When Bibi Dong spoke, Ye Tian was sipping tea from his cup.
Hearing Bibi Dong's firm tone, Ye Tian nearly spat out the tea he had just sipped.
Qian Renxue's promise?
That was something Ye Tian had entirely made up to test Bibi Dong!
It was a complete fabrication, yet Bibi Dong actually believed it.
Suppressing his inner shock, Ye Tian feigned calmness and gulped down the tea in one go.
But the dryness in his mouth only worsened, forcing him to pour another steaming cup and drink it in one breath.
"Are you even listening?"
Bibi Dong looked puzzled, watching Ye Tian repeatedly pour and drink tea.
It wasn't hot outside, so why was he so thirsty in the middle of winter?
"Yes, yes, I'm listening," Ye Tian said, nodding fervently like a chicken pecking at rice.
There was no denying it—Bibi Dong was determined to secure him, even agreeing to such harsh conditions.
Ye Tian had never imagined himself to be so important.
"What do you think of my proposal?" Bibi Dong's eyes were filled with seriousness.
Feigning calm, Ye Tian sipped his tea and replied, "This is a serious matter. Can't you give me a few days to think it over?"
Bibi Dong sighed lightly. "What difference does it make to think it over? This is the best offer I can make."
Her gaze turned deep as she looked at Ye Tian. "If there were another option, I wouldn't choose this exhausting path."
"But how many people are truly capable of bearing such a heavy burden?"
With a deep sigh, Bibi Dong added, "Being the Pope is just too tiring."
"So you're just going to push it onto me, Sister?" Ye Tian chuckled and swirled his tea.
"If you're willing, it's not out of the question to let you experience it," Bibi Dong replied with a faint smile.
If Ye Tian were willing to become the Pope, it would be the best outcome she could hope for.
Ye Tian quickly shook his head, speaking slowly: "No way. Honestly, I'm only interested in the other condition."
At these words, Bibi Dong's body trembled.
The other condition... wasn't that for her to marry him?
Was Ye Tian really daring enough to say that to her face?
It was bold, to say the least.
Seeing Bibi Dong's reflexive reaction, Ye Tian instinctively leaned back.
He had only mentioned it in passing.
Would Bibi Dong become enraged?
However, Ye Tian underestimated Bibi Dong's composure.
Years of political scheming as Pope had trained her to remain calm and unflustered.
Her earlier shock disappeared in an instant, replaced by an unreadable expression.
She extended her pale, jade-like hand and beckoned Ye Tian with her index finger.
"No need to back away. Am I that scary?"
"Well, when you put it that way…" Ye Tian returned to his seat.
He reassured himself to stay calm—after all, this was nothing he couldn't handle as someone who had lived two lifetimes.
Calm. Stay calm.
Bibi Dong stared into Ye Tian's eyes and said, "I've long passed the age of yearning for love."
"What you call love is nothing more than fleeting sentiment."
She had casually mentioned it, not expecting Ye Tian to take her seriously.
Was that a rejection? Ye Tian felt slightly dejected.
If he didn't know Bibi Dong's personality, he might have thought she was a tea master playing games.
But since she had already brought it up, even if she now refused, how could a man with ambition give up halfway?
After all, Bibi Dong was his dream, his untouchable white moonlight!
Taking a deep breath, Ye Tian eased the tense atmosphere and looked at Bibi Dong with a meaningful expression.
"Sister, you've only tasted the bitterness of love, not its sweetness."
"Life is short…"
Just as Ye Tian was about to recite some ancient wisdom to argue his case, Bibi Dong laughed, covering her mouth.
"My dear little brother, how could I not understand your intentions?"
"I know I can't match you in knowledge, so I won't debate the intricacies of love with you."
"Even if I still believed in love, do you think someone of my status and position has the time to experience it?"
Bibi Dong's delicate brows carried a hint of sincerity.
Her words came from the heart.
Since that fateful night twenty years ago, she had stopped believing in love.
She envied Ye Tian's youthful vigor, full of passion and dreams, like the sun in the morning sky.
As for her, she was merely a machine executing someone else's will—a will she agreed with but that wasn't her true dream.
"Well, if we're not talking about love, that makes things easier," Ye Tian said with a faint smile, setting his tea aside and sitting upright.
"Even among close siblings, accounts must be settled. Let alone between us, who are unrelated."
Bibi Dong's expression turned serious, her curiosity piqued.
Was Ye Tian about to make his demands?
Surprisingly, this thought reassured her.
Compared to a refusal, she preferred Ye Tian to name his terms.
Ye Tian grinned mischievously, speaking leisurely: "Actually, Sister, the predicament you're in isn't that hard to solve."
"If you're willing to help me, it certainly isn't," Bibi Dong said with a slight smile.
"No, no," Ye Tian shook his finger. "I have no obligation to help you."
"Then is there another way?" Bibi Dong's smile faded, and she asked earnestly.
Was Ye Tian planning to recommend someone else?
If so, he underestimated his own importance.
A person's talent was only one measure; their character and sense of justice were even more critical.
In her years as Pope, she had never encountered anyone like Ye Tian—a true, once-in-a-lifetime talent.
"Of course there is," Ye Tian replied calmly. "A marriage alliance!"
"A marriage alliance?" Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned, then let out an awkward laugh.
"You're not suggesting marrying off the imperial princesses to the Spirit Hall, are you?"
Such a simplistic idea had crossed her mind before.
But intermarriage between the three great powers might bring short-term peace, yet it wouldn't last more than a decade—perhaps not even five years.
There were no eternal friends, only eternal interests.
Even within royal families, brothers could turn against each other, let alone a mere marriage alliance.
"I mean, Sister, a marriage alliance between you and me," Ye Tian said with a bright smile, his tone almost smug.
"What?!"
Bibi Dong's expression turned utterly incredulous, almost letting out a startled cry.
(End of Chapter)
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