TRBDM -Chapter 174 I Want to Marry You

When Xie Wanrou learned that her two younger brothers were going to Xiang Mountain for an outing today, she specially instructed the servants to prepare plenty of pastries, drinks, and snacks for them.

Xie Lan sat happily behind her, watching as she bustled about making arrangements.

“Thank you, Big Sister.”

With Xie Wanrou around, Xie Lan always felt meticulously cared for. Only in front of her could he briefly return to being a child—free of worries, leaving everything to his eldest sister.

After finishing her tasks, Xie Wanrou took out two handkerchiefs.

“There’s a light breeze today, but it’s still a bit warm. Here, bring these with you. If you get hot, use them to wipe your sweat.”

Xie Lan accepted one and immediately recognized that it was embroidered by her own hand.

“Big Sister, you’ve embroidered handkerchiefs for us again.”

“I had nothing to do, so I stitched them for fun.”

Xie Wanrou embroidered handkerchiefs and sachets; everyone in the Marquis Manor had received something she had made.

“By the way, Big Sister, wasn’t the sachet you embroidered for Lord Jiang finished long ago? Have you given it to him yet?”

Xie Lan deliberately asked this, carefully observing her expression afterward.

At the mention of Jiang Yuelin, her brows and eyes softened with a smile. “I’m planning to deliver it today.”

Jiang Yuelin’s left arm had been seriously injured. She had been visiting him every day to take care of him.

Xie Lan smiled knowingly, already looking forward to the day he could enjoy wedding candies from his eldest sister’s marriage.

An hour later, Xie Yu had woken up from his nap and came bouncing out.

“Third Brother, I’m awake! Let’s set off!”

Xie Lan draped an arm over his shoulder. “Let’s go. Everything’s packed.”

Just as they were about to leave, Xie Yu suddenly remembered that he had promised their mother yesterday to meet her at Qin’s Sweet Soup Shop in the evening.

“Third Brother, I’ll have someone send a message to the Eldest Princess’s residence and tell Mother not to go to the sweet soup shop today.”

“Alright.”

The brothers were ready to depart. Wei Zhaorong watched as they climbed into the carriage.

“If it gets late, come back early. Don’t stay out playing too long.”

As she spoke, she gave a subtle signal. Nanny Qi stepped forward and handed them a small pouch of silver.

“Third Young Master, Fourth Young Master, this was prepared for you by the Old Madam. If you see anything you like on the way, just buy it.”

Xie Yu took the silver happily. “Thank you, Mother.”

Only yesterday, Xie Yu had acknowledged the Eldest Princess as his birth mother. Wei Zhaorong could no longer claim that title.

Wei Zhaorong gently corrected him, “Yu’er, from now on, call me Godmother.”

The title of “Mother” belonged to Zhao Lingchen.

Xie Yu immediately understood. “Mm. Thank you, Godmother.”

The carriage began to move, and Wei Zhaorong watched them leave.

“Nanny Qi, have you arranged for people to follow them?”

“Rest assured, Old Madam. It’s already arranged.”

Xie Yu’s identity was far from ordinary. With the two boys traveling some distance, someone had to protect them from the shadows.

Not long after, Xie Wanrou also prepared to set out.

She had risen early today and personally simmered a pot of phoenix marrow soup to nourish Jiang Yuelin’s health.

For someone with fractured bones, drinking phoenix marrow soup was said to help recovery.

She knew Jiang Yuelin’s tastes well; the preparation of this soup had been slightly adjusted entirely to suit his preferences.

Upon arriving at the Court of Judicial Review, she carried the soup inside.

Jiang Yuelin, dressed in a long robe, was writing at his desk.

Earlier, he had requested permission from the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to examine General Fu Wei’s case files. Though the files could not be taken out, he had memorized the key testimonies.

At the moment, he was sorting through the details of the case.

The instant Xie Wanrou stepped in, Jiang Yuelin recognized her footsteps.

“Wanrou, you’re here?”

Xie Wanrou set down the food box and smiled. “I made some soup. Drink it while it’s hot.”

Jiang Yuelin put down his brush and came to sit at the table.

“What did you make?”

“Phoenix marrow soup. The manor physician said drinking more of it helps nourish the bones.”

Xie Wanrou ladled him a bowl and said with a bright smile, “Drink.”

Because of the pain in his arm, Jiang Yuelin hadn’t slept well. He hadn’t had time for breakfast after getting up and had gone straight to reviewing case files. Now, he was truly hungry.

One sip of the soup eased the ache of his empty stomach at last.

He had drunk Phoenix Marrow Soup before. It had tasted ordinary then—nothing particularly memorable. But the soup Xie Wanrou brought him—one sip was like a feast for the taste buds.

Jiang Yuelin couldn’t help lifting his eyes to look at her. How could she be so perfect? Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, cooking—was there anything she couldn’t do?

The more he drank, the better it tasted. He quickly finished the bowl.

Before he could speak, a porcelain-white hand reached over, took the empty bowl, refilled it generously, and brought it back to his lips.

Jiang Yuelin had always lived alone. No one had ever taken care of him like this.

A warm current surged through his heart. Something called happiness filled the room, overflowing quietly between them.

After he finished the soup in silence, Xie Wanrou took out a sachet she had embroidered earlier.

“For me?” Jiang Yuelin asked, delighted.

“Yes. I added agarwood inside. Smell it—see if you like it.”

He lowered his head and sniffed. As expected, a gentle fragrance greeted him.

“Mmm, it smells wonderful. Did you add medicinal herbs and dried flowers too?”

She hadn’t expected him to notice. “Yes.”

“It smells good and looks beautiful. I like it very much.”

His well-defined fingers gently traced the delicate auspicious clouds embroidered on the sachet, and the smile at the corner of his lips refused to fade.

Xie Wanrou pressed her lips together in a soft laugh and turned to tidy up the bowls.

Suddenly, Jiang Yuelin spoke. “Wanrou, once I finish the case in my hands, I’ll go to the Marquis Manor to formally propose.”

Clatter.

The bowl in her hand struck the table.

Flustered, she steadied it and turned around awkwardly. “What did you say?”

Jiang Yuelin looked at her, sincerity filling his eyes. “I want to marry you. Will you marry me?”

Xie Wanrou lowered her head, her hands clasped tightly together, her thumbs pressing hard into the web between them.

“I am a divorced woman. With such a status…”

“I don’t care,” Jiang Yuelin interrupted firmly, his gaze unwavering. “I don’t care at all, because the one I like is you.”

You are you, unrelated to your past.

If anything, because of that past, he cherished her even more.

She should have been held in the palm of someone’s hand, nurtured with love.

Lei Lieshan had nearly destroyed her—but that didn’t matter. From now on, Jiang Yuelin would protect her with his life.

Her heart rose to her throat, aching and swelling. Yet within that ache surged an undeniable, overwhelming sweetness.

Her lips trembled. After a long while, she finally found her voice. “Are you serious?”

Once you give your heart away, it rests entirely in the other person’s hands.

They can treasure it, nourish it with love—or discard it, let it fall into the dust.

“I swear to heaven that every word I’ve said is true. If there is even half a lie, may I be struck by lightning.”

It was hard to imagine the refined and upright Lord Jiang swearing such a heavy oath so sincerely—and humbly—for a woman.

How could Xie Wanrou not be moved?

These past days, everything Jiang Yuelin had done spoke of his sincerity.

It was only because of her past experiences that she had grown insecure, accustomed to lowering her expectations for the future—because that way, she wouldn’t have to fear losing it.

If you never truly have something, you never fear losing it.

Those days of constant anxiety and hesitation had been too dark. She did not want to fall back into them.

But the person standing before her now was Jiang Yuelin.

His character, his conduct, his sincerity—she had long since felt them.

The seconds stretched into torment as Jiang Yuelin waited for her answer.

He hadn’t been this nervous even during the palace examination.

He could imagine countless possibilities, yet none mattered as much as one sentence from her lips.

His Adam’s apple bobbed; his long lashes trembled slightly.

“Wanrou, I want to marry you. Are you willing?”

Summoning her courage, Xie Wanrou looked at him.

“I am willing.”