The sharp-tongued, soft-hearted, tsundere consort was cherished to the bone by her prince in the end

Lin Qingdai buried her face in the pillow and muttered a curse.

The rain stopped as dawn broke.

Gu Moran woke up.

My nasal cavity was filled with the smell of metal and soapberry; it wasn't pungent, but it was unfamiliar.

It wasn't the medicinal fragrance that filled Shen Ling'er's room in Green Vine Courtyard.

It wasn't the smell of leather and horse oil from Murong Xue's tent in Azure Wolf Courtyard.

It was also not the faint plum blossom incense that Su Yao in the main courtyard used, which was almost imperceptible.

He opened his eyes.

Above them was a dark wooden beam, from which hung an unopened longbow.

Three wooden swords for practice and a knife stood in the corner.

A waist-cinching sash was hanging under the eaves.

Iron Plum Courtyard.

Lin Qingdai's room.

How did I get here?

It took Gu Moran's mind a lot of effort to piece together what happened last night.

He yawned, uttered half a sentence, and then knew nothing more.

He propped himself up on his arms, his shoulders aching terribly, and the back of his head also hurt a little.

The thin blanket slipped down his chest, and he looked down at Lin Qingdai beside him.

She was sleeping lightly, her brows were furrowed, and her breathing was uneven.

A few stray hairs clung to her cheeks, glistening in the morning light streaming through the window.

Gu Moran stared at her for several breaths.

This silly girl took me back to my room?

He reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her cheek.

When his fingertip touched her earlobe, Lin Qingdai's breath hitched.

Her eyes opened.

The two people's faces were very close together.

Gu Moran did not stop.

" Madam Lin."

His voice was hoarse, the kind of raspy sound that comes from staying up all night.

"You brought me back last night?"

Lin Qingdai's pupils focused for two seconds, and then her entire earlobe turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

She pushed him away with her palm.

Why are you standing so close?

Gu Moran didn't dodge, and was pushed backward, falling off the bed and landing on the floor tiles.

"Pain."

He rubbed his chest.

"Trying to murder your husband? Go easy on him."

Lin Qingdai sat up, covering herself with one hand, her lips pressed tightly together.

"Stop talking nonsense and go back to your own yard."

Gu Moran didn't move.

He sat on the floor, his hands supporting him on the edge of the low couch, looking up at her.

"You slept with me for one night, and now you're kicking me out?"

Lin Qingdai grabbed the short sword from beside her pillow.

Who slept with you?

If you don't leave within three breaths, I'll throw you out.

Gu Moran tilted his head.

"Madam, why are you blushing?"

"No."

"His ears turned red too."

Lin Qingdai slammed the short sword onto the couch and turned away from him.

" Gu Moran, do you have a death wish?"

Gu Moran stood up from the ground and patted the dust off his trousers.

He didn't back down any further.

Instead, he took a step forward, placing one hand on the armrest of the low couch and the other hand on her wrist.

Lin Qingdai's hand was gripped by him, her back was turned to him, and her shoulder blades were taut like two pieces of iron.

"Let go."

"Don't loosen it."

Gu Moran lowered her voice.

" Lin Qingdai, is that blanket you used to cover me?"

Lin Qingdai remained silent.

"You could have just left me in the main hall and let Uncle Fu move me."

Her fingers twitched, but she didn't break free.

"You can also throw me on the floor of the corridor and call the maids to deal with me."

Gu Moran pressed his thumb against the side of her wrist, on the rapidly beating thin pulse.

"But you brought me to your bed, how could I betray your heart?"

Lin Qingdai finally turned her head, staring at him with both eyes, her face flushed red all the way to her cheekbones.

" Gu Moran, stop talking nonsense. They forced me to carry you back... um..."

Gu Moran lowered his head and kissed him.

Lin Qingdai's entire body stiffened for a moment.

The short sword slipped from her hand, hit the edge of the couch, and fell to the ground with a clink.

Birds chirped outside the window, two short chimes and one long one.

Morning light streamed through the half-open windowpane, illuminating the overlapping shadows of the two people.

Lin Qingdai gripped his collar, neither pushing him away nor pulling him closer.

After a long time, Gu Moran stepped back half an inch.

Lin Qingdai stared at him, her chest heaving violently.

"You..."

Gu Moran smiled.

"Don't rush, I have something to say."

Lin Qingdai bit her lip.

"Take your hand off my waist first."

"You may take it. Where would you like to put it, Madam?"

"... rogue."

Gu Moran didn't move.

His hands were still clasped around her body, feeling her erratic breathing.

Lin Qingdai glared at him, her chest heaving violently, the faint scar on her collar rising and falling slightly with her breath.

"Take your hand away," she said again, her voice louder than before.

Gu Moran lowered his head and moved even closer.

Answer one question for me first.

Lin Qingdai stared at him without saying a word.

Gu Moran lowered his voice even further, his lips only half a finger's distance from her earlobe.

What were you thinking when you carried me last night?

Lin Qingdai's breath hitched.

She abruptly turned her face away, the redness from her ears burning all the way down to her neck.

"I miss you so much."

"Anything else?"

"The brass buckle on your waist hurts my hand."

Gu Moran chuckled.

She laughed softly, the air brushing against her earlobe.

Lin Qingdai was as taut as a fully drawn bowstring.

"If you don't leave, I'll throw you out the window."

"The window at Iron Plum Courtyard is too small," Gu Moran, his gaze falling on her profile. "You can't throw it out."

Lin Qingdai's wrist twitched.

He didn't loosen his grip.

She struggled a second time, but he still didn't let go.

" Gu Moran, are you determined to waste this time with me today?"

"It's not about wasting time." Gu Moran lifted her wrist and gently pressed it against his heart. "It's about letting you hear your husband's heart."

Lin Qingdai's hand was pressed against the fabric of his shirt, close to his chest.

Beneath my palm, my heartbeat is steady and strong.

"Did you hear that?"

Lin Qingdai's eyelashes trembled twice.

She didn't pull her hand away.

Gu Moran continued, "Last night in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, Father asked me why I wanted to marry a woman as fierce as you."

Lin Qingdai looked up at him.

"I said it so you could beat someone up for me."

He paused.

"It's actually fake."

Lin Qingdai's fingertips twitched slightly.

Gu Moran, "I want to marry you because you deserve to be treated seriously."

Lin Qingdai's Adam's apple bobbed.

Don't try that on me, sweet talk won't work.

Her voice wasn't as harsh as it had been before.

Gu Moran released her wrist and then gently stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips.

"You carried me home last night, helped me wash up, covered me with a blanket, and then slept on the bed next to me."

Lin Qingdai pulled her hand back.

"That's because I'm worried something might happen to you in the middle of the night, and it's convenient to have someone watching over you."

What's convenient about it?

"So I can kick you out of bed anytime."

Gu Moran smiled again.

He leaned forward, his nose touching her forehead.

Lin Qingdai dodged backward, her back hitting the wall.

There is no way out.

Gu Moran one hand against the wall beside her ear, and raised the other hand, his fingertips lightly touching the faint scar on her collar.

Lin Qingdai's breathing became erratic.

"Don't move." She turned her head away.

Gu Moran's fingertip stopped at the edge of the scar.

"Madam, please stop being so stubborn."

Lin Qingdai's eyelashes trembled again.

Gu Moran's fingertips slowly traced the direction of the scar downwards.

His fingertips brushed against the skin on the outside of her collarbone.

Lin Qingdai's body tensed even more.

Gu Moran.

Her voice was very low.

Do you even know what you're doing?

"Know."

Gu Moran's fingertips lingered on the edge of her thin shirt.

"Tell my wife not to be stubborn, your husband will take care of you."

Lin Qingdai finally turned her face and looked him straight in the eyes.

There was a glint of tears in her eyes, but they didn't fall.

Gu Moran!

Why do you like me? I have a bad temper and I don't know how to be affectionate.

"I know."

"I'm strong, are your shoulders still sore from last night?"

"A little."

"I don't care about anything when I start fighting; I almost smashed my sword sheath against your face last night."

" Lin Qingdai, I love you no matter what."

" Wanqing has a good temper, and Ling'er knows how to be charming. I don't need you to change anything."

I love you because you are you. If I were to marry you but force you to become someone else, why wouldn't I just choose someone else?

"I..."

Lin Qingdai's words stuck in her throat.

Gu Moran moved his hand away from her collar and cupped her face in his hands.

His palms were warm, pressed against her burning skin.

Lin Qingdai.

He called her name.

Last night I was thinking about watching my second brother perform opera today.

"Then go and see."

"Upon waking up, one should consider how to proceed with the situation."

"Then think about it quickly."

But right now, all I want to see is you.

Lin Qingdai's tears finally fell.

A drop landed on his thumb.

She raised her hand to wipe it, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't wipe it." Gu Moran his head and kissed away the tear on her cheek.

Lin Qingdai gripped his collar tightly.

You bastard.

"Yeah, I'm an idiot."

Gu Moran kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally landed on the corner of her lips.

Lin Qingdai's fingers sank into his clothes.

"You're really not leaving?"

"If you don't leave, I'll..."

"So what?"

Lin Qingdai frowned and thought for a moment.

Then she closed her eyes, leaned in suddenly, and kissed him.

The moment their lips touched, a bird called out from outside the window.

Gu Moran wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.

With my hand on her back, I could feel the outline of her spine, vertebra by vertebra.

Too thin.

He tightened his arms.

Lin Qingdai buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, her hot breath tickling the side of his neck.

She didn't loosen her grip; instead, she tightened her hold on Gu Moran's collar.

Gu Moran touched her thin shirt.

"You wore it all night, it's all wrinkled."

"So what if it's wrinkled?"

Gu Moran's fingers stopped on her belt. "Madam will be uncomfortable. Take it off."

Lin Qingdai's ears turned red again.

"Who gave you permission to call me 'Madam'?"

"The imperial decree approves."

"..."

The light and shadow fell between the two of them, as light and thin as gauze.

The wind whistled past the window, and the curtains beside the couch swayed gently.

Gu Moran lowered his head and kissed Lin Qingdai's forehead, then kissed the corners of her moist eyes, hiding all the unspoken words deep within the curtains.