Dream of sharing a bed
As night deepened, the two squeezed onto a small bed, their eyes meeting, and smiles involuntarily spread across their lips.
"Brother Huai Cong, what are you laughing at?" Zhao Youyi leaned closer and asked him in a low voice.
Instead of answering, Chu Chan asked, "Then, A-Wan, what are you laughing at?"
"I'm so happy!" Zhao Youyi expressed her joy without hiding it, her two hands clasped tightly under the covers. "I finally brought that little vixen home."
Chu Chanyin frowned subconsciously upon hearing this title, and said somewhat displeased, "Do I really look like a fox spirit? I'm serious."
Zhao Youyi leaned in and kissed his cheek: "What's wrong with being like a little vixen? I like it the most."
Upon hearing her say she liked it, Chu Chanyin immediately stopped minding and instead asked her with great interest, "What do you like about foxes?"
Zhao Youyi stared into his eyes by the dim candlelight and said seriously, "Pretty, clingy, loves to act cute, just like Brother Huai Cong."
He reluctantly accepted the first two, but what does that have to do with being affectionate and coquettish?
Chu Chanyin thought this way, and he asked it aloud.
Without thinking, Zhao Youyi replied, "Because I think the way you act jealous is just being cute and adorable."
Chu Chan blushed with embarrassment, only thankful that the candlelight was dim so she couldn't see his expression.
Zhao Youyi has excellent night vision; even in the faintest light, he can clearly see the expression on Chu Chanyin's face.
Because they were so close, they shared warmth with each other, and the blankets were cozy in the cool autumn night. The two of them quickly drifted off to sleep.
"Miss, wake up." Since Xiao Qing stayed in Fuzhou, Xiao Rui took over her position as her personal maid. At Chenshi, Xiao Rui carried the washing utensils and lifted the curtain. She thought she would see her mistress already up, but she didn't expect to see her mistress sleeping with a man in her arms.
Xiao Rui was so startled she almost dropped her toiletries on the ground, but luckily she reacted quickly and steadyed herself, otherwise she would have frightened her daughter.
Zhao Youyi had exceptional hearing and suddenly heard her footsteps. He groggily opened his eyes and looked towards the tent entrance. What he saw was Xiao Rui staring blankly at the bed, her face full of disbelief.
Zhao Youyi patted Chu Chanyin's shoulder, trying to get him up. Unexpectedly, Chu Chanyin was truly a fox spirit. He propped himself up and leaned against her shoulder, his breath brushing against her ear. He looked every bit the soft and boneless fox spirit. The intimate gesture, coupled with his bewitching face, made Zhao Youyi's heart race. She met Xiao Rui's eyes, who was holding a copper basin, and felt ashamed and indignant.
"Sleepy... Why did you get up so early?" Chu Chanyin's voice was deep as he woke up, with a hook at the end, full of allure.
"Chu Huaicong, why don't you turn around and take a look?" Zhao Youyi prompted with a blank face.
Upon hearing this, Chu Chanyin subconsciously turned around. The instant his eyes met Xiao Rui's, who was standing at the door, he instinctively turned around and hid in Zhao Youyi's arms.
Zhao Youyi: ...
Their disheveled appearance made it seem as if they weren't a proper married couple.
“Miss, Your Highness.” Xiao Rui recognized Chu Chanyin’s surname and realized who this man was. It turned out to be the Prince of Chu who was married to her young lady. She heard that the Prince of Chu had abandoned his military affairs in Fuzhou a few days ago and rushed to the border. He also traveled day and night to the Valley of Divine Physicians to seek medicine for her young lady. She was not usually responsible for serving her young lady and thought that the two of them were just respectful to each other. She did not expect them to be so intimate.
Zhao Youyi patted his shoulder reassuringly again and said to Xiao Rui, "Put your things down and go out."
Seeing that His Highness the King of Chu was shy, Xiao Rui nodded and left after putting down her things.
"They're gone, Your Highness." Zhao Youyi said, suppressing a laugh. "Brother Huai Cong, when did you become so shy?"
Chu Chanyin raised his head, his cheeks flushed with an alluring pink: "I'm not shy, it's just too sudden."
"Really?" Zhao Youyi approached him, feigning disbelief, and said softly, "We are a proper husband and wife who have already paid our respects to heaven and earth. What's wrong with sleeping on the same bed?"
Chu Chanyin used to adhere to etiquette and could say that men and women should not touch each other, which was really unreasonable. But yesterday, the two of them revealed their feelings and had already taken that step. Saying these things again would only spoil the mood.
Chu Chanyin put his arm around her waist, snuggled against her shoulder, and said in a coquettish tone like a fluffy little fox, "It's nothing, you'll get used to it in the future."
Zhao Youyi reached out and touched his soft hair, feeling as if she had raised a beautiful and affectionate little fox, and her mood immediately improved.
After washing up, the two went to the next tent for breakfast. As soon as they lifted the curtain, they saw Gu Zeyu sitting upright. The moment their eyes met and they saw their hands clasped together, the light in Gu Zeyu's eyes dimmed considerably.
Although he had known about their relationship for a long time, he still couldn't help but feel heartbroken when he saw this scene.
"Brother Gu, you're up really early." Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zhao Youyi took the initiative to start a conversation.
Gu Zeyu smiled slightly, his expression revealing his loneliness. Zhao Youyi was not moved by this scene, after all, she did not have that much emotion to spare for irrelevant people, let alone someone who was pretending to be affectionate in front of her when he already had a wife.
"I heard the other day that Young Master Gu got married to the third daughter of the Song family." Chu Chanyin pulled Zhao Youyi to sit down and brought up the topic without any politeness.
Upon hearing this, Gu Zeyu's face stiffened. He subconsciously looked at Zhao Youyi, opened his mouth to explain, but hesitated to speak.
"When Young Master Gu came to the border region this time, I wonder if the Third Daughter of the Song family accompanied him?" Chu Chanyin poured a bowl of milk for Zhao Youyi and placed her favorite water chestnut cake in front of her.
Gu Zeyu's brow twitched upon hearing this. Looking at Chu Chanyin's smiling eyes across from him, he was immediately filled with anger. "She is in her residence in Wanzhou."
Zhao Youyi naturally knew why Chu Chanyin brought up Gu Zeyu's marriage at this moment, and he naturally wouldn't refuse Chu Chanyin's request. "I see. When I visit Sister Gu another day, I'll also pay a visit to Sister-in-law Gu."
Zhao Youyi's smile was impeccable, and every move she made was in line with the demeanor of children from aristocratic families. Seeing this smile, Gu Zeyu's heart sank little by little.
They are both married, so it's probably impossible for them to be together again in this lifetime.
"That's wonderful. My sister has been thinking about you a lot," Gu Zeyu said, suppressing his emotions.
Seeing the atmosphere fall silent again, Gu Zeyu forced a smile and said, "In that case, I'll take my leave now. I'll do my best to be a good host when Sister Zhao comes to the Gu residence."
Chu Chanyin, who was standing to the side, said with a smile, "I will go to visit Young Master Gu with Awan at that time."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zeyu nearly ground his back teeth to powder, staring intently at Chu Chanyin, his displeasure practically written all over his face.
Chu Chanyin casually used serving chopsticks to put a piece of milk cake into Zhao Youyi's bowl, saying, "I remember you like to eat this."
Zhao Youyi smiled and took his hand: "So Brother Huai Cong still remembers."
"I remember everything about you," Chu Chanyin smiled gently.
Gu Zeyu coughed twice, a clear, heavy cough, to remind the two lovers that he was still there!
Chu Chanyin stood up and gestured for him to enter, acting like the master of the Zhao family army: "Let me see you off, young master."
Gu Zeyu turned his gaze to Zhao Youyi, the meaning in his eyes was self-evident—as the master of the Zhao family army, shouldn't she be the one to see him off?
Receiving this look, Zhao Youyi had no choice but to put down her chopsticks. "I'll see Brother Gu Shi off. Brother Huai Cong, please enjoy your meal."
Since Zhao Youyi had said so, Chu Chanyin naturally had no reason to refuse.
“Sister Zhao, the King of Chu has the blood of the Chu Dynasty flowing through his veins. You shouldn’t get involved with such a person.” After leaving the tent, Gu Zeyu observed her expression and said.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Youyi subconsciously frowned, clearly displeased to hear such words: "What Brother Huai Cong is like is none of Brother Gu's business."
Gu Zeyu was stunned and couldn't believe that she would defend the King of Chu like this. He thought that even if they were a real couple, the incompatibility in the eyes of outsiders still existed. He didn't expect her to trust him completely.
Gu Zeyu's body was almost swaying as he subconsciously asked, "You like him that much?"
If it were in the past, Zhao Youyi would definitely have said that he had helped her a lot, but thinking of yesterday's kiss, he could finally answer openly, "Yes."
Even though witnessing yesterday's scene had already broken Gu Zeyu's heart, hearing Zhao Youyi's words still felt like being struck by lightning.
"It's getting late, and there are important matters to attend to in the army, so I won't see Brother Gu off any longer." Zhao Youyi escorted him to the gate of the military camp.
Gu Zeyu tried to grab her hand unwillingly, but she quickly dodged away.
Gu Zeyu stared blankly at her empty hand, somewhat lost in thought, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Zhao Youyi rotated her wrist, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him: "Brother Gu, is there anything else?"
Nonsense, with her skills, no one can touch even a hem of her clothes unless she wants to.
"Zhao Shimei, I want to ask, if I had married you back then, would you have fallen in love with me too?" Gu Zeyu lowered his eyes, his face full of sadness.
“I remember answering that question back in Shenjing.” Zhao Youyi’s expression was indifferent, and he looked at him as if he were a stranger.
Gu Zeyu was truly hurt by her gaze, and for a moment felt as if the sky had fallen. "But... if all you want is a gentle and considerate lover, I can do that too!"
“You said back then that only the King of Chu could give you what you wanted, but now you don’t need his power. Instead, his power is an obstacle to your path. Why don’t you consider me?” Gu Zeyu asked, unwilling to give up.
Zhao Youyi replied to him without changing her expression: "What happened between me and Brother Huai Cong is none of your business. Besides, it was because he didn't covet power that I chose to walk this path. This world needs a wise ruler. He yearns for freedom, so I will provide him with a safe haven. If he craves power, I will give him what I can."
Hearing these words, Gu Zeyu felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
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