If You Like Her, You May Marry Her

"What?" The Celestial Emperor looked him over carefully, and indeed, he was no longer a child. "You already have a son?"

"You've been in seclusion all this time, so I never reported it to you. And as for Mother... that's a bit hard to explain." Evan Xiao looked at his father, saying everything without words.

"She's Lady Ehuang's daughter?" The Celestial Emperor asked.

"Yes."

"It might be a bit troublesome, but if you like her, you can marry her." The Celestial Emperor said.

Evan Xiao was overjoyed and knelt to thank him: "Thank you, Father Emperor, for granting my wish."

"After the Holy Spirit Festival is over, bring them back." The Celestial Emperor said. "Let your mother... enjoy the festival first."

"Yes."

"Go bring Lady Ehuang up first, and don't let anything go wrong."

"Yes!" Evan Xiao left.

...

Evan Xiao said he'd be back soon.

Grace figured it would take at least three or four days, right?

But to her surprise, the little cutie showed up again that very evening.

He turned into his 'little cutie' form, slipped expertly into her room, and then changed back into human shape.

"Why are you here again?" Grace asked. "Didn't you say you had to go home?"

"I did go home, and now I'm back," Evan Xiao replied with a smile, sitting down beside her.

He couldn't hide the happiness in his eyes and expression.

Grace eyed him. "Did something good happen?"

Evan Xiao pulled her into his arms. "Father Emperor already agreed."

"Agreed to what?"

"Our wedding," Evan Xiao replied with a smile.

Grace looked at him, her face blossoming with a shy, happy smile.

"But Father Emperor said I should bring you back after the Holy Spirit Festival, so my mother can enjoy the holiday first."

"Oh... huh? What does that mean? What do you mean 'let your mother enjoy the holiday'?"

"...My father and your grandmother once had a thing," Evan Xiao said.

Grace: "..."

"So my mother might be a little sensitive about you," Evan Xiao explained. "That's why I never brought you home while Father Emperor was in seclusion."

"So... your mother will definitely object, right?" Grace couldn't help but worry about the mother-in-law relationship.

"Don't worry, my mother listens to everything Father Emperor says," Evan Xiao reassured her. "Besides, she's a good person, just a bit stubborn and likes to overthink things sometimes."

Grace took a deep breath and nodded. "She's your mother, after all. I'll do my best to be filial, and over time, she'll accept me. Plus, we have our adorable little Ray!"

"Mm." Evan Xiao smiled and said, "Let's go to sleep!"

"What do you mean, 'let's go to sleep'? You should go home!"

"I'll sleep with you in my dragon form."

"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Before she could finish protesting, he'd already turned into his 'little cutie' form, curled up in his usual sleeping spot, and even pointed to the space beside him with his tail, signaling her to come over.

Somehow, he seemed very different from the usual little cutie tonight.

There was something... a little naughty about it.

Grace stifled a laugh and lay down, fiddling with his horns, finding it all quite novel.

Evan Xiao snuggled his head close to her, pressed against her body, and closed his eyes...

Grace closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep as well.

...

As it turned out, turning into 'little cutie' was just the Crown Prince's strategy.

The next morning, Grace felt the bed was ridiculously crowded.

She opened her eyes and found herself tightly held in someone's arms.

One of his arms was used as her pillow.

The other hand was resting somewhere soft.

And her clothes were all messed up...

Later, before Pan'er and Xi'er came in, he turned back into 'little cutie' and swaggered out.

...