By a twist of fate, the illegitimate son of the Marquis's family marries the county princess.

Chapter 193 This Must Be Love

After taking a bath, Pei Rujing went straight back to bed and lay down without even looking at Wen Zongji.

Granny Feng said, "Young master, you should leave now."

Pei Rujing said she wanted to sleep in separate rooms, so Wen Zongji couldn't stay in the main room.

Wen Zongji watched Pei Rujing's retreating figure for a while, then turned and left.

Granny Feng walked to the bedside, looked at Pei Rujing who was hiding from everyone, and said softly, "Princess, the young master has already left."

Pei Rujing did not speak.

There might be a misunderstanding regarding the child.

Granny Feng paused for a moment and said, "Although the young master is gentle and considerate, he is, after all, a man and does not understand the feelings of a woman. The county princess is exceptionally beautiful and deeply in love with the young master. In time, the young master will eventually fall in love with the county princess."

It wasn't that Granny Feng favored Wen Zongji or wanted to speak well of him.

Rather, she could tell that no matter how angry Pei Rujing was, she wouldn't separate from Wen Zongji. Since that was the case, it was better to release her emotions sooner rather than later, so as not to let them fester in her heart and harm her health.

Pei Rujing closed her eyes and said, "I'm going to sleep."

Granny Feng sighed, turned around and beckoned Qinghe and the others to leave the inner room.

On the other side, after leaving the main room, Wen Zongji went to the study: "Changdong, go and make the bed. I will be staying in the study for the next few days."

Upon hearing this, Changdong exchanged a glance with Anfeng, not daring to ask any further questions: "Yes, young master."

Wen Zongji walked to the bookshelf, paused, took down the book "Treatise on Herbs", turned to the page with the white paper, and looked at the methods of contraception in the book, as well as the calculations of Pei Rujing's safe period written on the white paper. His hand gripped the book tightly without his mind.

An Feng asked softly, "Young Master, someone from the kitchen came to ask if we should prepare a meal?"

Wen Zongji hasn't had dinner yet.

Wen Zongji paused, then said, "Go ask the kitchen if the county princess has had dinner tonight?"

An Feng responded and left, returning shortly after: "The county princess instructed the kitchen to prepare more of the young master's favorite dishes tonight, but no one has been served the meal yet."

It was clear that Pei Rujing hadn't eaten dinner either.

Today is Wen Zongji's birthday, and the two of them should have celebrated it properly. Pei Rujing had even been preparing for it for a long time.

Now everything has fallen through.

Wen Zongji said, "I have no appetite. Let the kitchen staff rest."

"Yes."

Wen Zongji sat at his desk, leaning back in his chair, and exhaled heavily with his head tilted back.

"Young master, have some tea to soothe your throat."

An Feng placed the brewed tea in front of Wen Zongji.

Wen Zongji sat up straight again, about to pick up his teacup, when his gaze paused.

Seeing a corner peeking out from under the chess notation, Wen Zongji pulled it out and opened it:

Husband:

This seems to be the first time I've written to you, but I've never written to anyone else before, only you!

Today is your birthday. I thought for a long time about how to prepare an unforgettable birthday for you. My nanny said that this is only the first birthday we celebrate together. There will be a second, a third, a tenth, and a twentieth birthday in the future. The important thing is not how to celebrate the birthday, but that we celebrate it together... I really like what she said because it means that we will always be together.

Before we married, I never knew what it felt like to love someone, nor did I ever imagine that one day I would love someone so much that just thinking of him could make me happy all day long.

But this isn't something to be ashamed of, is it?

You are my husband, and I want you to know that I love you. So, for the sake of fairness, you must reciprocate my affection in kind.

Of course, since you have many things to do, I, the magnanimous county magistrate, will allow you to like me a little less than I do.

But only a tiny bit!

May you be joyful year after year, and may every year bring you better than you imagined!

"Young master, the bed has been made..."

Chang Dong came in to report, but was stunned when he saw the tears in Wen Zongji's eyes, and his words faltered.

Wen Zongji's gaze remained fixed on the letter, ignoring Chang Dong.

Chang Dong tactfully withdrew and pulled An Feng to stand guard outside the door.

Wen Zongji read the letter over and over again, his heart filled with an increasingly bitter feeling.

……

The next day, when Pei Rujing opened her eyes, it was already bright outside.

She seemed to go to bed early last night, but her mind was a mess, with all sorts of random images popping up. She didn't actually fall asleep until very late.

After getting up and washing up, Qinghe said softly, "Princess, your husband is waiting for you outside for breakfast."

Pei Rujing lowered her eyes: "He didn't go to work?"

"He must have taken leave."

Pei Rujing remained silent, waiting quietly for Qinghe and the others to help her with her hair and makeup. Then, she walked out of the inner room and saw Wen Zongji sitting at the dining table, where breakfast was already laid out.

Upon learning that Pei Rujing had woken up, Wen Zongji had a meal prepared.

Pei Rujing paused for a moment, then walked over and sat down opposite Wen Zongji.

This is the furthest point from Wen Zongji.

Wen Zongji smiled bitterly, ladled out a bowl of soup, and placed it in front of Pei Rujing: "Eat your meal first, I have something to say to my wife in a little while."

Pei Rujing didn't look at him and quietly drank her soup.

The two had the most unfamiliar breakfast they had ever had.

Even when they had just gotten married, the atmosphere wasn't this tense.

After finishing his breakfast, Wen Zongji had it removed, and the maids tactfully stood guard outside the door.

Wen Zongji looked at Pei Rujing: "I saw the letter my wife wrote."

Pei Rujing's eyes flickered; her emotions had been so turbulent yesterday that she had forgotten about the letter.

But she still ignored Wen Zongji.

Wen Zongji didn't expect her to respond. He looked out the window, recalling the past, and said softly, "Regarding whether I am Xinyue's wife, I did lie to you before."

Pei Rujing's hand, which was under the table, suddenly clenched.

"Because I feel that love is often just a fleeting emotion, what can sustain a relationship is responsibility. Now that we're married, I have a responsibility to my wife. I will cherish and protect you, I won't have anyone else, and we will grow old together. I can do all of these things, isn't that more secure than whether or not there's love?"

"That's what I thought until last night!"

Wen Zongji turned his gaze back to Pei Rujing, his eyes filled with a tenderness he hadn't shown before: "I didn't sleep a wink last night, reading your letter over and over again. I think I'm in love with you, my beloved."

"It was the first time someone had loved me so unconditionally. I felt a mix of bittersweet joy and an inexplicable urge to reciprocate that love."

"I think this must be love!"