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The next day, Zhao Youyi got up early and was tying Zhao Zhile's hair into a little bun while thinking about the future. The little girl couldn't sit still and, upon hearing that there was a young man in the mansion who was about her age, insisted on seeing him. Zhao Youyi had no choice but to take the little girl to see Chu Muqing.
Perhaps it was because Chu Muqing was so exquisitely beautiful, like a little glutinous rice ball, that Zhao Zhile called him "brother" as soon as she saw him, and even held Zhao Youyi's hand and said, "Auntie, I want brother to be my childhood sweetheart!"
Zhao Youyi's face stiffened upon hearing this. She looked back and forth between the two little ones, squatted down, and said softly, "Why does Lele want Brother Muqing to be your childhood sweetheart? Auntie can't decide this. You have to ask your Brother Muqing."
Chu Muqing was grabbed by the hand by this little sister who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He didn't dare to break free, afraid of hurting the little girl in front of him. He could only let her hold him. Hearing her words, he was even more frightened and his face turned red. He was a few years older than Zhao Zhile, so he naturally knew what "child husband" meant. "This matter... although my little sister is very cute... but... this matter still needs to be asked of my uncle."
After saying that, he blushed and lowered his head, refusing to look at Zhao Zhile.
Zhao Youyi was caught off guard by this sudden scene, and all she could hear was the noisy chatter of the two little ones.
"Who's so eager to rush to someone else's house?" Chu Chanyin walked over from a distance and happened to hear Chu Muqing's words. He smiled and showed no trace of the dejected mood he had shown after being forcibly kissed by Zhao Youyi last night.
Chu Muqing ran over and hugged him, calling out "Uncle" in her clear voice.
Upon seeing Chu Chanyin, Zhao Zhile immediately ran over and hugged his leg, saying in a childish voice, "Uncle, I want this older brother to be my childhood sweetheart!"
Surrounded by the two little ones, Chu Chanyin couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Lele, do you know what 'child husband' means?"
"I know! Just like you and Auntie! Kiss!" Without hesitation, she stood on tiptoe and gave Chu Muqing a kiss on the cheek, startling everyone present.
Zhao Youyi felt that she had corrupted the child. Could it be that Zhao Zhile, the little girl, saw her forcibly kissing Chu Chanyin last night?
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing awkwardness in each other's eyes.
Chu Chanyin couldn't say it outright, so he could only say, "You're all children, let's talk about this later."
Zhao Youyi quickly picked up Zhao Zhile, "You... Uncle is right, Lele must be hungry, let's go have breakfast."
Upon hearing that address, Chu Chanyin looked up at her, his eyes filled with undisguised surprise.
Zhao Youyi ignored him and simply carried Zhao Zhile outside.
Chu Chanyin looked down at the little boy beside him and saw that his face was as red as a monkey's bottom. He couldn't help but laugh at him: "What are you shy about? When you were little, many uncles and elders in the clan kissed you. Why are you so shy when a little girl kisses you?"
Chu Muqing covered her face shyly, "It's different, it's different!"
Chu Chanyin shook his head helplessly and took his hand, leading him towards the dining room.
The maids and servants along the way all respectfully addressed him as "Your Highness" and "Your Highness the Young Prince," while calling Zhao Youyi, who was walking in front, "Your Highness the Princess." This made Zhao Youyi's eyebrows twitch, and she turned around to look at Chu Chanyin.
Chu Chanyin noticed her gaze, glanced at her with a forlorn expression, and then instructed the servants, "From now on, just call her Miss Zhao."
The servants looked at each other, wondering why the two, who were fine last night, had suddenly started arguing today. If it weren't for Yin Jiu, who was by the Prince of Chu's side, saying that the Prince was deeply in love with the Princess, they wouldn't have taken it upon themselves to call Zhao Youyi Princess. Moreover, Zhao Youyi had tacitly agreed to it yesterday.
Zhao Youyi glared at him upon hearing this, clearly displeased. Chu Chanyin, not understanding why, could only blink innocently.
Zhao Youyi carried Zhao Zhile away quickly. Butler Li hurriedly ran up and asked Chu Chanyin, "Your Highness, did you and the Princess... no, Miss Zhao, have a fight?"
Chu Chanyin watched Zhao Youyi's retreating figure, unsure how to respond: "It wasn't exactly an argument. Anyway, from now on, don't call her Princess Consort; she doesn't like it."
Butler Li nodded silently, keenly sensing that Chu Chanyin was not in a good mood.
At the dinner table, Chu Chanyin, as was his habit, took care of Zhao Youyi. He used serving chopsticks to place a dumpling in Zhao Youyi's bowl. Zhao Youyi looked at the dumpling and then looked up at Chu Chanyin.
Chu Chanyin belatedly realized the inappropriateness of his actions, but Zhao Youyi said nothing and simply ate the dumplings naturally.
Seeing her like this, Chu Chanyin tentatively picked up a piece of water chestnut cake for her. Zhao Youyi looked at the extra cake in her bowl and felt as if she had been licked by a puppy.
It's so gentle and soft, it makes my heart itch.
Seeing how cautious he was, Zhao Youyi's heart softened for some reason.
After finishing her meal, Zhao Zhile insisted on playing with Chu Muqing. Zhao Youyi glanced at the sky and decided it was still early, so she let her go.
Zhao Youyi returned to the courtyard where she was temporarily staying to pack her things. As she passed by the back garden, she overheard some people talking.
"Why didn't the prince let us call her 'Princess' just now? He's already moved her into the Sishou Courtyard. In the Prince's mansion, that's a courtyard only the mistress of the house can live in," someone whispered.
Zhao Youyi suddenly remembered that Chu Chanyin's courtyard was called Changxiang Courtyard.
So this is what it means to stay together forever.
Thinking of this, Zhao Youyi felt her ears burning and quickened her pace. Seeing the "Xishouyuan" plaque on the courtyard gate made her blush even more.
After packing her things, Zhao Youyi noticed that it was getting late. Considering that Zhao Zhile and the others still needed to take a carriage back to Wanzhou, she had no choice but to ignore Zhao Zhile's pitiful eyes and carry her onto the carriage.
"Aunt, will you come again?" Chu Muqing looked up at her with a hopeful expression.
Zhao Zhile also climbed out of the carriage window, her expectant eyes barely concealed: "Auntie, Lele really likes Mumu!"
Zhao Youyi felt a headache coming on. Although Wanzhou was not far from Fuzhou, her relationship with Chu Chanyin was currently awkward, and they both needed some time to cool off. Meeting too frequently would only make her lose her temper.
Just like last night, she must have lost her mind to forcibly kiss Chu Chanyin.
She was the one who broke their pure alliance first. Now they're not allies anymore, not cousins anymore, not husband and wife anymore—it's a complete mess!
"Mumu, don't make a fuss... your aunt." Chu Chanyin walked over and took Chu Muqing's small hand, speaking in a very gentle tone, his eyes looking at Zhao Youyi with a hesitant expression.
Chu Muqing obediently returned to Chu Chanyin's side, still gazing longingly at Zhao Youyi.
Zhao Youyi was so charmed by that adorable little look that she couldn't resist saying, "Okay, Auntie promises Mumu that she'll bring her little sister over when she has some free time."
Upon hearing her agree, Chu Muqing was overjoyed and rushed forward to hug her, exclaiming, "Yay! Aunt, Uncle and I will be waiting for you to come back!"
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing awkwardness in each other's eyes.
"Be careful on the road." Chu Chanyin hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he did not call her cousin as he used to, and could only omit the title.
Zhao Youyi noticed his unease, nodded hastily, and returned to the carriage.
Chu Chanyin stood there watching the carriage gradually drive away until it disappeared from sight. Chu Muqing tugged at his sleeve, tilted her head, and asked in confusion, "Uncle, why didn't you keep Aunt here?"
Chu Chanyin remained silent for a moment, then squatted down to look him in the eye: "Because Aunt has her own things to do, forcing her to stay will ultimately not work, so it's better to let go."
"This doesn't sound like something you would say." Su Chaoyang walked over, fanning himself with a nonchalant air, and looked at Chu Chanyin with a click of his tongue in amazement. "Huai Cong, when did you change your ways?"
Chu Chanyin stood up and looked the man up and down: "Why aren't you in the military camp? What are you doing here?"
Upon hearing this, Su Chaoyang angrily threw the fan into his arms. "Chu Huai Cong, you are shameless! You don't even watch over your army, and you're inseparable from Sister Zhao in the Prince's mansion. How dare you criticize me?"
Chu Chanyin was stunned by the fan that hit him, and Zhao Meimei frowned when she heard his strange voice: "Don't call her that."
"Oh, oh, oh," Su Chaoyang circled around him with great interest, "Could it be that you know you've actually taken the act seriously? You really want me to call her sister-in-law? If Nianling were alive, he would definitely want to send lightning to strike you dead."
"Why?" Chu Chanyin raised an eyebrow and asked, puzzled.
"Because you're thinking about his precious little sister. You know that, he's always talking about 'little sister' this and 'little sister' that." Su Chaoyang shook his head with a smile.
"But Brother Nianling entrusted her to me back then. Since that's the case, it's probably a tacit agreement, right?" Chu Chanyin recalled that letter and felt that Zhao Youli might have had this intention.
Su Chaoyang shrugged. "Maybe he wants you to treat her like a younger sister, not like he wants you to treat her like a wife."
Chu Chanyin pondered for a moment and felt that Su Chaoyang's words made sense. However, whether she was a younger sister or a wife was not something he could decide. The person who decided their relationship was always Zhao Youyi.
"Don't think about it anymore. There's a ton of stuff going on in the army while you've been gone!" Seeing him standing there in a daze, Su Chaoyang pulled him towards the military camp. Chu Chanyin quickly stuffed Chu Muqing into Steward Li's arms. "Uncle Li, take the young master back."
Butler Li, holding Chu Muqing, nodded hurriedly: "Your Highness, rest assured! I will take good care of the young prince!"
"Auntie, are you unhappy?" Zhao Zhile tilted her head and looked at Zhao Youyi in the carriage. Children are always sensitive to emotions, and Zhao Zhile easily noticed Zhao Youyi's sullenness.
"No," Zhao Youyi patted the little girl's hair, "Why does Lele like Brother Mumu so much?"
Zhao Zhile blinked her big, watery eyes: "Because Mumu is handsome! Just like Uncle! Didn't Aunt like Uncle because he's handsome?"
Zhao Youyi: ...
While there was a reason, Lele was just too clever and quick-witted. She really did inherit her brother's personality and always spoke the truth.
"Lele thinks I like my uncle?" Zhao Youyi asked her with a smile.
Zhao Zhile held up two fingers and put them together, "Lele saw you two kissing last night!"
Zhao Youyi fell silent again, not expecting that the little girl had actually seen it.
That was so embarrassing!
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