A transparent jade bottle was placed on a small table next to the couch. Nangong Yi removed his shoes and sat on the couch, saying teasingly, "I’m tired too, so why don’t we sleep together?"
"Hey, who wants to sleep with you? Get down."
Cai Wei scorned him and pushed him away. The moment her hand touched him, Nangong Yi suddenly tensed up.
He inhaled sharply, as if he was in pain and his face held a trace of endurance.
Upon noticing his reaction, Cai Wei stopped and looked at him cautiously.
Nangong Yi gave a faint smile: "It’s nothing, I was just a bit careless and hit something. I’ve already applied medicine."
Cai Wei raised her eyebrows and said, "Since you’re injured, shouldn’t you rest at home instead of running around in the dark? You could catch a cold from the wind and might get tetanus from your wound."
Nangong Yi pulled Cai Wei into his lap, his chin resting on her shoulder, he asked with a smile, "Is it safe to say, you’re concerned about me?"
Cai Wei snorted and turned her head away without admitting it, but she didn’t deny it either.
Nangong Yi laughed even more, greedily breathing in the scent of Cai Wei’s shiny hair, and reluctantly said, "Wei’er, I’m going to Lingbei tomorrow. It could take up to a year or at least six months before I can return. During this time, you must take good care of yourself, wait for me at home, and when I return, we can get married."
"What? What did you say?"
Cai Wei broke away from his embrace, her clear eyes wide with confusion as she looked at him.
Nangong Yi sighed and caressed her tender and porcelain-white cheek.
"I’ve made a deal with my Imperial Father to reclaim the lost territory of Lingbei. In exchange, he allowed me to choose my own marriage. So you just need to stay at home and wait for me to come back and marry you."
"But, wasn’t Lingbei occupied by the Meng slaves over a hundred years ago? It’s not part of our Great Jin anymore. Also, the Mongols are a nomadic tribe and are known for their strength and courage; it’s not easy to reclaim that land."
"I know, but this is the only opportunity my Imperial Father has given me to marry you, and I can’t miss it!"
Nangong Yi said earnestly.
"Wei’er, give me a year. After a year, I will definitely come back to marry you, so you must wait for me..."
The turn of events was something she hadn’t expected. She couldn’t believe that he’d actually propose to his Imperial Father and Mother to marry her, and furthermore, he was willing to go to a battlefield thousands of miles away for her. While his actions left her deeply moved, she also felt helpless.
Originally, she never wanted to get married in this lifetime. She planned to make a name for herself in the business world with her own hands, then live her life freely alongside her family.
However, his appearance had completely disrupted her plans for the future. His powerful presence in her life left no room for her to resist or retreat. He was controlling her future, tying their lives together.
Although she resisted such dominance, she didn’t find it repulsive towards him!
"If you don’t agree, I’ll take it as you’ve acquiesced!"
Nangong Yi didn’t expect her to agree; her silence was enough to imply that she did not object, and he was satisfied with that.
Cai Wei lay in his arms, feeling his strong heartbeat, and was as peaceful as a well-behaved cat.
As time slowly passed, after an unknown duration, Nangong Yi let her go and lay her down flat on the couch. He held her tightly against him, lying beside her, caressing her tender skin and getting closer.
In the darkness, Cai Wei suddenly spoke: "Nangong Yi, what would you do if I get married to someone else within this year?"
Suddenly, the hand roaming her body froze. Nangong Yi opened his eyes abruptly, his dark eyes glinting like a leopard foraging in the dark. His voice turned icy.
"I would kill the man who married you, lock you up, and for the rest of your life, you wouldn’t see another man!"
Cai Wei froze, silently turning around and giving him her back.
Seeing her act out in a sulk, Nangong Yi’s fierce gaze softened. He turned her back around, propped himself up with his arms on both sides of her and looked down at her.
"What? Are you angry, huh?"
Cai Wei huffed, gritting her teeth and saying, "I dare not!"
Nangong Yi surprisingly replied coldly, "Good that you dare not. I have warned you now. If, within this year, you fall for another man, the first thing I will do when I return is personally kill him. Then I will break your legs, lock you up, and for the rest of your life, you won’t be able to leave!"