A late-night conversation in the study: the prince's sharp tongue and the princess's soft heart.
The pleasant spring weather didn't last long before the familiar chaos erupted once again at Prince Yi's residence. The cause of this "battle" was both laughable and lamentable.
The issue stemmed from the "educational problems" of the two children.
Yuanbao (Zhao Huaijin) grew increasingly lively, began to toddle, and was full of curiosity about everything. One day, he wobbled over to Zhao Jingyi's beloved rosewood desk, stretched out his chubby little hand, grabbed the Duan inkstone on the table that the emperor had bestowed upon him and that Zhao Jingyi usually used to decorate his appearance, and was about to put it in his mouth.
Just then, Zhao Jingyi walked into the study humming a tune, and upon seeing the scene, he was terrified! He wasn't concerned about the inkstone itself, but rather the entire basin of freshly ground ink inside! If his son spilled it and covered him in ink... he didn't dare to imagine the scene!
In a moment of panic, Zhao Jingyi rushed over, his voice involuntarily rising in alarm, cracking with fear: "Oh my little darling! Put it down! That's ink! You can't eat it! It's dirty!"
His shout, full of energy and brimming with shock, sounded particularly abrupt and jarring in the quiet study. Yuanbao trembled at the sudden roar, her little mouth trembled, and she burst into tears with a "waaaah," tears streaming down her face, while she clutched the inkstone tightly in her hand.
The crying attracted Qin Yuti, who was next door trying to put her daughter Nuannuan to sleep. She rushed into the study and saw her son crying his heart out, with several ink stains on his little face, while Zhao Jingyi was frantically trying to "rescue" the inkstone from his son's hands, the scene was a mess.
Qin Yuti's temper flared up instantly. She stepped forward, scooped up her son, and gently patted his back to comfort him, while glaring at Zhao Jingyi: "Zhao Jingyi! What are you yelling at! Look how scared you've made the child! Is a broken inkstone more important than your son?"
Zhao Jingyi also complained, "I was just worried he'd spill ink all over himself! It's so hard to wash off!"
"Difficult to wash? What if the child gets scared? What kind of father are you? Clumsy and making a fuss over nothing!" Qin Yuti became angrier as she spoke, her heart aching as she looked at her son's tear-reddened face.
"I..." Zhao Jingyi wanted to argue, but under Qin Yuti's sharp gaze, his voice grew softer and softer. Finally, he reluctantly put down the inkstone and muttered, "Fine, fine, I was wrong, okay..."
However, Qin Yuti was furious and had no intention of hearing his apology. She coldly said, "Your Highness, go sleep in the study tonight and reflect on your actions! Don't frighten the child here!" After saying that, she picked up Yuanbao, who was still sobbing, and left without looking back.
Zhao Jingyi: "..." He looked at his wife and children's backs, then at the inkstone on the table that was the "culprit," and angrily smacked his head. Well, he'd made his wife angry again.
That night, His Highness Prince Yi was formally banished to the study for the third time (or perhaps more?).
The study was cold and quiet. Zhao Jingyi lay on the hard couch, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Partly, the blankets weren't soft enough, but more importantly, the space beside him felt empty; the faint scent of books and warmth emanating from his wife were absent, making him uneasy. He would regret yelling and scaring his son, then think his wife was overreacting, then worry about whether his son was frightened, and then frantically think about how to get back to his room to sleep…
Meanwhile, in the master bedroom.
Qin Yuti had put the two children to sleep and lay on the spacious bed, but she couldn't sleep either. After calming down, she realized she had overreacted. Although Zhao Jingyi was impulsive, his initial intention was to prevent the children from getting dirty or hurt. Besides… although it was springtime, the nights were still chilly, and the thin blanket in the study might not be enough for his pampered body. What if he caught a cold? Wouldn't she be the one worrying?
Thinking of his pitiful appearance when he was scolded, Qin Yuti's anger was gradually replaced by guilt and heartache. After all, they were husband and wife; even a day as husband and wife was worth a hundred days of kindness. How could she really let him suffer in the cold?
At midnight, all was quiet.
Qin Yuti put on her coat, picked up a small sheep horn lantern, and tiptoed to the outside of the study. She hesitated for a moment, then gently pushed open the door.
As expected, Zhao Jingyi hadn't slept soundly. He was curled up in a ball under the covers, muttering unconsciously, "Wife... I was wrong... I'm cold..."
Qin Yuti's heart softened. She walked over, placed the lamp on the table, and was about to tell him to go back to his room to sleep. She had already decided whether to say, "For the sake of the child, let it go this time," or "The study is cold, don't get cold."
Just then, Zhao Jingyi seemed to be awakened by the light, and he groggily opened his eyes. In the dim light, he could make out the figure standing in front of the bed, and immediately sat up with a look of surprise and joy: "Yu Ti! You're here! Have you forgiven me? I knew you couldn't bear to part with me!"
Qin Yuti swallowed the words she was about to say because of his surprised and silly look. Her heart, which had just softened, tightened again. She said irritably, "Who would miss you? I came to see if you had frozen to death!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jingyi became even more enthusiastic. He wrapped himself in the blanket and snuggled closer to Qin Yuti, a fawning smile plastered on his face: "Hehe, I knew my wife cared about me! The study was so cold, and the blanket was so hard, I was almost frozen! It's so much warmer next to my wife!"
His words were meant to be a pleading and pitiful act, but to Qin Yuti, they somehow came across as "I knew you'd come begging me to come back." The guilt that had just risen within her vanished instantly, replaced by a burning anger at having her thoughts exposed.
She straightened her face and snorted coldly, "Since Your Highness feels cold, you should reflect on your actions even more! Freezing yourself will clear your mind! I'm going back!" With that, she made a move to leave.
Seeing this, Zhao Jingyi panicked and, forgetting all about saving face, jumped off the couch, ran barefoot a couple of steps after her, and grabbed Qin Yuti's arm, pleading pitifully like an abandoned dog: "No, no, no! Wife, I was wrong! I was really wrong! I was so mean! I deserve to be hit! You can hit me or scold me, just don't make me sleep alone in the study! I can't sleep without you! Yuanbao and Nuannuan need their dad to be with them too!"
Seeing his shameless act, Qin Yuti was both annoyed and amused. She struggled but couldn't break free, and finally sighed helplessly, "Let go! What kind of behavior is this! Go back to your room! Don't let the cold get to the child!"
That meant they'd given in! Zhao Jingyi felt like he'd been granted a pardon, his face immediately lighting up with a smile. He didn't even bother putting on his shoes, grabbed his pillow, and pulled Qin Yuti towards the door, yelling, "Back to the room! Back to the room right now!"
Back in the warm master bedroom, lying on the familiar bed, smelling the comforting scent of the person beside him, Zhao Jingyi sighed contentedly and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Qin Yuti looked at his sleeping profile and shook her head.
Forget it, why bother arguing with this immature fool? As long as he cares about this family, about her and the children, and occasionally acts foolishly, let him be.
She gently tucked the blanket around him and closed her eyes as well.
Outside the window, the moonlight was perfect.
My one-night tour of the study has come to an end.
The daily life of Prince Yi and his wife continues amidst their bickering and sleeping in each other's arms.
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