Originally, Yi Qingju was still puzzled as to why Qi Weiran didn't go to Qi's Hospital, but instead came abroad.
Later, Zhou Yi, who reported Qi Weiran's safety to her, told her the reason.
Zhou Yi: Although it's under his own name, Qi's Hospital is also open to the public, and it can be a bit unsafe with all sorts of people coming and going every day.
Zhou Yi: It's only at this place that Qi Weiran can truly unleash his full potential, so you can rest assured.
Yi Qingju didn't understand the meaning of those words at first, until—
[Oh my god, is this a castle?] She looked up in shock at the massive building towering before her, facing the sea and wind.
The Gothic-style spire pointed straight up to the sky, and the magnificent castle was revealed before her eyes.
A refreshing breeze blew in from the sea, sweeping Yi Qingju's hair and taking away her countryside air.
But that wasn't the most shocking part.
"Your Highness, this must be your Queen, as beautiful as her portrait, a true Eastern beauty."
While she was in a daze, an elderly but still elegant butler with streaks of silver in his hair had appeared before her.
Most importantly—he spoke Chinese.
Remembering her persona, Yi Qingju immediately put on a graceful smile and said politely, "Thank you for your kind words."
[Qi Weiran, just how many things are you keeping from me!? He called me Queen!? Queen!? How did the story suddenly become a Western fantasy!]
Although her heart was screaming, Yi Qingju remained calm on the surface, much to the butler's satisfaction.
"Is His Majesty the King here? I shall go see him," Qi Weiran said expressionlessly, as if he didn't want to engage in small talk with the butler.
The old butler looked regretful as he said, "I'm afraid His Majesty is unwell today and cannot receive you."
He didn't seem surprised by this answer, simply nodding, "Then we shall retire."
Yi Qingju followed his steps.
[Was it just my imagination? It felt like Qi Weiran's words were just a formality. Wait, His Majesty the King...?]
The little Zhi Zhi in Qi Weiran's suit pocket spoke up, [Qi Weiran is his nephew, but the host doesn't know.]
She really didn't know!
[Strictly speaking, this is actually a secret. Qi Weiran's mother—]
"My mother was the princess of this country, the only daughter of the old king," Qi Weiran suddenly said, interrupting Zhi Zhi.
The two walked side by side into the arched hallway. Wan Sui, who was originally carrying the sleeping Qi Xinian, and Zhang Wei had slowed down their pace at some point, increasing the distance between them.
Yi Qingju turned her head in surprise to look at him.
This was the first time Qi Weiran had mentioned anything about himself to her.
"When my mother married my father, the king disapproved and stripped her of her royal status. Yet he didn't even see her one last time before she died."
His tone was indifferent, and the light filtering through the neatly arranged columns cast a hazy glow on his profile, adding a touch of ethereal quality to Qi Weiran's mixed heritage features. At this moment, he truly looked like a handsome and elegant prince.
"So His Majesty the King refuses to see you out of guilt, I presume..."
[An old man sends away a young man, feeling guilty for his past actions, so he can't bring himself to face Qi Weiran...]
"No, it's because my eyes resemble my mother's."
"And the king is afraid of ghosts."
Yi Qingju: "......"
That was too much.
Yi Qingju let out an awkward laugh and struggled to say, "But His Majesty the King allows you to build your power in this country, and even acknowledged your identity, didn't he?" Although not publicly.
[The above information is sourced from Zhou Yi.]
She surreptitiously put her phone, whose screen hadn't gone dark, back into her pocket.
Qi Weiran glanced at her with a calm expression and said indifferently, "That's because I pay him a 'cooperation fee' of up to five hundred billion every year."
Then he added, "And that's the family discount. The original price was five hundred and ten billion."
Yi Qingju: "......"
[A little family discount... but not much.]
What a stingy king.
After that, during this period of time, Qi Weiran noticed that Yi Qingju had become less reserved than when she first arrived, behaving as if she were in her own home.
"Your adaptability is impressive," he sincerely praised her.
Yi Qingju sipped the authentic noble tea served by a real maid and gave Qi Weiran a wealthy smile, "After all, this was once your mother's home."
[Damn it, this is a castle funded by my future inheritance! Five hundred billion!]
[No wonder the old king lives in comfort every day, turns out I've been carrying the burden for him!]
Qi Weiran: "......"
Actually, he wanted to say that it was just a small, insignificant amount of money.
That night, Yi Qingju even made a point of soaking in the grand bath, supposedly reserved only for the Queen.
She showed no sign of feeling privileged, even ordering a milk bath without hesitation.
"Tsk, nothing special," she said about the Queen's bath.
The maids serving her didn't understand Chinese, but seeing Yi Qingju's nonchalant attitude as she relaxed while getting massaged with rose oil, they exchanged glances.
When they heard the news that the prince had married an ordinary girl with no background, they were shocked. Even today, when they received word of her arrival, they had the mindset of wanting to see her make a fool of herself.
No one disliked Qi Weiran, especially after seeing him in person.
But unexpectedly, instead of showing the timidity and restraint of an ordinary girl visiting the castle for the first time, this Queen seemed to fully enjoy the experience, as if she had been born there. Her remarkable adaptability was truly impressive.
Yi Qingju didn't know what they were thinking. After being helped to dress, she was escorted to her room with a sense of entitlement.
[Huh? Why aren't the lights on?]
Thinking this, she walked into the dimly lit bedroom and climbed onto the bed.
"Phew—"
With a satisfied sigh, Yi Qingju suddenly felt a hot body as she turned over.
"What the—" she jumped up in fright.
Without hesitation, she grabbed a pillow and flung it at the object!
"Mmph..." came a muffled groan.
The voice sounded familiar.
"Qi Weiran?" Yi Qingju called out.
After a rustling sound, a tall shadow emerged from the bed, and the wall lamp by the bedside turned on.
Yi Qingju could finally see clearly.
He was wearing a well-fitted cotton nightsuit, his black hair slightly disheveled, and his usually piercing amber eyes, often carrying a hint of indifference, were now veiled with a misty haze.
He sat there motionlessly, staring at Yi Qingju.
It was then that she noticed something was off. "Qi Weiran?"
After calling his name again, he finally reacted slowly, first frowning slightly, then speaking in a somewhat aggrieved tone, "Don't call me that."
The eerie scene made Yi Qingju's hair stand on end.
Was this a possessed Qi Weiran, or had she gone crazy?
But—wait a minute?
She mustered her courage and leaned closer to Qi Weiran, sniffing the scent on his neck. Then, with a furrowed brow and a confident tone, she said, "You're drunk?"
The iron-stomached, thousand-cup unaffected Qi Weiran was actually drunk!?
Upon closer inspection, his porcelain-white face indeed had a flushed tinge under his eyes.
"Drank a lot," he nodded woodenly, his loose collar revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his collarbone. Combined with his disheveled hair and nightclothes, he no longer exuded the aura of a formidable CEO.
Yi Qingju rubbed her temples in exasperation.
Come to think of it, he had mentioned earlier that he would visit a drunken mentor that afternoon and instructed her not to go to him tonight.
But they were husband and wife, so they would naturally be arranged in the same room.
"Alright, I'll go sleep in the other room. You should turn off the lights and go to sleep, Qi Weiran."
Saying that, she turned around, but in an instant, a well-built, warm body pressed forcefully against her back, and a hot breath tickled her cheek.
"Don't go," the other person pleaded in their voice.
