“She was scared when she heard the noises outside, so she hid in one of the hollow tree trunks in the drill grounds.” She then tugged on Liu Yinyin. “Yinyin, go to your Elder Brother Lianchen. He was very worried about you.”
Noticing the encouragement in Su Xi-er’s eyes, Liu Yinyin glanced at Ning Lianchen before walking to his side and softly saying, “Elder Brother Lianchen, I hid because I was scared. I didn’t disappear on purpose.”
Ning Lianchen caressed her head. “Yinyin, nothing must happen to you.”
“I know. My dad entrusted me to you before he died, and you wouldn’t be able to face him if something happened to me.”
Su Xi-er was watching the two of them when an arm circled around her waist, and a man’s voice streamed into her ear. “Xi-er, let’s return to the army tent and rest. We’ll go to Nanzhao’s capital early tomorrow morning.”
“Alright.” Su Xi-er nodded, then cast a final glance at Ning Lianchen and Liu Yinyin before leaving with Pei Qianhao.
It would be good if the two of them can be together in the future.
In five years’ time, Yinyin will have come of age, and she will be able to stand in front of Lianchen as a woman. At that time, Lianchen won’t be able to view her as a little girl anymore. However, plans tend to be overly optimistic. As for whether they can truly wait five years, nobody knows what will happen.
Inside the army tent, Pei Qianhao and Su Xi-er embraced each other on the bed after washing up.
“Xi-er, tell me about your childhood.” Pei Qianhao hugged her tight. He planted a warm kiss on her forehead before moving to her ear.
Su Xi-er smiled. “Before Empress Mother passed away, I was as mischievous as a boy. No, I was even worse than a boy. Many of the officials’ sons couldn’t defeat me.”
“Oh? You often played with the officials’ sons when you were young?”
“That’s right. It’s rather sad when I think about it. Before Grand Tutor Liu, there was another Grand Tutor. Unfortunately, his son passed away at the age of five, and he retired before returning to his hometown. Back then, that son was my…” Su Xi-er paused and carefully observed Pei Qianhao, finding something amiss with his expression.
Is he jealous again?
“Xi-er, continue. I want to know everything about you, just like how I understand your body.” Pei Qianhao deliberately kneaded the spot his hands were on, causing her body to shiver.
“Who speaks like you?” Su Xi-er cast a sidelong glance at him with a pouting expression.
“What was the Grand Tutor’s son to you?” Pei Qianhao continued to probe.
“Him? He was a snotty-nosed kid. He would cry whenever he met with trivial matters. When I took him to get a beehive, he was stung until his whole face was swollen before crying for a few days. He cried even more than a girl. If I had known that he would die at five, I wouldn’t have bullied him that much.”
“Xi-er, what else?”
Su Xi-er mused for a moment. Following that, my days were very calm because Empress Mother passed away. After she passed away, the palace was filled with delicate beauties, and Emperor Father would dote on one every few days. There was a favoured consort who was insufferably arrogant, completely disregarding everyone once she was pregnant. I purposely laid out a plan for her to fall into the water and miscarry.
Emperor Father knew about what I did, but he didn’t reproach me, and neither did he disclose it.
Seeing that she had become silent, Pei Qianhao knew that she had triggered some sorrowful memories. “Xi-er, you were very mischievous when you were young, but I was very obedient. My father would work outside while my mother tidied up the house and prepared our meals; her health wasn’t the best.”
“A-Jing, you and I will also have children in the future.”
“Mmm, we’ll have children.” Pei Qianhao softly replied. He then turned around and pressed her under his body. “Princess Consort, why don’t we battle one more time tonight?”
Su Xi-er’s eyelids twitched. He changes topics so quickly! We just did that earlier today, and now he wants to do it again!
“Xi-er, do you want it?” Pei Qianhao seductively enticed, lowering his head to kiss her ear.
“I don’t.”
“Xi-er, didn’t you know? Usually, when women say that they don’t want it, their body really does.” Pei Qianhao continued to tempt her as his hand roamed about her body.
