Chapter 13: I like seeing her so serious little face.
Yun Sheng was shocked and stiffened, never expecting Xiao Xu to suddenly call her "Ms."
How could he call her that!
It happened while... in bed, when we were talking about that kind of thing.
But after calling her that, Xiao Xu casually replied that it was just a joke, leaving her alone to tremble with fear over the inappropriate address before finally falling asleep. In her dreams, she even had embarrassing images that accompanied the address.
In the early morning, Yun Sheng glared angrily at Xiao Xu as soon as she woke up.
Xiao Xu woke up before her, and as soon as he sat up, he was met with a glare.
He turned his head and looked calmly at Yun Sheng until she also propped herself up and sat up.
Xiao Xu suddenly leaned closer.
Yun Sheng was still groggy from just waking up. Seeing his movement, she instinctively covered both sides of her neck with her hands.
Those hands were defending in the wrong place; a gentle kiss landed on their cheek.
Xiao Xu asked, "Did I upset you in my dream too?"
All sleepiness vanished, and the heat fully woke Yun Sheng up.
She curled her fingers, suppressing the urge to move her hand up to her cheek and touch the spot where she had been kissed, and slowly lowered her hand: "I didn't dream last night."
Xiao Xu looked at her feigned seriousness, and his Adam's apple slowly bobbed.
Yun Sheng couldn't stand that he was looking at her with an indescribable gaze so early in the morning, as if he could see through her strange dream from last night.
It's all his fault for calling her that... that kind of address.
How could he possibly address him as the Crown Prince of Zhao's mansion?
Yun Sheng reached out and nudged his arm: "Let's get ready to wash up. It's our homecoming today, we can't delay."
Xiao Xu went to the bathing room alone as usual, where several maids surrounded Yun Sheng to help her change clothes and wash up.
When Xiao Xu walked out of the dressing room, dressed neatly, Yun Sheng was sitting in front of the dressing table applying makeup.
As Cuizhu was drawing eyebrows for Yunsheng, she saw Xiaoxu approaching. Her hand paused as if she was about to put down her brush, and then she whispered something.
But Yun Sheng shook her head slightly, signaling her to continue.
Xiao Xu withdrew his gaze, silently walked to the east window, and picked up a book to read.
About an incense stick later, Yun Sheng finished dressing up. The sound of servants walking around came from inside the room, and Xiao Xu also looked up at the sound.
Yun Sheng was looking at herself in the bronze mirror, but when she caught a glimpse of the east window out of the corner of her eye, she thought for a moment, then suddenly turned her head and saw Xiao Xu looking at her. She asked, "Chang Yu, do I look alright?"
Today, she wore light makeup and bright red lipstick, which made her skin appear even whiter and more like jade. She wore a begonia-red brocade dress with flowing light and shadow. Her black hair was styled into an exquisite "morning cloud and near fragrance" bun, with a white jade hairpin slanted into it. When she turned her head to look at him, the pearls and jade swayed gently, and her eyes sparkled.
Xiao Xu's eyes darkened slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Very beautiful."
Yun Sheng was never short of praise, so she was no longer shy about his blunt words. She asked him because she wanted to hear some nice things to make herself happy.
But Xiao Xu's short compliment inexplicably made her heart flutter.
Yun Sheng turned her head away, a slight smile playing on her lips. After examining herself in the bronze mirror for a while, she said cheerfully, "Then let's dress like this today."
*
Once on the carriage bound for the Yun residence, Yun Sheng remembered to ask, "Chang Yu, have all the things you mentioned been prepared? Did you have someone check them again this morning?"
Although her marriage had changed drastically, she had not felt any dissatisfaction in the two days since she married into the Prince Zhao's household.
The marriage was arranged, and since she had decided to accept it, she still hoped that everything would be perfect and without any mistakes, just like before, and she didn't want her parents to worry about her anymore.
Xiao Xu said, "Don't worry, I checked it myself."
Yun Sheng was taken aback: "In person? When did you go?"
Xiao Xu glanced at her, his gaze lingering on her for a moment with restraint.
Her skirt was like a rosy cloud, and she was like a delicate bud, as if I could see again the scene of gazing into the distance at the Lotus Banquet that year.
"I'm asking you." Yun Sheng tilted her head and leaned closer to Xiao Xu's averted gaze to ask again.
Xiao Xu's gaze fell upon her delicate face, and the carriage suddenly swayed.
It wasn't intense, but his arm fell behind her waist, as if he were giving her a light hug.
"While you are doing your hair."
Yun Sheng's waist stiffened slightly, and she shifted her position, but she couldn't avoid the arm behind her waist, so she could only remind her, "Chang Yu, your hand is pressing down on me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the arm that had been loosely holding her pressed against him completely, tightly and without any gap. His large hand gripped her waist, and the carriage swayed again in coordination, slamming her stiff body straight into his chest, where she was completely held tightly.
Xiao Xu remained expressionless and slowly said, "I've prepared everything you asked, but you seem to have forgotten what you were supposed to do."
"What is it?"
"Yesterday we talked about proceeding step by step, but there has been no progress today."
Yun Sheng's eyes widened in surprise: "Do we need to make progress every day?"
Xiao Xu did not answer, but just looked at her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
A dense, tingling sensation spread across his lower back; even the presence of one of the man's arms was so powerful that it was impossible to ignore.
Yun Sheng pursed her lips and thought for a moment, seemingly convinced by him again.
"Alright then... but loosen your grip a little, don't hold on so tightly."
The hand on my waist loosened its grip somewhat as instructed, but it was still noticeably there in that rarely touched area, and this continued for the entire journey.
*
The Prince Zhao's residence and the Yun residence were three streets apart, and it took the carriage a while to arrive at the Yun residence.
Yun Sheng's elder brother, Yun Cheng, is currently stationed far away, and his return date is uncertain. Originally, only Yun Sheng's parents lived at home, but today a large group of people were waiting in front of the Yun residence.
Upon hearing the sound, the crowd turned their gazes toward the direction from which the carriage had come.
Yun Sheng was taken aback when she saw several familiar faces through the car window.
Several of her siblings gathered at the steps, eagerly awaiting her return. Although they did not see any of her uncles, aunts, or other relatives, they assumed they were all waiting inside the mansion.
She blinked, making sure she wasn't seeing things, before turning her gaze back to Xiao Xu and saying, "Changyu, quite a few people came to my house today; I didn't know that beforehand."
Xiao Xu said calmly, "Your marriage is a major life event, and the fact that the Yun family invited relatives to attend the ceremony shows how much they value it."
Furthermore, the Yun family was dissatisfied with the mistake made at the Prince Zhao's residence. The gathering on the day of the bride's return was both to offer congratulations and to examine the situation, something Xiao Xu had anticipated.
Yun Sheng was genuinely unaware of this and was surprised that her parents had called everyone in the family. It seemed the house would be quite lively today.
She stared at Xiao Xu for a moment, just as the carriage was about to stop in front of the Yun residence.
Yun Sheng softened her tone and said gently, "Chang Yu, don't be nervous, it's okay. My family members are all very kind. But if you really can't handle it, just give me a look and I'll help you."
Xiao Xu narrowed his eyes slightly, finding it amusing.
But I also like seeing her so serious little face.
Before he could even speak, the carriage had already stopped in front of the Yun residence, and a voice called out from outside: "Nannan is back!"
A sharp, crisp snap.
The person who had vowed to protect him just moments before ruthlessly slapped his hand away, decisively pushing his arm away from his waist.
Yun Sheng hurriedly stepped out of the carriage: "Father, Mother!"
The man left in the carriage finally let out a low chuckle, as if he were angry.
Xu Peilan caught her daughter, who had jumped off the carriage in a hurry, and without paying attention to anything else, she looked Yun Sheng up and down: "Let your mother see, have you lost weight?"
She was worried that Yun Sheng had suddenly married a man eight years her senior whom she didn't know at all, and she was so anxious and depressed that she couldn't eat or sleep well.
On the day of the wedding, after Yun Sheng sat in the bridal sedan chair, Xu Peilan regretted it.
They had always indulged their daughter, agreeing to whatever she said. Now, even with this sudden change in the marriage, Yun Sheng said she was willing to marry, and they let her go. Only later did they realize how absurd it all seemed.
If Yun Hong hadn't stopped her these past two days, Xu Peilan probably wouldn't have even waited for her homecoming day; she would have gone straight to their door.
Unaware of what followed, Yun Sheng smiled radiantly, her eyes crinkling: "Mother, it's only been two days. If you can really lose some weight, that would be wonderful."
Xu Peilan said, "Nonsense, if you lose weight, your mother will be heartbroken."
At this moment, Yun Hong noticed the carriage curtain move slightly, and immediately realized what was happening, quickly turning around to face the main entrance.
Xiao Xu stepped out of the carriage with a bow, his demeanor noble and aloof, his expression calm, showing no sign of the tension that Yun Sheng had worried about.
Yun Hong stepped forward and said politely, "Your Highness."
Although the Prince Zhao's mansion is noble and the Crown Prince's status is extraordinary, Xiao Xu is already the son-in-law of the Yun family. Yun Hong's way of addressing him is more of a sign of distance than respect.
Xiao Xu nodded, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Father-in-law, just call me Changyu."
Hearing the sound, Xu Peilan also came to her senses. She let go of Yun Sheng's hand, took half a step back, and stood next to Yun Hong.
Xiao Xu turned to her at the right moment, and said in a gentle voice with the courtesy due to a junior, "This son-in-law greets his mother-in-law."
"You must be tired from your journey," Xu Peilan replied softly, her gaze shifting between him and her daughter.
Yun Hong stepped aside and raised his hand, gesturing towards the courtyard, saying, "This is not the place to talk. Let's go into the main hall for tea. Our relatives are already waiting inside."
As he spoke, he exchanged a glance with the young men and women gathered in front of the door, and they smiled and made way for him.
Yun Hong and Xu Peilan walked at the front, while Yun Sheng and Xiao Xu followed side by side, with their brothers, sisters and servants watching behind them.
Yun Sheng walked somewhat uncomfortably, as if she had returned to the scene of being the center of attention on her wedding day, except that now there was no veil to cover her face.
She was about to subtly distance herself from Xiao Xu.
Xiao Xu suddenly took a step closer to her.
The large embroidered cloth brushed against his palm and gently hooked her fingers.
Yun Sheng looked up in surprise and saw that this person was right behind her parents, blatantly asking her, "Didn't you say that everyone in the family calls you Sheng Sheng? Why didn't you tell me that we also call you Nan Nan?"
————————!!————————
Now: There must be progress every day.
After that: Do it every day.
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