Tang Moyu sat next to Li Meili and watched the other guests dance around. She smiled softly as she watched her daughter pull her Uncle Yan and asked him to teach her how to dance after hearing from Feng Tianyi about the short course Song Fengyan offered to He Lianchen in preparation for this wedding.

  "They look cute don't you think?"

  The empress turned her head to see Feng Tianyi standing behind her. He slowly took a seat next to her and took her hand in his under the table, where people couldn't see what they were doing.

  "They are, but what are you doing here?" She whispered.

  "I'm missing my wife. Is there a reason why I shouldn't be here?" He questioned back.

  "Beats me." She shrugged and kept her eyes on her daughter.

  Tang Moyu pretended not to know him and looked away, trying to ignore the blush on her face while he held her hand. It was the opposite for Feng Tianyi, who, for all its worth, would like to do everything to stake claim on the empress every chance he could get.

  He wanted Tang Moyu to look at him, to hold him in public without being shy about it. There was nothing in this world that he wanted to do more than to make her and their little buns happy and content.

  She might have not known the truth about the conception of her children, that he was the one who fathered Baobao and Little Star. Now, Feng Tianyi had to ponder when would be the perfect time to break the news to the empress.

  Maybe someday it would be his and Tang Moyu's turn to exchange vows and have a joyous wedding just like He Lianchen and Gu Yuyao did. Was this just wishful thinking? He wondered.

  "I didn't know you wanted to get married badly. You caught Gu Yuyao's bouquet." He teased.

  "I don't know what you are talking about. I didn't even make an effort to catch it. It just fell in my hands." Tang Moyu said in defense.

  "Still, you have it." Feng Tianyi pressed. "Just tell me whenever you are ready, okay? I will be sure to give you a grand wedding."

  Tang Moyu glanced at him from the corner of her eye and scoffed.

  "If I want to marry, I would have an intimate one, where only the people who matter to me are there to witness it. I don't need to show off to others."

  Feng Tianyi considered her words. It was the first time he heard that a woman did not wish to have a huge wedding on her special day. However, what Tang Moyu said made sense to him. Why would they need to invite people who weren't truly part of their lives?

  "I see. That's plausible." He agreed. "That can be arranged."

  He wanted to have the right to protect her, to love her in all the ways he knew he could. Feng Tianyi mused if there was ever a day or a moment when Tang Moyu wondered if she was going to settle down with him in the future.

  Would knowing about him being the father of her twins help, or would instantly kill any chances he had with her because of it?

  Feng Tianyi wanted them to look after each other, physically and emotionally, as they grew old together. He wanted her to rely on him more. Little Star's childish giggling reached his ears and caught his attention.

  The little girl had insisted on dancing with her Uncle Yan, who now regret allowing Little Star to step on his shiny black shoes as they danced together. Although his cousin cried inwardly for his poor shoes, Song Fengtan allowed Little Star to continue dancing and moved carefully to make sure she wouldn't get hurt.

  Meanwhile, the elder bun had now fallen asleep on Li Meili's l.a.p, taking a nap after stuffing himself until he was too full from the desserts he'd eaten earlier with his mother and twin sister.

  It was surprising that the boy had managed to eat as much as he had today, considering he'd been cautious about the amount of food he ate on a daily basis to make sure he won't get a stomachache.

  Feng Tianyi was aware of the horrible terms being used to describe the twins and it had been his fault all this time because he was never around to protect them and their mother.

  Bastard's children… born out of wedlock. Some even went as far calling Tang Moyu a loose woman for sleeping with a man who wasn't her husband or fiance before her marriage.

  Why was it easy for some people to judge, even if they didn't know the truth? Why do they cast stones at others when even themselves had a flawed background and had sinned worse than the empress had?

  If only people knew the truth, that Tang Moyu was a victim of the circ.u.mstances, that she never wished to end up on his bed that fateful night, which resulted in her conceiving his twins.

  Feng Tianyi made a mental note to talk about the little buns with his mother. He wasn't sure why, but he suspected that his mother had been aware of the truth for some time now, hence, why she was pampering Tang Moyu's little buns endlessly.

  There was no way in hell the empress dowager would act like that if she hadn't known that the twins weren't his. Hadn't she asked him if Little Feiyu was his son the moment she first met the boy?

  Feng Tianyi wouldn't be surprised if his mother ran a more thorough background check on Tang Moyu and her little buns. His mother must have known about their blood relation.

  Patience. Feng Tianyi told himself. All in due time, and there wasn't a need to rush things between him and Tang Moyu. They have time. They only started dating a few months ago, there's no need to pressure the empress to tie the knot.