"Have you relaxed?" Han Li asked.

Liyue curtly nodded. "So, I will get straight to the point since you seem to be questioning yourself," he said looking into her black eyes that looked like the night sky. "I want to take you in as mine and one thing I am sure of is, that is much better for you than being a wife to a random man you might find here in the city."

Liyue hesitated but then bit her lips and nodded.

Han Li looked at her. "Tell me what you think about this," he said.

She looked back at him for the first time but then shook her head inside. Nevertheless, she asked in curiosity: "Does my opinion really matter though? You and father came to a deal and I am now yours. Isn't that a decided matter?"

'I see,' he thought. Seeing why she looked gloomy.

Yue Li frowned in slight disbelief. Did Xiao Li really want to marry someone by making a deal with her father? That was not how she taught him to be.

She had taught him to be gentle with ladies. To care for them if they cared for him. To return kindness with kindness a hundredfold better.

She looked at Han Li with a deeply disgruntled frown. Was he to treat the girl badly now? She will be mad.

It had been quite some time since she scolded him, but she wouldn't hesitate to make him remember once more where they came from.

Wasn't he just forgetting everything once something good happened and he gained power? Was this what the wise used to say, 'Power can corrupt men' meant?

No way she would let her Xiao Li be corrupted. Han Li gently patted her hands to tell her to calm down, and then stood up from the bed. He reached before Liyue and looked into her eyes. "Stand up," he said.

She stood up from her seat and looked up at Han Li's face. He was slightly taller than her. But she could see those red eyes looking at her as if he could see through her.

Han Li lifted her chin. "Do you know why I chose you as my woman?" he asked.

Liyue could feel her heart beating slightly harder. She nodded with a bit of hesitation. Maybe, this was the only chance she might get to speak straight with her soon-to-be Husband. She wanted to tell him what was on her mind. She would have at least tried.

"Wasn't it...because of my Father's money?" Liyue asked. Most people didn't know, but some people did. Her father was quite rich for an Outer Circle citizen of Starlight Zone.

Han Li shook his head. "Who wants your father's petty money?"

She was confused. "Then why?" She asked. As far as she knew, she didn't even look that beautiful. There were many more beautiful women who would marry Han Li if he was as talented as her father boasted.

Why would he bother going theough all the trouble for her if not for the money? Wasn't she totally worthless without it?

"Many reasons actually, but the first of which is..." He looked at her whole body. "You are a gorgeous woman, Liyue."

Even though not the best beauty, she looked pretty without any makeup. She had a natural charm. And with his experienced eyes, he could tell she would be an absolutely stunning woman after she was more mature.

Liyue felt her heart skip a beat. No matter how she considered herself average, to hear those words from a man in a situation like this felt....good.

"And of course, if I wanted to get a woman for her looks, there are sluts all around in the city. I know Pang Li's... Hmm, now he is my father-in-law, so I should show some respect. Anyway, I know your family's situation." Liyue silently looked at him.

"The fact that you looked after your sick mother for a major part of your life is commendable. I don't see any reason for you to find yourself lesser after doing something like that. In fact, I almost see you as the perfect choice at the moment."

Liyue looked at him with wide eyes. She hadn't really told him what she was feeling but he still told her the answer to an unasked question.

Why was it that someone — someone even better than the bride who abandoned her without a thought — came looking for her? He liked my... character? I was... Gorgeous?

Nobody had ever told something like that to her except her mother. Is he just saying those to fool me?

"Be proud of yourself. And If you feel your opinions lack the proper voice, from now on, yell with my name. Your husband's name. So, if you still wish to be my woman, here is the hand, will you take it?" Han Li gave her a hand. "If you want, you can go home and stay unmarried. I will talk to Pang Li for you."

Liyue could feel her heart thumping. It felt so surreal. Did there really exist a man who cared for her opinion instead of anything else?

Yue Li came from the side and gently took her hands. Then said with a determined face: "Don't worry, my son is a bastard but I won't let him treat you badly. Just take the hand."

Liyue looked at her and her heart suddenly filled with hope. If this was the kind of woman who raised him... Wouldn't he be the best husband?

She dropped her unconscious guard and a small hand fell into Han Li's firm hand. He held it with care.

"Now, we are a family..." Yue Li muttered. Surprisingly, she was quite eager to learn more about this new daughter-in-law. She felt like a perfect friend for her.

'I guess he also chose someone similar to me for me...' She thought with a smile.

Liyue on the other hand was confused but in her mind, she could feel a slight flicker of unknown emotions bubbling. The feeling of a strong hand in her hand. The sense of strength that came with it.

The smiling Yue Li on the side who seemed like the perfect Mother. 'Is this what an actual loving family is like?' she couldn't help but wonder. She had never felt that feeling before. The feeling of wanting to belong somewhere.

Han Li looked at his bubbly mother and nodded inwardly. They were still at the start and it would take a bit of time for Liyue to come out of her shell. But overall, she was a good choice.

He tightly held her hands. Yue Li smiled, "What about I cook something up? I have a new recipe I never tried. Want to eat, daughter-in-law?"

Liyue nodded and an unconscious smile slowly formed on her face. Han Li and Yue Li raised an eyebrow immediately.

"You should smile more, that looks more beautiful that way." Yue Li exclaimed and Han Li nodded.

"She does indeed look beautiful with a smile," he said, patting Liyue's cheeks.

Her heart skipped a beat and she said in a low voice. "Maybe you should speak less sweet words like that..."

Han Li wrapped his hands around her waist. "I will try but 'our' Mom tells me to make you happy. How can I ignore her?"

Yue Li unwrapped his hands from the back and took Liyue away. "That's enough! Now it's time we ladies have our alone time to speak. She will be helping me cook! You get lost now!"

Han Li chuckled. Asking, "Do you know how to cook?"

Liyue nodded immediately. "I am the one who cooks in the house."

"Okay..." Han Li let them go. "The food better be the best thing I ever ate Mom, and be extravagant in spending."

Yue Li nodded and left proudly with her new friend.

After they left the room, Han Li turned his gaze to the window nearby with an irritated face.

"Fatty, you have been snooping around for quite a while there," he said irritably: "Come out!"

A round head poked up from the bushes and looked in through the glass. Then smiled widely. "This fatso..." Speechless, Han Li had the urge to beat him up.

...

In the kitchen. The place was lit up by oil lamps and Yue Li had already put a pot above the fire with some ingredients to get cooking.

"Xiao Li also studied cooking from me," Yue Li spoke with a smile, "He used to be such a cute little thing... He once even tried putting his hand into the fire."

Liyue listened while giving Yue Li the ingredients and cutting them. "I heard he is good at cooking... My father says he is the best chef in the outer circle of our Starlight Zone."

Yue Li proudly nodded. "He learned from me after all."

Liyue awkwardly nodded. But truly, she was far less nervous after coming out of the room. Yue Li was much easier to speak with than Han Li.

"Uhm..." She suddenly spoke but didn't know what to call her anymore.

"You should call me Mother or Mom from now on, that's what Xiao Li calls me."

"But we aren't yet married..." "Hmm...It's the same thing, we both like you already, and that is enough. That mentioned, do you want to know something?" Yue Li looked around as she asked.

"...Yes?"

"Xiao Li told me yesterday that he might just accept you as his wife and not have an official marriage since it is too troublesome. But after we saw you there, I am sure he would accept to have an official marriage. He seems to really accept you."

Liyue became silent. She also liked Han Li as far as she saw but more than that. She liked this family.

"Well, let's cook the rest, Sadly we don't have a refrigerator but it's fine. Xiao Li also likes veggies."

"... Refrigerator?" Yue Li turned silent. Uh, Xiao Li would get mad if I revealed such secrets. He warned her earlier not to reveal any.

"That's a mythical weapon said to Freeze water."

"Such things exist?"

"Maybe?"

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