Chapter 109: Disheartened

Chapter 109

Disheartened

When they arrived back at the mansion, they were informed that Kang Wang had been waiting for some time. Nie Shuang quickened her pace to the main hall, while Song Qilin, carrying the triplets on his own, followed slowly. He was curious to see the look on his friend’s face. After only a day apart, Kang Wang had already come looking for her. Mu Rongying, on the other hand, grew anxious the moment she heard Kang Wang’s name. She tried to slip away, but General Song stopped her.

"At least go in and greet him. After all, you’ve known each other for some time."

Mu Rongying, unable to argue, reluctantly followed General Song into the hall. Her steps were unsteady. Part of her longed to see him, but another part wanted to move on. Now that she had resolved to stay with Sister Nie Shuang, she felt there was no longer any connection between her and Kang Wang.

Inside the hall, ten wooden chests were lined up. Nie Shuang, upon entering, was taken aback. Was someone moving in with her? Kang Wang, noticing her expression, smiled, trying to suppress a laugh before speaking.

"Shuang Shuang, why that expression? Don’t you have a fondness for valuable treasures?"

Nie Shuang was so surprised that she forgot to greet him properly and instead blurted out in confusion,

"What do you mean by this, Your Highness?"

"These are all gifts for you as compensation for taking care of my wife, temporarily left in your care. I can’t just let her stay here for free, can I? When I take her back, I’ll make sure to bring more gifts as thanks."

Nie Shuang’s jaw dropped. Compensation!? Left in her care!? Since when had she agreed to let her adoptive sister become his wife? It seemed Kang Wang had decided this on his own, treating her as if she were some ransom-demanding bandit! Just then, Song Qilin entered the hall, carrying all three of the triplets, with Mu Rongying following behind slowly. After she greeted Kang Wang, she moved to sit quietly in a corner. Ever since she entered the room, Kang Wang’s gaze had not left her slender figure.

The General glanced at the chests and began to speculate on his friend’s intentions. Bringing so many valuables like this, it was clear he intended to bribe his wife. With an innocent smile, Song Qilin commented,

"Bringing so much—could this be a bride price for asking to betroth Nie Ying?"

One sharp jab to hit the mark... Kang Wang gritted his teeth. That Qilin! He knew full well that Kang Wang wasn’t in a position to openly offer a title to Yingying yet, but still, he teased him. Nie Shuang suppressed her laughter so hard that her cheeks hurt, then turned to sip tea. Her husband was truly devious. Meanwhile, Nie Ying, sitting quietly with her head bowed, was blushing deeply. She had been the one to ask Kang Wang to take her virginity. How could she now expect him to take responsibility and propose?

Kang Wang, pretending not to be affected by the jab, gracefully lifted his teacup with an elegant posture.

"Is the pavilion by the water still in use?"

"It’s still usable, Your Highness. Although it’s winter, it’s cleaned daily,"

Nie Shuang responded.

"I haven’t sat at the pavilion for a while. Yingying, take me there, won’t you?"

Kang Wang suddenly turned to her and said. Mu Rongying felt the eyes of everyone in the room focus on her, making her even more flustered. However, she didn’t dare refuse Kang Wang, so she stood up and obeyed his command.

Though Nie Shuang didn’t want to let Mu Rongying return to Kang Wang’s palace, she also didn’t intend to interfere with them spending time together. Let’s see what kind of tricks Kang Wang would use on this innocent girl. As soon as they left, Song Qilin chuckled deeply.

"He must not be able to wait any longer."

"Mm, he didn’t even think to take the treasure back with him. Your friend is really smitten."

Nie Shuang smiled as she spoke to her husband. She had no intention of accepting Kang Wang’s gifts. Sure, she liked wealth, but it had to be earned through her own effort, not taken from others. Besides, she saw Kang Wang as a good friend, not someone to take advantage of.

As for Mu Rongying, although she was staying at the Nie family mansion, she still wasn’t very familiar with the layout. She accidentally led Kang Wang into the flower garden. Though he realized she had taken the wrong path, he didn’t say a word, simply following her in silence until she hesitated, unsure of the way. At that moment, Kang Wang spoke up.

"Lost your way? How about we head back the same way?"

Of course, he wasn’t just referring to the paths within the mansion. Mu Rongying understood his underlying meaning. He was inviting her to return to him once again. Kang Wang stepped forward and stood in front of her, speaking softly.

"Yingying, I still need to remain the unblemished Kang Wang for a while longer. I cannot marry anyone just yet. You understand, don’t you?"

Mu Rongying nodded. She understood that his marriage would be a significant political matter, shifting the balance of power. She had no intention of demanding anything. She wanted to tell him not to worry about what had happened, and his gentlemanly demeanor only made her admire him more. How could she ever pull him down with her?

"I appreciate your kindness with all my heart, Your Highness. I have already received so much from you, yet I haven’t had the chance to repay any of it. In fact, it’s me who should feel ashamed."

Though Kang Wang knew she was humble and self-effacing, being rejected repeatedly still stung. The words of persuasion he had planned died on his lips, as a mixture of frustration and resignation welled up inside him. Mu Rongying, noticing his silence, looked up at him. But by then, Kang Wang had already turned away, taking the lead as he began walking ahead.

"The weather is too cold to visit the pavilion. You’ll only fall ill for no reason. Let’s go back."

His sudden change in demeanor left Mu Rongying scrambling to keep up, nearly running to follow him. Kang Wang walked briskly, as though trying to escape something—disappointment?...Regret? He didn’t know the answer himself. Life in the palace was not easy, and finding love was even harder. Being kind to someone always seemed to turn into an unpayable debt.

When they returned to the hall, the couple inside were surprised at how quickly they had come back. Wasn’t Kang Wang supposed to seize this chance to be closer to Mu Rongying?

Before they could ask, Kang Wang spoke first.

"I apologize for visiting without notice today. I should take my leave now."

"Your Highness..." Nie Shuang began to protest, but Kang Wang had already turned and was gone.