Crabapple blossoms
After her period ended, Yan Shu felt weak all over. That evening, Ling Yuan came to Lingxiao Pavilion as usual.
His movements as swift and clean as ever as when he removed his outer robe. Yan Shu was already used to nights like this—a silent beginning, a routine intimacy, followed by a rapid separation.
But tonight is different.
After he finished, he got up to leave as usual. Just as he propped himself up, his gaze inadvertently swept across her face.
In the candlelight, there was sweat on her forehead, her lips were a little swollen, but her face was pale.
His movements stopped.
He slowly withdrew his hand, which had been suspended in mid-air. He neither called for anyone nor left immediately.
Only one palace lantern remained lit in the inner room. Yan Shu closed his eyes, able to hear his own heartbeat and his breathing, which was slightly heavier than usual.
Suddenly, a silk handkerchief scented with pine clumsily brushed against her forehead. The movement was stiff, yet it made her freeze.
She opened her eyes abruptly, meeting his gaze so close to hers. Something flickered in those eyes, complex and unreadable.
He quickly withdrew his hand and casually tossed the handkerchief aside: "Settle...in comfortably." For the first time, this cold-faced prince showed a bewildered expression when facing her.
Then, unexpectedly, he lay down beside her. He maintained a distance, but he remained on the bed.
Yan Shu's heart pounded even faster. She lay there stiffly, her senses heightened by an unusual sharpness—his body temperature, his scent, his breath…
Time flowed silently. From initial shock to subsequent inner turmoil, her tense nerves gradually relaxed under the comforting presence of his calm aura. The day's fatigue crept in, and she felt a growing drowsiness.
He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard a slight movement beside him. He got up, very quietly. The door closed gently behind him.
The room returned to silence.
But the sensation on my forehead is still there, the lingering warmth on my side is still there, and the scent of pine is still there.
She buried her burning face in the pillow, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
Since that night, Ling Yuan has frequently appeared at Lingxiao Pavilion, and the time he spends there has quietly increased.
Sometimes they'd sit for a while afterward, sometimes they'd come during the day to pick something up. They'd always linger for a moment and ask a question or two.
"What are you looking at?"
"Are the household expenses going smoothly?"
"Have you eaten the bird's nest that was delivered the other day?"
The question was brief, and the tone wasn't exactly gentle, but it was a world of difference from the initial indifference. Yan Shu gradually relaxed and her responses became much more natural.
One afternoon, she was admiring the crabapple blossoms under the tree.
My gaze was inadvertently drawn to the crabapple tree in the corner.
The tree wasn't very tall, but its branches spread out beautifully, with one branch at the very top blooming especially profusely.
Yan Shu stared at the flower, and unconsciously moved her feet toward it.
She was dressed simply today, in a light blue silk skirt, her long hair loosely tied in a bun and adorned with a simple jade hairpin. She stood under the tree, gazing up at it for a long time, the flowers trembling gently in the breeze, as if teasing her.
I stretched out my hand, stood on tiptoe, and my fingertips were still a long way from the lowest branch.
Undeterred, she stretched her body upwards again, her skirt swaying, but she still couldn't reach it.
She looked around and spotted an unused stone bench under the eaves not far away. After thinking for a moment, she walked over. The bench was a bit heavy, and it took her some effort to move it to the tree, placing it directly opposite the most beautiful crabapple branch.
She brushed the dust off her hands, carefully lifted her skirt, and stepped onto the stone bench. The bench was sturdy and the height was just right. Her view suddenly opened up, and the most vibrant crabapple branch seemed almost within reach.
Sunlight filtered through the intertwined leaves, casting dappled shadows on her body and face. She leaned forward slightly, reached out, her fingertips carefully avoiding the thorns, and finally grasped the long-awaited crabapple blossom. With a very slight "snap," the branch broke off.
She held the crabapple blossom in her hand and looked down at it closely. She couldn't help but bring the flower close to her nose and take a gentle sniff. Her eyebrows curved into a smile, and a bright, dazzling smile spread from her eyes.
At that moment, the stone bench beneath her feet swayed slightly, whether due to her earlier movement or because it was inherently uneven!
Caught off guard, Yan Shu lost her balance, let out a soft cry, and instinctively grabbed at the flower branch in mid-air, her body involuntarily tilting to the side.
The expected pain did not come.
"careful."
A deep voice sounded from above, carrying a hint of tension that was barely perceptible.
Yan Shu turned around, still shaken. Ling Yuan, who had appeared at some point, was standing beside the stone bench, his hand still firmly supporting her.
He frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping between her face and the crabapple in her hand. His eyes no longer held their usual scrutiny; instead, they seemed to hold a hint of helplessness, or something else entirely, making it impossible for her to decipher.
"Your Highness?" Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she tightened her grip on the flower branch.
He didn't answer, but tightened his grip on her waist slightly, his voice still calm: "Get down."
Yan Shuyi followed his advice and, with his support, carefully stepped down from the stone bench. Only when her feet touched the ground did the slight panic in her heart gradually subside.
Yan Shu held the crabapple branch she had painstakingly picked and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Ling Yuan's gaze lingered for a moment on her lowered eyelashes and the crabapple blossom, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly, before he finally uttered only a soft "Mm."
After saying that, he didn't linger any longer, nor did he ask what she was doing. He turned and walked towards the study. His steps were still steady, and his back was straight.
She had just... distinctly felt a gaze, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, fall on her back, carrying a faint warmth.
She wasn't mistaken.
In the shadow of the covered walkway, Lingyuan stopped after turning the corner. He turned to the side, using the pillars for cover, and looked across the courtyard back to the crabapple tree.
She remained standing there, head bowed, her fingertips gently tracing the petals of the crabapple blossom. Her profile appeared exceptionally slender and serene in the warm spring sunlight. The focused expression on her face as she stood on the stool picking the flowers, the unguarded, childlike smile after succeeding, and the momentary panic when she nearly fell... were all completely different from the gentle or forbearing Princess Consort he usually knew.
At that moment, she didn't seem like the daughter of a prime minister who married into the royal family with the burden of her family's mission. Instead, she seemed more like a... innocent young woman who was easily moved by the blooming of a flower and could be delighted by the smallest things.
He stood there, watching quietly for a moment, until he saw her turn around as if to walk back, before he finally left.
Yan Shu carried the crabapple blossoms back to her room, found a white porcelain vase, filled it with water, and carefully arranged the flower branches. She placed it on the table by the window; the pink and white flowers against the plain porcelain vase instantly added a vibrant touch to the room.
That evening, Ling Yuan came to have dinner a little earlier than usual.
The dining table remained quiet. Yan Shu silently served him food, placing a piece of bamboo shoots, which he usually loved, into his bowl.
His hand holding the chopsticks paused, and he looked up at her. In the lamplight, his features seemed softer than during the day.
"Use more yourself too," he said, his voice still calm, but less cold and hard than usual.
A warm feeling welled up in Yan Shu's heart: "Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
After the meal, he leaned against the soft couch by the window reading a book, his posture relaxed and revealing a rare air of languor. His gaze would occasionally drift to the crabapple branch in the vase, without lingering or commenting, but the atmosphere in the room became exceptionally tranquil and warm because of his silent presence.
It was late at night. He put down his book and got up to leave. As he reached the door, he paused slightly and glanced at her.
"I'll have the kitchen make you some jujube paste cake tomorrow." He said casually, as if he'd suddenly remembered, "Last time... you used an extra piece."
Yan Shu froze, her heart skipping a beat. How long ago was that? She herself had almost forgotten; it was just that she had tasted an extra piece of dessert once, yet he remembered…
"...Yes." She replied softly, her voice trembling slightly.
He turned and left.
The moonlight outside the window was perfect, and the crabapple blossoms were quietly blooming in the porcelain vase, their subtle fragrance wafting in the air.
It seems that something, in this season when spring is about to end, has broken free from the thick layer of ice and is quietly growing, gentle yet firm.
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