By afternoon, sunlight streamed through the window onto the floor of Jade Resonance Tower's top story, gilding two perfectly full moons in pale gold.
Before the couch, Dongfang Liren and Qin Huaiyan lay side by side, both posed like stretching cats, as though practicing yoga together in their leisure time.
Ye Jingtang stood behind Silly, his hand resting on Huaiyan's moon as he admired the delicate blossoms and full moons. Now and then, he gave a pat, earning a petulant murmur. In the shadows cast by the sunlight, he could even see the upside-down fat-headed dragon and phoenix trembling in ripples.
After they had spent an unknown length of time in such intimacy, faint footsteps suddenly sounded downstairs.
Thump, thump, thump...
Without Silly's order, Ye Jingtang could hardly stop. He merely picked up a blanket to provide a little cover and glanced back, only to see Hongyu poke her head through the stairwell opening. One look made her flush crimson and duck back down with an exclamation:
"Eww~"
The Empress Dowager was already feeling rather dazed. Her shoulders shrank at the sound, and she hurriedly turned over and sat up.
"Hongyu, you... what are you doing here?"
Dongfang Liren was pinned by the bolt and could not move freely. Her eyes filled with embarrassed urgency, and she hastily covered her face, playing the ostrich.
Knowing she had interrupted the Empress Dowager and Prince Jing's pleasures, Hongyu spoke quietly from below the stairs:
"Word came from the palace, summoning Your Highness Prince Jing for an imperial audience. Will Your Highness go?"
Dongfang Liren's senses were in disarray. Only then did she remember that she had returned from so far away without even paying her elder sister a visit. She panted twice before trying her best to speak calmly:
"Understood. I'll go