Mu Qingshuang trembled violently.
Di Ronghua lowered her eyes slightly, brushed his hand away, and turned to walk out.
The man instinctively grabbed her, “Where are you going?”
The smile on her face had faded at some point, “I’ve been out too long. Fenghua will worry. I need to go back.”
Xiao Hanjin’s pupils constricted slightly, “I’ll escort you.”
“No. He’ll be unhappy if he sees you.”
“Just to the door, he won’t…”
“I said no. Are you deaf?”
Di Ronghua’s voice suddenly turned sharp and impatient.
The surrounding air fell silent for a long moment.
Xiao Hanjin watched her mercilessly departing figure, his gaze darkening inch by inch.
Mu Qingshuang struggled to prop herself up from the table, staring at his shadowed profile. With a mix of mockery and bitterness, she said, “You were right. Now you can only watch her drift further away, happily in love with another man right in front of you… Why bother?”
Why bother?
Xiao Hanjin tugged at his lips, but he’d long since lost the choice.
…
That very night, batches of crabapple flowers were brought into the palace.
But Di Ronghua fell ill and sent word to Longyin Palace that she wouldn’t be going out the next day.
Fan Jiang happened to be present and instinctively glanced at the emperor on the dragon throne, “Your Majesty, the princess is unwell. It’s a perfect chance for you to visit her.”
But Xiao Hanjin remained silent for a long time, “She wouldn’t want to see me.”
He glanced at the messenger, “Summon a physician to check on her, see what’s wrong, and treat her properly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Fan Jiang frowned, unable to hold back, “Your Majesty, why don’t you explain the misunderstanding from back then to the princess?”
Xiao Hanjin let out a laugh, the curve of his lips tinged with self-mockery and desolation, “What misunderstanding?”
Fan Jiang immediately replied, “You never intended to use her to save Miss Mu. What she heard wasn’t the full truth—it was clearly…”
“Enough.” His indifferent voice cut him off, “Leave.”
…
For three consecutive days, Di Ronghua didn’t step outside, even refusing the physicians.
On the third day, Xiao Hanjin came himself.
But she didn’t let him in.
The night breeze carried a faint chill. She sat on a tree branch, faintly able to see the scene outside. The most vibrant white crabapple blossoms from her familiar memories came into view again, no longer the barren wasteland of the past two days.
The imperial garden had regained its lively, flourishing beauty.
“Does it look nice?”
A sudden voice from behind startled Di Ronghua, nearly causing her to fall from the tree.
She turned her head, looking at the figure that had appeared silently behind her, “How did you get in?”
“Where’s that man?”
Di Ronghua didn’t immediately catch on, “Who?”
The man’s handsome face was taut, his gaze fixed on her, “He’s not here—where did he go?”
It took her a moment to realise he meant Fenghua, “Just because he’s not here, you think you can barge in?” She frowned, “Sure, the entire palace is yours, but do I really need to teach you the basic courtesy of respecting a guest?”
“Ronghua.”
His tall figure suddenly leaned down and enveloped her in an embrace.
Di Ronghua’s expression shifted, “Xiao Hanjin!” She shoved him hard, but the man held her tightly in his arms. The scent of alcohol hit her up close, almost overwhelming, “Have you been drinking?”
“He’s not here—perfect,” he chuckled, “Ronghua, you don’t know how much I’ve wanted to tear you two apart every moment I see you with that man.”
“Let go of me!”
