Chapter 382: Confession

Chapter 382: Confession

"Don't you want to know how fast this heir's heart is beating?"

"This way, you can feel it more clearly."

Luo Qingge: "..."

Although this method was a bit shameless, she could indeed feel that Xie Liuzheng's heart was beating extremely fast—more than twice as fast as hers.

His eyes were full of deep affection as he gazed down at her, asking in a hoarse voice, "Can you feel it, Princess?"

Luo Qingge felt her face flush all the way to the tips of her ears. She tensed up and nodded. "I... I can feel it."

When she said that, Xie Liuzheng arched an eyebrow casually and said, "You started this by teasing me, so now you have to deal with the consequences."

"Now that you've kissed and touched me, if you're willing to marry me, you'll be my only wife from now on, and I'll protect and love you with my life."

"If you don't want to marry me, I won't force you. As for breaking off the engagement, I'll find a way to handle it and make sure your reputation isn't damaged. After that, you can marry the man you love and live happily with him."

He was usually carefree and wild, but right now, his eyes were dead serious.

Luo Qingge looked up at him, suddenly feeling a wave of sympathy. Xie Liuzheng was really thinking about what was best for her.

For her sake, he was even willing to defy the emperor's order and call off the engagement.

Luo Qingge's eyes grew slightly red as she suddenly spoke, "I'm willing to marry you."

This time, Xie Liuzheng was the one stunned. He wondered if he'd heard wrong and asked again, "What did you say?"

"I said, I'm willing to marry you." Luo Qingge bit her lip, her clear eyes brighter than the sky after a fresh snowfall.

She said softly, "Although I don't want to admit it, I've actually liked you for a long time. My heart doesn't lie."

"Even if my third sister-in-law hadn't sent me that letter today, I would have found a way to meet you and ask what you thought of me."

Luo Qingge looked up at the incredibly handsome man before her and smiled sweetly.

"Xie Liuzheng, I'm willing to marry you. Are you willing to marry me?"

The confession was so sudden that Xie Liuzheng was stunned.

After the shock, a wave of overwhelming joy flooded his heart.

His eyes lit up, and he said joyfully, "I'm willing. I'm willing to marry you."

After that, they looked at each other and smiled.

Ji Yuntang and Luo Sinian were hiding behind the bushes, watching the two confess their feelings and hug, excitement shining in their eyes.

"It worked! It actually worked!"

Ji Yuntang grabbed Luo Sinian's arm and started dragging him away. "Come on, let's go. Let them have some alone time. We shouldn't bother them!"

Luo Sinian's mouth twitched, and he said helplessly, "Third sister-in-law, wasn't spying on them your idea?"

"Oh, I was just worried they might get into a fight, so we could come break it up quickly. Now that they've sorted things out, are we supposed to stay here and be a third wheel?"

Luo Sinian and Ji Yuntang snuck in and snuck out, and Xie Liuzheng and Luo Qingge didn't notice a thing.

They sat side by side, and Xie Liuzheng turned to look at the stunningly beautiful woman next to him.

"Princess Jiu, actually, I've liked you for a long time too. I just never had the guts to say it because I was afraid you hated me."

Luo Qingge's eyes curved into a smile, joy shining in them.

"So, we started off as enemies and ended up lovers?"

"Of course," Xie Liuzheng nodded. "This is probably what people call a match made in heaven through bickering!"

Luo Qingge took his hand. "Xie Liuzheng, I've always wanted to ask you something."

"Why can't you touch any other woman besides me?"

Xie Liuzheng's gaze froze, and a faraway look crossed his handsome face.

"This goes back to when I was six years old."

"Once, I went with my mother to visit relatives in Jiangnan, down south. When I was a kid, I was really mischievous and loved to run around. While shopping with my mother, I caught the eye of two human traffickers."

"When my mother wasn't looking, they kidnapped me and sold me to a brothel in a nearby county."

"That brothel was like a regular whorehouse, but even more lawless. Besides the women who entertained clients, there were also men who liked other men inside."

"The madam saw that I had delicate features and figured I'd be good for attracting customers in the future, so she had some women try to brainwash me."

"The smell of their perfume made me nauseous. I couldn't eat a single bite for days and could only drink water to keep up my strength."

"In that place, I saw how complicated the world was and how cruel people could be, and at the same time, I developed a physical disgust for women."

Luo Qingge's heart clenched, and she asked, "What happened then?"

"Later, my parents brought people to find me. By then, I was already on the verge of death!"

"When they saw my condition, they burned the whole brothel down in a rage and had everyone inside arrested."

"Even so, it left an indelible psychological scar on me. From then on, I couldn't stand to touch any woman, even my own mother."

"After I got home and recovered, I started training hard in martial arts. From then on, my personality changed drastically. I stopped focusing on my studies. Instead, I spent my days wandering around and doing whatever I wanted. Slowly, my reputation in the capital went down the drain."

Luo Qingge felt a mix of emotions hearing this, but at the same time, she felt sorry for him.

She couldn't imagine how Xie Liuzheng had gotten through those days in the brothel.

A six-year-old kid, at an age when he should've been innocent and carefree, had instead seen the darkest side of life.

Not only that, he'd nearly lost his life because of it.

Xie Liuzheng curled his lips and smiled casually. "As for why I can touch you, I'm not really sure either."

"I think it's because your personality is a lot like mine, so I felt close to you from the bottom of my heart and was willing to accept you."

Luo Qingge suddenly reached out and hugged him. "It's okay. Let the past stay in the past. No matter what happens, I'll face it with you."

A faint warmth spread through Xie Liuzheng's heart as he slowly reached out and hugged Luo Qingge.

For the first time, he realized that even someone like him, covered in mud, could be loved.

"Thank you, Princess Jiu."

The two leaned against each other, holding each other for a long time, until the setting sun dyed half the sky red.

Luo Qingge sat up, not wanting to leave, and said, "It's getting late. I need to return to the palace, or Mom will start worrying again!"

Xie Liuzheng reluctantly let go of her.

Before she left, Xie Liuzheng called out to Luo Qingge.

"The night after tomorrow, on New Year's Eve, may I invite you to go out and admire the lanterns together?"

Luo Qingge turned back and smiled at him, "New Year's Eve, at Acacia Bridge, don't leave until we meet."

Xie Liuzheng escorted Luo Qingge to the entrance of Prince Ye's residence, but he wasn't in a rush to leave.

Instead, he turned back and talked about the restaurant's opening plans with Ji Yuntang.

After talking it over, they decided to name their barbecue restaurant "Fireworks Grill," which would officially open tomorrow.

Ji Yuntang teased Xie Liuzheng with a smile, "Brother, whether you can lose your reputation as a good-for-nothing in the future all depends on how well you manage this barbecue restaurant!"

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