Seeing that Yun Qing had come to her senses, Xie Rang finally suppressed his smile, gazed at her, and said calmly, "What can I blame the Grand Tutor for? Even though the Grand Tutor has left, he left me a secret guide, telling me who I could use and who I couldn't. How could I be ungrateful?"

“I…” Yun Qing was stunned. “I’m sorry, it was just in case. I didn’t expect to be gone for so long. Don’t be sad, I didn’t mean to question you.”

Yun Qing couldn't see the future. During the month she returned to the modern world, she wasn't allowed to view any records about her and Xie Rang. However, from the information revealed by the system, Yun Qing could roughly tell that Xie Rang had governed Da Xi quite well.

In her absence, Xie Rang truly became a wise ruler.

[This time difference is unbelievable, how did four years pass by so quickly?]

Even the most composed person like Yun Qing couldn't help but mentally criticize the system; the time difference was truly a nightmare.

And how do you explain this?

Xie Rang's gaze darkened as he stared at Yun Qing without saying a word.

When Yun Qing left, the little tyrant was not even as tall as her. Now, four years have passed in the blink of an eye. Xie Rang has not only grown taller rapidly, but his aura has also grown stronger. Even though she was familiar with him, she still found it difficult to adapt for a while.

She tilted her head uncomfortably, then suddenly remembered the thing on her hand, looked up at him, and asked, "What is this?"

Xie Rang gave a somber laugh: "Chains, can't the Grand Tutor see that?"

The gold chain was very fine, and the chain connecting to the bracelet was also thin and not very heavy. Therefore, Yun Qing did not notice it at first when she woke up. However, Xie Rang noticed the movement at the other end of the chain and quietly walked in.

【ah? 】

Not only on the surface, Yun Qing also showed great doubt in her heart. This development was really too different from what she had imagined.

However, the next moment she was embraced tightly by Xie Rang.

The boy's soft voice was close to her ear: "Do you know...do you know how happy I am that you're back, Grand Tutor, Yunqing..."

The place where Yun Qing is is a place Xie Rang can never reach in his life. He is not here, and even if he dies, he may not be able to reunite with her. How cruel is that?

Yesterday, after the evening court session, when Xie Rang saw her in bed, he felt as if he were in a dream.

He truly couldn't believe that the person he had longed for for over a thousand days and nights had appeared before him. Besides the immense joy, he was quickly overwhelmed by an unspeakable fear.

He was afraid that Yun Qing would leave again, so he found this set of chains. The shackles, made of gold, were very light. He had them made by his own order and tied them to the wrists of both him and Yun Qing, which lessened his anxiety.

After four years of hardship, Xie Rang realized that he could no longer bear the thought of this person leaving again.

"you……"

For Yun Qing, it was only a short month away, but for Xie Rang, it felt like four years had truly passed. She sighed, temporarily setting aside the matter of the chains, and patted Xie Rang on the back, as gently as ever.

"Don't be sad, I won't leave."

Perhaps due to emotional excitement, Xie Rang hugged her rather tightly. Yun Qing didn't know what to say at this moment, but she could feel the person holding her trembling slightly, and a drop of warm liquid seemed to fall into the crook of her neck.

Yun Qing was stunned for a long time before she realized what it was.

Those were Xie Rang's tears.

She had never seen Xie Rang shed tears before, and she never expected that the first time she would see it would be at such a time.

That's the future tyrannical emperor!

But Xie Rang didn't seem to want her to see him crying, so he took a while to slowly back away.

He didn't look at Yun Qing, but Yun Qing noticed the redness in the corners of his eyes. Her heart tightened, her throat tightened, and she didn't know what to say.

"Grandmaster."

Xie Rang called her softly.

Hearing that address again, Yun Qing felt as if she had been in a different world. She replied, "Mm."

Xie Rang's tone was quite gentle: "Grand Tutor, you should stay in the palace for a while. I still have some things to take care of."

"What is it?" Yun Qing asked instinctively, but seeing that Xie Rang seemed reluctant to talk about it, she could only shake the thing in her hand. "Alright, I won't go out, but at least you can take off the chains on my hands first."

I can understand the little tyrant's fear of me disappearing, but wearing it like this really looks strange.

“Besides this.” The young man smiled kindly, but with an air of imperial authority. He gently stroked Yun Qing’s wrist as if he were treasuring a fine piece of jade. “Grand Tutor, I will not let you go anytime soon.”

Something's wrong. Something's very wrong.

Xie Rang's behavior before and after was so different that it was incredibly easy for Yun Qing to notice anything amiss. She composed herself and said, "If someone saw us like this, what would become of our image!"

“No one will see it.” Xie Rang said slowly and deliberately, like a wild beast baring its fangs, his eyes filled with possessiveness, which he barely managed to suppress. “As long as the Grand Tutor is willing.”

To put her completely at ease, Xie Rang also dispelled her last remaining worries: "Grand Tutor, rest assured, the court is now stable, and the New Year is just around the corner. I have already taken care of all matters. If there is any emergency, Lin Chen will come to report."

Yun Qing was speechless.

She looked at Xie Rang; even the most oblivious person should have noticed something amiss by now.

She sighed, "Your Majesty, what exactly do you want to do?"

Having been away for too long, Yun Qing had no information about the outside world. Xie Rang seemed reserved, yet he possessed a subtle madness. He had been away for longer than he had been with her, so she couldn't judge him based on her own experience.

"It's not what I want to do."

Xie Rang leaned closer to Yun Qing, reaching out to touch her cheek. His gesture was so intimate that it crossed the line. He chuckled softly, "I just want the Grand Tutor to know that I'm different from before."

From Yun Qing's inner thoughts, Xie Rang realized that their time was not equal, but that did not mean he could continue to tolerate Yun Qing treating him like a child.

An ever-surging emotion needs an outlet.

Yun Qing's lips trembled slightly: "You made me stay here just to talk about this?"

Xie Rang readily admitted, "Not entirely."

He lifted Yun Qing's hand, and in front of her, lowered his eyes and kissed it, his voice hoarse and calm: "I want the Grand Tutor to see clearly that I love you."

This was the answer he arrived at after countless days and nights of contemplation.

Perhaps from the moment they met, he was destined to fall in love with Yun Qing.