Linlin and Cui Xiaoqiu didn't get back until midnight.
After passing the screen wall, he saw that the house was brightly lit and knew that Lang Xuan was waiting for him. He felt instantly comforted, and all the fatigue of the day disappeared.
Only now could he understand why his father was like a different person every day when he came home, completely shutting out the bloodshed and turmoil outside.
Because home offers him something to feel comfortable with.
As soon as she stepped onto the corridor, she smelled the aroma of porridge. Linlin: "..."
What kind of deep hole did he dig for himself?
Never mind, let's just have porridge then. Eating too much at night is hard to digest.
Today's porridge seems a little different from usual; it seems to have... seafood in it?
He tiptoed, with a mischievous glint in his eye, wanting to startle Lang Xuan.
However, upon entering the room, it was discovered that she had fallen asleep slumped over the table, a pen still in her hand.
Linlin smiled and shook her head, then walked over quietly.
The little crybaby was sleeping soundly, half his face pressed against the paper, with suspicious drool at the corner of his mouth.
He was already a bit of a sleepyhead, but he became even more adorable when he fell asleep.
Is the effects of the alcohol still wearing off? Linlin was both amused and exasperated.
He glanced at the paper that Lang Xuan had pressed under his head and could vaguely make out a few words.
"You gave me a piece of wood..."
He recalled the entire poem, "You gave me a papaya, I returned a beautiful jade; it was not a mere repayment, but a token of our enduring friendship..."
Is it good to always be like this?
Is she expressing her feelings to herself in this way?
He hasn't given her anything properly yet; it seems he should really think about it.
My father was quite good at this...
"Porridge, my porridge!" Lang Xuan suddenly jumped up without warning, her head hitting Linlin's chin.
Linlin hissed in pain.
Lang Xuan: "Ah! Your Highness, what are you doing here! No, when did you get back?"
In her excitement, she forgot she was holding a pen and somehow drew a black line on Linlin's face again.
Lang Xuan: "..."
It's over.
She hadn't even cleared her name of the sin of sleeping with him, and now she'd added several more "new sins" to her list: bumping into him and drawing on his face...
In her past life, when she longed for something but couldn't have it, she always thought how wonderful it would be if the two of them could live under the same roof like a real couple.
Lang Xuan just wants to say right now, she can't afford it, she really can't afford it!
Living together, it's a chaotic mess.
Her face is gone.
Lang Xuan held the pen, staring blankly at Linlin with black lines above her head, her eyes filled with panic and innocence.
Yanran said, "Why would I stab myself to make Cui Xiaoqiu happy?"
Lang Xuan was thinking, "How about I kill myself to serve you wine?"
Calm down, don't look at me like that, it's making me nervous.
"Porridge," Linlin said.
"Ah, my porridge!" Lang Xuan grabbed her pen and rushed to the clay pot in a panic.
Someone delivered fresh shrimp and crab today, so she cooked seafood porridge for him.
Since she had never made it before, she consulted the local cooks in the manor, cooked a little herself to taste, and only continued to make it for Linlin after she was satisfied.
Linlin washed her face, then went to the table to look at what she had written.
Her small handwriting is delicate and neat; indeed, her handwriting reflects her personality.
But Linlin realized that he seemed to be deluding himself.
Because Lang Xuan seems to be indiscriminately copying the Classic of Poetry?
He suddenly remembered something, "You wrote it for Yanran?"
If that's really the case, Yanran will just have to wait and see!
Lang Xuan placed the porridge she had served on the table and said softly, "No, I just feel so sorry about what happened last night, so I apologized to the Prince like this..."
Linlin:???
He picked up the top one, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Is this self-punishment as an apology?"
Lang Xuan nodded vigorously.
Yes, yes, yes, I'm glad you understand.
"Okay, I accept." Linlin waved the paper in her hand. "I'll keep this one."
You've received it?
Lang Xuan didn't understand what it meant, but she didn't dare to ask.
"Your Highness, what about last night...?"
It's over?
Nothing happened last night, so you don't need to feel guilty.
Lang Xuan: "Really?"
She was afraid Yuwen Duo would comfort her.
"So, what do you want to happen?"
Lang Xuan hurriedly said, "The porridge is ready, Your Highness, please enjoy."
Let's just treat it as a thing of the past.
As Linlin sipped her seafood porridge, Lang Xuan said, "On our wedding day, you had the wine replaced with sweet water... Thank you so much."
Linlin smiled and gently blew on the hot porridge. "You're welcome. It's only a two-day delay."
Delayed by two days?
Lang Xuan was drunk and acting crazy... her face was flushed red.
"Aren't you going to drink the porridge?" Seeing her expression, Linlin felt a pang of reluctance and could only change the subject.
"I've already eaten." Lang Xuan looked at his chin and said worriedly, "Have someone bring some medicated oil so you can apply some medicine."
"I can't see from here, so I'll leave it to you after you finish eating."
"Um."
She caused the accident, so she's responsible.
After the meal, Linlin lay on the tatami mat, tilting her head back slightly to reveal her chin.
Lang Xuan looked at the medicated oil in her hand, then at his strong jawline and Adam's apple, and hesitated to apply it.
"Your Highness, I am unaware of the gravity of the situation. Why don't you do it yourself?"
"You do it, I can't see."
Lang Xuan swallowed hard, struggling to mentally prepare herself, then rubbed the medicated oil into her hands and slowly, very slowly, approached it...
Finally, she pressed her hand against the skin of his chin, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
Linlin laughed, "Don't you know there are ticklish spots here?"
Lang Xuan: "The body of a prince's daughter, I, I..."
"You don't want to take responsibility after the accident?"
Lang Xuan was so embarrassed that she couldn't say a word.
Yuwen Duo, you weren't like this before.
When he was aloof, she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild; now that he was so gentle, even with a hint of... perhaps the teasing she was imagining was too much for her to handle.
Oh no, I'm getting deeper and deeper into this mess.
Lang Xuan wanted to die.
Of course, Wei Jun was brought along as well.
To be honest, though, I'm reluctant to part with it.
In just a few days, she had countless thoughts of how wonderful it would be if things could continue like this.
Even when she was cooking porridge at night, she wondered if it was really possible if she tried harder.
Lang Xuan, oh Lang Xuan, how come you're getting more and more arrogant?
After finally finishing applying the medicine to Linlin, Lang Xuan went to wash her hands.
Once the two were lying down in their respective places, Linlin blew out the candles and then suddenly asked Lang Xuan, "What do you think about moving your parents and younger brother to a different place?"
It was far too narrow and cramped there.
"No need," Lang Xuan quickly replied, "The Prince has already taken good care of our family."
"Your family?"
Lang Xuan could tell he was unhappy, but she didn't know why.
"It seems you still feel our marriage isn't serious enough."
Lang Xuan suddenly realized, "I misspoke, the Prince and I are family."
Linlin: "You and your parents too. I don't want to separate your family, I just want to avoid isolating me."
Lang Xuan had no idea what kind of sweet nothings others heard.
All she knew was that, to her, Yuwen Duo's words were the most beautiful thing she could hear.
At this moment, she was willing to go through fire and water for him, and give everything.
"Let's get them a new house, then settle in for a few days, and I'll take you to the beach, how about that?"