Chapter 1338: Chapter 1333: Yue Lian, I Will Also Think of You
Chapter 1338: Chapter 1333: Yue Lian, I Will Also Think of You
He embraced her waist and held her as they descended from the city wall.
Upon touching the ground, Yue Lian consciously stepped out of his embrace, just as she always did, neither clinging to him nor making him feel the slightest discomfort.
She also dutifully said, “I’ll head back first. You should head home soon too and rest; you need to be early to accompany the empress tomorrow. Be sure not to catch a cold.”
“Wait.”
Zi Wei called out to her.
Yue Lian’s steps faltered, and her heart skipped a beat.
In the past, whenever she’d walked away on her own volition, Zi Wei had never asked her to stop.
His indifference had turned her consciousness into habit.
She never dared to linger because she couldn’t bear it.
Bearing too much… would mean harboring too many hopes.
And she, she dared not.
“I will walk you home.”
Zi Wei knew that Yue Lian was now living in a small courtyard by Ruo Shui border and intended to walk her back.
Yue Lian was surprised and flattered, turning back to look at him with shock and delight filling her moist eyes, “You’re going to… walk me home?”
“Mm,” Zi Wei nodded, “Don’t you want me to?”
Want to?
Of course, she did!
During these days away from him, she missed him so much she nearly fell sick!
The old steward was about to call for a doctor for her!
But…
She had to restrain herself.
She felt that the time she’d just spent with him was enough effort, a gift from heaven.
Now…
Yue Lian bit her lip, her fair cheeks blushed with a flushed red, “Thank you, my husband.”
“No need.”
Zi Wei’s expression was stern; that inexplicable feeling inside him was fiercely stirred once again.
Every time he faced Yue Lian, he felt this way.
He had asked Su Yingxue what this feeling was, and Su Yingxue taught him, saying it was called guilt.
A man’s guilt towards a woman.
Because he owed her.
He hadn’t yet had the chance to ask Su Yingxue, having owed a woman, what he should do.
Now, he could only ensure her safety, escort her back to her place.
The journey was silent between the two of them.
Originally, with Zi Wei’s lightness skill, he could have reached her in less than half a moment, but as they walked together, it took the time of two sticks of incense, until Yue Lian’s legs began to soften from fatigue.
These past days of work, she really was exhausted. Reaching the door, she faltered, nearly stumbling.
“Watch your step.”
Zi Wei wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, his hand protecting her back.
The moment Yue Lian looked up, she met his inquiring gaze.
Zi Wei said, “You have good strength; you shouldn’t be unsteady.”
But as he held her this time, he clearly felt her legs were weak, even showing signs of being overly tired.
Yue Lian covered her chest, lowering her head with a slight smile, “It’s nothing, maybe it’s just that I haven’t been sleeping well these days.”
“Why haven’t you been sleeping well?” Zi Wei’s cold gaze was fixed on her, if it had been a tender man who had asked, it would carry a depth of emotion, but Zi Wei’s look was always cold, devoid of sentiment, more like he was interrogating a criminal.
How could Yue Lian tell him? That it was to be with her daughter, to hurry in making the hot air balloon, and also because… she missed him too much?
“Hubby, I really miss you.”
But some words just spill out uncontrollably from the lips.
Zi Wei paused slightly, his gaze momentarily stalled, making it impossible to know what he was thinking.
Yue Lian realized she had said something wrong and immediately shifted the topic, “I’m just worried that the empress might recognize you, after all, you’ve been with her for so long!”
She knew that by bringing up Su Yingxue, Zi Wei’s attention would be diverted.
But this time was different. Zi Wei stared blankly at her and said, “I… have also thought of you.”
Zi Wei would never know how much that sentence impacted Yue Lian.
To him, it might have just been an offhand remark.
But for Yue Lian, it was like a massive rock had been dropped on her heart.
She was shocked, moved, overjoyed, and happy!
Because that rock was made of sweetness!
She hugged Zi Wei’s waist excitedly, urgently seeking confirmation, “Hubby, do you really think of me?”
Perhaps because he was not in front of Su Yingxue and there were no others present, just the two of them together, Zi Wei lowered his head and softly gave a “Hmm.”
He had thought of her.
Not just once.
Yue Lian cried out in emotion, just hugging him and resting her head on his chest, allowing her tears to soak his clothes, her frail sobs rising in the night, abrupt, stirring, and a little… heart-swelling.
Zi Wei felt something unusual in his chest. He lifted Yue Lian’s face to look at her, his eyes complex, “Why are you crying?”
“Because Hubby missed me,” Yue Lian’s light and merry voice chirped like a bird in the forests, so joyous and tenderly melodic.
Zi Wei couldn’t understand Yue Lian’s tears, nor could he comprehend the happy look on her face, he just instinctively thought to apologize, “Sorry.”
It seemed like he had done something to her, yet he didn’t know what he had done, or rather, if there was something he hadn’t done?
“Hubby, it’s alright, you’re wonderful! With the great battles at the border, the emperor is exhausting his mind, and the empress toils for the nation; by protecting them, you’re protecting the entire Great Cheng Dynasty, you’re not doing anything wrong!” Yue Lian held his arm, a tender smile on her face, “My hubby is the best man in the world.”
Better than anyone.
In her eyes, even the emperor couldn’t hold a candle to Zi Wei.
“Hmm.”
Zi Wei watched her enter the courtyard and then turned and flew into the night.
Yue Lian knew that even with a telescope, she couldn’t catch sight of Zi Wei’s swiftly departing figure, yet she still stood holding the telescope for a long time, then foolishly burst into laughter.
Inside the house, a girl with two braids jumped out, looking at Yue Lian foolishly giggling in the courtyard, she turned up her nose and rolled her white eyes, “Fool! Fool fool fool!”
Why not come back to sleep in the middle of the night, what was she staring at in the void?
That man was no good at all!
Dressed all in dark, and his face so cold and icy!
Really didn’t know what such a pretty girl like Yue Lian saw in him!
Done laughing, Yue Lian wiped away her tears, turned around and picked up Yue Xin, “Is Xin’er missing Daddy? Mommy made a contraption for you; standing inside the house, you can see people at the door, and you can see Daddy too.”
“Hmph! I don’t care for it!”
Yue Xin puckered her rosy little lips, her white eyes rolling around rebelliously.
“Daddy is tall, heroic, and distinguished!”
“Not at all!”
“Daddy is truly very handsome! The handsomest man in the world!”
“Humph! He’s not even as good-looking as the craftsmen at home!”
“If Xin’er doesn’t care to see Daddy, then I’ll dismantle your contraption and next time you won’t be able to see Daddy,” Yue Lian said with a mischievous smile as she carried Yue Xin to bed.
“No, no! I still want to stand there… stand there and watch the birds! Can’t dismantle it!” The sprightly voice of the little imp rose, her small hands moving faster than a windmill.
Yue Lian climbed into bed with her, mother and daughter together, all laughter and joy.
That night, Yue Lian slept soundly the whole night, and the little girl in her arms dreamed a blissful sweet dream.
In the dream, she was picked up by that cold and dark man, she playfully bit his face, then haughtily scolded him, “Humph! You’re not even as good-looking as our home’s craftsmen!”