Chapter 1174: The River God’s Bride 9

Tang Wan did not comment on the peculiar arrangement of the room. Instead, she calmly sat down at the edge of the coral bed, lifting her gaze to look at Bingtong, who stood nearby with an unmistakable stiffness, as though he did not quite know what to do with himself. Seeing his awkwardness, she raised her hand and gently patted the space beside her, her tone soft and inviting as she said, “Husband, come sit as well.”

At her words, Bingtong gave a quick, almost startled response before hurrying over and sitting down beside her, his movements careful and slightly clumsy. The moment he settled, Tang Wan tilted her head slightly and asked with a curious expression, “Is your name really Bingtong? I remember hearing from my elders that the River God is called Feng Yi.”

“There is indeed such a River God,” Bingtong replied quickly, eager to explain. “But he governs the Yellow River. I… I am the River God of this region, so naturally my name is different.”

Tang Wan nodded in understanding, then smiled faintly as she continued, “In that case, may I call you Tongtong in the future?”

“Yes! Of course!” Bingtong answered immediately, his large eyes lighting up with visible excitement. The idea of being given a nickname by her filled him with an unexpected sense of joy, as though the distance between them had suddenly shortened.

Watching his reaction, Tang Wan felt her earlier assumptions shift slightly. In the original storyline, this River God had been portrayed as a villain, and she had expected someone cold or twisted in both temperament and nature. Yet the Bingtong before her, though his appearance did not conform to human standards, was surprisingly simple and sincere, even a little naïve in his behavior. It made her reconsider her initial judgment.

With this in mind, she decided to probe a little further. Her expression grew slightly more serious as she asked, “Tongtong, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?” Bingtong replied at once, his posture straightening as though bracing himself.

“It’s about the brides,” Tang Wan said, her brows knitting faintly. “In our town, I’ve heard that many girls have been sent to the river before. What happened to them? Aside from me… do you have other brides?”

The moment the question was asked, Bingtong shook his head vigorously, his tone firm and immediate. “No! I only have you as my bride!”

“Really?” Tang Wan looked at him with a hint of doubt, as though unconvinced.

“It’s true!” he insisted, growing slightly anxious as he explained, “Those girls sent before… they weren’t meant for me. They were offerings to other River Gods. But they all hated becoming brides. Some jumped into the river themselves, while others refused to eat after arriving and eventually died…”

As he spoke, his voice faltered slightly, and he looked at Tang Wan with growing unease. “My lady… you won’t do something like that, will you? Don’t worry, I will treat you very well. Please don’t… don’t choose to die, alright?”

Hearing the concern in his voice, Tang Wan’s expression softened at once. She quickly reassured him, “Don’t worry, Tongtong. I won’t do anything like that. I like you very much.”

“Really?” Bingtong’s eyes widened instantly, his entire being seeming to light up with hope and disbelief. His heart began to pound uncontrollably, the emotion almost overwhelming in its intensity.

“Really,” Tang Wan repeated, her tone gentle as she lowered her gaze slightly, as though embarrassed. “You might not believe it, but before this, I had a dream. In that dream, I saw you… and you were just as gentle as you are now. So when I learned that you had chosen me, I felt… very happy.”

Her words were accompanied by a shy, almost bashful expression, and the effect on Bingtong was immediate. His entire fish-like face flushed a deep red, as though heated from within, the color spreading rapidly until even the tips of his whiskers seemed to tremble with excitement. For a moment, he simply sat there, overwhelmed, his thoughts in complete disarray.

Then, without warning, he suddenly stood up.

Before Tang Wan could react, his figure vanished from the room, leaving only a faint ripple in the water behind.

Tang Wan blinked, momentarily stunned, unable to understand what had just happened. His favorability had already reached such a high level, and yet he had abruptly run away—what kind of reaction was that?

Unbeknownst to her, Bingtong had already rushed out of the bridal chamber and into a patch of aquatic plants near the palace. There, unable to contain himself any longer, he rolled about wildly, his entire body twisting and turning in unrestrained excitement. If emotions could take form, then his happiness at that moment would have burst like countless bubbles rising to the surface.

She had said she was happy to be his bride.

The thought echoed over and over in his mind, each repetition sending another surge of joy through him. It was more than he had ever dared to hope for.

After thoroughly venting his excitement—leaving the surrounding plants in complete disarray—Bingtong finally managed to calm himself down. Taking a moment to compose his expression, he turned and quickly made his way back to the palace.

When he reappeared before Tang Wan, his face had already turned red once again, the lingering traces of his earlier excitement impossible to hide.