"Mother..." He swallowed the words back halfway. There were people in the room, and more than one person. A man in black clothes was sitting at the table, looking at the teacup in his hand. He looked up when he heard the sound. Zhao Pei saw his appearance clearly and was so scared that she took several steps back and stumbled on the threshold. Fortunately, He Hui supported her from behind.
The stern man in black was Xiao Yi! Her future husband.
Ruhua stood silently behind him with her head down, not daring to say a word.
Zhao Pei forced a smile and stammered, "Why... are you here?"
"If Pepe can come, why can't I?" Xiao Yi looked at her with a smile, his deep eyes like a bottomless abyss that wanted to suck her in.
He Hui supported Zhao Pei and could feel her slight trembling. He couldn't help but be surprised by this man who suddenly appeared. Did he have some connection with Xu Di? So he asked, "Xu Di, who is this...?"
Zhao Pei was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to introduce his identity. At this moment, she just wanted to slip away when they were not paying attention. Xiao Yi had already stood up and walked slowly in front of them, looking at He Hui indifferently. For some reason, his first impression of him was not very good, perhaps because at this moment, his fiancée was lying in his arms.
"Me?" Xiao Yi chuckled, pulled Zhao Pei's arm, pulled her out of his arms and brought her to his side: "I am her husband."
He Hui was stunned, looking at Zhao Pei, who was also startled, in doubt. He said that he was his husband. Then he... was a woman. He Hui was not very surprised. As early as when they held hands, he had doubted that such a delicate and smooth hand could not belong to a man. The coquettish laughter and scolding were not from a man. But, he was her husband...
Seeing that he was in a daze, Zhao Pei waited angrily for Xiao Yi: "What nonsense are you talking about? Whose husband are you? I don't admit it."
Xiao Yi shrugged: "This is not up to you or me. I am also following my father's wishes." He turned to look at He Hui, "I haven't asked this person yet?"
"My name is He Hui." He clasped his fists and said, "I am here to have the honor of becoming friends with Brother Xu... not Miss Xu. I am really sorry that I did not realize before... that the young lady was a girl."
Xiao Yi seemed to be doting and said, "Brother He, please forgive me for making fun of you. Peipei just likes to dress up as a man and do whatever she wants outside. She has caused trouble for you, Brother He."
"Miss Xu has a cheerful personality. I am lucky to meet such a woman." He Hui laughed heartily and added at the end, "You are so lucky, brother."
Xiao Yi raised the corners of his lips: "So he ran thousands of miles to find her, didn't he?"
There was no conversation for a moment. He Hui looked at Zhao Pei and the stern man who seemed to have not yet recovered from their slumber. His heart ached, but he forced a smile and said, "Since you two have met again, I will not bother you any more. Now let's say goodbye." He did not hear Zhao Pei calling him, and hurried downstairs. The stairs creaked and almost broke.
After He Hui walked away, Xiao Yi slowly turned around and looked at Zhao Pei in silence. She looked so energetic in men's clothes, just like when he first met her. He waved his hand, and Ruhua tactfully left the room.
Zhao Pei finally came to her senses and stared at him: "Why... are you here?"
"I came to find you, go back. You are my wife." Xiao Yi replied briefly, but every word made her feel suffocated.
"There's no one here now, so you don't have to act anymore." Zhao Pei said angrily, "Xiao Yi. You're... so efficient. How did you find me?"
"This is not a difficult task. I can even find out that you originally wanted to go to Yongzhou, but thought it was too far, so you passed through Qikang Town, Yongle Town, and Yong'an Town, and then came here."
This was probably the first time Zhao Pei heard him utter so many words in one breath, and she felt it was rare. But she did not slack off at all, and quietly moved to the door, with her hands behind her back touching the door panel, ready to rush out at any time.
"Pack up, we'll be leaving soon." Xiao Yi looked at her, "Take off this outfit... Never mind, that's all."
Zhao Pei looked at him with a smile, and immediately turned around and ran out the door. Unexpectedly, she tripped over the low threshold, lost her balance and fell forward. Xiao Yi quickly grabbed her collar and dragged her back, looking at her with a hint of sarcasm. Zhao Pei stood up straight in embarrassment and cleared her throat twice: "Didn't you see that there was a door behind. Haha."
Xiao Yi said patiently: "Pack up quickly, we will go back immediately."
Zhao Pei rolled her eyes and smiled flatteringly: "Seventh Brother, I have something to discuss with you..."
Xiao Yi knew that she must have some tricks up her sleeve, so he didn't refute her immediately. He just sat back at the table and poured himself a cup of tea to sip slowly. Zhao Pei followed and said with a smile, "Seventh brother, how about you just pretend that you haven't seen me? Just pretend that I haven't been to Yongchang Town. How about you go back and tell the emperor that you couldn't find me?"
Xiao Yi looked at her indifferently without saying anything, but his eyes were full of "impossible".
Zhao Pei continued to persuade him, "Seventh Brother, this marriage is not something you want and I don't want, why force it?"
Xiao Yi suddenly smiled and put down the ink-colored teacup in his hand, staring at her with interest: "How did you know that I am unkind?"
Zhao Pei was stunned, and asked him stupidly: "Are you interested?" She didn't believe it as soon as she said it. Xiao Yi glanced at her indifferently, and said after a long time: "Have you considered your family? You can just leave, but have you ever thought about your brother, sister, father, and mother? They will be implicated because of you."
Zhao Pei's heart sank when she heard this. She had never thought about this before. If she left, how would her family cope with it? But... Zhao Pei was unwilling to do so after all. But Xiao Yi, are you doing this for the sake of face
After pondering for a long time, Zhao Pei sighed: "Okay, I'll go back with you. But... can it be a little later? I..." Suddenly she didn't know what excuse to use. She couldn't say that she needed some time to think of a solution.
It was already night, and the town fell into silence. Zhao Pei sat at the table, confronting him.
After waiting for what seemed like a long time, Xiao Yi said expressionlessly, "I'll leave right away." There was no room for bargaining.
Zhao Pei's face suddenly drooped. What kind of situation would it be if she lived with such a cold iceberg in the future? She couldn't imagine it.
"You can't stop me if I want to leave." Zhao Pei stared at him and said slowly.
But Xiao Yi rolled his eyes at her: "As long as you are within my sight, I will not let you escape." He said it decisively, so confidently and with such indifference and arrogance that Zhao Pei felt depressed. At the same time, he secretly hardened his heart.
Frowning slightly, she opened her red lips and said, "Wait... I have something to tell you, come closer." Zhao Pei smiled as if in the spring breeze. Xiao Yi patiently came forward, and Zhao Pei's hand on the table moved silently to the burning candle.
Xiao Yi, who had been waiting for her to speak, saw that she was silent. Before he could come to his senses, his face suddenly felt burning and his eyes stung, as if something had spilled into his eyes. He could not see anything, it was all black. He heard the sound of a chair falling to the ground and the sound of messy footsteps beside him.
Enduring the severe pain, Xiao Yi reached out to grab her, trying to stop her from escaping, but he missed and almost tripped. What on earth did this girl do to him? She was so cruel.
"Someone come!" He shouted, "Catch her for me!" (To be continued)