Chapter 286: Chapter 258 I Promise Not to Take the Initiative
Fu Zhen heard up to here and could hardly believe her ears!
She wants to insist on being the General’s wife, so he insists on staying in her room?
Her Ning Family has been in business for generations, but they’ve never done business as well as he does!
"No way!"
"Why not?" Pei Zhan said, "Although we agreed not to consummate the marriage initially, we never said I couldn’t stay in the same room. On our wedding night, you even wanted to keep me in the room to sleep! Now, you’re the one being unreasonable."
"Not happening now."
How could Fu Zhen allow him to sleep in the room? Wouldn’t that give him an opportunity to get more entangled? A responsible fake wife shouldn’t leave any room for the other party to have any thoughts at all!
Pei Zhan squinted at her for a moment, then casually picked up an arrowhead beside him and started playing with it. "Just now, you said you wouldn’t like someone like me, so even if I hover in front of you all day long, I won’t be able to shake that iron-clad heart of yours.
"The fact that you keep delaying and refusing makes people suspect that you might not have confidence in yourself. Could it be that you actually quite like someone like me but are just too embarrassed to admit it?"
Fu Zhen gave him a deep look, then pulled over a rag and started wiping her gun.
"Say whatever you like!"
Yes, she admitted that her refusal to share a room with him stemmed from having no confidence in herself, but it definitely wasn’t because of the "liking" he imagined!
From the beginning, Fu Zhen never saw him as an equal, so how could that kind of "liking" arise?
But not having "liking" doesn’t stop her from appreciating him!
Liang Ning entered the military camp at the age of eight. Having seen at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand, robust and valiant good men in the army, the title of "Great Zhou’s Best Physique" awarded to Pei Zhan wasn’t given for nothing.
Faced with such a handsome and spirited young man, which wolf-like and tiger-like maiden wouldn’t secretly have her eyes light up?
He truly is oblivious to danger!
Dare to provoke her?
Does he know how much damage a young girl who has read hundreds of fictional books and possesses martial skills can inflict on a pure young man?
If not for the moral and legal restraints tightly holding her back, Fu Zhen would have long taken advantage of proximity to make her move, making sure her hands were full of benefits!
Now that he’s openly admitted to harboring thoughts about her since they were kids, and despite the barrier of seniority back then, he didn’t care, even declaring to not marry because of her—
Oh heavens!
Living under the same roof means getting dressed and grooming under each other’s eyes.
Facing such a body day after day, what if she accidentally touches or brushes against him sometime?
In such circumstances, what if after touching or brushing against him, he mistakenly thought she was giving him ideas?
That would be a huge problem!
Can’t happen!
Absolutely can’t happen!
"Not denying is the same as admitting," Pei Zhan nodded, "I thought so, you’re just shy, afraid of others finding out you’ve fallen for your nephew by marriage.
"Aunt—"
"Shut your mouth!"
Fu Zhen shivered and couldn’t help but cover his mouth! "Don’t call me Aunt!"
Before, she wanted him to call her that, but he wouldn’t. Now, he says it so easily!
But just a moment ago, he firmly stated she liked him, and now he’s calling her Aunt—where does that leave her face?
Pei Zhan looked at her without moving while his mouth was covered by her hand.
Fu Zhen withdrew her hand and took a deep breath, "Alright! I’ll allow you to return to the room to sleep. But remember, keep your distance from me when there’s no need!"
She’s given in to him!
If not for the concern that he’d spread these baseless words around, she would never have compromised!
"Alright," Pei Zhan grinned, putting the copper pot in his hand back in place, "I promise not to take the initiative to approach you."
...
Although Liang Ning’s life was brief, her experiences were undoubtedly rich. From as early as she could remember, she followed her brother and sister-in-law, who were Generals, and considered herself to have some discernment in dealing with people.
Yet she misjudged Xu Yin in her past life, and now, as Fu Zhen, she discovered that in those brief ten years, there was an unnoticeable Pei Zhan who had been thinking of her. She had no choice but to admit she had some flaws in her judgment of people.
The weather was hot, so lunch was eaten in the open pavilion.
Su Xinger, having seen Pei Zhan and Fu Zhen coming out one after another from the Hall of Peace and Joy earlier, couldn’t suppress her gossiping heart and followed Fu Zhen out of the feast when she stood up. She asked her:
"What were you talking about in the Hall of Peace and Joy just now? Did the fifth brother ask you anything when you returned to the courtyard?"
Fu Zhen replied listlessly, "He asked everything that needed to be asked, and he knows everything that needed to be known."
Su Xinger opened her mouth, "He finally asked?"
Fu Zhen gave her a glance.
Su Xinger closed her mouth, immediately asking again, "So what did he say to you? What did you say to him?"
"I just told him to give up any hope, what else could I say?"
"Why?" Su Xinger paused, "Don’t you like him?"
Fu Zhen snickered lightly and continued walking forward.
Su Xinger sighed, "Seems like the seventh brother and the others were right, you prefer someone like Xu Yin."
Fu Zhen clicked her tongue, "What are you talking about? I appreciate all the good men in the world; since when did I set rules for myself? Those with good looks and upright mindset are all my type!"
"Then why did you reject the fifth brother? He’s a thorough gentleman, looks like his parents, with impeccable features and eyebrows!"
"I haven’t even gotten to that stage with him!"
Fu Zhen thought she was overthinking too much.
They just laid all the cards on the table, does she think of her as an infatuated fool!
"So when he said those things to you, were you not moved?"
Su Xinger was extremely curious.
Back when Liang Chen saw through Pei Zhan’s thoughts, he angrily went to confront him in a fight, but after hearing what he had to say, he only punched him twice and left!
Fu Zhen rolled her eyes, "You sound like a matchmaker now!"
Su Xinger: "..."
Fu Zhen bent over to pass through the willow shade, "Stop asking so much. Maybe I’m blind and unfit to enter the world of romantic entanglements.
"With him being so stubborn, and me having just escaped from Xu Yin’s fire, not even getting my own life sorted, how could I dare to give others any hopes?
"Let’s just honestly pretend to be a fake couple."
Su Xinger replied, "Don’t lose heart! You just had bad luck meeting that unscrupulous Xu."
"Whether it’s luck or not, it doesn’t matter. In any case, before I sort out my matters, I dare not get involved with anyone!"
Fu Zhen wasn’t necessarily the type to fear love after a bite from the snake; even if she fell into a pit or almost lost her life momentarily, it was akin to losing a battle on the battlefield due to negligence.
She didn’t think she was thus unworthy of meeting another good person.
She had been loved and cared for from a young age, so romantic entanglements were merely the icing on the cake for her.
Over the years, it’s not like there weren’t many suitors who openly and secretly expressed admiration for her, and it’s no surprise if a few more missed opportunities appear even now.
It was just that she never expected that these missed opportunities would include Pei Zhan, with whom she almost had no interaction...