The door closed as they returned to the living room. Gu Jianing reached out with her jade-white fingers and poked Sheng Zexi’s chest, her voice soft and sweet yet laced with playful accusation. “Well, well. No sooner has Peng Wenjing left than Li Shuyao appears. Battalion Commander Sheng, your peach blossoms are truly abundant, huh?”
“Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it? Maybe I should go find a few peach blossoms of my own—ah!”
Before she could finish her teasing remark, Sheng Zexi pulled her into his arms, covering her mouth as he declared domineeringly, “I won’t allow it. You can’t have other peach blossoms.”
“You’re mine alone.”
“If any other blossoms dare approach, I’ll snap them off one by one.”
Gu Jianing let out a light hum. “And what if it’s an entire peach tree? Can you snap them all?”
“Then I’ll take an axe to it—uproot it completely and burn it to ashes.” Let’s see if it dares to sprout again when spring comes.
Gu Jianing burst into laughter at Sheng Zexi’s dead-serious expression and patted his chest. “Alright, alright, I was just teasing you.”
“But you really should tell me—who is this Li Shuyao? Is she also part of the performance troupe that came this time?”
Sheng Zexi thought for a moment. “Probably? She is from the Capital’s performance troupe, but I’m not sure if she’s part of this delegation.”
Not that he would bother to find out. He had zero interest in any Li Shuyao or Zhang Shuyao.
“No matter. If she is, we’ll see her during the New Year’s Eve performance.”
“Li Shuyao… she’s Elder Li’s granddaughter.” Sheng Zexi began explaining her background to Gu Jianing.
Only after his explanation did Gu Jianing realize that this “Elder Li” had once held a status equal to Sheng Zexi’s father before retirement—and even now, his influence remained formidable.
Not only that, the Li family had deep roots in both military and political circles. In other words, Li Shuyao’s background was undeniably powerful.
Especially since she was Elder Li’s only granddaughter—and his most doted-upon one at that.
“Don’t you regret not marrying Li Shuyao? After all, marrying her would’ve given your career a significant boost,” Gu Jianing couldn’t help but ask.
She thought of Wen Zhuqing from her past life—and countless other men who had abandoned their low-status wives or girlfriends to marry women with powerful connections, love be damned.
To many men, women were insignificant compared to career, power, and wealth. With those secured, what kind of woman couldn’t they have?
In fact, Gu Jianing even doubted—did unwavering, till-death-do-us-part love truly exist in this world?
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she felt a slight sting on her forehead. She blinked up in grievance, only to meet Sheng Zexi’s blazing, slightly wounded gaze.
“Gu Jianing, you actually don’t trust me?!”
Sheng Zexi could read her like an open book—the moment her eyes flickered, he knew exactly what she was thinking.
Her words just now had been nothing but a test of his loyalty, and that realization stung.
Hadn’t he made his love for her obvious enough?
“Gu Jianing, let me make this clear—I, Sheng Zexi, don’t need to sacrifice my marriage for so-called ‘advantages’!”
“The woman I marry will always be the one I love! No one can force me otherwise.”
“Military merits, career prospects—if I want them, I’ll fight tooth and nail to earn them myself. I believe in my own ability to forge my future.”
“And I believe that by marrying you, I’ll have what it takes to protect you.”
Sheng Zexi gripped her shoulders, his gaze blazing with sincerity. “Ningning, trust me. Please.”
Gu Jianing felt scorched by the blazing intensity in Sheng Zexi’s eyes, her heart skipping a beat as she was utterly overwhelmed. In an instant, her chest felt impossibly full, as if flooded with something indescribable.
Without even needing to think, she nodded and followed her heart’s response: “Okay, I believe you.”
Truthfully, her doubts had only been a fleeting shadow cast by her past life’s experiences—but she immediately recognized how unfair that was.
The Sheng Zexi of her past life had cherished her as his untouchable white moonlight, charging into a fire to save her. Even after her death, he’d left instructions to be buried beside her.
And in this life? He’d done so much for her. After marriage, he’d been considerate in every way—often going far beyond what men of this era typically would. Hadn’t she, bit by bit, been drawn to him and moved by his actions?
The Sheng Zexi of her past life was beyond doubt.
The Sheng Zexi of this life had proven himself through his actions.
She **shouldn’t** have doubted him!
“Then tell me—what’s this Li Shuyao like? As Elder Li’s granddaughter, should I… avoid her? Yield to her?” Though her words sounded accommodating, the look in Gu Jianing’s eyes as she leaned against Sheng Zexi’s chest was downright dangerous.
If this man dared suggest she yield to another woman—well…
That’s right. Even while trusting him, she’d still laid a little trap.
Sheng Zexi, unaware of the pitfall, bristled at her question.
“Gu Jianing, where’s your backbone? Why should you yield to anyone?”
“No matter who it is, you **never** need to back down. Do exactly as you please—and don’t worry, I’ve got your back.”
The unspoken message was clear: If anyone dares provoke you, go ahead and retaliate. Your husband will shield you and back you up!
Gu Jianing caught his meaning instantly and couldn’t hold back a peal of laughter.
“As for what Li Shuyao looks like… I don’t remember. She’s nowhere near as beautiful as my Ningning—and she’s annoying.”
Sheng Zexi racked his brain but genuinely couldn’t recall Li Shuyao’s appearance.
It wasn’t face blindness—he simply paid no mind to people who meant nothing to him.
The only impression Li Shuyao had left was her incessant pestering back in the capital.
Nothing more.
“Fine then.” Gu Jianing could tell he wasn’t lying.
Truthfully, she wasn’t overly concerned about Li Shuyao. She and Sheng Zexi were already married—in a **military marriage**, no less!
If Li Shuyao still tried to interfere, she’d only be humiliating herself.
And Gu Jianing wasn’t afraid to confront her.
After all, while Li Shuyao had the Li family backing her, Gu Jianing had something even more formidable—a **future-tech Fertility System** on her side.
With enough points, was there anything she couldn’t accomplish?
Over the next few days, Gu Jianing expected to run into Li Shuyao or even receive a visit—but nothing happened.
Before she knew it, New Year’s Eve arrived.
That morning, the moment Gu Jianing opened her eyes, the system’s voice chimed in her mind:
**[Ding! The Host Is Detected To Be Pregnant!]**
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