The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 54

Jiejie Wants to Rest a Bit

“What is the meaning of these words of yours?” Uncle Yu listened to the scorn in Lin Jianhai’s tone, realizing that Lin Jianhai was not speaking in jest.

Hearing this, Lin Jianhai looked sideways at Uncle Yu, a smile that was impossible to fathom appearing on his face.

“My Lin family, from beginning to end, has only one Furen¹. My di² son is actually the second shu³ son born of a concubine, recorded under my deceased wife’s name. Xikuan is merely a shu son; how could he take over my Lin family?”

Not long after Liang-shi⁴ died, Lin Jianhai made the decision to transfer Lin Xikuan to be established under Liang-shi’s branch. Later, when Yu-shi was elevated to the position of legal wife, because Liang-shi had not yet been dead for three years, Lin Jianhai considered his daughter’s feelings and only changed it verbally; it had never been altered in the clan’s genealogy book.

After Yu-shi died, because she was a criminal woman, the funeral rites were extremely simple. After her two sons kept vigil for the spirit for three days, she was buried early.

Now that Lin Jianhai said Lin Xikuan was merely a shu son, it was not without reason.

“You!” Uncle Yu, hearing this, shook so hard his hands trembled.

Uncle Yu had come to mediate, wanting to get Lin Xikuan released, but instead, he caused Lin Xikuan to lose the identity of the Prime Minister Residence’s di son.

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng stood outside the door and also heard everything clearly.

After Uncle Yu left, Lin Jianhai still did not release Lin Xikuan, and he sent people to take Lin Xirui back to his courtyard, forbidding him from going over there again. It was the same for Lin Xizhao.

However, not two days later, Grandfather Yu arrived. Although Lin Jianhai did not want to release Lin Xikuan, faced with Grandfather Yu, who was also an official in the court and had lowered his posture to lobby him, Lin Jianhai ultimately released him.

Originally, Lin Jianhai wanted to confine Lin Xikuan within the courtyard, but Grandfather Yu wanted to take him back to the Yu family to recuperate, intending to send him back after the teacher returned after the New Year. Although Lin Jianhai could put on airs with his peers, towards his elders, he would yield three fen⁵ of courtesy. Thus, he agreed to Grandfather Yu’s request and allowed him to take Lin Xikuan away.

After Lin Xikuan’s matter was resolved, Lin Xizhao finally felt relieved. However, Lin Xizhao also harbored doubts in her heart; she had never seen such a severe Lin Jianhai before. Lin Xikuan had done something wrong, but he had not caused a disaster. If one spoke of beating him with planks or locking him in the courtyard, those would be acceptable. But putting him in such a gloomy and cold place, and not giving him food—such punishment was even more frightening than staying in that large prison.

For several consecutive days, Zhao Jiayu came to the Prime Minister Lin’s Residence. The reason was that ever since the first day she saw the shuxiu⁶ Lin Xizhao was sewing for her, she began urging her daily. From time to time, she would deliberately show off to Qu Sheng, and seeing Qu Sheng’s jealous little gaze, she felt comfortable.

Lin Xizhao watched Qu Sheng leave the room to get things for her. While threading her needle, she asked, “Didn’t you want to regret the marriage a few days ago? Have you thought it through now?”

Zhao Jiayu was eating snacks on the side. Hearing Lin Xizhao’s question, a somewhat embarrassed look appeared on her face.

It wasn’t that she had thought it through, but rather that Qu Yu’s actions had given her confidence. She believed that in the future, Qu Yu would protect her no matter when. Unlike her father, who, every time he wanted to settle a dispute, would sacrifice her first.

When her aunt was aggressive like that, he didn’t ask for the reason; he just wanted to extinguish others’ fire of anger by beating her with planks.

She had visited the Qu Marquis Residence many times over the years, but she hadn’t had deep contact with the people of the Qu family. She had a straightforward nature; she didn’t have as many schemes as those people in the inner courtyards, nor could she battle wits with people in the residence.

She had also told Qu Yu about her worry that she would cause trouble for the Qu Marquis Residence. After Qu Yu heard this, he guaranteed her that he would absolutely not let those filthy matters of the inner courtyard happen, and that their Qu Marquis Residence did not have such things occur. Only then did Zhao Jiayu peacefully settle down as a bride-to-be.

The two spoke in the room for a while before Qu Sheng came in from outside. It had started snowing again today. Seeing Qu Sheng walk over, Lin Xizhao raised her hand to brush the snow off her slender shoulders and took off her dachang⁷.

“The snow outside is falling this heavily?” Lin Xizhao put away the dachang for Qu Sheng and glanced out the door.

Qu Sheng nodded and hummed an “En.” She raised her hand and handed the leather she had selected from the Prime Minister Residence’s storeroom to Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao took it and placed it on the table beside her.

“Mine isn’t even finished yet, and you’re already in a hurry to make Xizhao do yours?” Zhao Jiayu rebuked Qu Sheng.

Hearing this, Qu Sheng cast a glance over, lacking the jealous expression from when Zhao Jiayu had deliberately teased her before. Instead, she wore an expression of wanting to see Zhao Jiayu eat vinegar⁸.

“Hiss… Xizhao, I think you should just marry into the Qu family along with me.”

Zhao Jiayu’s words made Lin Xizhao raise her head in confusion, laughing, “Spouting nonsense again.”

“I’m speaking the truth. Look at your family’s Little Sheng’er. You only just made shuxiu for me, and she acts like this. If you were to marry someone else… Tsk.” Zhao Jiayu stared at Qu Sheng and shook her head. “She would have to chase after you.”

Hearing Zhao Jiayu’s words, Qu Sheng’s smile retracted a bit, and she looked sideways at Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao heard this, glanced at Zhao Jiayu, and then exchanged a look with Qu Sheng. Seeing Qu Sheng’s eyes dyed with a layer of unhappiness, Lin Xizhao pretended not to have heard Zhao Jiayu’s words and changed the topic, saying, “Sheng’er, come here, let me measure your dimensions.”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng lowered her eyes for an instant and shifted her steps over.

Lin Xizhao measured the dimensions on Qu Sheng’s wrist. When she looked up, Qu Sheng was staring at her, her expression seeming somewhat sad.

Zhao Jiayu stuffed food into her mouth, staring at these two for a good while. She felt something was strange, but she couldn’t say exactly what was wrong.

Just as Zhao Jiayu was still pondering, the room door sounded.

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng heard the door sound and both looked over. Lin Xizhao walked over and opened the door.

“Eldest Miss, Madam asks Miss to return to the residence for a trip,” Feng Qi said with his head bowed.

“Right now?” Lin Xizhao looked back at Zhao Jiayu and Qu Sheng.

Feng Qi nodded and said, “Yes, the carriage is already waiting outside the residence right now.”

Lin Xizhao wanted to accompany Qu Sheng back, but she was worried something might happen on the road. Lin Xizhao fetched the dachang for Qu Sheng, draped it over her body, and instructed, “Sheng’er, I won’t accompany you back. Be careful on the road.”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng nodded. She hadn’t expected Lin Xizhao to go back with her anyway. Jin Yunfei rarely sent people to find her; if there was truly something happening, she would definitely have Feng Qi explain it clearly. At this moment, Feng Qi only said to let her return, so presumably, the people she wanted had arrived.

Lin Xizhao saw Qu Sheng onto the carriage outside the residence. After the carriage left, Zhao Jiayu asked Lin Xizhao, “Why didn’t you follow along today?”

Zhao Jiayu was also puzzled. If it were before, by now Lin Xizhao would have long since abandoned her to follow Qu Sheng and leave.

Lin Xizhao walked into the residence while looking up at Zhao Jiayu, smiling, “Isn’t it to make shuxiu for you?”

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu raised her eyebrows slightly. This reason was passable.

Qu Sheng returned to the Qu Marquis Residence. Upon arriving in the reception hall, four Canjiang⁹ wearing plain clothes stood up and cupped their hands in salute toward Qu Sheng.

“This subordinate pays respects to Miss.”

Qu Sheng nodded and said, “Several Generals need not stand on ceremony. The journey here must have been quite arduous, but right now there is an urgent matter. I wish to ask the several Generals to give their full assistance, and I hope you all will bear with it.”

Hearing this, the several Canjiang looked at each other. One who was the leader said, “If there is any matter, Miss can command directly. We will not decline even if it means ten thousand deaths.”

Qu Sheng had once stayed in the army. Qu Sheng had also met these few Canjiang several times. Regarding Qu Sheng leading troops and commanding, there was none who did not admire her. Qu Jinian sent a flying letter¹⁰ over, and these few people packed their bundles overnight, rushing over without stopping their horses.

Qu Sheng looked at these few people, lowered her eyes for an instant, a few points of caution in the depths of her eyes, and said, “I have some items here. I want everyone to help transform them into what I need.”

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Qu Sheng discussed matters with the several Canjiang in the room for a long time, continuing until the end of Xushi¹¹. Only then were these Canjiang taken to the arranged wing rooms to rest. Qu Sheng, seeing that the heavy snow outside had stopped, stood in the courtyard thinking for a few moments, then took people and left the residence again.

Without Qu Sheng’s company, Lin Xizhao slept somewhat fitfully. It wasn’t until she heard the door sound, and heard footsteps gradually approaching, that her sleepiness vanished completely.

When a maidservant enters the room, she always lights a lamp. But the door to the inner room opened, and she did not see even a bit of candlelight.

“Who is it?” Lin Xizhao’s voice was somewhat nervous.

Qu Sheng stood at the doorway of the inner room. Seeing Lin Xizhao’s nervous expression, she hurriedly called out softly, “Jiejie¹², it is Sheng’er.”

When Qu Sheng returned, the maidservant said that Lin Xizhao had gone to sleep early tonight. She thought she was already asleep, so she didn’t have anyone announce her when she entered. Also, because her eyes could see things in the dark night, she didn’t expend the effort to light a lamp.

“Sheng’er.” Lin Xizhao heard Qu Sheng’s voice, and seeing a black shadow walking over in the dim room, asked, “Why didn’t you light a lamp?”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng took a few steps over. She didn’t answer Lin Xizhao’s question, but after getting close, she lit the candle lamp nearby.

The candle lamp slowly spread its light. Lin Xizhao saw Qu Sheng’s face clearly. Seeing that the cloak on her body had not yet been taken off, she got up and asked, “Why did you come over again so late?” As Lin Xizhao spoke, she went to untie the sash of Qu Sheng’s cloak.

Qu Sheng gazed at Lin Xizhao, who seemed to already have a lazy sleeping appearance. Seeing the sleeping clothes on her body clinging to her soft waist, when Lin Xizhao took her cloak and wanted to help put it aside, she reached out and encircled Lin Xizhao’s soft waist.

Lin Xizhao felt her waist being embraced. Her body, which had originally turned sideways, was forced to turn back around. Her body leaned forward for an instant, resting against Qu Sheng, giving her a start.

“Missed Jiejie.”

Before Lin Xizhao could ask what Qu Sheng was doing, Qu Sheng leaned her neck against hers intimately. She missed every night that Lin Xizhao embraced her. Although it was late tonight, she still came.

Lin Xizhao heard Qu Sheng’s low and charming voice and also reached out to embrace Qu Sheng’s neck. She hugged her properly.

“In the future, don’t run back and forth so late. If it’s too late, just stay in the residence; coming back tomorrow is the same.” Lin Xizhao was somewhat worried. Those people had been caught, but she heard Feng Qi say they hadn’t found out the mastermind behind the scenes; they hadn’t even pried out a single word.

Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao, lowering her eyes to look at the side of Lin Xizhao’s back neck. She knew Lin Xizhao was worried about her, but compared to being able to sleep in an embrace with Lin Xizhao, even if a few more groups of people came, they couldn’t stop her. Moreover, after a period of time, she would resolve this matter.

The two hugged for a while. Because Lin Xizhao wasn’t wearing outer clothes, she sneezed. After Qu Sheng heard it, she directly picked her up horizontally and placed her on the ta¹³.

Qu Sheng covered Lin Xizhao with the quilt, then went to take off her own outer clothes. After nimbly getting onto the ta, she held Lin Xizhao in her arms.

Lin Xizhao felt Qu Sheng holding her tightly and chuckled lightly, saying, “Not cold anymore, no need to hold so tight.”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng’s expression froze for a moment, and soon the strength in her arms loosened a little. Lin Xizhao gazed at the trace of restraint on Qu Sheng’s delicate and good-looking face, and asked with a smile, “Adoptive Mother made you go back today; what did you do?”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng spoke the answer she had already prepared long ago, “There were guests at Shoulin.” Guests came from Shoulin; as for what guests, even if she said it, Lin Xizhao wouldn’t recognize them.

Qu Yu was getting married, so naturally, people would come from Shoulin. As for how many people came, there was no count. But for Qu Sheng to go, presumably, they were all distinguished guests.

After Lin Xizhao heard this, she didn’t continue asking. Today, after Qu Sheng left, Zhao Jiayu waited for her finished shuxiu, put them on her wrists, and left happily as well. Left alone in the room, she felt empty.

Now that Qu Sheng was back, she filled up that feeling of emptiness that was magnified several times at night. Lin Xizhao lay in Qu Sheng’s arms, feeling the body temperature transmitting from her, and her eyes slowly became sleepy.

After a long time, Qu Sheng sensed that Lin Xizhao seemed to have fallen asleep and looked down. The candle lamp outside had been extinguished, but the dim room was clearly visible to her.

Gazing at Lin Xizhao’s soft lips close at hand, recalling the soft tactile sensation of that night, that controlling feeling that drove people mad appeared in Qu Sheng’s head again.

When Lin Xizhao was asleep, her expression was gentle, just like the person herself, without any distance or unfamiliarity toward people.

Qu Sheng lowered her head seeking the lips, moving to kiss. But just as she was about to kiss, she suddenly realized her body was somewhat restricted. Lin Xizhao was lying in her arms, pillowing on her arm, her head also nestled in her embrace.

If Qu Sheng wanted to kiss, she would have to adjust her posture. But if she adjusted her posture, she would inevitably wake Lin Xizhao. Lin Xizhao’s sleep had been extremely light recently; Qu Sheng hesitated.

After undergoing a long mental struggle, Qu Sheng gave up, only kissing lightly on Lin Xizhao’s forehead for an instant. Regarding her desire to kiss Lin Xizhao’s soft and charming lips, although it surged so high her heart felt sour, it was still slowly suppressed by heartache.

Lin Xizhao, who had a night of good dreams, woke up early in the morning and saw Qu Sheng still sleeping. Thinking of how Qu Sheng acted coquettishly toward her in the dream, she couldn’t help but raise her hand to stroke Qu Sheng’s face, which looked even more obedient after falling asleep.

Yesterday, Zhao Jiayu said that if she married, Qu Sheng would chase after her. At that time, she didn’t actually think Qu Sheng would really go, but the moment she thought about leaving Qu Sheng in the future, her heart felt uncomfortable.

Last night when Qu Sheng wasn’t there, that feeling of detachment, of leaving Qu Sheng, made her increasingly afraid.

Qu Sheng had stared at Lin Xizhao all last night, only falling asleep in the latter half of the night. At this moment, although she felt the warmth and softness of Lin Xizhao’s fingertips, she showed no sign of waking up.

At this moment, the Lin Xizhao in her dream was also gently stroking her cheek. The look in Lin Xizhao’s eyes in the dream was exactly the same as when she looked at her, clearly indicating her liking for her.

Lin Xizhao looked at the smile hooking up the corner of Qu Sheng’s lips and thought she had woken up. But after staring for a good while, she discovered she was dreaming.

Lin Xizhao wasn’t in a hurry to get out of bed either. It was still early for breakfast, and she could hear the sounds of servants sweeping snow in the courtyard outside. Today, she might as well be lazy for once and accompany Qu Sheng to linger in bed a bit.

Lin Xizhao nestled her head back into Qu Sheng’s arms, the corners of her lips hooking slightly as she closed her eyes.

Zhao Residence.

Early in the morning, Zhao Jiayu got up very early, went to Xiao Bingying’s courtyard, and knocked on her door.

“Ah Jie, hurry and open the door, let’s go have a snowball fight.” Zhao Jiayu said excitedly, grinning as she stood outside the door.

But when the door opened, Zhao Jiayu froze for an instant. “You, why are you in this room?”

Chengxi opened the door, only draping an outer garment over herself. Seeing Zhao Jiayu’s confused expression, she said, “Bingying said the cold energy of my illness was too heavy, and it snowed heavily last night, so she switched rooms with me.”

Yesterday, the air temperature had indeed dropped a lot. Added to the strong wind and heavy snow, Chengxi, who had originally been sitting in this room talking to Xiao Bingying, stayed in the room, while Xiao Bingying went to her room.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu had a look of disbelief on her face and looked sideways toward the side room.

One courtyard. Yesterday just had some wind and snow, and her Ah Jie was distressed just by her walking a few steps? If one said there was nothing between these two, she really wouldn’t believe it.

Zhao Jiayu put away her surprised expression, took a step back, and said, “Oh, then I’ll go find my Ah Jie.”

Chengxi nodded. Zhao Jiayu hurriedly turned around and walked toward the room where Xiao Bingying was currently sleeping.

Zhao Jiayu went over and knocked fiercely on the door. Xiao Bingying, hearing the sound on the ta, opened her eyes and frowned. But when she heard Zhao Jiayu’s voice, her eyes suddenly widened. She hurriedly threw off the quilt, grabbed the dress beside her, and put it on while walking out. Only when she reached the door and fastened the belt at her waist did she open the door.

“Ah Jie, what are you dawdling about in the room?” Zhao Jiayu asked deliberately with a smile.

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying’s expression was somewhat unnatural. She said, “I, I just woke up.” She had indeed just woken up, but the guilty conscience was subconscious.

Thinking that since Zhao Jiayu could come here to call her, she naturally knew that she and Chengxi had switched rooms. Xiao Bingying pulled open the door and let Zhao Jiayu into the room.

“You go wash up first; we’ll go have a snowball fight later.” Zhao Jiayu said as she walked into the room.

It had snowed quite a bit again in the latter half of the night; right now, the servants were still sweeping the snow.

Zhao Jiayu’s marriage was getting closer and closer, yet she didn’t have the slightest nervousness. Nor did she feel that getting married was some amazing major event. The residence prepared what needed to be prepared, and she did whatever she wanted to do.

Xiao Bingying was used to grooming herself, and her hairstyle was extremely simple. She sat in front of Chengxi’s vanity mirror, combing her hair. When she looked up, she saw Chengxi, who was already dressed in a dress, standing behind her.

“Let me help you.” While Xiao Bingying was slightly stunned, Chengxi reached out and took the ox-horn comb from her hand.

Xiao Bingying heard Chengxi’s words and wanted to turn her head to look at her, but Chengxi held her shoulders with her hands, not letting her turn around.

Chengxi looked at Xiao Bingying’s unnatural expression in the bright bronze mirror, curved her lips slightly, and said, “It will be very fast; isn’t Miss Jiayu still waiting for you?”

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying’s body, which still wanted to turn back, froze.

Xiao Bingying watched Chengxi in the bronze mirror, holding the horn comb and lightly hooking her dark hair. Her fingers nimbly coiled a few strands of her hair. After hooking and moving for a moment, her hairstyle was done.

“I see that you like simpler ones, so I didn’t make it complicated for you. Do you like it like this?” Chengxi looked at Xiao Bingying in the bronze mirror, who had been looking up at her.

Chengxi’s words entered Xiao Bingying’s ears and went through her head once before she identified what Chengxi was saying to her.

“This is very good,” Xiao Bingying replied in a low voice.

When Xiao Bingying was little, it wasn’t that she hadn’t had beautiful hairstyles done. Although she was small then, she had memories. Zhao Jiayu’s mother, who was also once her mother, would personally comb her hair for her. She would coil good-looking hairstyles for her, and her head would be pinned with quite a few beautiful jade hairpins and buyao ornaments.

When she arrived at the Xiao Residence, maids also made good-looking hairstyles for her. But her current mother scolded her for dressing up gaudily, calling her a fox spirit¹⁴ who wanted to seduce people, scaring her so much she didn’t dare let anyone comb her hair for her again.

This habit had continued until now.

“It’s good that you like it.” Chengxi turned sideways and took a step forward, placing the horn comb in her hand on the vanity table.

“Ah Jie, how much longer will you two take?” Zhao Jiayu leaned against the door of the inner room, having been watching the two of them.

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying realized that Zhao Jiayu was right behind them. Xiao Bingying hurriedly got up and turned back, saying, “Done, let’s go out.”

Zhao Jiayu watched Xiao Bingying walk toward her, but the moment she turned, she heard Chengxi’s voice again.

“Wait a moment.” Chengxi took the dachang Xiao Bingying had prepared for her and handed it over. “Be careful of catching a cold.”

Xiao Bingying saw the dachang in Chengxi’s hand, froze for an instant, and then looked up at Chengxi. Chengxi handed the dachang in her hand closer to her and said, “Dislike that I’ve worn it?”

“How could I.” Joy appeared on Xiao Bingying’s face. She couldn’t be happy enough in her heart; how could she dislike it?

While the two were speaking here, over there, Zhao Jiayu laughed out loud.

“I say, are you two done yet? If you keep talking, the snow is going to melt.”

Hearing Zhao Jiayu’s laughter, Xiao Bingying’s body stiffened slightly for an instant, and she looked sideways: “Right away.”

“Go on.” Chengxi watched Xiao Bingying looking at her and bent her brows.

Xiao Bingying nodded and turned to walk toward Zhao Jiayu. And as Xiao Bingying walked toward her, Zhao Jiayu also glanced at Chengxi.

The two left Chengxi’s room. Zhao Jiayu then packed a ball of snow in her hand in Xiao Bingying’s courtyard and threw it directly over.

Although both knew martial arts, they didn’t want to use force to dodge. After just a short while, both of their bodies were covered in snow stains. Although the sun had come out, it still couldn’t melt the residual snow stains on their bodies.

Zhao Jiayu breathed out white breath from her mouth, feeling something was still missing. She glanced toward Chengxi’s room door; at this moment, Chengxi was looking toward them.

“Ah Jie, let Chengxi come over too; more people is lively.”

“No.” Xiao Bingying refused directly upon hearing the sound. “The doctor said her body is too weak. We have to wait until next summer to completely eradicate the illness by using the sunlight.”

That day, Qu Yu had invited a doctor for Chengxi; it was one they had later invited to the Qu Marquis Residence. The medical skills of someone the Qu Marquis Residence could employ naturally wouldn’t be poor.

The doctor gave a diagnosis, gave a prescription, and also taught Xiao Bingying how to take care of the patient. Xiao Bingying dared not be careless in the slightest right now.

Chengxi’s illness was somewhat strange. As long as her body encountered cold, it would infinitely draw it into her body. Only when she fell ill would that external cold air stop surging into her body. So she had to treat it carefully.

“Eh.” Zhao Jiayu tilted her head toward Chengxi’s direction and raised her chin slightly toward Xiao Bingying.

Xiao Bingying, seeing Zhao Jiayu’s hint, turned her body and looked back.

Chengxi saw Xiao Bingying looking and visibly curled up the corners of her lips.

“I say, what is going on with you two? Why does it look like you’re even more intimate than us two?” Zhao Jiayu asked deliberately.

Hearing the sound, Xiao Bingying hurriedly turned her head back and denied, “We aren’t.”

Zhao Jiayu smiled but didn’t speak. Packing the snow in her hand, she walked toward Xiao Bingying. When she wasn’t paying attention, she stuffed the snow into the front of her collar at the neck, then turned and ran, laughing as she ran, “I’m going to eat breakfast.”

Xiao Bingying felt the chill at her collar. She had the intention to take out the cold snow that had rolled inside, but Chengxi was still watching her, forcing her to endure it, wanting to wait for the snow to slowly melt on her body.

Chengxi had taken all of Zhao Jiayu’s actions just now into her eyes. Seeing Xiao Bingying tugging at the dress on her chest, she knew what had happened.

Xiao Bingying stood in place for a while. Just as she was thinking of returning to the room to take off her dress and take out that ball of snow, Chengxi walked over.

Chengxi didn’t speak. She reached out, wanting to reach into her collar.

Seeing this, Xiao Bingying hurriedly reached out and grasped her wrist, looking at Chengxi in confusion.

“I’ll help you take it out.”

“No, no need, it’s fine.” Xiao Bingying was somewhat unnatural. She straightened her slightly bent waist, enduring the chill brought by the snow ball constantly melting on her skin. She put Chengxi’s hand down and said, “It’s cold here, you hurry back into the room first.” As Xiao Bingying spoke, she took off the cloak on her own body again and draped it over Chengxi.

Chengxi saw Xiao Bingying’s nervousness and didn’t force it anymore, saying, “Then you also go back to the room and change.”

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying nodded and said, “Okay.”

Chengxi stood still in place, and Xiao Bingying didn’t move either. The two were deadlocked for a few moments before Chengxi helplessly had to move her steps to leave first.

Xiao Bingying watched Chengxi return to the room, then hurriedly walked toward her room herself. After changing her dress, breakfast had already been set out in the small courtyard’s dining hall.

If Xiao Bingying lived here alone, she would go to have breakfast with General Zhao and the others along with Zhao Jiayu. But with Chengxi here, she wanted to accompany her.

At the same time, a snowball fight started over at the Prime Minister Residence. However, Lin Xizhao’s body was not as strong as Zhao Jiayu and the others; after a short while, she was panting from exhaustion and didn’t want to move.

Lin Xizhao bent over, waved her hand toward Qu Sheng and Lin Xirui, who were still constantly throwing snowballs toward her but only throwing them at her feet, and laughed, “Can’t do it anymore, Jiejie wants to rest a bit.”

Lin Xirui watched Lin Xizhao surrender, then smiled and looked sideways at Qu Sheng, preparing to throw at her body. However, Qu Sheng threw all the snowballs onto the ground.

At this moment, the smile on Qu Sheng’s face was even greater. She walked over to Lin Xizhao’s side and directly picked up the still-bending Lin Xizhao.

“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao was picked up horizontally by Qu Sheng. The servants and guards nearby all took a look.

Qu Sheng heard Lin Xizhao call her. She lowered her head and looked sideways at Lin Xizhao. Seeing that there was a moment of unnaturalness on her face, the corners of her lips hooked slightly. She paused her steps and gently kissed Lin Xizhao’s brows and eyes that had just been curved in laughter.

The actions of the two at this moment naturally didn’t seem like anything to the maids in the courtyard. But in the eyes of Feng Qi, who already knew Qu Sheng wanted to marry Lin Xizhao into the residence, it was somewhat startling.

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “Jiejie, kiss kiss.”

Lin Xizhao: “……”

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