Qi Chimu saw her current appearance and knew that his sudden sarcasm was a bit out of place.
It wasn’t like he was some old lady who liked to complain about his misfortunes everywhere?
He hardened his expression and stuffed his mouth with rice, no longer looking at Bai Weiwei.
Suddenly, there was a piece of fried tofu in his bowl.
Qi Chimu’s chopsticks froze.
Bai Weiwei forced out a calm voice. “If you haven’t eaten enough then eat some more, what are you grumbling for.”
That seemed to be something she would say.
“In the future, I’ll bully you at most. I won’t starve you. And I’ll give you a slave girl so you don’t need to sweep the floor ba.”
She snorted.
Qi Chimu fell silent for a moment before letting out a sneer. “Isn’t it me bullying you? You aren’t able to bully me anymore.”
When he was reborn, when he had no power.
She was the first he gripped tightly in his hand, unable to break free from the shackles.
He was the only one who bullied her.
Qi Chimu ate the fried tofu in his bowl, only to belatedly think.
This was the first time she had fed him something.
He didn’t know why his heart felt more at ease.
【Ding! Male lead’s favorability: 55.】
Qi Chimu studied for several days before making inquiries into the third prince’s side room.
The third prince came while hiding his identity. Other than the secret guards, there was nobody who knew of his identity.
This was extremely beneficial to Qi Chimu.
He intended to lay down the foundations of friendship with the third prince early on.
The third prince had one flaw, and that was placing heavy emphasis on comradeship.
In particular, chance encounters, where friendship was formed without any ulterior purpose, moved his heart.
Qi Chimu soundlessly weaved his net, pondering each step of their first meeting.
The first meeting, he needed only to display a graceful bearing that was different from others.
Then he could gradually reveal his talents.
Along the way, he would bring out all he learned about the third prince’s preferences and allow the third prince to take him as a confidant.
That should be about all.
Qi Chimu laid down his plan and suddenly found that the room was a bit empty.
He raised his head somewhat blankly and found that Bai Weiwei was missing.
Qi Chimu immediately stood up from the chair and headed out, his face dark.
Going out without saying a word.
She didn’t bring any maidservants with her. Was she not afraid of danger?
Qi Chimu thought that, no matter how wicked her heart was, she was a lady of the boudoir who didn’t take more than two steps outside her door. After marrying him, she was even more prohibited from going out.
She didn’t understand the dangers of going outside.
He hurried out to search. The ground was covered in snow.
There were plum trees everywhere in the Great Imperial Temple, their blooming like a raging fire.
Qi Chimu’s keen sense of smell could detect a faint orchid scent.
He followed the scent, his heart tightening as he searched for the source.
When he finally found an old plum tree, he saw a familiar embroidered shoe jutting out of the plum blossoms.
Qi Chimu’s footsteps increased their pace. The snowy ground was too slippery, making his footsteps unstable, and he nearly stumbled.
When he arrived beneath the plum tree, he saw her hugging the trunk, tears flowing and not daring to move.
She had climbed the tree but had gone too far and didn’t dare to climb down.
She was teary as she looked at him with some surprise. “Qi Chimu?”
Qi Chimu looked up coldly at her, dearly wishing he could flick his sleeves and leave.
It was the first time that he saw her tears and felt no excitement, only anger.
He’d thought she would encounter some misfortune upon going out. She’d actually come out to climb a tree?
She was this old, and she still acted like a child?
Bai Weiwei couldn’t climb down and could only say tremblingly, “Qi Chimu, save me.”
Her pitiful expression within the blossoms, along with her red and delicate complexion, had the essence of a little flower spirit.
Qi Chimu saw her current appearance, and his tightly wound heart finally relaxed, but his heartbeat sped up.
