Was there a problem at work? Startled for a moment, Riley reached out and comforted him by embracing his back. Gibnen stared intently at her.
“You look upset.”
Huff, huff, huff. Gibnen shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
What’s so funny? As Riley tilted her head, Gibnen intertwined his fingers with hers.
“I’m not upset, I’m feeling better.”
“……Suddenly?”
“Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”
Relieved by Gibnen’s cheerful appearance, Riley nodded her head.
(This is a time separator.)
Apparently, taking her home meant walking her home.
Although he usually traveled by floatingstone carriage, today, for some reason, he chose to walk.
“If we arrive early, we’ll have to part soon.”
He had simply chosen legwork to avoid returning to work too quickly.
Thanks to that, Riley was walking through the crowd hand in hand with Gibnen.
“Why are you so conscious of those around you?”
“……It’s my first time walking in a crowded place. And also.”
“And also?”
“You stand out too much.”
“I stand out? I don’t think so.”
“You’re the only one who doesn’t think so. Everyone in the world knows.”
Of course, this was an exaggerated expression. No matter how famous he was, the likelihood that all the empire’s people knew his face was low.
But that doesn’t mean there were no people who recognized him. Even if they didn’t know who he was, his appearance and height were far from ordinary, making him extremely noticeable.
“The day of the reception.”
“…….?”
“You were the only one I saw.”
While it was a fact without a shred of falsehood, could it have been taken in a slightly different sense by Gibnen? Gibnen stopped walking.
“Why?”
“Really, I only saw you?”
“Yes. You looked like you were living in a different world. So, I think you would have appeared that way to others too.”
“I don’t care how others see me, but it’s quite a pleasant thing to hear.”
“Anyway, since it’s burdensome to be walking like this with you who stand out, I can’t help but be conscious of my surroundings.”
“So you hate it?”
“I don’t hate it.”
“I like walking alone like this.”
“…….”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever walked like this alone with someone.”
At Gibnen’s words, Riley tilted her head.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why is it impossible?”
“You’ve been on countless dates, but you’ve never walked side by side. It doesn’t make sense.”
At Riley’s words, Gibnen narrowed his eyes.
“Why are you assuming I’ve been on countless dates?”
“Well…….”
Because there had been numerous rumors.
Riley couldn’t spit out the last word and looked around. Then, Gibnen narrowed his eyes as if he understood.
“There was a fool here who believed all those rumors.”
“I don’t believe all of them, but you said it before. Eight parts are false, and two parts are true.”
“Those two parts are so few that I can count them on five fingers. And even that for a short time. I can count the dates I’ve been on even more.”
“I see.”
“Why do I have to explain even this? The conversation I wanted to have with you was not this.”
“Ah, right. You said you had something to talk about. What is it?”
“There is bad news and good news. Which would you like to hear first?”
Gibnen’s question made Riley think for a moment before answering.
“The bad news.”
“The Earl of Ryan’s family arrived in Blestige today.”
“……They settled things quite quickly. So what’s the good news?”
Gibnen answered with a smile.
“The date for the formal meeting has been set.”
“!”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
