covered her face with some embarrassment: "Back then, I was still a man, wasn't I?"
So it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision at all, but something I'd been thinking about for a long time.
"And when I first met Murong Yue, no wonder I always felt a chill down my spine. It turns out His Majesty was watching me from behind... Is this the origin of the stories in the Imperial Study?"
Once the odd points were connected, Wen Hemian understood everything.
She stared blankly at Xie Lang and concluded, "Your Majesty, you are truly capable."
She knew Xie Lang wasn't all that kind-hearted behind the scenes, but adhering to the principle of giving children some freedom, she didn't interfere much.
I never imagined that I had overlooked so many chilling things.
The key is that this wicked wolf cub has been going to great lengths to disguise himself in order to achieve his own desires.
A chill ran down my spine, but I was also somewhat moved.
That's insane.
Wen Hemian sighed softly: "If you hadn't told me, I might never have known. Why did you suddenly decide to tell me today?"
Xie Lang stepped forward and took her hand earnestly: "I just feel that I have lied to the Grand Tutor in many ways."
His next sentence was slightly hesitant: "Han Shuang, will you be disappointed in me because of this?"
Wen Hemian shook his head: "No. You did not kill innocent people indiscriminately. No matter what, you are a good ruler in my heart."
Xie Lang seized on the crucial point: "If you don't know how, then why did you come back?"
The mature Emperor is far more astute and walks with greater poise than before, leaving people speechless with a single question.
He didn't pressure Wen Hemian, but he had more ways to find out what he wanted to know.
Xie Lang lowered his eyes, squatted down, and his voice became even deeper.
"Or should I rephrase my question, just for my own sake, right?"
Perhaps it was the openness and honesty she had just shared that gave her more confidence, because Wen Hemian subconsciously raised her hand to touch his head and whispered, "Yes."
Xie Lang was different from before in every way. His hair, for example, had become stiff and was no longer fluffy. It looked like a sword that had been sheathed, exuding a dignified and imposing aura.
Xie Lang smiled, looking very happy: "That's enough."
The fact that Wen Hemian didn't return because of his suddenly changed reputation suggests that in her heart, he might no longer be seen as a responsibility, but merely as someone she cares about.
Thinking of this, Xie Lang even nuzzled his head against Wen Hemian's hand, behaving obediently and docilely, as if he was completely at ease.
He began to ramble on and on.
“You hope I will be a wise ruler, and outsiders think so too. At first, I couldn’t understand why you would help me. I even absurdly wondered if someone was instructing you behind the scenes to be so kind to me. Looking back, I find it laughable... It all stemmed from the Grand Tutor’s kindness. I was just being narrow-minded.”
His tone was calm, as if he really considered these things as insignificant trifles, and he even laughed after he finished speaking.
Wen Hemian felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
Xie Lang is too clever.
From the system's behavior, Wen Hemian had noticed that both the system and the so-called administrator were wary of Xie Lang and were willing to go to great lengths to make a deal with her in order to correct Xie Lang onto the right path.
Despite being limited by his worldview and unable to think of anything more, he also unconsciously realized that he was being subtly controlled.
Such terrifying insight—no wonder he could single-handedly cause the entire timeline to collapse.
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