Xiao Hanjin glanced at her, and after a long while, he said, “I’ll have more brought in. This isn’t enough for you to burn.”
“It’s fine. I’m just burning them for fun.”
The man’s voice finally paused.
Emperor Ronghua curved her lips into a smile, her gaze fixed on the bustling scene of people carrying the Red Feather Flowers. “These are the ingredients for Mu Qingshuang’s medicine, aren’t they?”
The man narrowed his eyes. “You knew all along? Were you testing me just now?”
She turned her head to look at him. “Xiao Hanjin, do you really think all this back-and-forth is worth it? Tiring yourself out trying to please me while still clinging to her—doesn’t it exhaust you?”
Xiao Hanjin’s gaze darkened as he stared at her intently. “Ronghua, I’m not clinging to her.”
“Oh, then let me rephrase it—you can’t let her go, right?” Emperor Ronghua said with a light laugh. “When you found out she was being threatened by your father, when you realized how much she’s sacrificed for you, you were moved, weren’t you?”
The man remained silent, his deep gaze tinged with complexity.
But at that moment, his thoughts weren’t about Mu Qingshuang. Instead, he wondered if she was asking him this purely to convince him to let go, or if there was a hint of jealousy hidden beneath her words.
“I can’t tolerate my man enjoying the company of two women while still longing for another,” she said. “I’ll treat last night as if I was bitten by a dog and let it go. For the sake of the feelings I once had for you and the sincerity I showed you, can’t you just let me go?”
“Once had feelings for him?”
Xiao Hanjin’s lips twitched. So, she didn’t feel that way anymore?
But what could he do? It seemed he couldn’t let her go now.
The man lowered his head, kissing her temple, his voice soft. “I can give in to you on other things, but not this.”
Other things?
He wouldn’t even let her burn a few flowers, and he was talking about giving in on other things?
Emperor Ronghua’s lips curled. “Alright, I understand.”
The negotiation had failed.
Then she would have to take matters into her own hands.
“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”
Xiao Hanjin didn’t expect her to change the subject so abruptly. His expression faltered for a moment. Perhaps it was because her face had lit up with a long-absent smile, but in that instant, he didn’t think twice. He instinctively wanted to prolong this rare moment of peace.
“…Alright.”
The meal wasn’t particularly pleasant, but at least it was harmonious.
Xiao Hanjin tentatively served her a few dishes. At first, he thought she might push them away, but to his surprise, she ate them without protest.
“I’ll be back before dinner. Wait for me, and we’ll eat together, alright?”
“Sure.”
If you still have the appetite to eat when you see me next.
Emperor Ronghua watched his retreating figure—she had lost count of how many times she had seen his back.
It seemed that ever since arriving in Beixi, all he had left her with was indifference and his back.
“Xiao Jiu.”
Only when his figure had completely disappeared did she finally look away. “When you go out later, take the side gate. Make sure no one sees you.”
The little fox nodded. “…Don’t worry.”
Evening.
Xiao Hanjin emerged from the medicine preparation room in the residence and handed the medicine to Feicui. “Take one pill every morning. This is enough for three days.”
Feicui nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
After a pause, she added, “Our young lady just woke up. Would you like to see her?”
Xiao Hanjin frowned, but before he could respond, a guard rushed over from a distance. “Your Highness, something terrible has happened!”
