He wasn't sure if he should be happy that the empress took an interest in his craft though. Perhaps, she was just killing time as she looked after him by reading his books.

  "Auntie Lu made something you can eat. You should try to eat some and drink your second dose of medicine." Tang Moyu said without breaking her focus from the page she was reading.

  Pushing himself to a seated position, Feng Tianyi ate a little from the meal that was placed on his bedside table and obediently took the pill next to the glass of water which he suspected was refilled by the empress.

  He glanced at Tang Moyu who hadn't uttered a single word after asking him to eat. Only the sound of her flipping the pages of the book she was holding and his shallow ragged breathing could be heard inside the room.

  "Like what you've read so far?" He asked, breaking the silence between them.

  Tang Moyu gave him a quick glance before returning her attention to the book.

  "I now understand why your books are popular." She commented. "It's a shame that I can't take advantage of you and earn some extra bucks."

  The devil was stunned into silence. Did the empress just attempt to crack a joke on him?

  The ends of his mouth curled into a smile. Ah, this was something new, but not unwelcome.

  "Ah, Moyu. If you did that I might go bankrupt soon."

  "Nonsense, with me around. There's no way you would lose money." Tang Moyu retorted, making the devil laugh.

  Feng Tianyi wished that she wouldn't be turned off seeing him in this vulnerable state. However, he pushed those thoughts away. Tang Moyu wasn't a person like that. She did accept him even in his crippled state, didn't she?

  He still felt in awe that someone like the empress would take a liking to such a horrible, deceitful man like him. If she was like any other woman, she would have thrown accusations at his face for deceiving her, immediately kicking him out from her place, but Moyu didn't.

  In over four months of knowing each other, there were still things that he still didn't know about the elusive fallen empress of Shenzhen. Things that the public had no idea of.

  Feng Tianyi liked how professional and dedicated Tang Moyu was when it came to work, and while her schedule didn't allow her to personally look after her children most of the time, the empress always made sure that her little buns were provided for and loved by her.

  He also wondered why Moyu allowed her parents to treat her like that for a long time before actually cutting off her ties with them for good.

  "Moyu, can I ask you something?"

  Since they were already in this situation where they could be honest with each other, he wanted to know more about her past and how her relationship was with his half-brother, before their separation.

  "What is it?" She replied.

  Tang Moyu might be busy reading his book, but she gave him the impression that she was listening to him.

  "Why did you agree to be Tianhua's fiance? Didn't you have a choice back then?" Feng Tianyi asked. She probably didn't have one. He thought to himself.

  If Moyu was like other young children who were expected to be filial to their elders, she probably didn't have any other choice but to follow her parents' wishes.

  The empress put down the book she was reading and stared at him for a moment. She'd heard that Feng Tianyi and Feng Tianhua were always at each other's throats. Thinking about it, their personalities were the opposite of each other. While Feng Tianhua loved being the center of attention, Feng Tianyi would rather work behind the scenes.

  Even before their separation, Feng Tianhua had told her to stay away from his older brother at any cost, as for the reason, Tang Moyu assumed that it was because they didn't get along.

  "A choice? I'm not sure that an eight-year-old could refuse her parents' words when they informed me that I am set to become someone's wife. I didn't even have any idea who it was going to be." She started. "Back then, I was striving to get my parents' approval. I didn't stop to think about how serious it was to be betrothed at a young age."

  "I see… so did you and Tianhua have a good relationship before he met Xing Yiyue?" When he saw her eyes slightly narrowing, he hurriedly added. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just curious because you mentioned you've only been interested in one man."

  Ah, but how can the devil resist teasing the empress when he had the chance? He really loved seeing her blush from his teasing.

  "Stop putting words in my mouth, Feng Tianyi!" The empress obviously bristled in her seat like a cat being stepped on its tail. Her face beet red as she glared at him.

  "I am not!" The devil argued. "No take backs, Moyu! You already admitted you like me. I'm willing to wait until you are ready, but that doesn't mean I'll do nothing in return! Now back to my question, answer me please."

  Tang Moyu harrumphed and crossed her legs. Shameless! How did she fall for such a man anyway? She'd never met a man as infuriating as he was!