When did it start...?
Chu Changliu was unaware that the rising and falling of the pool water was clearly reflected in his pupils.
Zhou Ping reached out and cupped his face, gently reminding him, "Don't choke..."
Chu Changliu whimpered twice, his words broken and fragmented, "I want... to sleep..."
Zhou Ping gently kissed away the tears from the corners of his eyes, then deepened the kiss, lingering for a long time, unwilling to let go.
"Good boy... good boy, wait a little longer, wait a little longer, okay?" Zhou Ping reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, stopping him from dodging.
He lowered his head slightly, their necks intertwined like mandarin ducks, their foreheads touching, and asked softly yet solemnly, "Do you love me?"
Chu Changliu's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face.
Before his consciousness completely faded, he spoke without any more breaks, and in one breath, he proclaimed his love, "I love you to death!"
"Can you stop! Can you go to sleep!" he groaned twice, then was about to cry again.
"Didn't you say you didn't need to sleep?" Zhou Ping reached out and cupped his face, gently and tenderly wiping away his tears.
"..." Is it too late to change your mind now?
...
Two months later, with so much work piling up, the temple servants came and knocked on the door in a bit of anxiety.
"My lord, the affairs of the Southern and Eastern Regions are so numerous that they have filled the desk. Do you have any time lately?" the attendant asked tentatively, while actually eavesdropping on the door.
"You've been together for a long time now, get out," a voice came from inside the hall.
The attendant, thinking it was an order, quickly curtsied and said, "Yes, then let me categorize those matters for you."
"Go ahead," came the rustling sound from inside the hall, indicating that the people inside were getting dressed.
The attendant responded again, then bowed his head and left.
After getting dressed, Chu Changliu let out a soft breath. His legs were still a little weak when he landed, but he grabbed the edge of the bed and it took him a while to recover.
Zhou Ping carefully buttoned up the buttons, then reached out to support him, his brows furrowed with concern. "Do you want me to take you there?"
Chu Changliu's gaze lingered on him for a while before he finally turned his head away, gave a heavy snort, and walked outside.
Zhou Ping quickly chased after him. This time, he had indeed gone a bit too far and eaten quite a lot.
He followed closely behind Chu Changliu, never leaving his side. "Are you angry?"
"No!" Chu Changliu quickened his pace, but walking too fast also had its downsides. His back was really sore, and he could barely stand after just a few quick steps.
Gritting his teeth, Chu Changliu took a few more steps forward. He lost his balance and fell forward, about to fall flat on his face. Zhou Ping quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist, helping him to his right side.
"I was wrong this time..." He admitted his mistake quickly and sincerely, leaving no room for criticism.
Before Chu Changliu could speak, he was swept up in his arms.
Zhou Ping hugged him and weighed him in his arms. "I'll take you there, it'll be quick."
Chu Changliu: ...
"I don't want to do this!" Chu Changliu struggled for a moment, then reached out and grabbed Zhou Ping's cheek. "I want to...I want to sit like that!"
Zhou Ping paused, stopping in place. Looking at Chu Changliu, who was thrashing about and with his bright eyes, he almost immediately understood.
He sighed softly, "You really want to ride?"
"Otherwise what?" Chu Changliu pinched his cheek, leaving a light red mark on it.
The red mark was much lighter than the one he left on Zhou Ping.
“…Alright.” Zhou Ping smiled indulgently at him, then wrapped his arms around Chu Changliu’s waist and easily lifted him up, placing him high on his shoulder.
After sitting on Zhou Ping's shoulders with his legs spread apart, Chu Changliu finally laughed, "You're smart enough to forgive me this time!"
Zhou Ping led him toward the Mingluan Palace, and he couldn't help but ask, "Will there be a next time?"
Chu Changliu's fox-like eyes widened instantly. He reached out and grabbed Zhou Ping's soft, black hair, ruffling it in no time. "What? You actually want to do it again!"
He scratched very lightly; it didn't hurt, and it even felt a little itchy.
"Changliu," Zhou Ping called softly.
"Hmm?" Chu Changliu looked down at him. "Why did you call me?"
“You’re still a bit awkward…” Zhou Ping’s steps were steady. He was always sensitive to people’s feelings, so he asked, “Are you… not satisfied with me?”
Chu Changliu was taken aback; he was still in pain. Seeing Zhou Ping's words, he quickly said, "I didn't!"
"I was just thinking about something..." Chu Changliu swung his leg, and as he said this, a hint of sorrow appeared on his lowered eyes. "It's good that you came to see me, and I'm very happy to see you."
"...Once things are settled here, would you like to come with me to see my father?" Chu Changliu hesitated when mentioning his elderly father, "It's just that his mental state isn't very good..."
"..." Chu Changliu only mentioned his father, but not his mother Wen Yi. Zhou Ping concealed the deep thought in his eyes, then smiled and said, "Alright, I wonder what we should prepare..."
"My dad said that if I bring my wife, I can go empty-handed," Chu Changliu said, a bright smile returning to his face.
"By the way, you absolutely must not mention my mother in front of him," Chu Changliu said seriously. "If he finds out again, he'll definitely go crazy again."
"He's crazy, don't believe a word he says."
What kind of son describes his father like that?
Zhou Ping's eye twitched, then he nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
The two chatted casually for a while, and soon arrived at Mingluan Palace.
As soon as Chu Changliu sat down, he buried himself in the piles of folded documents.
He pulled Zhou Ping to sit next to him and pointed to the pile on his right, saying, "These past two months have been delayed because of you, you have to take responsibility!"
Zhou Ping nodded seriously, reached for a folded document and looked at it. Before he could ask any questions, Chu Changliu had already handed him the seal. "If you think it's okay, stamp it with red. If not, stamp it with blue!"
"If you're unsure, just hand it over to me," Chu Changliu said, his work methodical and efficient.
After Zhou Ping nodded, he buried his head and quickly stamped the document.
Zhou Ping opened a folded document, glanced at it, and read it aloud, “Good morning, my lord. I wonder how you have been these days. Everything is going well in the Southern Region’s Lincang Immortal Realm. I have nothing to report.”
Chu Changliu snatched the memorial with a murderous look and held it in the hand of the divine servant. "I've already told you to send back any memorials like this that have nothing to do. Don't come looking for me if there's nothing wrong!"
The attendant nodded and put the memorial away. "Yes."
Zhou Ping opened another letter.
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The sooner you see it, the sooner you'll know; if you wait too long, it'll be gone, and this chapter will probably have to be edited again.
This story will be finished by the end of the month! *^_^*
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