When I opened my eyes, it was the same morning as usual...the same familiar scene in the room.
"Ah, you're awake."
...Why is Qing'er here...
"Qing'er..."
"Good morning! How are you feeling?"
"How does it feel..."
I opened my eyes as usual, but my body felt inexplicably heavy.
"What does 'how does it feel' mean? Good or bad? Tell me clearly!"
"It's not bad, it's just..."
Qing'er looked at Shui Xinyuan's bed and showed an ambiguous smile that looked both troubled and dazed.
"Is it because the place where you sleep is smaller than usual? Get up and stretch, you will feel much more relaxed!"
"Really...eh?"
Shui Xinyuan got up honestly and then noticed another person lying on his narrow bed.
...It's Lu Fusu.
"ah……"
"Shh!"
At the critical moment, Qing'er covered Shui Xinyuan's mouth with her sleeve to stop her from shouting.
"Calm down, be quiet. I want to let go of my hand? Is that okay? One, two, three..."
"..."
Although Shui Xinyuan didn't scream, he opened his mouth wide and looked back and forth at Lu Fusu who was sleeping next to him and Qing'er who had an ambiguous expression.
"Qing, Qing, Qing'er..."
"Why is your face so red? Nothing happened!"
"No, no, it's not like that..."
"Very good. Your Royal Highness seems to be sleeping well. I was originally worried that you would be squeezed out of bed in the morning..."
"Qinger!"
Shui Xinyuan, who was almost crying, grabbed Qing'er's sleeve.
Qing'er sighed and shrugged.
"Why don't you change your clothes before your Royal Highness wakes up? You are still the same as yesterday. I didn't expect it to end up like this..."
With her hair spread out and her clothes torn everywhere, she looked really miserable.
"Ah...yesterday, I..."
"You fainted in Donghe Palace and were sent back. It's also because of this that His Highness stayed here overnight."
"Liar..."
"Whether I'm lying to you or not, you'll know by yourself. Okay, go change clothes quickly!"
"Here?"
"Isn't this your room?"
There is no doubt that this is Shui Xinyuan's room, but Lu Fusu is sleeping next to it.
Shui Xinyuan pulled Qing'er's sleeve, shook his head as if he was about to cry, and whispered: "But if he wakes up suddenly, I don't want..."
"Isn't he the one you like?"
"Yes...really?"
"Why are you asking me this question?"
"...I'm already awake, but I will close my eyes. Do you want to take advantage of this to freshen up and change clothes?"
With a scream, Shui Xinyuan and Qing'er turned around at the same time.
"No way! Are you awake all the time?"
"Because I hear your voice."
"Yes, I'm sorry..."
Opening his eyes, Lu Fusu stood up with a wry smile. Shui Xinyuan hid behind Qing'er unconsciously.
"Good morning. I borrowed your bed on my own initiative last night. I'm sorry."
"Morning, early...Excuse me...why...?"
"Let's talk about these things later!"
Seeing Lu Fusu sitting on the bed in the same relaxed posture as when he was in his room, Qing'er let out a big breath again and turned to look at Shui Xinyuan behind her.
"Shui Xinyuan, let's go take a bath!"
"One, take a bath early in the morning?"
"Don't worry so much, go and freshen up quickly. Your Highness, you should stay here obediently, right?"
"Let me sleep a little longer."
"Shui Xinyuan, take a change of clothes and move quickly before everyone wakes up."
"Eh...ah, um..."
Shui Xinyuan turned to look at Lu Fusu, but before he could figure out the situation, Qing'er dragged him out of the room.
…
"His Royal Highness plans to hide in your room."
"……hide?"
"I don't know what his plans are, but..."
Qing'er carefully combed Shui Xinyuan's washed hair with a comb.
"After you collapsed in Donghe Hall yesterday, His Highness the Crown Prince personally sent you back here."
"Huh……"
"Really. Oh, don't move. And he said he had to hide temporarily, but he couldn't leave the palace, so he chose to hide in the Jiaofang. The only ones who know that His Royal Highness is here are me, Zhuge Qing and you."
"..."
Putting down the comb, Qing'er picked up a lock of Shui Xinyuan's hair.
"Cut off, this way."
"Ah... he must have been swept by the sword..."
"The only way is to wait for it to grow back... I was also taught a lesson by Zhuge Qing for being too messy, but you are more messy than me."
I had roughly heard Lu Fusu tell me what happened, and Qing'er smiled softly and bitterly.
"Qing'er... doesn't matter?"
"I? Fortunately, I just fell and got bruises on my knees, but nothing else."
"You fell..."
Shui Xinyuan looked at Qing'er in the mirror.
"Qing'er."
"What?"
"Thank you for all this...I must also apologize to Zhuge Qing."
"No need."
Qing'er picked up another comb and helped Shui Xinyuan tie her hair.
"That guy is so arrogant. I didn't say anything, but he actually decided to marry me without permission, and even talked about it with my parents...ah, I told you not to move!"
Shui Xinyuan suddenly turned his head and his hair spread out.
"Big wife?"
"seems like it."
Qing'er blushed shyly, and Shui Xinyuan smiled brightly.
"Congratulations! Qing'er... I'm so happy!"
"Thanks……"
After quickly responding, Qing'er forcibly turned Shui Xinyuan's head forward and tied her hair back up.
Shui Xinyuan smiled at Qing'er in the mirror, but Qing'er blinked impatiently and pouted deliberately.
"I see...ah, then Qing'er is no longer a palace concubine?"
"I don't think I'll leave right away, but I'll have to leave eventually."
"I'm so happy for you, but I feel lonely."
"I'll come and play! It's so boring to stay in the mansion all day."
Qing'er inserted the plum blossom hairpin into her tied hair and patted Shui Xinyuan on the shoulder.
"Okay, done."
"Thank you. Qing'er, is the hem of my clothes askew?"
"very good."
After Shui Xinyuan stood up, he smoothed the hem of his light peach robe with his hands and tied the red belt again.
She always met Lu Fusu alone at night, and she was not used to letting him see her in a bright place.
"……no problem?"
"No problem, no problem. It's beautiful!"
At Qing'er's urging, she walked out of the corridor and saw the court ladies hurriedly entering and exiting their respective rooms. Everyone's expressions were a bit solemn.
"……What happened?"
"Ah, Qing'er, Shui Xinyuan."
The court lady passing by stopped and lowered her voice.
"The Emperor passed away."
"this……"
"Someone came to inform me just now...I heard that everyone must be in mourning, so we stopped practicing."
"..."
Qing'er turned to look at Shui Xinyuan, who also nodded stiffly.
"I……"
"yes……"
The topic gradually spread among the palace ladies, and when the bedroom began to get busy, Shui Xinyuan returned to his residence.
Lu Fusu had already gotten up, sitting on a chair by the window and looking at the garden.
Holding a plum branch in hand.
Ding... makes a small sound.
At the banquet two days ago, Shui Xinyuan wanted to take the plum branch with her, but Qing'er thought it was too shabby to hold it like this, so she tied a red bell on it for her.
"I didn't expect you still kept this..."
Lu Fusu's eyes slowly turned back to the room and looked at Shui Xinyuan.