Su Tiyue had dinner at Tingyu Tower before going to find Xiao Heye.

She didn't go empty-handed.

Instead, they also brought along the memorial tablet of the late emperor's crown prince.

Xiao Heye was sitting behind a long table, looking down at a book.

When he saw her walk in, he had a smile on his face, but when he saw the memorial tablet in Su Tiyue's hand, his expression changed instantly: "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?"

"Tingyu Tower is too small, with only a few rooms in total. We really can't find an empty room to put this memorial tablet. We can't... put it in my room, can we?"

Su Tiyue smiled and continued, "After thinking it over, I found that you have a spare room upstairs. I hope Master Xiao won't mind?"

“Of course I mind, I don’t like things from dead people.” Xiao Heye frowned, but before he could finish speaking, Su Tiyue ignored him and went straight upstairs, lifting her skirt.

"Tsk."

Xiao Heye reluctantly put down the book in his hand and followed him upstairs to the second floor.

When he went up, Su Tiyue had already placed the memorial tablet of the late Crown Prince.

It was placed perfectly on the bookshelf against the wall on the second floor.

She moved the books that were originally there to make room for the memorial tablet.

After she had placed the memorial tablet of the Crown Prince in a proper position, she put her hands together and bowed respectfully.

Xiao Heye glanced at it indifferently, and said slowly and deliberately, "Should we prepare some incense and paper money for Your Majesty? It would be best... to light three sticks of incense as well. I believe that if the late Crown Prince knew this in the afterlife, he would be grateful for Your Majesty's kindness."

"That's not necessary."

Su Tiyue walked towards him and reached out her soft little hand to take his hand: "I hope you will not mind if I use your space."

Xiao Heye: "..."

He just said he was very bothered by it, does this little guy have a hearing problem?

He sighed, glanced silently at the memorial tablet, and couldn't quite put his finger on what he felt. In short... something felt off.

Zhou Yuheng is indeed dead, but what's the point of having his memorial tablet placed in his room?

She pulled Xiao Heye to sit down by the small stove where tea was being boiled, her face beaming with joy: "There's one more thing, which I didn't have time to tell the Master during the day."

He reached out and picked up the small teacup that was upside down on the table, rinsed it with tea, wiped it dry, and poured her a cup of hot tea.

"What is it?" He wiped the water stains from his hands, lifted his eyelids, and looked at her quietly.

Su Tiyue: "My seventeenth birthday is in two days. The Empress Dowager has granted me permission to leave the palace for a day. I can... openly go home and celebrate my birthday with my parents and family."

As she said this, her eyes sparkled like stars in the sky.

Her upturned lips revealed two shallow dimples on her fair and round cheeks.

It's clear that Su Tiyue is genuinely happy.

Xiao Heye raised an eyebrow: "What, you don't want me to celebrate Yue'er's birthday with you?"

On such an important day, Xiao Heye would naturally like to spend it with her if possible.

After a pause, he shamelessly added, "Why don't I go back with you?"

"What!?" Su Tiyue was startled. If she really brought Xiao Heye back to the Su family, the house would definitely be in an uproar.

Su Tiyue's father and Xiao Heye had always been at odds, and conflicts between them in the court were commonplace.

The two were sworn enemies.

Because of Su Tiyue, Xiao Heye's opinion of Su Sui changed. Anyway... no matter how outrageous Su Sui was, Xiao Heye wouldn't lay a hand on her.

On the other hand, what about Su Sui?

He wholeheartedly hoped that Xiao Heye, this traitor, would fall as soon as possible, and preferably that all of Xiao Heye's cronies and factions would be wiped out in one fell swoop.

"What? It won't work?" he asked deliberately.

Su Tiyue waved her hand and quickly refused, saying, "The Su residence is too small to accommodate a big shot like Master Xiao. I think it's better to forget it... You must be quite busy lately, so there's no need for you to come with me."

She gave a perfunctory smile, then picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Su Tiyue didn't mention a word of the absurd things that happened in the palace during this time to her family.

Before entering the palace, her father repeatedly warned her not to provoke the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, but what about now?

Well, not only have they gotten into trouble, but the two of them are also...

If her father found out about these things, breaking her legs would be a minor matter; the real fear was that he would kick Su Tiyue out of the Su family.

...

Su Tiyue put down her teacup with a restless expression, paused, and then changed the subject: "What gift does Master Xiao plan to give me?"

"My birthday present." She emphasized it again.

Xiao Heye asked her, "What does Yue'er want?"

"Anything is fine?"

He smiled and nodded.

Su Tiyue thought for a moment. She had been living a life of luxury since childhood, so rare treasures and fine silks were naturally not a rarity for her.

Now that she has become the Consort Shu, her status is naturally noble.

She had no interest in material possessions...

She couldn't possibly ask Xiao Heye to pluck the stars and moon from the sky for her, could she?

Su Tiyue raised her hand and tapped her head, saying in frustration, "I feel like I want everything, but when it comes to specifying something concrete, I can't seem to come up with anything right now..."

He smiled and said, "No rush, there are still two days. Your Majesty can take your time to think it over."

Xiao Heye reached for the teacup she had left behind and took a sip as if nothing had happened.

"If the Master wants tea, just pour yourself another cup. Why insist on using mine?"

"Because I like it..."

After he finished speaking, he took another sip of the tea in his cup, looking completely satisfied.

He liked everything Su Tiyue had touched, except for the tea she left behind, the wine she drank, and everything else she had touched.

I love it so much.

My favorite is probably the nightgown that Su Tiyue often wore to bed.

On the nights when she didn't sleep in Yelan Pavilion, Xiao Heye would always take out that nightgown from the wardrobe and wear it to sleep.

Her faint fragrance lingered on my nightgown, as if she had always been there.