An Yuan'er thought Yi Chenli would say affectionately that if she didn't come out, he would wait at the door, even if it meant waiting all night.

But as it turned out, she was terribly wrong.

“Round and chubby can’t bear to make me wait all night, so she won’t be able to sleep and she will come out.”

An Yuan'er clenched her fists, completely helpless against Yi Chenli's damned confidence.

As he expected, she hesitated at the door, simply because she was afraid he would wait in vain.

An Yuan'er realized how terrifying it was to find a man who knew her so well.

They've only known each other for a few years; I can't imagine what it would be like if they had to spend every day together after that...

Despite saying no, An Yuan'er's body betrayed her; she and Yi Chenli once again did the foolish thing of walking the streets in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, An Yuan'er was careful tonight and wore a cloak when she went out. She absolutely could not repeat the intimate behavior she had yesterday.

Seeing the little girl's nervous look, Yi Chenli smiled and took out two ceramic dolls, placing them in front of An Yuan'er.

An Yuan'er glanced at it and said seriously, "Yuan'er is too old to play with these kinds of children's toys anymore."

Yi Chenli held the doll with the bun hairstyle in his hand, his tone regretful: "You see, nobody wants you. I'd better throw you away."

After saying that, he prepared to throw the doll away.

Just as he raised his hand, An Yuan'er stopped him.

She changed her tune: "It's okay to do it occasionally."

She picked up the doll and lovingly kneaded its bun. She realized that the doll actually looked like her.

She suddenly became a little angry: "Yi Chenli, you actually tried to throw me away just now, you went too far!"

"But you clearly said you didn't want to play with the round thing. Besides, it's just a doll, not you."

It's wrong to try to reason with a girl.

An Yuan'er, hands on her hips, said fiercely, "My doll represents me. I just saw you throw my doll away."

Yi Chenli admitted defeat: "But this doll has been with me all year. So does that mean that if I bring this doll back, I'm also bringing you back?"

An Yuan'er felt that she had been tricked by Yi Chenli.

"Yi Chenli, I won't fall for your tricks."

She handed the doll that represented her back to Yi Chenli, keeping the boy doll for herself.

Yi Chenli hung his head in disappointment and took out another drawing board.

"Yi Chenli, I'm not in the mood to draw right now."

Yi Chenli gestured for An Yuan'er to open it and take a look.

An Yuan'er took the drawing board, which was not a blank board, but one with a design.

"You drew this?"

Yi Chenli nodded.

An Yuan'er had stayed in Chenyang Palace for so long and had never seen Yi Chenli paint. She had always thought that the talented Yi Chenli must have some weakness. But looking at this painting, even with just a few simple strokes, the brushwork and technique revealed the young man's skill.

The painting depicts a familiar scene: peach blossoms in full bloom within the courtyard of Chenyang Palace. Beneath the pavilion, a young man sits alone, holding a black chess piece in one hand and a white one in the other, playing chess against himself. There is clearly no one on the other side of the chessboard, yet a cup of hot tea and a plate of delicate pastries are placed there, as if the person on the other side of the chessboard had never left.

An Yuan'er stared at the painting, unable to look away. Through the changing seasons that year, the young man before her had played countless games of chess alone. How lonely he must have been without the girl!

She once used her paintings to encourage him, and now he is using his paintings to tell her that he is waiting for her.