After the wrong flirtation, I became the villain's favorite

After the New Year, everyone expected Xie Yunji to leave for Yunjing to take up his post.

However, his body had not yet recovered from his injury, and the emperor also issued an edict, magnanimously allowing him to return to Beijing to take up his post after recuperating in Xie Mansion in Chen County.

When the crown prince was newly enthroned, everyone in the Zhanshi Mansion was full of fighting spirit and wanted to shine in their new positions, but Xie Yunji did not seem to be in a hurry.

The snow that fell at night had just been cleared, and soon after, fine snowflakes began to fall again. The floor heating was on in the room, and the sound of the snowflakes falling made people feel inexplicably at ease.

Xie Yunji was still wearing a light gray cloak in the room. He had been afraid of the cold since he was injured.

He stood in front of the desk with his eyes lowered, holding the pen in his slender hand, the tip of the pen filled with ink, and lines of vigorous and powerful handwriting flowed on the rice paper.

He won the top three places in the imperial examination when he was young, and was famous for his talent and literary grace. Official documents, poetry collections, and petitions to the emperor were all written fluently by him without any need for deep thought. However, for this memorial, he paused frequently to consider his wording.

The candle flame flickered slightly, exuding a hazy tenderness, and the young man's eyebrows furrowed and relaxed...

Finally, this memorial to the emperor was completed.

He asked for an imperial decree for her.

He was only a sixth-rank official, and was not qualified to ask for an imperial decree for his wife.

But now, as he has been promoted to the third rank of Prince's Secretary, he can finally ask for an imperial decree for Song Nihuan.

If she became a lady of imperial decree, she would be able to enjoy the court salary and land, but these were secondary. The most important thing was that she had an official status, and no matter what happened, no local official would be able to punish her.

In other words, she was safe and respected even when he was not with her.

She lived in the backyard, and with this identity, she was fundamentally different from other women.

Even if she doesn't have her own children, she can live a good life with this honor.

His hand slowly and deeply swept across the stack of documents, which he had prepared for a long time.

His performance report, the eulogy he wrote for her, the recognition of her by her clan members...

If she were in Yunjing, it would be difficult for her to gain recognition from her clansmen, but in Chenjun, she got along well with them.

Finally, his fingers gently rested on the Xie family tree.

The family tree is quite old, the paper has turned slightly yellow, and the texture is obvious under the candlelight, as if telling of the glory of the past century.

Next to his name, was hers.

Xie Yunji's first wife.

"Very good..." he murmured.

It was like a dream talk of love, or like an undercurrent abyss flowing beneath the ice, suppressing the extreme possessive desire.

"You are mine, Ni Huan."

He put away the stack of documents, looked at the snow falling quietly outside the window, and sighed in his heart. The days in Chen County were too comfortable and relaxing, which made him nostalgic.

Thinking about the power changes and unpredictable situations that I will face after returning to Yunjing, I can't help feeling lonely and tired.

This has never happened before.

He remembered what Song Nihuan said casually on New Year's Eve. She said how nice it would be if she could stay here forever.

The Xie Mansion in Chen County does not have as many rules as the Xie Mansion in Yunjing, and the interactions between people are simpler, making it more suitable for someone with a pure mind like her.

But Yunjing still has Song Lanzhi, whom she can't let go of.

Yunjing also has responsibilities that he cannot escape from.

"Cough cough..." He couldn't help coughing a few times and reluctantly put away the manuscript on the desk. These days, in addition to reading the must-read official documents, he also found many manuscripts written by his father.

If he had not returned to Chen County this time, he would not have known that his father, who was always serious and silent, had such a literary and talented side.

The father supports the weak and orphans, feels pity for them, behaves like a gentleman, breaks through social norms, cannot get the love he wants, recalls the past, feels regretful, and ends with regret.

These unforgettable thoughts are only for one person, Aunt Lan.

Xie Yunji was naturally not a sentimental or empathetic person. Even if his father's manuscript was written with deep feelings and heart-wrenching words, he was not moved by their love at all.

Not only was he unmoved, but those words pierced his heart like steel needles.

There is no doubt that my father's true love is Aunt Lan.

What about his mother?

He was somewhat glad that his mother had not seen the manuscripts.

Xie Yunji smiled self-deprecatingly and was about to turn around to leave when he saw a woman walking along the forest path outside the window.

Xie Ming had already come to Chenjun from Xie Mansion in Yunjing to serve the young master. While he was outside packing the boxes for the young master to take back to the capital, he saw a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes walking towards him not far away.

Xie Ming frowned and stood up.

During these days at the Xie Mansion in Chen County, he had sent away many maids with ambitious ambitions, as well as young ladies from the Xie family's side branches who were waiting for an opportunity to meet the young master.

The young master is twenty-seven years old this year, and like fine wine, he becomes more mellow.

Xie Ming knew the young master's temper. Previously, the young master had stayed overnight at Molan, and everyone in the mansion thought that the young master would have a new concubine. Only he knew that the young master did nothing that night.

The gorgeously dressed woman was indeed a lady from the Xie family's branch. She had heard the news from somewhere and knew that Xie Yunji would be leaving for Yunjing the next day, so she thought of giving it a try.

Xie Ming fought with her for a while, but was defeated. He came in breathlessly and replied, "Sir, Miss Xie, your cousin said that she has something important to give to you personally..."

Xie Yunji said coldly, "Drive her away."

He has always been too lazy to deal with such things. In the Xie Mansion in Chen County, he has deliberately avoided the time when he could meet his cousin. Apart from paying the necessary greetings to his uncles and elders, he spends most of his time living in seclusion in the Linfeng Pavilion on the top of the mountain with Song Nihuan.

Xie Ming knew the young master's temper very well, so he nodded in agreement and went out to pass on the message.

After a while, a woman's voice came: "Cousin, didn't you take in a maid named Lan? Why, am I not as good as a maid?"

"You said you have a deep relationship with your cousin's wife, and you're even acting like that in front of me..."

Xie Yunji was not angry in his heart. He remained silent and looked in the direction where Song Nihuan was.

After she reconciled with him, she never mentioned Molan, as if what happened that night had never happened.

Once he wanted to tell her that he had nothing to do with Molan.

But she interrupted him just as he started. Thinking of her pretending to be free and easy and trying to cover up her feelings, Xie Yunji suddenly felt uncomfortable, depressed and aching.

He always wanted to protect her, keep her by his side, not tell her those worrying things, ask for her blessing, and not want her to suffer any grievances.

But he never realized that the person who made her suffer might be him.

He lifted his robe and stepped out of the door. His brows were cold and focused on the woman outside the door, and a sense of oppression came over him.

This person has always been as gentle as jade, and rarely can he be so fierce.

Just this one glance made her feel fear in her heart. His eyes seemed to see through everything and scrutinize her.

She suddenly felt that she was wrong. Perhaps she should not have ignored the advice and come to see him tonight. The eldest master was not as gentle as she had seen him in the past.

He walked towards her step by step, and every step seemed to step on her heart, making her heart beat faster and faster.

She looked into his eyes, and his eyes were full of indifference and alienation. He looked at her as if he was looking at... an ant?

She lowered her head involuntarily, not daring to look him in the eye.

Xie Yunji passed her by without saying a word. She stood there in a daze. After she came to her senses, she looked not far away and saw that the elegant figure was standing side by side with another graceful figure. He held her hand and affectionately brushed away the fallen snow on her long hair.

That is...Mrs. Xie.