"You didn't think I was going to hug you, did you?"
Zhan Zeye looked at Tang Qiyue with a mocking smile. With one hand, he closed the door behind her, blocking the view of the people peeking into the courtyard.
Although Tang Qiyue was mentally mature, she still felt embarrassed and indignant in this situation.
"I'm not that narcissistic. But do you really not want to acknowledge our marriage?"
Tang Qiyue quickly composed herself. She calmly stepped out of Zhan Zeye's encirclement and stood to the side, looking at him.
Zhan Zeye watched her series of actions without changing his expression. After hearing her question, he merely raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want to marry me?"
Under his surprised gaze, Tang Qiyue nodded firmly.
"Yes, I want to marry you!"
He had assumed that Tang Qiyue had been forced into the marriage by the Tang family and would be extremely unwilling, so he could easily send her back. He hadn't expected her to react like this.
"I'm not lying," she continued. "I know you look down on me, and I know you don't want to marry a woman from the Tang family. But I sincerely want to marry you."
Seeing that Zhan Zeye remained silent, Tang Qiyue couldn't guess what he was thinking.
"I won't ask you to protect the Tang family, nor will I hold you back. If you dislike me, you can simply let me stay here and take care of your mother. Just give me four years. After four years, if you still don't want me as your wife, we can divorce. What do you think?"
She had heard that Zhan Zeye could not have children, but she didn't necessarily need children to rely on. A few years of marriage wouldn't affect her much.
"Four years?"
Zhan Zeye caught the key point immediately.
He was very tall. As he stepped closer to Tang Qiyue, he bent slightly so that his face was near hers.
"You think you'll be able to protect yourself in four years?"
Tang Qiyue looked at him in shock. She hadn't expected him to guess her intention so quickly.
"In four years, my younger brother will graduate from university. Even if we divorce then, I'll have the confidence to stand up to the Tang family."
She chose to be honest. After all, Zhan Zeye could easily investigate these things.
Zhan Zeye was surprised. He had never paid attention to the internal affairs of the Tang family before, so he didn't know about Tang Qiyue's situation. Now, however, he became interested.
Tang Qiyue explained everything about the Tang family, including the deal she made with her father yesterday. She didn't hide anything.
As for the advantages of marrying her, she laid them out clearly.
"I won't restrict your freedom. And I don't necessarily want children, so your inability to have children isn't a problem for me."
Zhan Zeye's expression stiffened.
His kidneys were injured, but that didn't mean he was useless.
Still, he didn't bother explaining.
"You're quite unique," he said through clenched teeth.
He looked at Tang Qiyue carefully.
She wasn't conventionally beautiful. Her face wasn't round enough, her figure wasn't particularly voluptuous, and she didn't look like someone who would bear many children.
Yet strangely, she perfectly matched Zhan Zeye's aesthetic preferences.
He had always liked girls with a scholarly temperament. Unfortunately, being a rough soldier, he had never known how to approach such women.
Even though Tang Qiyue fit his preferences, he still felt uncomfortable. After all, she wasn't someone he had chosen—she had been forced upon him.
Just as he was thinking about how to send her away, a commotion suddenly came from the courtyard.
"Sister! Sister!"
It was Tang Xiuyuan's voice.
Ignoring Zhan Zeye's displeased gaze, Tang Qiyue quickly grabbed his arm.
"No matter what you decide, please don't let my brother know. He's still young and very impulsive!"
Zhan Zeye looked down at the fair fingers gripping his arm. Then he looked into Tang Qiyue's pleading eyes.
Perhaps because he had never experienced such sibling affection before, he didn't shake her off.
Instead, he grabbed her wrist and said calmly:
"I can help you. But don't cross your boundaries."
Tang Qiyue nodded immediately.
Just then, Tang Xiuyuan burst through the door.
"Sis! Look! That old bastard actually made it into the newspaper!"
He waved the newspaper excitedly—until he noticed Zhan Zeye.
His eyes widened.
Then he slammed the door shut again.
Pulling Tang Qiyue aside, he whispered urgently:
"Sis, who is that man? Even if your cheap husband is useless, you can't cuckold him on the first day of marriage!"
Tang Qiyue: "…"
Zhan Zeye: "…"
Tang Xiuyuan stomped his feet anxiously.
"No! We can't let the Zhan family see this. Is there a back door? Make him leave quickly! Do you want to be beaten to death by the Zhan family?"
Tang Qiyue covered her face helplessly.
Her brother was highly intelligent, but emotionally clueless.
"Xiaoyuan, he's your brother-in-law."
Tang Xiuyuan froze.
"Sister, even if you're making excuses, at least make a better one! Everyone knows my cheap brother-in-law is seriously injured and crippled. His manhood is ruined. He didn't even dare to attend the wedding, which is why Tang Chunlan ran away!"
Tang Qiyue quickly covered his mouth.
"He is Zhan Zeye!"
Tang Xiuyuan stared at him in disbelief.
Then he pointed at Zhan Zeye and asked seriously:
"Is he really a eunuch?"
Tang Qiyue nearly fainted.
Just as she was desperately trying to stop her brother from embarrassing them further, Zhan Zeye suddenly laughed.
Both siblings turned to look at him.
Tang Xiuyuan gasped and pulled Tang Qiyue back two steps.
"Sister, listen to that voice! It sounds so effeminate! He must be a eunuch!"