Qiqi thought to herself, This scoundrel's wings have grown strong enough for him to fly on his own, and now he dares lose his temper with me. But on second thought, they were already betrothed, and their wedding was imminent. If everything went smoothly, Hu Xiaotian would become her husband. Perhaps she should have discussed this with him. It was hardly a major matter, certainly not worth arguing over in public. So she held her temper and said softly, "You've come a long way. Let's go inside so you can rest before we talk."
Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi entered the Prince's Residence. Quan Dean personally served them tea, then tactfully withdrew. With only the two of them left in the flower hall, Hu Xiaotian lifted his cup and leisurely sipped his tea.
Qiqi studied Hu Xiaotian. They had reunited after a long separation, yet there was none of the easy intimacy lovers shared. Apart from that sudden embrace earlier, his every movement gave her an indescribable sense of distance. Qiqi realized that Hu Xiaotian was probably not the cause. That distance came from deep within her own heart. She was full of wariness and guardedness toward the man she was about to marry.
She remembered how, before Hu Xiaotian left the Kang Capital for Eastern Liang Commandery, his every action had tugged at her heart. Even a smile from him could make her pulse race. Yet this reunion seemed to lack that feeling. Was it because she had grown up, or because she had lost her old feelings for him? Qiqi soon realized that their union arose solely from political necessity. From the moment of their betrothal, politics had driven them, an invisible pair of hands pushing them together. Before they had even tasted what it meant to be lovers,