When Something Needs Snatching, You Have to Snatch It

"Meow."

A cat's meow came from a rock by the lake. The cat stretched lazily at the two of them, flicked the tip of its tail, then lay back down to bask in the sun. Its coat was snow-white all over, its fur soft and lustrous in the sunlight. It was utterly adorable.

"Muzhi, your family has cats too?"

Bai Mo's eyes lit up. She loved little animals, but after the apocalypse, living animals had been scarce, with only vicious mutated beasts left. It had been such a long time since she had seen a soft, adorable cat like this.

Seeing that she liked it, Xiao Muzhi readily began talking about the cat. "Mm, my maternal grandmother is very fond of little animals. This cat's parents are both white cats with eyes like jade, and they were very difficult to obtain. You can only see this one right now, but when all three cats play together, they're even cuter."

"Oh, so they're a family of three."

"Mm, a family of three."

A trace of loneliness appeared on Xiao Muzhi's face. Only after a moment did he speak. "Momo, I'll be sure to honor and care for your mother in the future. My parents died when I was young, so I've never really experienced a mother's or a father's love...

"Seeing how well your mother and uncle treat you, I'm a little envious, to be honest. But once you and I are married, they'll be my family too."

The smile gradually faded from Bai Mo's face, and for the first time, she met his eyes directly. "Mm, my mother and uncle are both wonderful people. My aunt is a woman of great talent and ambition, too. From now on, they'll be your family as well."

Bai Mo herself had only experienced genuine familial affection over the past month or so. Children without parents always had a tender place in their hearts where regret lingered. She was one of them, and she could relate to the longing Xiao Muzhi felt.

His eyes curved slightly, the pretty puffs beneath them deepening. As he lowered his head, a strand of dark hair fell gently beside his cheek. His lips curved, revealing a row of exceptionally white teeth. He gazed at her, and even the sunlight around them seemed to soften.

"Momo, thank you."

Bai Mo thought that if there really was a smile in this world that could heal a person's heart, it had to be Xiao Muzhi's.

The tips of Bai Mo's ears reddened a little before she knew it. She turned her head away awkwardly. "You're the one who said not to keep saying thank you."

"Mm, but I want to say it."

A cheerful voice could soothe the heart too!

Xiao Muzhi looked at the woman's faintly reddened ears and felt thoroughly satisfied.

The twentieth day of the seventh month.

On the day the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State came to propose marriage to the Xiao family, the long train of betrothal gifts amounted to a full fifty loads. The members of the procession walked shoulder to shoulder, taking the time it took two sticks of incense to burn to make their way around the ten-li-long street.

Commoners stopped to watch, and in the private rooms of teahouses and restaurants, many nobles opened their windows to look on.

"The eldest young lady of the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State truly has an extraordinary bearing and a face as beautiful as a celestial maiden's."

"It's my first time seeing such a beautiful young lady too."

"With a proposal procession like this, she could almost be a princess."

"Don't talk nonsense. How can ordinary commoners like us speak carelessly about the imperial family?"

"Ah, right, right. I really ought to put a guard on this mouth of mine."

"Still, this proposal is grander than most people's wedding processions."

Waves of discussion rose from the commoners in the street.

At that moment, Shen Qing was in a private room on the second floor of the Baihui Teahouse. His figure was tall and straight, but his body was somewhat stiff...

He had stood by the window for a long time, the lowered curtain concealing most of his figure. He stared fixedly at the woman on the tall horse, his face betraying no change in emotion.

So she looks this beautiful in dark red too. She seems very happy. The betrothal gifts are so generous; she must think very highly of the Xiao family's young master, right?

Yun Wu stood a few steps away, not knowing how to persuade him. After spending so much time with Shen Qing, he no longer felt constantly on edge around him. Shen Qing was a good person; as far as Yun Wu was concerned, calling him a good teacher and a helpful friend would be no exaggeration.

"Young master, why put yourself through this?"

Shen Qing did not answer.

"Although I don't know exactly what you're thinking, I've come to understand a little these past few days. You did it on purpose, didn't you? Won't you regret it?"

Shen Qing turned around. Coldness flowed in his ink-dark eyes, and his sharply defined face wore a chilly air that kept others a thousand li away.

Yun Wu smiled helplessly. "Don't look at me like that. You're scaring me. If you didn't care, why did you come here?"

"Yun Wu, you've changed quite a bit. Is this your true nature?"

Shen Qing walked over to the table. Interrupted by Yun Wu, he no longer wanted to watch.

"Young master, you're joking. But I really don't understand. Why did you give up such a good marriage? The young lady clearly liked you so much."

Shen Qing picked up a teacup, gently brushed aside the leaves floating on the water, and took a sip. "I've known her for over a month, but I may understand her better than she understands herself. She saved me several times and treated me sincerely. I know all of that. People aren't made of wood or stone; how could my heart not be moved?"

"Then why did you do this?"

This question had tormented Yun Wu for days, and he felt as though he was going mad...

"I taught her to read and write. Not only is she quick-witted and able to remember everything she reads, she also has hills and valleys in her heart. Her future is sure to be extraordinary. With this broken body of mine, I'm not worthy of her."

An expression rarely seen on Yun Wu's face, beyond his usual timidity and fear of trouble, appeared. His voice rose a few notches. "You thought you weren't worthy of her, so you pushed her away? Did you ever think about her?"

"I did, but Yun Wu, you should understand me. I still have a grudge to avenge, and I don't want to drag her down again and again."

"You could tell her about your grudge. I believe that with the feelings she has for you, she would surely help you. Besides, there's no need to rush your revenge."

Shen Qing stared into Yun Wu's eyes and said five words: "What if it means killing my father?"

Yun Wu's eyes gradually widened...

"Young master..."

"Don't ask anymore. There are some things the less you know about, the better. Let what happened today rot in your belly."

Yun Wu nodded, his mind in a daze.

The Xiao Residence was bustling with activity. The Earl Who Protects the State and the vice minister of war led the way, with Bai Mo close behind, as they came bearing the grand betrothal gifts.

The matchmaker they had engaged was Matchmaker Song, the most famous in the Capital.

Matchmaker Song had a silver tongue, and every sentence she spoke was full of festive cheer, making the elders of both families nod repeatedly.

Since the two families had already agreed to the match, it was not a blind marriage. The dynasty was relatively open when it came to marriage.

Xiao Muzhi stood openly behind Great Master Xiao. Today, he too wore a dark red brocade robe embroidered with gold. He rarely wore such flamboyant clothes, which made him look a little less refined and a little more distinguished.

The faint smile on his face never faded in the slightest. Half his hair was held up by a jade crown, leaving the contours of his face fully exposed. His features were sculpted, his looks exceptionally handsome, and his bearing tall and upright. Anyone who saw him would have to say: a man on the roadside, fair as jade; a young master without equal in the world.

His two good friends, Li Ce and Qi Mengzhou, stood beside him.

The moment they saw Bai Mo, they began teasing him softly again. "Muzhi, you were quick to make your move. If you hadn't snatched away such a dazzling young lady, I certainly wouldn't have let her slip by."

"Exactly. A Ce and I think alike. And these betrothal gifts, tsk, tsk, tsk..."

"Hahahaha."

Seeing his two friends tease him, Xiao Muzhi was neither embarrassed nor annoyed. He merely said lightly, "When something needs snatching, you have to snatch it."