King of the Wilderness

Aliya admitted frankly, "You’re right, Max, you may not know that the environment I grew up in and the family concepts I was raised with are quite different from most people."

Looking at Max’s puzzled expression, she decided to reveal her deepest background, showing her utmost sincerity to Max.

"My family, it has a Mormon tradition." Aliya said calmly, "In the world where I grew up, a strong and capable man had more than one wife and together they built a large and harmonious family."

"This is not only accepted, but even seen as a reflection of honor and responsibility."

Aliya didn’t give her much time to be shocked and continued to explain in a matter-of-fact tone, "I’m not saying I completely disagree with the traditional one-husband-one-wife family."

"However, the ideas that I was exposed to growing up have indeed made my understanding of family and love different from others."

Her gaze became infinitely gentle, as if piercing through time and space, returning to that sunlit Montana Farm.

"I’ve seen how my mothers supported each other like sisters, raising us together. I’ve seen my brothers and their wives turn a small family into one full of love and strength."

"So to me, the core of love is not possession but sharing. The meaning of family is not a closed-off world of two, but a living community that can continually absorb, share love, and thus grow stronger."

She reached out, gently covering Max’s hand on the table, her eyes becoming incredibly sincere.

"When Emily appeared, I chose acceptance over jealousy. And it turns out my choice was right. Emily’s joining didn’t lessen our love; instead, it doubled it, making our family more complete and warm."

Aliya paused, looking intently at Max.

"I’ve seen Lin speak of you and her story. He’s very relaxed and appreciates you. Your pure, selfless perseverance is a world he’s never experienced, and it fascinates him and earns his respect."

"You’ve shown him another possibility in life, a purer value beyond survival and wealth. Your existence makes him richer and more three-dimensional."

Aliya’s words were no longer empty philosophical lectures but sincere sharing based on her unique upbringing and personal experience.

They used an undeniable logic to present Max with a new family model that seemed unorthodox yet truly existed, instantly shaking the deeply rooted concept in Max’s heart.

Max listened in a daze, her mind rapidly processing this vast amount of information.

For the first time, she realized that there really are people in this world who understand and build family in such a way.

This made the thoughts that she once deemed "crazy" and "impossible" seem to have a bit of a realistic foundation for understanding and exploration.

Aliya picked up the conversation, her voice becoming incredibly serious, "We don’t want you to fall into unnecessary guesswork and pain due to lack of understanding. So we want to tell you, the door of our home is always open to you."

This straightforward invitation was like a thunderbolt, exploding in Max’s mind.

She jerked her hand back as if scalded, her face full of panic.

"No... no, this is too crazy!" she shook her head, her voice trembling, "I... how could I... you are so good, you are his wives, the mothers of the children."

"What am I? An... intruder? A disruptor? I can’t do it..."

"We’re not asking you to make any decisions, much less applying any pressure." Emily looked at Max, who had completely fallen into self-doubt and confusion, her voice filled with empathetic tenderness.

"We just want to give you the right to choose."

She moved from her place and sat next to Max, gently holding her icy hand.

"When I first met them, I felt like an intruder too," Emily’s eyes seemed to travel through time and space back to that past full of hesitation.

"But Aliya told me that a home is not a narrow door that can only let one person through, but a harbor that can keep expanding for those who love."

Looking into Max’s eyes, she spoke each word clearly and deliberately, "So today we want to give you the option to truly contemplate."

"Whether you are willing to accept an imperfect husband who might be occasionally as dull as wood, and us two perhaps troublesome sisters, as well as a family that’s bound to grow larger and larger."

These words, like a warm flood, instantly broke down Max’s psychological defenses.

"Imperfect," "troublesome sisters"... these self-deprecating yet utterly sincere words completely dismantled all her defenses and inferiority.

What she felt was not condescension, but an equal, gently self-teasing sincere invitation.

Looking at these two equally dazzling women before her, there was not the slightest hostility, scrutiny, or pity in their eyes, only complete sincerity and acceptance.

All the hesitation, struggle, and self-doubt she had borne alone found a place where they could be understood and placed at this moment.