There was a long silence between them, and the room was silent.

Xie Zhen was standing a few feet away, and her eyes were wide and moist, with no intention of approaching.

Yan Yu was getting impatient. He didn't have much time left, so he couldn't afford to waste it all on this.

He looked at Xie Zhen. "Are you going to come over or not?"

Xie Zhen shook her head and said easily, "You tell me. I can hear you from here."

Who cared if she heard or not?

Was she standing so far away, afraid that he would eat her?

Yan Yu shook the armrest, stood up abruptly, walked to her, grabbed her hand without any explanation, and pulled her to the side of the chair. "Sit down," he said.

After he finished speaking, he felt the soft and boneless hand in his palm. He couldn't help but squeeze lightly, and she shrank back.

He realized that not only was she younger than him, even her hands were smaller. She hadn't grown for so many years?

Why was everything of hers so small?

After a short time, he finally loosened his grip.

He sat on the square chair beside him and looked towards the cabinet with virid yarns at the entrance. "Don't get close to the crown prince in the future."

Xie Zhen moved silently to the other side of the chair and nodded obediently. "Yeah."

She didn't have any objections to that. She didn't want to have too much contact with the crown prince, especially when she thought of the scented sachet she had embroidered for him. She felt an indescribable awkwardness.

She only hoped that she wouldn't meet him in the future and that she wouldn't live her own life.

Yan Yu's expression eased a little. He coughed and tilted his head, saying, "In another two months, my mansion built in the Beining Street will be completed. If you have anything you want to buy, just tell me. I will have someone prepare it."

Then he thought for a while and added, "I will bring you there to check it. Everything in the mansion can be arranged according to your wishes."

Xie Zhen seemed uninterested and gave a little "oh" sound.

There was nothing more to say.

There was a moment of silence again. Yan Yu pursed his lips and suddenly turned to look at her: "You don't have any requests?"

Xie Zhen didn't think much of it, and for a while she didn't think much about it.

But since he asked, she wanted to answer him sincerely, so she tilted her head and seriously thought for a moment, "Can I put my bed where the morning sun is?"

"I like the sun when I get up in the morning. "

Yan Yu wrote it down in his mind, "Sure."

Her next words completely destroyed his good mood. "How many rooms are there in the mansion?"

"Do I sleep in the side room? "

Yan Yu almost jumped up. He suddenly became angry and asked irritably, "You want to sleep in the side room?"

Xie Zhen was shocked by his sudden change of expression, she leaned back in her chair, keeping as far away from him as possible.

"Then should I sleep in another room?"

She didn't even know what kind of tricks he was playing, how could he suddenly get angry?

Yan Yu's thin lips pursed into a frown, his jaw taut, he spat out word by word, "You want to sleep in a seperate room from mine?"

Xie Zhen was stunned. Would it be that she was wrong?

From the very beginning, she had thought that their marriage was only a formality. She wanted to avoid the crown prince's entanglement, and it was only because he didn't have a girl he liked that he came to her side. Since they didn't like each other, why did he force her to sleep with him?

Xie Zhen remained silent for a moment. "Didn't you say you wouldn't touch me?"

Yan Yu suddenly froze where he was. The expression on his face twitched for a moment, and his anger gradually disappeared. He probably felt like he lifted a rock and smashed his own feet.

"Who said I would touch you if I slept in the same bed?"

"If we split up and sleep in separate rooms, wouldn't it be a joke if word of it got out?"

Xie Zhen thought for a moment that what he said made sense, and not only would he be seen as a joke, but she would also be given trouble by Duke Dingguo's Mansion.

"I'll sleep in the side room, anyway," she conceded. "It won't spread too far, because we are in one room."

"..."

In short, she had made up her mind not to sleep with him. Yan Yu recognized this reality. It was as if there was a layer of dark clouds above his head; it was dark and heavy.

However, he couldn't take back the words he said. Xie Zhen was still regretting his words, so he asked, "You didn't say anything, did you agree?"

He gritted his teeth. "I'll sleep in the side room, you'll sleep in the inner room."

Xie Zhen was a little surprised and quickly agreed, "Alright."

Thus, the matter was settled. Yan Yu prepared to leave in order to save her from saying something that would enrage him again. By then, he didn't know if he could bear it anymore.

Unfortunately, before he could take two steps, he was grabbed by the back of his sleeve by Xie Zhen. Her strength was very small, and she had some hesitation on her face.

He stopped, turned around and snappily asked, "What else do you want?"

Xie Zhen raised her watery eyes, and her thin and white teeth bit into her lips. She asked in a shy tone," Would you promise me on a few requests?"

As soon as Yan Yu heard this, he knew it was not a good thing. Without thinking, he said, "No."

After saying that, he turned around and continued to walk out.

He looked down at the small white hand on his sleeve and looked back — Xie Zhen got up off her chair and looked at him hopefully, her eyes like a fawn's, making him soften a little.

He asked, "What's wrong?"

Xie Zhen blinked. "You said last time that you didn't like someone and had to marry me, right?"

He was stunned. "Yes."

She asked again, "Then after you have someone you like, can you let me go?"

Yan Yu's eyes became cold and he blurted out, "No."

Just as he finished speaking, he met her pitiful gaze and could only change the topic. "Let's talk about it later."

There would be no one there anyway.

Xie Zhen was afraid that once she got into his territory, she would be eaten to the bone, and then she would have no way out, so that she would be too miserable.

"I want to go home once a month."

It was better to agree to this request. He would come back with her every month, so Yan Yu nodded. "Alright."

She added, "In the future, no matter how angry you get, you can't hit me."

"You can't yell at me. "

When had he hit her?

When did he yell at her?

Yan Yu's breath caught in his throat as he almost fell over, "Alright."

"..."

"You said you won't touch me. "

She was still worried.

Yan Yu pursed his lips. After a long while, he finally gave a dry grunt of assent.

"I won't interfere with your life, and you won't interfere with mine in the future, will you?"

His face turned black. "You want to find a man outside?"

Xie Zhen blushed and gave him a baffling look. "What are you talking?!"

He gave a slight snort. Wasn't that what she meant by her words?

She wouldn't have the chance even if she wanted it!

As long as she married him, she would be his woman. Whether they took consummation or not, they could not change this indisputable fact.

"This one doesn't work."

After a pause, he turned around and said, "How can couples not interfere with each other's lives?"

"If you marry me, you will interfere with me."

What nonsense was this?

But Xie Zhen couldn't deny it!

She pursed her lips. "Oh."

Yan Yu asked, "Do you have any other requests?"

"No," she said. "I'll tell you when I think of it."

"..."

Yan Yu brushed his sleeves. He was already so angry that he even lost his temper. He said coldly: "Then I'm leaving."

Xie Zhen stood there, watching him go. "Go then."

He stopped at the door and turned to look at her.

Her hands were clasped behind her back, and her face finally broke into a smile. She was wearing a goose-yellow blouse made of leno and a blue dress that looked like a ray of sunlight piercing through silk, exuding warmth.

At that moment, Yan Yu really wanted to hug her.

When he thought of something, his handsome face reddened unnoticeably. In order to conceal his insanity, he deliberately lowered his voice and said, "Can't you come over and send me off?"

Xie Zhen's smile faded. She did not to know what to do. "How should I send you off?" she asked.

Her parents and grandparents were standing outside the courtyard. If she went out to send him off, she would definitely be criticized for not being reserved enough.

She looked at him, embarrassed, and saw that his face was a little red. "What's the matter with you?"

Yan Yu tilted his head, "It's too hot, it's sunny."

She did not doubt it, but she forgot that she had heard the words. When they were young, he had answered it the same way, leaning against the wall.

She stood in the doorway, mulling it over, and chose a more tactful way. "It's not noon yet. If you don't leave, the afternoon sun will be hotter."

Yan Yu ruthlessly exposed her, "You really want me to leave?"

She looked up, her long, raised eyelashes flashing and blinking, making his heart itch.

He really wanted to take her away now. In the future, he would be the only one looking at her.

Xie Zhen shook her head. She was smart. "If you don't leave, you can stay for lunch."

"Who cares about her lunch?"

Yan Yu opened his mouth several times, wanting to call out her name so that she could hug him. Unfortunately, in the end, he could not allow himself to do so.

He stepped over the threshold, this time without looking back. "Go back."

After a long time, Xie Zhen called in Shuang Yu and Shuang Yan, and they walked slowly back to the courtyard.

Xie Xun was waiting in the courtyard for a long time. When she saw her, she rushed towards her with a worried expression. "Sis, what did you talk?"

"Did the sixth prince make things difficult for you?"

Xie Zhen said no, and took her into the room. "He said he built a mansion outside and asked me if I want anything."

When hearing this, Xie Xun let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Ever since she knew that Yan Yu was the sixth prince, she had been worried that her elder sister would be bullied if she married him.

Furthermore, both she and Xie Rong were not satisfied with this marriage. After all, Yan Yu's performance as a child was really bad ...

However, the imperial edict was not to be disobeyed. No matter how discontented they were, they could not resist.

"When is the wedding?" Xie Xun asked.

Xie Zhen said, "The sixth of October."

Xie Xun counted with her fingers. 'My sister's birthday is at the end of the year. In that case ...'

She raised her head and asked, "Elder sister, you will not be fifteen years old at that time?"

Xie Zhen was stunned. It seemed like it was true.

After leaving Duke Dingguo's Mansion, Li Yu did not return to the palace. Instead, he went straight to the sixth prince's Mansion on Beining Street.

The mansion had yet to be completed. Only the rough outline and a red lacquered door had been completed. The two stone lions standing before the door were majestic.

He dismounted and handed the whip to the servant at the door. "Show me around."

The servants knew him, took the whip cautiously, and led him inside.

"Your Highness, please."

With wide strides, he asked as he walked, "How's it going?"

The servant replied, "The central room and the main house are already almost completed. There are still a few small courtyards that they are busy working day and night. The steward has arranged everything according to Your Highness' instructions."

" Spring Blossom Castle has reached the completion stage, does Your Highness wish to take a look?"

He did not have the time to take a look and went straight to the point. "Bring me to the main house first."

The servant said yes and quickly led him over.

The main house was exquisitely built and it took a lot of effort to carve a picture of a building.

Yan Yu looked at its appearance and was quite satisfied. He then walked straight into the room, "Where are the inner room and side room?"

The servant was still confused and did as he was told. "Your highness, please follow me."

The house had just been built, and it was empty except for the white walls and the solitary window.

After walking past the floor cover with flowers and birds carved on it, the servant pointed to the interior and said, "This is the inner room."

After saying that, he led him out of the inner room and into another small room. "Your Highness, this is the side room."

He looked at the layout and saw that there was only a wall between the inner and the side rooms, so he said in a flat voice, "Open these two rooms and put on a door between them."

The servant was puzzled.

However, he did not intend to explain further. After he finished, he left the main room in satisfaction.