Lena returned to her desk and sat down, her expression somber.
"Mom, what will I do from now on?" Song Yan asked after a long wait.
Lena remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Regarding Lu Wanqing, you don't need to worry about her anymore. Just find an opportunity to get close to Zhongli Feiyu and try to build a relationship with him. I'll handle everything else."
Song Yan: "???"
With her mind made up, Lena's somber aura slowly dissipated. She looked at her daughter, her features regaining their usual dignified grace.
"Yan Yan, you don't need to be afraid. Just do what you want with all your heart, and Mom will always stand behind you and support you," Lena said gently.
Song Yan hesitated for a long while before finally nodding. "Okay."
Lena smiled. She raised her hand, her slender, fair fingers gently stroking Song Yan's face. She spoke with reluctance, "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, my Yan Yan has grown up so much and is about to get married. Thinking about it, my heart aches."
Listening to her mother's tender words, Song Yan's initial resistance turned into helplessness and softness.
Lu Wanqing would never understand. The President was her father, and the First Lady was her mother. Her parents had doted on her so much since she was little that she could never live for herself alone. She couldn't do it because she loved her parents too. Since childhood, she hadn't been able to do much for them. This was the only thing her parents needed her for, so she couldn't escape. She had to help her parents.
*
The next day, at the Zhongli residence.
Lu Wanqing got up early, helped Xiao Yi get ready, and then took him downstairs.
As soon as they reached the staircase, she saw a figure in the living room on the first floor—Song Yan.
Her steps faltered slightly. Just then, the door to Zhongli Feiyu's room opened, and he emerged, walking towards them.
"What's wrong?" Zhongli Feiyu asked, noticing her standing still at the top of the stairs.
However, as Zhongli Feiyu walked closer and followed Lu Wanqing's gaze downstairs, he saw Song Yan. His own doubts vanished, his heart sank, and his expression tightened slightly.
Lu Wanqing stroked Xiao Yi's head and smiled, "Xiao Yi, let's go down."
Xiao Yi looked up at Lu Wanqing and nodded. "Okay."
Lu Wanqing adjusted her expression. By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, her face showed little emotion.
"Xiao Yi," Song Yan said, standing up immediately upon seeing Xiao Yi. "Sister brought you a gift. Do you want to open it and see?"
As she spoke, Song Yan took out a exquisitely wrapped gift box and handed it to little Zhongli Yi.
Little Zhongli Yi looked at the gift box handed to him by Song Yan and took a step back.
Lu Wanqing looked back at Zhongli Feiyu.
Zhongli Feiyu walked over.
Seeing Zhongli Feiyu, Song Yan immediately stood up happily. "Brother Feiyu!"
Zhongli Feiyu was silent for a moment before asking, "Why are you here?"
Song Yan was poised and said, "My mom is going out to play again, and she asked me to stay at your place for a few days."
Lu Wanqing's mouth twitched, feeling somewhat speechless.
Zhongli Feiyu frowned, fell silent for a moment, and then said directly, "I will not enter into an arranged marriage."
This statement was very clear.
Song Yan's face suddenly turned pale, her expression looking distressed. Clearly, she hadn't expected Zhongli Feiyu to say it so directly.
"Brother Feiyu, I..." Song Yan began, her slightly trembling voice revealing a hint of grievance.
Zhongli Feiyu was silent for a moment, then said, "You are a good girl, but I don't think we are very compatible."
Song Yan clenched her hands by her sides, then relaxed them. After a pause, she glanced at Lu Wanqing and asked, "Is it because of Lu Wanqing? Do you like Lu Wanqing?"
Zhongli Feiyu paused. He wanted to explain, but his mind raced, and he didn't know how to articulate it.
Lu Wanqing was indeed the best candidate to be his wife. She was Xiao Yi's mother, and she was gentle, kind, and unafraid of the insectoids—qualities that made her the perfect wife.
"Is it because she's Xiao Yi's mother?" Song Yan pressed again.
Zhongli Feiyu remained silent.
After a moment, Song Yan said anxiously, "Brother Feiyu, if that's the reason, you can trust me. I will also be good to Xiao Yi. Although I'm not Xiao Yi's biological mother, I will treat him better than his own mother. I..."
"Miss Song!" Zhongli Feiyu interrupted, cutting off Song Yan's words.
Zhongli Feiyu looked at Song Yan and said seriously, "We are not compatible."
Song Yan tilted her head slightly, looking at Zhongli Feiyu. Her eyes gradually moistened. After a moment, she asked hoarsely, "Where are we not compatible?"
"The Zhongli family does not need an arranged marriage, nor do we wish to take sides with any faction," Zhongli Feiyu said coldly.
Song Yan's pupils dilated, and she stared at Zhongli Feiyu in shock.
Zhongli Feiyu was silent for a moment, then said, "If there is nothing else, we will go for training."
After speaking, Zhongli Feiyu turned to Lu Wanqing and little Zhongli Yi and asked, "Do you want to join us for training?"
Lu Wanqing nodded. "Okay."
Lu Wanqing, with Xiao Yi, left with Zhongli Feiyu, leaving Song Yan standing alone at the Zhongli residence.
"Admiral Zhongli!" Song Yan chased after them, blocking Zhongli Feiyu's path. "Can't you reconsider? If we were together, it would be good for both families."
"The Seventh Legion only wishes to protect the Federation; we do not wish to be involved in other matters," Zhongli Feiyu said.
Lu Wanqing and Zhongli Feiyu walked away, and little Zhongli Yi followed them. Song Yan remained in place, unmoving for a long time.
"Is it good for you to say that?" Lu Wanqing asked after they had walked some distance away.
Zhongli Feiyu looked at her.
Lu Wanqing suddenly felt nervous and quickly shook her head. "Never mind. This is your matter; you can resolve it yourselves."
Zhongli Feiyu suddenly smiled. He said, "Lu Wanqing, she is not wrong. I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?"
Lu Wanqing: "..."
Lu Wanqing's mind went blank. She looked at Zhongli Feiyu, feeling as though she had brought this upon herself. Why did she have to meddle?
Why ask about other people's private affairs?
Was she looking for trouble?
"Admiral Zhongli, I think..." Lu Wanqing tried to explain, but halfway through her sentence, she suddenly remembered that Xiao Yi was still beside them.
She lowered her gaze, her eyes meeting Xiao Yi's. The words of refusal suddenly caught in her throat.
The child's eyes were so hopeful, so expectant, as if he greatly wished she would agree.
But could she agree?
If she agreed, would Lanlan, Xiaoshushu, and Xiaocuicui be sad? And what about that cute pirate cub...
"I don't want to get married yet," Lu Wanqing finally said.
She couldn't agree to Zhongli Feiyu right now, but she also couldn't directly say she didn't want to marry him, as that would make Xiao Yi sad. He would feel that she looked down on his father.
Lu Wanqing thought about it and raised her hand, affectionately ruffling Xiao Yi's hair.
In fact, putting the child aside, Lu Wanqing felt that she wouldn't agree to marry Zhongli Feiyu even if he were not a factor. She sensed that Zhongli Feiyu did not love her deeply, or at least not romantically. Or perhaps, as Song Yan had suggested, Zhongli Feiyu only wanted to marry her because he thought she could take good care of Xiao Yi and was suitable as his wife. Nothing more.
But that was not what she wanted. She wanted love too. The world was so vast; she believed there was someone who would truly love her. That person was still somewhere in the world, waiting to meet her. When they met, life would surely be wonderful.