Chu Lian glanced at his reddened ears with a smile and didn’t argue with him.
“Alright, I’m just going to change my clothes in the bathroom before we go over. Otherwise, we’ll make Grandmother wait.”
After she finished speaking, Chu Lian turned and entered the bathroom. Xiyan had already prepared a change of clothing for her in the bathroom.
Once Chu Lian had left the inner room, He Sanlang checked his reflection in the bronze mirror. Although it was just a normal hair style, he felt more and more satisfied as he looked at it. In the end, he broke out into a foolish smile.
Luckily the maidservants of Songtao Court didn’t catch him in his current state, or they would most likely have knelt for hours out of fright, thinking that their Third Young Master was possessed.
While waiting for Chu Lian to return from the bathroom, He Sanlang had already turned back to his usual cold and stern self. He sat by the table and picked up a storybook that he had seen Chu Lian reading often to pass the time.
His brows creased together as he read.
What was this story about? An abandoned wife living carefree? In the Great Wu Dynasty, abandoned wives didn’t even have a place in society, let alone being able to spend their days leisurely. Flipping back to the front of the book to look for the author’s name, He Changdi snorted. Was this ‘Snow Mountain Mists’ crazy? Their imagination was just too far-fetched. From what he could see, this person had probably been born with a hole in their head!
His wife would come up with peculiar ideas from time to time. Could that have been due to reading Snow Mountain Mist’s books?
He Changdi’s heart was set afire with rage. He wanted to burn up this book.
While He Changdi was thinking, a sound from behind caught his attention. When he looked up and turned towards Chu Lian’s direction, his deep eyes immediately lit up.
Chu Lian had grown a little taller after coming back from the northern border and her old clothes didn’t fit as well anymore. The newest garments made for her over the winter had been borrowed by Miss Pan, so she was wearing a dress that Princess Wei had given her right now.
The dress was a bright red with complex patterns embroidered on the hem, cuffs, and neckline. The buttons were glossy pearls of the same size. Even though it was a winter garment, it was cut with a narrow waist that showed off Chu Lian’s slim figure.
He Changdi had actually never seen Chu Lian all dressed up before. He had always known that she was beautiful and that her looks were considered outstanding even within the capital.
He used to hate her face so much that he didn’t even want to look at her.
Thus, he was completely stunned right now. The young lady reflected in his deep gaze was as breathtaking as the sunrise.
When Chu Lian noticed his dazed expression, she tilted her head to one side with a smile, looking utterly adorable, “What’s wrong? Have you been stunned by my beauty?”
He Sanlang’s body stiffened up as a twitch developed in the corner of his mouth.
How had he been so foolish before? How could someone who could speak such ‘shameless’ words be the former ‘wicked woman’ Chu Lian?
How had he been so blind? He had made himself so constrained and miserable.
He Changdi tugged the corner of his lips downwards before ordering in a cold tone, “Let’s go.”
Chu Lian knew that he was just shy and uncomfortable, so she ran after him with a giggle.
After taking a few long strides forward, He Sanlang suddenly noticed that he had lost sight of Chu Lian behind him. He unconsciously came to a stop when he heard the sound of footsteps coming closer.
As he stood in the corridor, lanterns cast a faint light on him from behind, accentuating his perfect posture and making him appear even taller and more handsome.
It was only when the sound of footsteps in disarray drew closer that He Changdi turned slightly and looked behind him.
He was met with the sight of a young lady holding the heavy hem of her dress chasing after him and trying to close the remaining distance of a few steps between them. The sound of her complaints came next, “He Changdi, why are you walking so fast?”
When Chu Lian finally reached He Changdi’s side, a sudden warmth encased her right hand, which had been hanging naturally by her side. By the time she came to her senses, her right hand was already in the grip of a large and slightly rough palm.
He Changdi snorted, “You’re really useless. Why are you walking so slowly?”
Chu Lian was about to glare at him in response, when she was suddenly lifted into the air. She had actually been scooped up into a bridal carry by He Changdi.
All the maidservants following behind them quickly lowered their heads and kept their distance from their masters.
Xiyan felt very pressured. What was wrong with Third Young Master? Why had he suddenly started going all lovey-dovey with Third Young Madam without any warning? Could he not treat the servants like air and give them some time to react?
Chu Lian shot a glance at the maidservants following along at a distance and turned to give Sanlang a helpless glare. Beaming from ear to ear, she fired off a question with a double meaning, “I might be slow, but aren’t you going to wait for me?”
He Changdi paused in his steps. His eyes seemed as dark as night against the light. Chu Lian knew that he was staring at her. She could even feel his warm breath on her face.
“It doesn’t matter how slow you walk in the future. I’ll just carry you along just like this. You’ll definitely be able to catch up to me.”
He Sanlang was usually socially awkward, so it was extremely rare to see him saying such warm and romantic words.
It was even more heartwarming to hear such gentle words coming from a cold person like him.
Even Chu Lian wasn’t able to withstand his ‘attack’. Utterly defeated, she drowned in his tender love for her.
She wrapped her arms around He Changdi’s neck and buried her little head in his broad chest. He Changdi put some strength into his arms and lifted Chu Lian up a little more. After a short pause, he stated in a seemingly serious manner, “His Highness was right, you really are heavier than before.”
Chu Lian had still been immersed in his earlier sweetness. His remark immediately jolted her out of her daze and sent her into a fury. Grinding her teeth with hatred, she clamped her teeth on He Changdi’s slender neck.
Her little canines were really powerful. In her moment of impulse, Chu Lian didn’t hold back, leaving two red rows of teeth marks on his pale neck.
