Chapter 134

Eva looked at the man trembling before her once again and couldn't help but find it amusing. He looked so strange, yet there was something about his demeanor that tugged at her heartstrings. She cupped Yuwen Xi’s face, meeting his gaze—which held a mixture of vulnerability and expectation—and said, word by word, "George, since I have agreed to marry you, I no longer care about the timing. You can tell your heart to finally be at ease! So, what you need to worry about now is—well, why don't you properly propose to me?"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Xi froze, then a smile bloomed on his lips. He released Eva, knelt on one knee, and gazed at the girl on the bed with eyes full of deep affection. Extending his right hand toward her, he spoke in a low, charming voice, "Eva, will you marry me, please?"

Eva looked at the man before her—who, despite knowing she had already agreed, still wore a look of anxious uncertainty—and felt a pang of pity. However, just as she was about to smile and reach out to take his hand, a chord in her mind suddenly vibrated, leaving her feeling dazed. It felt as if she should carefully reconsider before accepting his proposal, rather than making such a hasty decision.

Yuwen Xi watched as the look in Eva’s eyes flickered, and the hand he held out began to tremble slightly; a dull ache spread through his heart.

In the depths of Eva’s mind, a shadowy figure seemed to be stopping her, preventing her from accepting Yuwen Xi’s proposal. But who could that person be?

Seeing that Eva did not answer immediately and noticing her dazed expression, a sudden, piercing sadness overwhelmed Yuwen Xi.

So, she was still unwilling to marry him, even now, when there was room for only him in her mind!

With that thought, he lowered his eyes in despair and began to withdraw his extended hand.

A sharp, stabbing pain struck, as if a saw were cutting through her head. The intense agony served to bring Eva’s thoughts back to reality.

She looked up at Yuwen Xi and saw that the man, who had been filled with a joyful smile just moments before, had turned deathly pale. His body seemed to sway, and his hand was trembling as he started to pull it back.

Eva’s eyes flashed. Her left hand, acting on instinct, quickly grabbed his retreating hand. "Hey," she said, her voice filled with feigned dissatisfaction, "do you even want to marry me or not? Why are you being so timid with your proposal?"

Yuwen Xi stared fixedly at the small hand clasping his own. His eyes were filled with surprise, and his lips trembled uncontrollably as he whispered, "Are you really willing to marry me?" *Yingyue!*

"Yes, yes, I am going to marry you, so stop being so insecure, okay?"

"Yes, okay." A glimmer of determination flashed in Yuwen Xi’s eyes. Since she had taken the initiative to place her hand in his this time, he would never let go again.

He would never let go!

After Eva accepted the proposal, the entire Whiting household began preparations for a banquet in a flurry of activity. Unsurprisingly, every noble family received an invitation—a meticulously crafted, exquisitely designed card that, however, did not specify the purpose of the gathering.

***

At the Huai Te Villa, in a living room decorated in shades of blue and white, Arthur sat on the sofa, holding the elegant invitation with a darkened expression.

Indeed, this was an invitation from the Whiting family, yet Arthur had no clue what they were planning. As he pondered, his brow furrowed. That old fox would never do anything without a reason; there had to be a conspiracy. But what could it be?

"Hey, Arthur, it’s just an invitation. Is there any need to knit your brows so tightly?" On the other side of the sofa, Feng Qingquan, who was busy fussing over a bouquet of fresh flowers and contemplating the perfect arrangement, glanced at the brooding Arthur and spoke dismissively.

"You know full well that an invitation from that old fox is never simple, yet you’re still making snide remarks!" Arthur glared at him irritably.

"What’s the big deal? Even if we don’t know, we’ll find out when we get there." Feng Qingquan thought Arthur was worrying needlessly. It wasn't worth the headache; he would know in a few days, so why the rush?

"You know as well as I do that if the little one weren’t there, I wouldn’t be this anxious. Do you really think I have nothing better to do?" Arthur was deeply dissatisfied with Feng Qingquan’s indifference and couldn't help but rebuke him.

"And so what? She’s still alive and well, isn't she? What’s there to worry about?"

"I hate this feeling of being kept in the dark, especially when it concerns her. I must have full control; there cannot be the slightest oversight." Arthur’s eyes were deep and heavy. His hand tightened, and the elegant invitation slipped from his fingers like a falling butterfly, landing lonely on the floor.

Feng Qingquan’s dark eyes flickered. He suddenly looked up at Arthur, a strange light dancing in his gaze, and said slowly, "If you really want to know what that old man is up to, I have a good idea."

"What idea?" Arthur asked immediately. But when he saw the glint in Feng Qingquan’s eyes, he had a bad premonition and was about to interrupt.

"You could just ask your dear fiancée!" As it turned out, Feng Qingquan anticipated him and blurted out his suggestion.

As expected, he watched as Arthur’s face turned as black as coal, his sky-blue eyes darkening with sudden gloom.

Feng Qingquan swallowed hard, cursing himself inwardly. This guy was hopeless; the moment it involved that girl, he lost all his composure and became terrifying. *Sigh*, there was no doubt about it—that girl was Arthur’s fatal weakness.

"Uh... heh heh... forget I said anything. Heh heh, just forget I said it!" Feng Qingquan finally succumbed to Arthur’s dark, piercing stare.

*What a spineless man,* he thought.

Seeing that Feng Qingquan had immediately backed down, Arthur’s expression softened slightly, though he said in a low, cold voice, "I don't want to hear such things a second time."

"Understood." That was what he said, but Feng Qingquan couldn't help but grumble to himself: *I just won't say it in front of you, but I can still say it behind your back!* With that thought, he felt a bit better and continued arranging the flowers with elegant movements.

"You’d better pray that if you talk about me behind my back, I don't happen to hear it." Arthur’s wicked, charming voice suddenly rang out. Feng Qingquan’s elegant movements froze, and a delicate flower slipped from his fingers.

Feng Qingquan felt a headache coming on. *Can this bastard stop being so smart?*

Despite his inner thoughts, he didn't dare voice them. He looked up at Arthur with a beaming smile and, raising his arched brows, said, "How could you slander me like that? Am I that kind of person?" Seeing Arthur’s mocking expression, he quickly switched to a fawning, flattering grin. "Arthur, you are the god in my heart. How could I ever speak ill of you behind your back? If anything, I’m secretly praying for you!" Feng Qingquan felt a chill run down his own spine at his words, disgusted by his own lack of integrity.

Arthur also shivered, his skin crawling. With a twitching mouth, he said stiffly, "You don’t need to bother with the prayers. I’m confident I can live quite well on my own."

*Pfft, as if I’d actually pray for you. Stop being so narcissistic!*

While Arthur was troubled and Yuwen Xi was overjoyed, there were naturally others concerned by these events—such as the person currently at Windsor Castle.

"Any movement from that side recently?" An elderly woman dressed in a simple, casual gown held a newspaper. She pushed up the glasses on her nose and spoke nonchalantly, her gold-gray hair held in place by a pearl net, looking every bit the embodiment of grace and nobility.

"Your Majesty, the Whiting family is hosting a banquet soon and is currently in the midst of intensive preparations." The speaker was Rixi, the Queen’s most trusted attendant.

"Oh, really? A banquet, is it?" The Queen spoke as if it were a casual matter, though a flash of dark light flickered briefly in her deep blue eyes. She turned the page of her newspaper and continued to read with focused attention.

A long while later, just as Rixi thought the Queen was completely absorbed in her reading, the Queen spoke again, "Do you know the purpose of the banquet?"

Rixi’s expression tightened. She lowered her head and replied, "This... I am not yet aware."

The Queen’s eyes flashed for a second before she said languidly, "Not yet aware? Then what sort of gift should I prepare?"

Rixi thought for a moment and said respectfully, "Whatever you choose to send, Your Majesty, they will be delighted. The value of your gift lies in the honor you bestow upon them."

"Heh, one must still cater to the recipient's tastes, must one not?" the Queen said coldly, a thin, chilly smile playing on her lips. "Lest one be unwelcome."

"Yes, I shall go and ask the Whitings what kind of gift they would prefer." Seeing that thin, cold smile, Rixi lowered her head even further, hiding her expression.

"No need. Let them tell me themselves. There is no need for you to rush." The Queen’s tone turned icy as she spoke, her voice deep and grave. Rixi, standing to the side, trembled slightly, yet remained calm, her voice cool and steady as she replied, "As you command, Your Majesty."