After I transmigrated, the cold king clung to me every day.

Chapter 217 "Bound by Life and Death, Never to Be Abandon"

In the quiet study, Murong Yi sat upright at her desk, her body seemingly surrounded by an invisible aura.

His gaze was deep and focused as he scanned the ancient book in his hands, word by word. His expression was as profound as a deep pool, unfathomable yet full of contemplation. His tightly furrowed brows occasionally twitched slightly, as if he were silently pondering the subtleties of the book.

At this moment, Afu tiptoed into the study carrying tea, placed the teacup steadily on the corner of the table, then leaned slightly forward, her voice as soft as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the room: "Your Highness~"

Murong Yi seemed not to hear, her gaze never leaving the pages of the book. She simply raised her hand and waved casually, indicating that Afu could put down the tea and leave.

Afu nodded knowingly and tiptoed away. Just as he reached the door, he nearly bumped into someone. Looking up, he saw it was Lin Qianqian.

She wore a light blue silk dress, the hem embroidered with delicate white flowers that swayed gently with her movements, like petals dancing in the spring breeze. A light blue ribbon was tied into a playful bow at her waist, the ends of which hung naturally, adding to her lively charm. Her hair was loosely tied up, with a few stray strands falling beside her fair cheeks, making her eyes appear even brighter, like stars.

At this moment, Lin Qianqian was holding a brightly colored cloth tiger in her hand. The cloth tiger looked adorable and was very eye-catching as she waved it around.

Upon seeing this, Afu immediately bowed respectfully and then quietly turned and left.

Lin Qianqian watched Afu's departing figure, her brows furrowing slightly without her noticing. Her pink lips unconsciously pouted, and she scratched her head, looking puzzled.

However, she didn't spend much time thinking about it. Soon, her gaze was drawn to Murong Yi's direction as if by a magnet.

Murong Yi was completely absorbed in his books, seemingly cut off from the outside world. His posture was upright and steady, his back straight, like a deeply rooted pine tree.

His face was sharply defined, and in the dappled sunlight filtering through the window, it seemed to be outlined with a faint golden edge. In his deep eyes, there was only the words on the page; his gaze was focused and resolute, oblivious to everything around him.

Seeing his expression, Lin Qianqian couldn't help but purse her lips. Then, as if amused, she burst out laughing. Her bright eyes curved into crescent moons, radiating playfulness and cuteness.

Immediately, she gently placed her hands behind her back, carefully concealing the brightly colored cloth tiger, and tiptoed toward Murong Yi, taking each step with utmost care, afraid of making the slightest sound and breaking the peaceful and beautiful scene before her.

Lin Qianqian tiptoed toward Murong Yi, each step high and light, like a kitten stealing cream.

Her eyes gleamed with barely suppressed excitement, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a wicked, triumphant smile, as if she could already see Murong Yi's panicked and bewildered expression.

She had such a smug look on her face, as if the whole world was under her control.

Just as she was about to leap out and scare Murong Yi, a wicked smile suddenly appeared on his lips as he softly spoke, "Ninth Prince's Consort..."

The sudden sound was like a thunderclap exploding in Lin Qianqian's ears. She screamed in fright, and the cloth tiger in her hand fell uncontrollably to the ground.

Murong Yi looked up at the sound, and their eyes met instantly. Lin Qianqian's eyes were wide open, her expression one of utter shock. Her once rosy face had turned deathly pale, and her slightly open mouth still held the look of astonishment after her scream.

When Murong Yi saw her like this, his eyes instantly overflowed with doting affection, and he could no longer hold back, bursting out a hearty laugh from his chest.

There was not a trace of mockery in that laughter, only deep affection and tolerance for Lin Qianqian, as if everything she did was the most adorable thing in the world in his eyes.

Lin Qianqian was so frightened that her face turned pale. After regaining her senses, she subconsciously bent down and quickly picked up the cloth tiger from the ground.

She frowned deeply, her cheeks puffed out in anger, her rosy lips pursed, her face full of dissatisfaction, and she glared at Murong Yi with annoyance.

"You! You scared me to death!" Lin Qianqian's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she said loudly with a hint of anger, her chest heaving violently with rage.

Murong Yi calmly put down the book in his hand, folded his hands, leaned back in his chair with a leisurely air, a hint of mockery in his eyes, and a faint smile on his lips. He replied steadily, "It was clearly you who harbored ulterior motives and tried to frighten me first. How come you're now accusing me first? This logic doesn't hold water anywhere." His voice was deep and resolute, each word sounding carefully considered, exuding an undeniable authority.

Lin Qianqian was speechless for a moment after being rebuked. She opened her mouth, but found that her throat was blocked and she couldn't say a word for a long time. She was full of resentment, and her fair little hands tightly gripped the cloth tiger, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"You...you're just being unreasonable!" After a long pause, Lin Qianqian finally managed to stammer out these words. She stood there, hands on her hips, looking like a spirited but helpless little rooster. "I...I was just trying to surprise you, and you turn around and criticize me! If you hadn't suddenly spoken up today, would this have happened?"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and began to complain unreasonably, but there was a hint of grievance hidden in her eyes, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Murong Yi raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the cloth tiger in Lin Qianqian's hand. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, and a smile curved his lips as he asked with interest, "Oh? A surprise? Is this it?" He stretched out his slender fingers and gently tapped the cloth tiger.

Lin Qianqian nodded emphatically and replied crisply, "Mmm~" Then, she walked briskly to Murong Yi's side. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation. She handed the cloth tiger to Murong Yi, deliberately shaking it a little, her eyes carrying a hint of self-satisfaction, and asked sweetly, "Do you like it?"

Seeing this, Murong shook his head helplessly and couldn't help but chuckle. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes full of doting and indulgence, as if he had no way to deal with the little girl in front of him.

Seeing this, Lin Qianqian frowned in confusion, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes, and said coquettishly, "What are you laughing at?"

Murong Yi could no longer contain himself and burst into hearty laughter: "Hahaha~ My queen is such a childish little devil." With a smile, he reached out and gently pinched Lin Qianqian's nose, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure, his eyes filled with unwavering gentleness.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qianqian instantly became furious. Her face turned bright red, and her cheeks puffed out, making her look like a pufferfish that had been inflated.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she glared at Murong Yi, then said coquettishly, "Hmph! You called me childish!"

Immediately afterwards, she stomped her foot hard, her skirt fluttering with the movement, and turned her back to Murong Yi in a huff, muttering under her breath to express her dissatisfaction.

Murong Yi looked at her adorable appearance, shook her head indulgently, and smiled even more broadly.

He slowly rose, walked behind Lin Qianqian, gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and spoke in a voice as gentle as a spring breeze, softly brushing against her ear: "Alright, I was just joking with you. This cloth tiger is so cute, I like it very much. Thank you, Your Highness!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qianqian's tense body gradually relaxed, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.

Lin Qianqian turned around abruptly, her eyes lighting up instantly. She looked at Murong Yi with anticipation and asked eagerly, "Really? You really like him?"

Murong Yi smiled gently, nodded indulgently, leaned forward slightly, looked down at her, reached out and gently stroked her cheek, his voice low and affectionate: "Of course I like it! This is a gift from the Princess."

Hearing this, Lin Qianqian's face flushed, as radiant and beautiful as the sunset. She lowered her head shyly, her hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her heart filled with sweetness.

Seeing this, Murong gently pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head, and said softly, "Soon, our palace will be even more lively. You are carrying our child, and so is Wan'er. Once both children are born, the palace will be filled with their laughter and joy. Just thinking about it makes me happy."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qianqian's face, which had been beaming with happiness, instantly turned deathly pale. Her hands clenched uncontrollably, her nails almost digging into her palms. The sweetness in her eyes was instantly replaced by anger, and her whole body trembled slightly.

Murong Yi, absorbed in her beautiful vision of the future, did not notice her unusual behavior.

Lin Qianqian lowered her eyes, lost in thought. After a moment, she raised her head, her eyes filled with deep affection and seriousness, and looked intently at Murong Yi, saying solemnly, "Your Highness, I have something to tell you, and I hope you can answer me honestly!"

Murong Yi nodded slightly, her gaze gentle yet firm, a reassuring smile playing on her lips, and said softly, "Speak freely, and I will answer to the best of my knowledge!"

Lin Qianqian took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, filled with a mixture of expectation and trepidation: "Your Highness, no matter what I do, no matter what happens in the future, will you always believe in me and protect me without hesitation?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Yi couldn't help but frown subconsciously, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

He couldn't understand why Lin Qianqian would suddenly ask such a question, but that didn't diminish his deep affection for her.

He gazed at her tenderly, gently cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. His voice was deep and passionate, filled with boundless affection and unwavering resolve: "My beloved, since we met and fell in love, my heart has been entirely devoted to you. No matter how the world changes, no matter how many hardships and obstacles lie ahead, I will believe in you without reservation, do everything in my power to protect you, and be with you through life and death, never betraying you."

Hearing these sincere and heartfelt words, Lin Qianqian felt her heart ripple like the surface of a lake touched by a spring breeze.

A feeling of gratitude and warmth welled up inside her, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears. She felt she had received the most satisfying answer, and her inner unease and fear vanished in that moment. She instinctively nestled into Murong Yi's arms.

Murong Yi held her tightly, as if to build an unbreakable barrier for her with his embrace, protecting her for a lifetime.