Inside the study, Li Yuer sat a bit reserved, watching the Zhennan King sitting behind his desk, drinking cup after cup of tea.
But really, it was only a reservedness born of respect for her father, not nervousness.
“You’ve accepted that boy?”
“Mm.”
The Zhennan King, Li Huan, let out a long sigh and set down his cup.
“Yuer, you’ve always been exceptionally clever since you were a child. No matter what you do, your mother consort and I never had to worry about you. Father King trusts your judgment, but there are some things… you need to consider a father’s heart. Just for that brat, you even started blaming your Father King. Is that how a daughter should act?”
Li Yuer also knew her earlier worry was unnecessary.
With Xu Ping’an’s medical skills, that minor scald could be healed in an instant.
Still, seeing her beloved get hurt, her first reaction to strike back was natural.
But, even so, it depended on the person.
No matter what, the man before her was her Father King, the one who gave her life and raised her.
Even if not for the gift of life, she owed him for raising her.
With blood ties as well, her earlier reaction had indeed gone a bit too far.
“Father King, it was your consort son’s fault.”
“There are no outsiders here. Since when did I have a son?”
The Zhennan King spoke with a hidden meaning.
Li Yuer covered her mouth and laughed softly.
“Yes, yes, yes, daughter knows her mistake. I hope Father King won’t be angry.”
“All right, enough, ‘don’t be angry,’ you almost made me faint from rage earlier. Go on, go, go see your little lover.”
“Father King~”
Seeing her old man looking a bit jealous, Li Yuer’s eyes spun, and she hurriedly walked up in a charming manner, grabbing Li Huan’s arm and shaking it.
“Father King, your daughter knows she was wrong, please don’t be angry~”
Li Huan tried to hold back, but doting on his daughter, he really couldn’t help but laugh.
“You little rascal, ha! All right, all right, Father King isn’t angry anymore.”
“Really not angry?”
“Not angry, go on. Just now, even I didn’t expect that boy would dare to block the teapot spout with his finger. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have done it. That boy is tough. You may be clever, but this is your first time dealing with matters of love. How could Father King not watch out for you?”
“I’ve already contacted someone from the Floating Cloud Sect. If you stay there and things are fine, then that’s good. But if that boy dares bully you, go find this person. Then, Father King will stand up for you.”
“Father King still loves me best~”
“Enough, just now you scolded me for that brat, now you’re sweet-talking me? This King doesn’t fall for your tricks!”
Li Yuer took two lively little hops, came before the desk, and gave a deep curtsy.
“Father King, your daughter takes her leave~”
“Go, go, go! The sight of you annoys me!”
Li Yuer’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as she turned and left, leaving only the old father in the study.
He stared at the now empty doorway, falling into deep thought.
“A daughter is bound to leave someday! Sigh!”
Sixteen years of raising a daughter, and just like that, such a delicate blossom was stolen away in mere months!
The old father felt wretched but could not make things difficult for his precious girl.
He could only trouble his future son-in-law a little, yet unexpectedly, the boy turned out to be so headstrong.
That move with the teapot just now had even startled him.
Thinking of Xu Ping’an’s actions earlier, Li Huan narrowed his eyes.
“Heh~ Good lad, I didn’t expect you to have such a steely nature. You’d better live up to your words, or even if I must sacrifice everything, I won’t let Yuer suffer.”
At this moment, Xu Ping’an—who was being thought of—had dropped his previous tough and steady demeanor and was instead grimacing as he instructed Xiao Jing’er to apply medicine to his finger.
“Hiss~ Be gentle, Xiao Jing, be gentle, it hurts!”
Xiao Jing’er quickly and carefully looked at Xu Ping’an’s hand.
“Mister, how did you get scalded like this? The flesh inside your finger is all cooked… Will there be any aftereffects?”
“What aftereffects? Your Mister is a doctor. If I can’t even handle a little injury like this, how could I ever treat your Miss?”
Xiao Jing’er’s big almond-shaped eyes brimmed with tears.
“Mister, does it still hurt?” “It hurts….”
How could it not hurt?
He’d blocked the mouth of a boiling teapot with his finger. The scalding water seared right through the skin, even cooking the flesh inside.
If it didn’t hurt, that would be strange.
“Who was it? Mister, tell Xiao Jing, I’ll go get payback! I refuse to believe, in the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence, apart from Miss, anyone else dares to bully you!”
Xiao Jing’er stood up, face full of anger, wiped away her tears and was about to go out for revenge.
Xu Ping’an spoke in a gloomy tone.
“It was the Zhennan King.”
“Even if His Highness scalded you, still… Wa—Wangye?”
Xiao Jing’er’s eyes, filled with tears, looked back at Xu Ping’an with a touch of pitifulness.
“Mister… Maybe, maybe just forget about it?” This girl gave in so fast!
“You’d really just stand by and watch your Mister get scalded and not say a word?”
Seeing Xiao Jing’er’s expression, Xu Ping’an suddenly felt a bit mischievous, looking at her with a pretend aggrieved face.
Xiao Jing’er’s heart fluttered at his gaze.
“Maybe… Maybe Xiao Jing should go speak to His Highness?” “All right, all right, go ahead!”
Hearing this, Xiao Jing’er’s big eyes brimmed with tears again.
She walked to the door, looked back at Xu Ping’an, and her voice started to choke.
“Mi…Mister, even though Xiao Jing’s words carry little weight, for your sake, Xiao Jing is willing. All I ask… all I ask is that after Xiao Jing is beaten to death, you find me a good resting place. Then Xiao Jing would have no regrets~”
Huh?
No way, is she really so easy to tease?
Crying already?
Xu Ping’an was dumbfounded.
Just then, Li Yuer happened to return, and upon entering, she saw this bizarre scene.
She froze.
“Xiao Jing, why are you crying?”
“I… Miss, I… wuwuwu~”
Seeing this, Xu Ping’an quickly covered his face with his hand.
It’s over, he made the little girl cry.
He didn’t dare say anything, and on Li Yuer’s side, only after Xiao Jing’er sobbed and stuttered through her explanation did she finally piece together what had happened.
She shot an exasperated look at Xu Ping’an.
He realized his guilt and hurriedly put on a slightly apologetic expression.
“All right, all right, Mister was teasing you. Think about it—when has Mister ever been cruel enough to let you die, right?”
Xiao Jing’er looked up, her big eyes clear and bright, tears still hanging at the corners.
“Really?”
“Of course it’s true. If you don’t believe me, ask Mister.”
Xiao Jing’er immediately turned her questioning gaze to Xu Ping’an, who quickly apologized.
“Sorry, Xiao Jing, Mister… saw you being so cute just now and couldn’t resist teasing you. Please don’t take it to heart, Mister apologizes to you.”
Xu Ping’an bowed with a salute.
At this, a rosy blush immediately appeared on Xiao Jing’er’s pretty face.
She stomped her foot and pouted: [“Mister, how could you tease Xiao Jing like that, Xiao Jing… Xiao Jing isn’t speaking to you anymore!”]