Miss Truth-Chapter 697: Side Story Three: Xiao Jiu - 3

On that rainy day in Suzhou, she was the first woman to come close to me in those years.

I cannot deny that Seventeenth Lady’s appearance greatly attracted me, but the more I interacted with her, the more I realized her personality was intriguing.

Although I rarely interacted with women, it did not mean I did not understand them. On the contrary, I saw more clearly than most men.

She was a legitimate daughter of the Ran family and, though born into a prestigious family, she lacked any hint of the delicacy typical of ladies from noble families. Her gaze seemed somewhat stiff, yet I could feel her honesty.

I knew Ran Shilang recognized me, so I deliberately appeared before him, wanting to see if the Wife, upon learning I was the dreaded Gui Jianchou of Chang’an, would lose her composure like others had.

However, upon meeting again, her gaze was still stiff and her expression wooden, but I found her in that state to be an unparalleled beauty hard to find in this world.

It seemed that nothing about me could stir much emotion in her, yet her actions deeply shocked me. When I saw her skillfully dissecting a corpse, I deliberately inquired about her background.

The more I heard, the more my interest in her grew.

During my days in Suzhou, I took every chance I could to see her.

But the joyful days always seemed so short, and I had to return to Chang’an to report on my duties.

When I experienced the joy of being with Seventeenth Lady and then returned to my mundane life, I found the adjustment difficult, almost thinking of her every day, unable to resist the urge to learn what she was up to. Thus, I sent someone to Suzhou, asking them to send back news periodically.

It’s strange to say, but though we had only met a few times, after we parted, my feelings spontaneously transformed into love.

This love made me decide that no matter what my status or the risks, I must marry her.

It felt like I had waited ten years, but I finally found an opportunity to go to Suzhou myself.

When I arrived in Suzhou, I suppressed my excitement, carefully washed away the grime of travel, and changed clothes several times, hoping to present the best version of myself. Many women adored my appearance, and I hoped to elicit at least a small degree of her liking.

But midway there, I considered that my sudden enthusiasm might be hard for her to accept, so I hurried back to change into official uniform, thinking it would appear less deliberate.

However, reality is always so cruel.

Soon, I found that Su Ziqi had already positioned himself by her side before me.

In that moment, countless emotions surged in my heart, and myriad thoughts raced through my mind. Whether as a matter of emotion or duty, I should have captured Su Fu. But seeing the plea in her eyes, I could only turn and leave. For fear of breaking her heart, for fear she would end up hating me.

I had never openly made advances to any woman, so I asked Liu Qingsong for many strategies, yet each time felt like a failure.

Seventeenth Lady’s feelings seemed very reserved; just as I could subtly sense her affections for Su Fu, she never revealed a look of adoration for him. But from just the few interactions I understood, she was not such a nuanced person.

Perhaps something made her hesitant?

This gave me great hope, and thus I tried even harder to find opportunities to be with her.

Suppressing the sourness in my heart, from an observer’s standpoint, Su Ziqi’s feelings for her were those of a noble man, open and unrestrained, something I couldn’t compare with. Initially, my affection for Seventeenth Lady was just the opposite; it was the passion of a petty man. If I liked her, I wanted to cling to her, to live and die together, never letting go no matter what.

However, in the moment she agreed to marry me, I knew I would no longer think about living and dying with her, but I would live for her and could also die for her.

In the many years since our marriage, I no longer spill as many sweet nothings as I did while courting her, because I have blended all my affection into every little detail of our life. It’s not that the love has faded, but that it has deepened.

I trust you understand, Ayan. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)