Chapter 3 Begging Mark
"...Your Majesty, do you wish for my misfortune?"
Tianyao suddenly turned her head, her eyes red, her face showing a sorrowful expression as if she was about to cry.
Tianheng's heart skipped a beat, and he stood up abruptly, retorting loudly, "How could I possibly wish for your misfortune? I only... I only..."
Tianheng stopped speaking halfway through his sentence, walked up to Tianyao, knelt on one knee in front of her, and gently took her hands, which were tightly clutching her dress.
His gentle, moon-like eyes gazed tenderly at Tianyao.
Tianyao bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the urge to cry. When she met Tianheng's gentle eyes, all she could think of were the memories between her and Tianheng from childhood to three years ago.
She remembered that when she was a child, she was very attentive to Tianheng and acted very obediently in order to get close to him and have a chance to survive even if her secret was exposed.
Later, she unexpectedly saw a maid poisoning Tianheng. At the palace banquet, just as Tianheng was about to drink the poisoned wine, she impulsively snatched the wine and drank it all without hesitation.
After the poisoned wine incident, Tianheng stopped being cold and indifferent to her and stopped ignoring her existence. Instead, he would take the initiative to ask her to come and keep him company, give her delicious food, and talk to her about many things, from major national affairs to his minor emotional fluctuations. At that time, they were very close.
Their close relationship lasted for several years, until the late emperor accidentally witnessed Tianheng stealing a kiss from her...
The late emperor was furious. He summoned her to the inner palace, asked her who she liked, and then bestowed a marriage upon her.
She said she had seen very few men and begged His Majesty for three days to choose one.
The late emperor agreed.
When Tianheng learned of this, he tried his best to stop her and had a big argument with the late emperor. The late emperor was furious and ordered Tianheng to be confined for six months.
Six months later, Tianheng's confinement ended. She and Cui Yunzhou were already married, and the die was cast. Even though Tianheng was the crown prince, there was nothing he could do.
It has been two years and six months since Tianheng ended his confinement. She thought that the slight affection Tianheng had for her back then had long been buried by time...
Tianyao looked at Tianheng, the ruler of a country, who was above all others, kneeling before her so easily. She felt no joy, only fear.
She suddenly stood up, forcefully pulled her hands out of Tianheng's grasp, turned her head away from Tianheng, and said coldly.
"Your Majesty, even if Yunzhou and I divorce, it is impossible for me to be with you. Any man in this world can become my husband, but you are the only one I cannot!"
After saying that, Tianyao walked out of the hall without looking back, her back view resolute.
Tianheng, kneeling on one knee, seemed not to have heard Tianyao's cold rejection. His expression remained unchanged as he stood up and watched Tianyao's retreating figure. His eyes, which had been as gentle as the moon just moments before, now became as deep and dark as the night.
...
As Tianyao emerged from the palace, she looked up and saw a familiar figure standing beside her carriage. She abruptly stopped, her expression complex.
"Yao'er".
When Cui Yunzhou saw Tian Yao, his previously downcast face instantly lit up with a warm smile like springtime. He called out softly and then took the initiative to greet Tian Yao.
Tianyao's feelings became increasingly complicated.
Could it be that Yunzhou thinks she doesn't know about her infertility?
Could it be that Yunzhou intends to keep this from her?
However, it was normal for him to think that way, since Madam Cui and the doctor had secretly entered her bedroom to examine her. At the time, she had her eyes closed, and Madam Cui and the doctor thought she was asleep.
He kept it from her because he didn't want to divorce her and wanted to continue living with her as before.
Thinking of this, Tianyao stretched out her hands to Yunzhou, who had walked up to her, and said in a coquettish tone, "I'm tired from walking, carry me to the car."
"Next time you're tired, don't force yourself to walk. Just take the palanquin, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Yunzhou's face immediately turned serious.
Without the slightest hesitation, he naturally picked up Princess Tianyao and carried her towards the carriage.
That familiar gesture seemed to be something he had done countless times before, as if he had held Tianyao in his arms.
In fact, he did hug Tianyao countless times.
Tianyao buried her head in Yunzhou's somewhat hard chest muscles and whispered, "I know."
After getting into the carriage, Yunzhou gently placed Tianyao on the stool, bent down, reached out, grabbed Tianyao's ankle, and was about to take off Tianyao's shoes.
"What...what are you going to do? This...this is in the carriage!"
Tianyao was filled with panic, and like a frightened rabbit, she desperately tried to back away, straining her feet to break free from Yunzhou's large hand.
Upon hearing the sound, Yunzhou looked up at Tianyao with clear eyes, then realized what was happening and burst out laughing, her laughter brightening the entire carriage.
"Yao'er, no matter how hungry or thirsty I am, I cannot stay in the carriage... Most importantly, I cannot bear to see Yao'er suffer."
"Sweetie, I just wanted to massage your feet. Weren't you tired?"
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and continued to take off Tianyao's shoes.
Tianyao's face instantly turned as red as a cherry.
Aaaaaah!!!
It must be because Yunzhou was too rough with her a few days ago, that's why she immediately thought of that when she saw Yunzhou grabbing her ankle.
Honestly, I'm too ashamed to show my face.
Tianyao covered her face with her hands, only revealing her eyes, and peeked at Cui Yunzhou through her fingers.
Cui Yunzhou lowered his head, his eyes focused on gently massaging her feet. A few strands of his dark, shiny hair fell down like a naughty child, giving him a serene and beautiful appearance.
Tianyao couldn't bear to break this beautiful moment, so she gritted her teeth and endured the itch.
Inside the small carriage, only the soft breathing of her and Yunzhou could be heard.
After a while, Tianyao felt comfortable from the massage, and her eyelids were drooping as if she would fall asleep at any moment. Suddenly, Yunzhou spoke up, breaking the silence.
"Yao'er, I want you to mark me, now!"
!?
Tianyao instantly snapped awake, her eyes widening as she stared at Yunzhou with disbelief.
I had only one thought in my mind—he's gone mad!
He's completely gone mad!
He clearly knew what being unilaterally marked meant, so why did he say such a thing?
Isn't he afraid?
Tianyao met Yunzhou's gaze, which was fixed on her. Seeing the desperate determination in Yunzhou's eyes, her heart trembled as if struck by a huge rock.
He was afraid, how could he not be afraid, but he still said it.
Why?
He was probably afraid she wouldn't want him anymore.
He and she had been a close couple for three years. He probably guessed that if she knew she couldn't get pregnant and the Cui family forced him to divorce her, she would agree without hesitation as long as he proposed the divorce. She would not linger or have any connection with him.
Therefore, he is now letting her unilaterally mark him so that even if she divorces him, she will not completely sever ties with him.
After all, she is soft-hearted, and he had no choice but to divorce her. Therefore, during his feverish period, she will most likely take care of their past relationship and use pheromones to soothe him.
After thinking it through, Tianyao couldn't help but smile, a very sad smile.
Yunzhou really understands her and is very smart, but he forgot one thing: if the Cui family is to have an heir, it will definitely be him, Cui Yunzhou, who gets other women pregnant and gives birth to children. He doesn't think she's so easygoing that she would accept him spending a night with another woman just to have a child.
No one is irreplaceable, and for her, Cui Yunzhou will not be that exception.
Tianyao reached out, her fair, jade-like hand gently caressing Yunzhou's face, which was excessively captivating her attention. Her breath was sweet as orchids as she asked.
"Yunzhou, do you really like my pheromones that much?"
He loved her so much that even if it meant divorce, even if it meant risking his intense, unsettling period when she wouldn't appease him, leaving him to suffer alone, he still wanted her to mark him.
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