Ye Luan's face instantly flushed red as she struggled to push him away.
But the bed was right beneath her, and no matter how much she retreated, she was still firmly locked in his embrace.
Xiao Chizhan quickly shifted, blocking her body, and casually grabbed the quilt from the inside, covering Xueqiu's head.
He was so fast that she didn't even have time to stop him.
"You're going to crush it to death."
Ye Luan leaned over, trying to rescue Xueqiu, who was meowing from under the quilt.
Xiao Chizhan caught her hand and said, "It's so fat, it won't be crushed."
"---"
Disregarding Xueqiu's protests, he directly pulled the quilt over them both and lowered his head to kiss her.
Ye Luan quickly resisted him, twisting her waist beneath him, and urged,
"Get up quickly, it's embarrassing."
"Besides us, who else is there?"
Xueqiu, "---"
Ye Luan, "---"
"Then don't be embarrassing in front of Xueqiu."
Xiao Chizhan said, "I'm not afraid of being embarrassed."
"Can your skin get any thicker?" Ye Luan said, giving him a reproachful glance, and urged, "Hurry up and get down."
As soon as she finished speaking, before Xiao Chizhan could do anything, a meow suddenly sounded.
The fluffy little milk ball suddenly rushed out from under the quilt, leaped directly onto Xiao Chizhan's back, and clawed at the quilt, trying to get in.
Xiao Chizhan's face darkened. He reached back, grabbed Xueqiu, and threatened, "If you cause any more trouble, I'll turn you into a cat-skin lantern."
Upon hearing this, Xueqiu's body instantly shivered in fear.
"Meow, Mother--"
Ye Luan was stunned for a moment by his words. Hearing Xueqiu's plea for help, she immediately pinched his waist with her hand.
"If you scare Xueqiu again, you won't see either of us again."
Xiao Chizhan, "----"
He said indignantly, "This little brat is more important than me?"
Ye Luan ignored him, kicked him, and took Xueqiu from his hands.
Seeing Xueqiu lying on her chest, looking at him triumphantly, Xiao Chizhan got up angrily, grabbed Xueqiu by the scruff of its neck from behind, and threw it behind him.
Just as Ye Luan was about to scold him, he suddenly reached out, pulled her out from under the quilt, and pressed her into his arms.
His well-defined hands skillfully slipped under her arms and reached the ties at the back of her bodice, fastening them for her.
"Are you that childish, arguing with a cat?"
Xiao Chizhan didn't speak, continuing to tighten her underclothes.
Xueqiu, unaware of what they were doing, leaped onto Xiao Chizhan's shoulder, bared its little milk teeth, and meowed at Ye Luan lying in his arms, looking very cute.
Ye Luan chuckled, picked it up, placed it on her, and gently stroked its soft, smooth fur.
Xiao Chizhan held her, lowered his eyelids, looked at the woman and the cat in his arms, and curved his lips slightly.
"So fat, it'll press on you."
Seeing that he was about to tease Xueqiu again, Ye Luan immediately hugged Xueqiu and retreated from his arms, burrowing into the quilt.
"I'm sleepy, let's sleep."
Xiao Chizhan lifted the quilt, looked at the ball of fluff blocking the space between them, and furrowed his brows.
"You're holding it to sleep, what about me?"
Ye Luan gave him a coquettish glance, hugged Xueqiu, and turned over, lying on her side.
Xiao Chizhan unsatisfactorily hugged her from behind, burying his face in her neck to kiss her.
"Luan Luan, it's uncomfortable."
Just as Ye Luan was about to turn around, Xueqiu in her arms lifted its eyes and stared at them.
She paused, covered Xueqiu's eyes, and quickly turned her head to kiss him.
"Good boy, go to sleep quickly."
Xiao Chizhan hugged her waist, lingered for a while longer, and then lay down with her.
As the night deepened, the cool moonlight spilled into the room.
Everything calmed down.
Ye Luan was already asleep from exhaustion.
Xiao Chizhan opened his eyes, glanced at Xueqiu sleeping soundly in her arms, and gently moved it further inside.
Then he turned Ye Luan over to face him.
She slept soundly and peacefully, her red lips slightly pouted, looking alluring.
He couldn't help but lower his head to kiss her, held her in his arms, and closed his eyes.
----
The next day, when Ye Luan woke up, Xiao Chizhan had already left.
She narrowed her eyes and reached out to feel beside her, finding it empty.
"Meow~"
Xueqiu crawled over from behind, bit her with its little milk teeth, and gamboled on her.
Ye Luan came back to her senses, hugged it, and lingered in bed for a while longer. Hearing the sound of the maids outside, she finally got up to wash and dress.
After breakfast, she changed her clothes and planned to go to the General's Mansion.
But as soon as she stepped out, she saw an old wet nurse from her grandmother's side hurrying towards her, an unconcealable joy on her face.
"Miss, great news."
Ye Luan asked curiously, "What good news?"
Did her aunt have another young son?
Or had her grandmother obtained another treasure, or had her cousins in the mansion gotten engaged?
"The imperial decree for a marriage has arrived. The Old Madam wants you to hurry to the front hall to receive it."
"Imperial decree?"
The wet nurse said happily. Seeing her standing still, she quickly added, "According to the eunuch, it was the King of Dingbei himself who issued the decree, wanting to marry Miss as his consort."
Last year, their affairs had been the talk of the capital. Now, Miss was already past sixteen, yet no one had come to propose.
The Old Madam had been worried for over half a year. Now that the King of Dingbei personally issued the decree to seek marriage with Miss, those who had been watching the fun would be proven wrong.
Looking ahead, who would dare to gossip again?!
It finally silenced those people.
Seeing Ye Luan's calm expression, the wet nurse teased with a smile, "Miss, could it be that you're stunned? Hurry up, everyone in the mansion is waiting in the front hall, and the people from the palace are also here."
The King of Dingbei, this was the powerful Regent, the true ruler of the Great Liang imperial family. Miss marrying so high was truly good fortune.
Ye Luan came back to her senses, nodded, and quickly headed towards the main hall.
In the main hall.
Eunuch Xu saw Ye Luan, dressed in a red dress, walking gracefully, and quickly stood up.
Just as Ye Luan was about to kneel with the rest of the mansion, she heard Eunuch Xu say in his shrill voice with a smile, "Miss, you don't need to kneel. His Highness has granted permission."
"---"
Everyone else, "---"
Ye Luan coughed lightly, secretly glanced at her grandmother kneeling on the ground, and seeing her nod, she respectfully stood to the side.
"By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor, decrees: It is heard that Ye Luan, the legitimate daughter of the Ye family, is endowed with spiritual beauty, is gentle and virtuous, and when of age for marriage, is fitting to receive this noble ceremony. Henceforth, she is bestowed upon the King of Dingbei, Xiao Chizhan, as his principal consort. A propitious date shall be chosen for the wedding. Let this be proclaimed to all, that all may know. Respect this!"
Everyone respectfully bowed and thanked the Emperor.
Ye Luan also said, "This humble daughter receives the decree and expresses gratitude."
Eunuch Xu smiled and handed the imperial decree to Ye Luan.
"Congratulations, Miss Ye, congratulations, Old Madam."
Ye Luan took the imperial decree and smiled faintly, "Thank you, Eunuch."
Old Madam Bai smiled and slipped some silver to the eunuch who delivered the decree, then ordered Bai Wennian to personally escort the palace officials out.
Eunuch Xu did not refuse, accepted the silver, and bid them farewell with a smile.
After everyone left, the hall erupted.
The people in the mansion smiled and crowded around Ye Luan, babbling, mostly offering congratulations.
Younger girls looked up in admiration. Their cousin was marrying the current Regent, second only to the Emperor, and would soon be a princess.