The Next Of Phoenix
Chapter 35. Can I Love Others?

Xiao Mingyui and Xiao Jiwang jumped from one roof to another. Xiao Mingyui's hand was tightly grasped by the man. Not felt, now they have really arrived at the big market of the Capital City. Today the market looks more festive and crowded because the mask festival is routinely held once a year, this festival was only officially held seven years ago.

Xiao Jiwang turned his head to look at Xiao Mingyui, he saw that the woman was being engrossed in watching the market conditions. Xiao Mingyui's gaze had been moving around, there were so many things that attracted him, he had never paid too much attention to the state of the market in this detail.

"Your Majesty, can we come down now?" Xiao Mingyui turned his head towards Xiao Jiwang, their eyes met. Xiao Mingyui was a little surprised as it turned out that Xiao Jiwang had already looked at her first, yet the woman tried to cover up her shock.

Xiao Jiwang nodded, then extended his hand again towards Xiao Mingyui. Xiao Mingyui smiled faintly, then returned the man's helping hand. Without further ado, Xiao Jiwang and Xiao Mingyui jumped together, they landed smoothly inside the deserted alley so as not to cause shock to the other visitors.

Xiao Mingyui looked extremely enthusiastic, the woman took a step first. Xiao Jiwang who could see the enthusiastic twinkle in Xiao Mingyui's eyes also smiled, the man followed Xiao Mingyui with a leisurely walk.

"Don't get too far away from me" Xiao Jiwang said after returning to stand right beside Xiao Mingyui, then clasped the woman's hand again.

Xiao Mingyui was stunned, then her eyes looked at her hand that was tightly grasped by Xiao Jiwang. He did not know why today Xiao Jiwang treated him a little differently.

"Your majesty, may I buy some tanghulu sweets there? My late mother once told me that the confectionery store had an amazing quality of taste." Xiao Mingyui's lips smiled sincerely as her index finger pointed at a confectionery shop that had stood for decades.

Xiao Jiwang nodded, then the two of them immediately walked together towards the confectionery shop.

"Welcome to our confectionery shop, please determine where our two honored guests will eat our sweets. Packed or eaten here?" Ask the shopkeeper kindly.

Xiao Mingyui thought for a moment to bring the sweets or eat them directly here. To be honest he wanted to eat the sweets directly here, yet ..he did not dare to say it because of Xiao Jiwang. Xiao Mingyui was worried that Xiao Jiwang would feel unhappy about having to 'stuck' in this place.

"Eat here and please prepare a VIP room for us."

Xiao Jiwang answered the shopkeeper's question, making Xiao Mingyui look at him in surprise. The man ... don't mind?

Xiao Jiwang looked back at Xiao Mingyui, his forehead slightly folded. "What's wrong? You're not happy? Should we change it?"

Xiao Mingyui quickly shook his head. "No, I like it. Uh ... I want tanghulu and dried fruit sweets."

Xiao Jiwang nodded briefly, then looked at the shopkeeper as he walked towards the upper floor, his hand still tightly grasping Xiao Mingyui's hand. "Prepare tanghulu and sweet the best dried fruit."

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy your time ...."

Xiao Mingyui followed Xiao Jiwang's footsteps, as they reached the VIP room, Xiao Mingyui involuntarily smiled deeper and deeper. The woman quickly ran towards the balcony of the room which directly displayed the excitement below.

"Your majesty, there is a man who can bring out fire!" Xiao Mingyui pointed enthusiastically to the small show below.

Xiao Jiwang chose to sit on the chair on the balcony, then gave a short nod. "Yes." Yeah."

Xiao Mingyui turned his head, then sat down on the chair directly opposite to Xiao Jiwang's chair. Xiao Mingyui was still smiling. "Do you often visit a lively market like this?"

Xiao Jiwang shook his head. "I'm busy, not too often. But at least don't know anything like you."

Xiao Mingyui's smile slightly disappeared, a slight irritation growing in his heart. But since Xiao Mingyui did not want to ruin the good mood tonight, the woman tried to keep smiling.

Before long, their orders arrived. Xiao Mingyui stared intently at the sweets.

"My late mother used to order sweets from this store, it was delicious. But he said these sweets will feel much more enjoyable if eaten in the best room this store has," Xiao Mingyui said as he picked up the dried sweets.

Xiao Jiwang picked up the dried sweets, then replied, "What else do you want to see after this?"

Xiao Jiwang raised his left eyebrow. "Only a few jewelry stores are open at this hour, if-"

"No, not at an expensive jewelry store. I want a regular hair pin sold at street vendors. Bingbing, my personal waitress often visits markets like this, she always comes back with a sweet hairpick. Although the quality and value is not high, but in appearance he is very interesting." Xiao Mingyui quickly cut through Xiao Jiwang's misunderstanding.

Xiao Jiwang nodded briefly. "All right."

Xiao Mingyui now grabbed the tanghulu sweets, then stood back up and ate them on the edge of the balcony while staring down. Xiao Jiwang quietly stood up and was now right beside Xiao Mingyui.

Xiao Mingyui looked up, he saw Xiao Jiwang was looking at the night sky that looked overcast, there were no stars at all tonight.

"Your majesty, if I ask you something would you be willing to answer?" xiao Mingyui asked.

Xiao Jiwang lowered his head, his eyes staring at Xiao Mingyui. "Depends on what you want to ask."

Xiao Mingyui looked back at the crowd down there, then asked, "What if I ask to be loved after we get married?"

Xiao Jiwang let out a thin sigh, then replied, "I've explained it often. It won't."

Xiao Mingyui nodded briefly, then asked again. "Then will you allow me to love another man as our marital status continues?"

Xiao Jiwang frowned deeply, his countenance looking surprised. His eyes looked at Xiao Mingyui deepening, there was a silhouette of disapproval in his eyes.

Hearing that Xiao Jiwang did not answer him, Xiao Mingyui chose to continue. "Isn't that a good thing? Our marriage is just a charade to keep the Empire peaceful and suppress those who want to take down Xiao Wangfu and you simultaneously. It means there are no serious feelings between the two of us, and it also means that you and I are free to determine to whom we will love each other."

Xiao Jiwang's eyes turned cold, then he looked at the crowd below. "You are free to choose, but if you do not want to be judged as a cheap woman, it is better not to do anything harmful."

Xiao Mingyui frowned, then looked up to look at Xiao Jiwang. "Isn't that unfair? You are the Emperor, and therefore you can love and marry another woman without the slightest bad view. Don't you think about how I feel? I'm not talking about jealousy if you marry another woman, but it's about the unfair feeling I'm going to get. Should I die lonely?"

Xiao Jiwang clucked in annoyance. "Ck, what makes you ask such a strange thing? Marriage is still a long way off, what do you think about it now?"

Xiao Mingyui bit his tanghulu while looking back at the crowd, yet this time his head was slightly lowered.

"Even though I seem accustomed to cold and violence, I honestly want to live a happy life like my late mother. No, I don't want to imitate him too loudly as you told me a few days ago. The desire to love and be loved is my own. Was it wrong to expect such a thing?" asked Xiao Mingyui again.

Xiao Jiwang smiled faintly. "If I allow it, to whom do you want to love each other? Grand Envoy?"

Xiao Mingyui raised his head, his face looking pondering, making Xiao Jiwang who realized this somehow grow annoyed.

Xiao Mingyui nodded. "It seems like the choice wasn't too bad, but .. he is the Great Envoy, is that fine?"

Xiao Jiwang's countenance was one hundred percent annoyed, he indifferently said, "The bastard is too old for you hundreds of years, he is not suitable to be a couple, because soon he will die."

Xiao Mingyui was surprised by Xiao Jiwang's full blunt harsh sentence, the woman quickly turned her head towards Xiao Jiwang.

Xiao Jiwang gave a faint grin, then leaned his face towards Xiao Mingyui's face, then asked, "What? You don't take it?"

Xiao Mingyui frowned in annoyance, then moved her face away from Xiao Jiwang's face. "No, it's not like that. Just--"

"Hurry, finish the sweets. After this we're out of here." Xiao Jiwang interrupted Xiao Mingyui's sentence, then turned around and returned to his seat.