Chapter 439: With a Stepmother Comes a Stepfather

439. Chapter 439: With a Stepmother Comes a Stepfather

Listening to Xia Yue's words.

An Yi fixed his gaze on her and asked, "Why is it impossible? Do you not like me? Or perhaps you actually have someone you like?"

Isn't that just having someone you like?

Just that.

An Shi still looks like a clueless child.

Furthermore.

Xia Yue worries that one day she might drag An Shi into her own affairs.

She chose to remain silent.

An Yi tightened his grip and said, "If you don't give me an answer, I won't give up easily."

Xia Yue stopped concerning herself with him; she helped Chun Xue chase after An Liu.

She wasn't telling Chun Xue to call An Liu for anything.

She was just asking Chun Xue to deliver something to him.

Chun Xue wasn't stupid; after a few exchanges she understood her sister's meaning.

That night she found her and whispered, "Sister, stop tormenting yourself. An Liu and I are impossible; we're not compatible, I'm not worthy of him."

Xia Yue said, "Sister, don't belittle yourself like that. Your cooking and looks are both much better than before; how can you say you're not worthy of him?"

"What about you? You haven't admitted you like An Shi; is it because you recalled what happened before?"

Chun Xue retorted to Xia Yue.

She saw that she liked An Shi…

Xia Yue hadn't said anything yet.

Chun Xue spoke again, "Xia Yue, I'm sorry. If I hadn't rescued you home back then, you wouldn't be in this situation now; perhaps you would have already found a home."

"Finding a home, that home is no longer mine; with a stepmother comes a stepfather."

Xia Yue murmured, telling Chun Xue about her past.

"My family wasn't a great household; my father was only a low‑ranking ninth‑grade official. Because he was good‑looking and knew how to network, after my mother died he married my merchant‑family's stepmother. With their money and connections, he rose rapidly to become a Senior Fifth‑rank Minister of the Honglu Temple."

"My stepmother never liked me, but thinking I was still pretty she urged my father to marry me off to a high official as a concubine. How could I agree to marry a man who could become my father? I ran away; I did escape, but I was caught by a kidnapper. Later I got out but lost my memory. Fortunately I met you…"

"After arriving at the Imperial Capital, I inquired and found my father has become even more formidable; he is now a Senior Fourth‑rank Minister of the Honglu Temple."

Xia Yue's words just finished.

Chun Xue said, "What does Senior Fourth‑rank matter? Haven't you forgotten that the husband of our Eastern family is a Senior Third‑rank Commander of the Brocade Guard? Moreover, his father and older brother are also quite powerful; they…"

She hadn't finished speaking.

Xia Yue cut her off.

"Do you know why I didn't tell the Eastern family these things? I simply didn't want to trouble them or have them drawn into my affairs. My father managed to climb to this position, so he isn't simple. Perhaps he has already taken a side…"

"Take a side?"

Chun Xue didn't understand what that meant.

Xia Yue gave a brief explanation.

"It means siding with that prince. The Emperor has many children, and many of them aspire to become emperor, so numerous factions have formed. Those who support a particular prince join that faction. That's what I've heard, but I'm not sure whether my father has taken a side."

"If there is, that would really be very hard to deal with, because we have to consider the people behind him. Although I suspect my mother's death is related to them, I have no evidence at all."