Forbidden to Bully the Storybook’s Heroine – Chapter 46

The Picture Books Flash Frequently

The matter regarding the Song family caused quite a disturbance. Because Song Yunqian’s only daughter went missing without cause, someone reported the case to the Jingzhao Prefecture. After the person was rescued, she insisted that she had been kidnapped by the First Prince and the Seventh Prince. Once these words came out, the entire court was in an uproar.

The officials of the First Prince and Seventh Prince’s faction naturally denied it with all their might, arguing in the court hall until they could not be pried apart¹.

It wasn’t until someone brought out witnesses—the guard who went to Yueshang House with the First Prince that day, as well as the maidservant from the First Prince’s private residence—that things changed. When the First Prince saw them, his eyes nearly glared round; no matter what, he did not dare believe he had actually been betrayed by others.

They felt equally panicked in their hearts, but—but the Jiang family simply gave too much, and also promised to send them safely away from the capital city, so they were willing to stand up and identify the First Prince.

According to the Jingzhao Prefecture’s investigation, that private residence had indeed imprisoned Song Muyun. Song Muyun’s earring was even dropped inside, and with the testimony of a musician from Yueshang House, the earring was confirmed to belong to Song Muyun.

The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening to that evidence with a gloomy face. Finally, he looked toward the First Prince—whose face had gone white below—and the still composed Seventh Prince. “Kidnapping an innocent woman—this crime, do you admit to it?”

The First Prince’s mouth trembled, unable to speak a word. The Seventh Prince, however, lifted his long robe and knelt straight and stiff on the ground. “Replying to Father Emperor, this Son-Subject² does not admit it.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, looking toward this son to whom he had never paid much attention. “Oh? But the Song family girl identified you. Are you saying she slandered you?”

Murong Qing had already thought through every detail carefully last night; the Jiang family absolutely could not produce evidence proving he also participated in this.

When he went, he was extremely cautious, not even letting the servants in Murong Chun’s residence see him.

Aside from Murong Chun and Song Muyun, no one knew he had gone. As long as there was no evidence, he could deny it until death.

Murong Chun also raised his head and stared wide-eyed at him, never expecting that even with the evidence authentic and chiselled, he could still quibble.

“Miss Song has always had teeth that do not align³ with this Son-Subject. Perhaps in the midst of her heavy injuries last night, she mistook a bystander for this Son-Subject. Nowadays, every street and alley in the entire capital knows that this Son-Subject admires Miss Song, frequently entering and exiting Yueshang House, ordering Miss Song every time, and even fought over her with the Prime Minister’s daughter. Since I admire her, how could I kidnap and beat her?”

Murong Qing furrowed his brows, seemingly somewhat distressed by this accusation.

Jiang Heng’s expression did not change. Murong Qing had always been cautious; they originally didn’t have evidence of Murong Qing meddling in this matter anyway.

The one who grabbed the person was Murong Chun; Miss Song was grabbed on Murong Chun’s turf; it was Murong Chun who opened the back door; and the place imprisoning the person was also Murong Chun’s residence. They could only confirm that Murong Chun indeed participated. The Seventh Prince was indeed… somewhat calculating.

Thinking of the Emperor’s several hints that Ru’er would definitely marry into the imperial family in the future, Jiang Heng silently kicked the Seventh Prince out of the candidate list.

Back then, he actually felt the Seventh Prince was gentle and cultivated, acting upright, possessing quite the demeanor of a prince. Blind eyes, ah, blind eyes.

Jiang Yao waited for news in the manor together with Song Muyun. Song Muyun had nursed her injuries for several days and was mostly healed. Today she wore a moon-white pleated fine gauze long skirt, her face applied with no powder or dye⁴. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a simple bun, with only a hairpin inserted slantwise at the top for decoration. Sitting on the pear wood chair with engraved flowers⁵, she carefully hooked Jiang Yao’s finger, her voice low and spirited, hiding a trace of imperceptible anxiety. “Jiang Yao, I had a nightmare again last night.”

Jiang Yao’s movement of reading the picture book⁶ paused. She flipped her hand to pinch all those mischievous fingers in her palm, her brows knitting tightly, her tone carrying concern. “Didn’t you get a bit better after drinking the medicine? How did you have a nightmare again?”

She raised her hand to touch Song Muyun’s white and tender cheek, as if to comfort her.

Song Muyun was terribly obedient today. Even having her face touched, she didn’t shyly dodge, and even rubbed lightly against her palm. “I don’t know either, anyway, I just had a nightmare again. When I got out of bed, I was scared into a body of cold sweat.”

Jiang Yao seemed to suddenly realize, “No wonder you wanted to bathe as soon as you got up today; it turns out you were sweating.”

Song Muyun’s eyes flickered. She indeed sweated when rising in the morning and thus bathed, but it wasn’t because of a nightmare, but rather…

That scene in the dream, she didn’t even dare recall a second time.

The little girl was so shy the sides of her face turned red, and her eyes were about to accumulate water vapor. Jiang Yao didn’t notice, only looking at her with quite some worry. “Then what to do? The injuries on your body haven’t healed yet. How about I let Cuizhu sleep with you? She sleeps honestly at night.”

Because she was afraid of bumping Song Muyun’s injuries, Jiang Yao had been sleeping on the soft couch these past few days.

Who told her to sleep dishonestly, and her strength was great too? If she accidentally bumped a wound, and it split open, how would that be good?

Muyun was already hurting this much; she couldn’t bear to make her hurt any more.

Hearing that she actually wanted to let Cuizhu sleep with her, Song Muyun’s snow-white teeth lightly bit her lower lip. Somewhat unwilling, she lowered her eyes and muttered in a small voice, “But my body doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Jiang Yao: “Doesn’t hurt anymore? Is it mostly healed? Let me see.”

Having said that, she raised her hand to pull open the little girl’s collar to look inside.

Song Muyun froze entirely, slightly widening her watery eyes, full of disbelief. A moment later, from neck to ears, she turned red in a patch, as if she had developed a high fever. Her whole body exuded a pretty pink color, her thin body trembled slightly, and deep or shallow tooth marks were left on her red lips.

Jiang Yao had good eyesight. Even in some darkness, she could see Song Muyun’s wounds had just formed scabs—the kind of scabs that would split if a little force was used. Tsk.

She lightly furrowed her brows and closed the person’s clothes back up. “Your wounds haven’t fully healed yet.”

Song Muyun was like a fool; her reaction was extremely slow. Her ears heard this sentence, but she insisted on passing it through her brain several times before distinguishing her meaning.

The person was shy beyond appearance. To cover it up, she hurriedly lowered her head. Her hand was still being held by her, and she shook it lightly, her voice both soft and thin. “It’s fine, it doesn’t hurt anymore, Jiang Yao.”

She called Jiang Yao, elongating the ‘Yao’ character, revealing a stream of delicate squeamishness. Jiang Yao had already forgotten what the formerly cold and clear Song Muyun was like, only remembering the Song Muyun in front of her right now, both obedient and soft.

“Don’t want to have nightmares anymore?”

Jiang Yao sat by her bed every day, coaxing her to sleep before going to sleep herself. She actually didn’t have nightmares; she was just very unaccustomed to it.

Wanted… to let Jiang Yao come back to sleep.

Song Muyun was unwilling to accept that in her heart she actually wanted to sleep on the same couch as her ten thousand times over. She lowered her eyes and found a reason to explain. “This is ultimately your boudoir; where is the logic in you sleeping on the soft couch and me sleeping on the bed?”

“What does this matter? I live roughly; where isn’t a place to sleep? On the contrary, you have injuries on your body and must rest well.”

The little girl had delicate skin and tender flesh. If she slept on the soft couch, her hands and feet wouldn’t be able to stretch out; presumably, she would have a sore waist and aching back for several days. She couldn’t bear to make her hurt.

Song Muyun heard the meaning of rejection in her words and was not very happy. But shame prevented her from insisting. Having invited the person to sleep together several times, she could only purse her lips, turn her head away, and ignore the person.

Jiang Yao thought she was acting in the little girl’s best interest, yet unexpectedly, she angered her until her eye rims were red, and she didn’t pay attention to Jiang Yao for a whole two hours.

After two hours, Jiang Yao, still unaware, took the picture book and invited Song Muyun to read together. Song Muyun didn’t read it, which was fine, but instead glared at her. Only then did she discover that the little girl had become angry with her at some unknown time, and it was the kind that was very hard to coax.

Jiang Yao felt somewhat panicked in her heart, unable to grasp reality. She silently scooted over a bit, sitting by the little girl’s side. Seeing her come over, Song Muyun shifted her chair again to the side, refusing to stick together with her.

She also didn’t know what she was angry about. Clearly, Jiang Yao was thinking of her body by not sleeping in the same place as her. But she had been spoiled to become increasingly delicate; unhappiness involuntarily grew in her heart, just as if… she didn’t want to sleep with her, and finding those excuses was nothing more than not wanting to sleep with her.

“Muyun.”

Jiang Yao called out. Song Muyun pursed her lips and looked at her silently.

She considered herself not to have done anything. If one had to say the only thing not following the little girl’s wishes… it was refusing to sleep with her. But she was afraid of bumping her injured places; compared to having nightmares, she was even more unwilling to make her hurt.

But very obviously, Song Muyun didn’t want to have nightmares even more.

The little girl’s black eyes were watery, unreasonably looking somewhat pitiable to Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao’s heart softened, asking her, “Are you very afraid of having nightmares?”

Song Muyun didn’t speak, lowering her long and dense eyelashes.

Jiang Yao asked again, “Really don’t want Cuizhu to accompany you to sleep?”

She hadn’t explicitly said she didn’t want Cuizhu, but the meaning revealed was very obvious.

Song Muyun turned her head again, her slender and white neck exposed in front of Jiang Yao, saying in a small voice, “I am not used to sleeping together with other people.”

She had never slept on the same couch with anyone, except Jiang Yao.

Nor could she accept sleeping in the same bed with anyone else again.

Except for Jiang Yao, no one else would do.

Her pink and tender lips were tightly bitten again.

She lowered her head and didn’t look at Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao softened her expression and reached out to hold her hand. She spoke when she spoke, but she always liked to move her hands and feet. Song Muyun glanced at that slender hand, yet didn’t dodge, letting her hold her own hand in her palm.

“Then what if I accidentally hurt you?” This was Jiang Yao’s worry; she wasn’t too confident in her sleeping self.

“You won’t; you sleep very stably.”

It wasn’t her first time sleeping in Jiang Yao’s arms; she knew.

Jiang Yao brought up: “Have you not discovered that you sleep on the inner side at night, but when you get up, you frequently appear on the outer side…”

Song Muyun: ?

She had actually never cared about that; was it originally like that?

Song Muyun couldn’t help covering her lips and laughing lightly. “What does that count as? Although you like to move randomly, you have never hurt me, have you?”

“That was when you weren’t injured. Now that you’re hurt like this, slightly larger movements will cause the wounds to burst open.”

Jiang Yao looked at her with worry, simply treating her like a porcelain doll.

Song Muyun’s originally somewhat unhappy mood improved quite a bit at this time. She lowered her head, her gaze sticking to Jiang Yao’s exceptionally long fingers, her voice carrying a few measures of softness. “Where would it split open so easily? Don’t you worry.”

Compared to wounds splitting open, she was more afraid of a solitary pillow making sleep difficult⁷.

The person herself wasn’t worried; if Jiang Yao still refused, she would probably get angry again. Fine, she would definitely control herself this time and not roll around randomly while holding the person!

Jiang Ru walked over from the courtyard, taking disciplined minced steps into the room. Seeing Jiang Yao and Song Muyun, she opened her mouth to call, “Jiejie⁸, Muyun-jiejie.”

Song Muyun stood up, slightly bending her body to perform a courtesy. “Ru-meimei⁹.”

Jiang Yao raised her eyebrows lightly. “Ru’er? Weren’t you going to watch your father practice martial arts?”

“Jiejie, Eldest Uncle has returned. He asked me to call you and Muyun-jiejie to go over.”

Song Muyun’s expression froze slightly, carefully pointing at herself. “Called me too?”

“Mhm-hm.”

“Jiang Yao, for what matter would Uncle¹⁰ seek me?”

She looked somewhat nervously at Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao pulled her to walk outside. “Don’t know, but don’t be afraid. My dad likes to pretend to be amiable and approachable in front of people the most.”

The two came to Jiang Heng’s study together.

Jiang Heng had just ordered someone to set up the chessboard and was sitting there alone, his left hand fighting against his right hand¹¹.

Seeing this as she approached, Jiang Yao was amused. “Xiao Yun’er¹², on normal days do you also like playing chess against yourself?”

Song Muyun was called until her whole face blushed red. How could Jiang Yao, how could she be like this? Could she not call properly?!

Clearly inside the room she was still very serious; once out, she was like this.

The little girl was ashamed and indignant to death, ignoring her. She only performed a courtesy to the Prime Minister, then stood to one side, bowing her head, too shy to speak.

Jiang Heng glanced at his own daughter, who didn’t have a bit of a noble lady’s appearance. He both wanted to scold her and didn’t know what to scold; the words he could scold had long been scolded finish!

Let it be; in front of the Song family girl, leave her a bit of face, to avoid making it hard to make friends later.

Jiang Heng decided to ignore Jiang Yao, looking directly at Song Muyun, raising his hand toward the other side of the chessboard. “Miss Song, I and your father can be considered old acquaintances. Sit down and speak.”

Song Muyun revealed a reserved and polite smile, walking slowly over to sit down.

Jiang Yao started making a fuss with dissatisfaction again. “Dad, am I still your biological daughter or not? Why does Xiao Yun’er have a place to sit, but you don’t let me sit!”

Song Muyun was certain; Jiang Yao was deliberately shaming her, wanting to see her be so shy in front of elders that she wished she could drill into the mud. Too bad.

She lowered her head, concealing her watery eyes.

The tip of her heart was still trembling from that ‘Yun’er.’ It had been a long time since anyone called her that.

Jiang Heng impatiently glared at his eldest daughter who liked to make trouble out of nothing. Considering there was an outsider present, he suppressed the impulse to scold her in the bottom of his heart. “There is a chair over there; go move it yourself.”

Today he was mainly seeking Song Muyun. It was only because he feared it would be somewhat bad for her to come over alone that he called Jiang Yao to accompany her, but Jiang Yao could always make his head ache with her fuss.

Seeing her father become serious, Jiang Yao busily and deftly went to move the chair, sitting obediently by Song Muyun’s side.

Both people straightened their lapels and sat properly¹³, looking at Jiang Heng. Jiang Heng’s gaze fell on Song Muyun, not turning corners to follow corners¹⁴, and said directly, “Miss Song, there is a result regarding the matter of the First Prince kidnapping you. Today in the court hall, the Emperor punished the First Prince with confinement in his residence for half a year, and awarded you one hundred taels of silver as comfort.”

He simply narrated the results from the court hall today.

Song Muyun’s eyelashes trembled after hearing this. Just as she was about to express thanks, she heard Jiang Yao frowning in displeasure. “Only punished the First Prince? What about Murong Qing? The one who acted was Murong Qing; on what basis is only the First Prince punished?”

Jiang Yao felt unfairness for the First Prince for the first time!

Song Muyun nervously gripped the fabric by her hand. Jiang Heng raised his hand to place a piece, his expression unchanging. “But there isn’t substantial evidence proving Murong Qing also participated in this matter. He is a smart person; whatever he does, he wipes the traces clean.”

Jiang Heng stared at the chessboard without relaxing his eyes, quickly placing another piece. The black pieces and white pieces killed each other with great force on the board.

“Then the First Prince didn’t identify him? I actually underestimated their brotherly sentiments.”

Jiang Yao secretly regretted; had she known earlier, when beating Murong Qing, she should have used a bit more strength. Isn’t this annoying people to death now?

Jiang Heng denied, “What true feelings can there be in the imperial family? It’s nothing more than having no evidence. One prince has already been dragged in. Even if he cried to heaven and shouted to earth identifying the Seventh Prince, without evidence, and with the Emperor having a bit more father-son affection for the Seventh Prince, others can’t do anything to him.”

He had experienced two generations of the court and saw those feelings of the royal family clearer than anyone. Father-son affection might exist a little, but brotherly affection was pitifully scarce.

Jiang Yao furrowed her brows and recalled in detail, finally discovering there really wasn’t any substantial evidence.

Six¹⁵, finally let Murong Qing escape a calamity.

She felt she had let Song Muyun down somewhat by not being able to make Murong Qing receive punishment as well. But Song Muyun didn’t look like she minded; the corners of her mouth still carried a proper smile as she stood up to perform a courtesy. “Many thanks to Uncle for expending effort for Muyun. To be able to obtain the current result, Muyun is already very satisfied.”

With her own power, let alone making the First Prince receive punishment, even poking this matter out to be widely known would be very difficult.

Jiang Heng shook his head, also very satisfied with Song Muyun’s politeness and understanding of when to advance and retreat. With her by Yao’er’s side, she could always lead Yao’er to be a bit more disciplined.

“Although on the surface this matter does not appear to punish the Seventh Prince, in his heart, the Emperor has already developed dissatisfaction toward the Seventh Prince. He cannot be counted as retreating with his whole body intact¹⁶.”

Jiang Heng said again.

Song Muyun’s eyes lit up. She was the most standard boudoir daughter raised in a family, but even so, she knew how important the Emperor’s favor was to an ambitious prince.

“That’s more like it. Yun’er, we still have a chance. Don’t be unhappy, ha; sooner or later I will help you take revenge.”

Muyun was born good-looking, like a little fairy. Such a person was actually bullied by Murong Qing continuously in the picture book, bullied until finally she even fell in love with him. Jiang Yao somewhat could not accept it.

Even though she suddenly appeared now and stopped Murong Qing’s subsequent violent behavior, those things that had already happened in front could not be changed. She had to let the little girl vent this anger.

Song Muyun shook her head, pulling Jiang Yao’s hand. “Don’t, don’t be impulsive. He is ultimately a prince. To be able to get such an answer, today I am already very happy.”

Her life had Jiang Yao; it was already very different. Those past pains could all be forgotten. People should always look forward, right?

Jiang Yao knew she worried for her. She was always this sensible, preferring to suffer grievances herself.

Jiang Heng had finished saying what should be said. He raised his eyes to glance at Song Muyun. The little girl naturally possessed a gentle temperament, spoke properly, and wouldn’t rely on Jiang Yao’s friendship to use Jiang Yao. She was a not-bad child.

He silently praised in his heart, then opened his mouth to chase people away. “Alright, I have finished saying what I wanted to say. You guys go play by yourselves.”

How to say it, this matter concerned Song Muyun. Since the result came out, naturally he had to tell her. Once told, there was nothing else good to say.

“En, Dad, then I’m taking Xiao Yun’er away.”

Jiang Heng stared at the chessboard, still thinking about how to break the formation, and waved his hand impatiently. “Go, go.”

Jiang Yao brought the thoroughly flushed Song Muyun out.

The two walked one behind the other on the small path. Song Muyun lightly bit her red lip, quietly raising her eyes from behind to look at Jiang Yao.

She knew Jiang Yao perhaps just liked to bully her verbally and didn’t have other meanings, yet she always got hot all over because of those one or two intimate forms of address.

“By the way, Muyun, weren’t you going to go to Yueshang House to pack your clothes? Shall I accompany you?” Jiang Yao turned her head back to say.

The Song family case was still under investigation by the Dali Temple¹⁷. Song Muyun temporarily could not be counted as the daughter of a criminal official, so naturally, she could also leave the music workshop.

Hearing this, Song Muyun stopped her footsteps. Only after a while did she start walking again, trying her best to pretend as if nothing was wrong, but inevitably carrying a bit of complaint. “Now you are this serious again; just now you weren’t like this.”

Jiang Yao leaned close to her, chin almost pressing against her shoulder, voice containing countless smiles. “What, you like me calling you Yun’er?”

Song Muyun’s body dodged to the side, not letting her touch. “Where did I say I liked it? Who told you to call me like that in front of elders? I am only one year younger than you; you being like that appears unsolemn!”

“Calling you Yun’er is unsolemn? Hmph, then you guys have quite a lot of rules. I don’t care, just going to call, just going to call.”

Jiang Yao bullied her. Song Muyun felt panicked with anger in her heart, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but slowly hook up a small upward arc.

A woman’s skin and flesh healed slowly and easily scarred. Every night, Song Muyun had to take out the scar removal ointment Jiang Yao gave her and apply it to her body.

At the start, it was Jiang Yao who applied it for her, but she didn’t know why, she seemed to have broken. Her brain would always think of those rubbing mirrors¹⁸ scenes in the picture books that made people blush and hearts hot: one woman prostrate on another woman’s back, using slender fingers to gently stroke the other’s snow-white back. The woman in front raised her head, cherry lips slightly parted, glistening fine sweat on her forehead. They were just like that—Jiang Yao prostrate on her back, fingertips stained with ointment, gently spreading it on her back. She always couldn’t help but tremble somewhat, her whole body itching terribly, itching until her eye rims were red. Only when it really wouldn’t do did she refuse to let Jiang Yao apply the medicine.

At that time, Jiang Yao was even somewhat aggrieved, thinking she disliked her heavy hand, and was unhappy for a long time. It took coaxing for a good while to coax her well.

The current Jiang Yao had accepted the facts. Seeing her applying medicine, she moved a small stool to sit outside the door. The moon was bright and stars were sparse, the evening breeze stroking lightly. After sitting not for long, she shouted inside again, “Song, Mu, Yun, done yet? Didn’t you say you’d admire the moon with me?”

Song Muyun pinched the porcelain bottle, suddenly returning to her senses, her voice also two decibels louder. “Don’t rush me, I’ll be done right away.”

“You’re so slow, and you still won’t let me apply it for you.”

Being called slow, she didn’t rebut either, silently increasing her speed. She smeared a thin layer of ointment on all those injured places, waited quietly for a moment until the ointment wasn’t sticky, then stood up to wear her clothes properly and went out to find Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao lay on the rocking chair with one leg cocked up, ceaselessly stuffing something into her mouth to eat. Only when Song Muyun got close did she discover it was grapes.

She sat on the side with a smile. “You sure live your days happily.”

Jiang Yao glanced at her, sat herself to the side, emptying out a small half of the space for Song Muyun, and reached out to pat it. “Come sit.”

Song Muyun pursed her lips, looking at Jiang Yao beside her, somewhat hesitant. It was too close to her. In the picture book, there was another scene: on a wide rocking chair, two women lay together, clothes completely removed, teasing each other…

Just thinking about it made one burn red in the cheeks.

Jiang Yao waited a while, and still, no one sat beside her. She couldn’t help looking over confusedly. “What are you thinking about? Sit quickly. Eat a grape; just picked, fresh.”

She picked up a black-purple grape and passed it to Song Muyun.

Song Muyun reached out to take the grape, and in the next second was pulled by someone, falling to sit on the rocking chair.

The rocking chair swayed lightly due to the heavy object falling, taking her to accidentally lie prone in Jiang Yao’s arms.

Jiang Yao casually caught her, holding the person steady before letting go, her mouth still deliberately saying, “Be careful, so rash.”

Angering Song Muyun to raise her head and glare at her once.

Was it not she who reached out to pull her!

After this round of playing, Song Muyun still obediently sat by Jiang Yao’s side, mouth eating the grapes she fed over one by one.

“Sweet?”

“En.”

“Is the moon good-looking?”

“En.”

She responded to her; every sound could get a response. Jiang Yao also felt for the first time that the night colors were this good-looking; turning her head, she could see Song Muyun dressed in snow clothes, long hair unbound.

“Eldest Miss, Miss Song, the wind is cool at night. Do you want to drape a piece of clothing?”

The two looked towards the sound. The comer stood smilingly not far away, holding a wide outer garment in her hands. It was impressively the former dancer of Yueshang House, Yan Luo.

After being redeemed by Jiang Yao with silver, she was temporarily settled in the Jiang manor.

Jiang Yao raised her hand and beckoned. “Since you brought it, just give it to us.”

Yan Luo still had some habits from Yueshang House, walking gracefully, handing the clothes in her hands to Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao looked her up and down. “I have a shop under my name that still lacks a managing person. You go in a few days.”

“There is still such a good thing?”

Visible joy appeared on Yan Luo’s face. She barely suppressed the corners of her mouth. “Then this servant will thank Miss first.”

Going out to be a manager was always better than being a servant for others. Miss Jiang was truly a good person.

“No need to thank; this is what you deserve.”

Jiang Yao stretched her arm to the back, draping it over Song Muyun’s shoulder.

Song Muyun lightly bit her lip petal, unable to stop obeying her original heart, and leaned into Jiang Yao’s embrace. She knew it was because Yan Luo helped her that Jiang Yao treated her well.

Not until Yan Luo went out did the courtyard only have Jiang Yao and Song Muyun left. At this time, Jiang Ru was also reading. The two lay in the courtyard, only able to hear the crisp sound of the breeze blowing through tree leaves.

At night, the two little girls had agreed to sleep together. Song Muyun finished bathing, wearing only an extremely thin inner garment, and sat on the bed waiting for Jiang Yao. Jiang Yao also showered very quickly, bringing a body full of water vapor, carefully drilling into the quilt.

She said to her, “If I move randomly at night and bump your wound, just wake me up if it hurts; no need to be polite.”

“It’s fine, you won’t bump it.”

Song Muyun scooted forward, scooting right into Jiang Yao’s arms. Her hair, both soft and silky, hit the back of her hand; it was very itchy, and also a bit painful.

Jiang Yao thought in her heart, Muyun treated her as a bosom friend, being so intimate with her. She definitely had to treat Muyun well too. Although following her, she couldn’t become the Empress, she also didn’t need to be like in the picture books, beaten and scolded if things were slightly unsmooth. The Muyun in the dream didn’t even have a smile.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yao couldn’t help but well up with some softness and tenderness. She hugged her tighter. Two equally slender bodies rolled on the bed. She still minded Song Muyun’s body, rolling only one circle before holding the person steadily, lifting the quilt to cover both their shoulders, then sighing a long sigh.

Finally returned to her own bed. Soft, of course, was still her own bed soft. That soft couch, called a soft couch, was actually both hard and small; lying on it, hands and feet couldn’t stretch out. “Alright, alright, sleep quickly. Won’t have nightmares again tonight,” she coaxed.

Song Muyun gave a low acknowledgement, habitually drilling into her embrace, then rested her head on a comfortable position she selected herself. Drowsiness gradually attacked. It was not at all like the situation of not being able to sleep the previous few nights; in Jiang Yao’s arms, she very quickly became sleepy.

In the time it took Jiang Yao to raise her head and lower it again, the person in her arms was breathing steadily. Her cheeks were smoked slightly red by her body, which was hot from practicing martial arts year-round. Compared to other places, this spot more or less had some flesh. Jiang Yao quietly reached out and flicked it once, provoking a delicate whimper from the person in her arms, who twisted her waist and moved upward, burying her entire face in her neck, not giving her the chance to bully people.

Jiang Yao laughed lightly, feeling more and more that she was cute. Cute when serious, cute when awake, and cute when sleeping too.

She held the person in her arms, lightly stroking her back. Not a moment later, she also leaned on her shoulder and went to sleep.

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