Chapter 4 Chu Siheng and Lu Zhaoxue lean on each other
Chu Siheng sighed softly and said, "Ah Xue, you went to the palace to see the Empress Dowager today... wasn't that..."
Chu Siheng's voice was very soft, like a feather falling on the surface of a lake, revealing little emotion.
"Did you see Chu Huaiyu?"
The moment the name "Chu Huaiyu" was uttered, Lu Zhaoxue's heart skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, she looked up at Chu Siheng, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
Lu Zhaoxue shook her head, her tone as calm as if she were talking about something insignificant: "It's not really seeing him, I just bumped into him by chance and glanced at him from afar."
Lu Zhaoxue knew that she was now Chu Siheng's wife, and that she was worlds apart from Chu Huaiyu. Moreover, she had long since let go of the fact that Chu Huaiyu had been so cruel to her.
However, when she sees Chu Huaiyu again, she still feels indignant, but this has nothing to do with love anymore.
Upon hearing this, Chu Siheng sighed softly again.
After a while, Chu Siheng pulled Lu Zhaoxue's slender body into his arms and gently patted her back to reassure her.
In the dim light, their figures lingered together for a long time, their bond in the desolate and lonely Jingyou Garden highlighting their deep affection and mutual dependence in the face of adversity.
"It's late, let's go to sleep early, Xue," Chu Siheng said softly.
Just as Lu Zhaoxue was about to reply "okay," a sudden burst of coughing erupted from Chu Siheng's throat, much more violent than before.
Chu Siheng released his grip on Lu Zhaoxue, bent over, and his chest heaved violently.
Lu Zhaoxue's heart tightened at the sight, and she quickly reached out her slightly cool hand to gently stroke Chu Siheng's chest, slowly soothing him in rhythm with his breathing.
After Chu Siheng's breathing gradually stabilized, Lu Zhaoxue quickly got up, brought over a glass of warm water from the table, and handed it to Chu Siheng.
Since Chu Siheng was deposed as crown prince four years ago and imprisoned, he has been suffering from a chronic illness.
After examining Chu Siheng, the imperial physicians all said that his illness was caused by emotional distress and excessive worry, which is why his condition has lingered to this day without any improvement.
Lu Zhaoxue handed him a water glass, but Chu Siheng didn't take it.
Chu Siheng suddenly reached out and tightly grasped Lu Zhaoxue's wrist with his warm palm. The force was not strong, but it carried an unyielding stubbornness that made it impossible to break free.
Chu Siheng raised his eyes and stared intently at Lu Zhaoxue, his eyes shimmering with the warm light of flickering candlelight, like a gentle sea of stars.
Lu Zhaoxue was startled for a moment, and her hand loosened, causing the cup in her hand to fall to the ground with a "clatter" and shatter into three pieces, splashing warm water onto the hems of both of their clothes.
"Ah Xue..." Chu Siheng called out softly to Lu Zhaoxue, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a certain restrained emotion.
Lu Zhaoxue was a little flustered, so she quickly avoided Chu Siheng's burning gaze and urged softly, "Siheng, you're not feeling well, let's rest early."
Chu Siheng did not let go of Lu Zhaoxue's hand, but stared at her reddened earlobe, his tenderness almost overflowing.
Then, Chu Siheng slowly leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Lu Zhaoxue's smooth forehead, the touch slightly cool.
"Okay, Xue, let's rest."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue helped Chu Siheng lie down again and tucked the blanket around him.
The kiss just now carried an intimacy that crossed the line, but it did not cause the two of them to overstep the boundaries.
Since their marriage, the two have always treated each other with respect. Although they have been intimate, they have never consummated their marriage.
Lu Zhaoxue always had an insurmountable obstacle in her heart—she was burdened with the stigma of "infidelity," ruined the Lu family, and implicated Chu Siheng; she was a sinner.
Lu Zhaoxue felt that how could someone as broken as herself be worthy of someone as gentle and pure as Chu Siheng?
Lu Zhaoxue lay down on her side, her back to Chu Siheng, burying her face deeply in the quilt. Her cheeks were pressed against the cold pillow, and silent tears slid down her cheeks, soaking the pillowcase, filled with guilt and inferiority.
After a long while, a very soft sigh came from the person behind Lu Zhaoxue, carrying both helplessness and a trace of obvious pity.
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