In the bedroom, Nan Yi was half asleep when he heard footsteps. Thinking it was Yi Ren, he casually ordered, "Girl, pour me a glass of water."
Upon hearing her voice, the footsteps paused, and the person who entered seemed to breathe more heavily.
With difficulty, Yinzhen controlled his feet, which were almost out of his control. His hands trembled slightly as he poured tea and gently stepped to the bedside.
The person on the bed lay on their side with their head turned inward, their thick black hair spread out on the pillow, one hand pressed under their face, their skin still as white as jade, and their long eyelashes like fans.
Just like in my dreams for many years, I slept so peacefully.
Only when she is asleep can she be so quiet.
He raised his hand and gently touched her cheek, sliding it down to her chin. The touch was warm and smooth; it was true, she was truly sleeping beside him.
Until his hand landed on her lips, Nan Yi pouted, tilted her head, rolled over to lie flat, opened her beautiful eyes, and asked with a lazy and leisurely tone, "How long do you plan to watch?"
Actually, she had been awake for a while, when he sat down on the side of the bed.
After ten years apart, to be honest, she didn't know how to face him.
Excitement? Not really. After all, they weren't the kind of couple who were head over heels in love.
She had once been attracted to him, but that attraction had long since faded away. In her heart, she didn't even know how to define him; they weren't like friends, nor were they like husband and wife.
Perhaps it was because I was away for too long.
She sat up slightly, and Yinzhen placed a soft pillow behind her to support her, then handed her a teacup.
Nan Yi took it, and Yinzhen stared intently at her, searching for every change in her.
No, she's still the same person she was ten years ago.
Unable to contain his emotions, Yinzhen whispered, "Yi'er~"
"Um."
"Yier~"
"Um."
"Yier~"
"..." What's going on here?
Nan Yi put down his cup, pulled the cup up over himself, and glanced at Fourth Master with a smile. After many years, he had aged. His aura was still imposing and his demeanor refined and noble, but he had still grown old.
Of course, given his good looks inherited from Consort De, he will still be a handsome uncle even when he gets old.
After being separated for so long, both of them remained silent. The Fourth Master had a lot to say, but didn't know where to begin.
Nan Yi didn't say much, but Fourth Uncle always stared at her with those tender, watery eyes, which she found quite unbearable.
If she kept looking at it like that, she would get goosebumps.
"Yi'er".
Here we go again. Nan Yi was speechless. She lifted the blanket, sat down next to him, and tugged at his beard with her delicate hand. She laughed and said, "You've grown a beard. I thought it was just yesterday. I woke up after a nap and you've turned into a little old man."
Her demeanor was so natural, charming and playful, every gesture and movement captivated his heart, and the unfamiliarity between them vanished with just a few words from her.
Yinzhen's eyes warmed, and he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling her into his arms. His arms were so tight that Nan Yi could hardly breathe.
His warm breath fell on the back of her neck, and he murmured again, "Yi'er, you're back. It's so good that you're back. I've been waiting for you to come back. Don't leave again. The days of waiting for someone are hard to bear, very hard to bear."
Nan, who was trying to break free, suddenly froze and didn't move.
He continued, "Thirteenth Brother is back too. He's changed a lot. He's in very poor health. You've lost weight too. You must not have been eating properly."
"I told them not to bother you. Just turn them away whoever comes. I'm here. You can stay in the Orchid Courtyard and recover peacefully."
"It will be soon. I will protect you from now on. No one can take you away from me, no one."
As he finished rambling on, he tightly embraced Nan Yi's waist, his tone filled with a fierce, clenched-teeth tone.
Nan Yi was secretly alarmed. His master said it would be soon, but how did he know it would be soon? What had he done?
Based on the timeline, there were only two years left until Old Master Kang's passing. After a lifetime of meticulous planning, he was about to succeed.
This cunning and scheming Fourth Prince, no wonder he was able to reach the top. Among the adult princes, every one of them was a tough nut to crack and extremely difficult to deal with.
"Ouch~ Let go of me first, my back is about to break." Nan Yi gently pushed him.
"Oh, it was my fault for being too rough." Yinzhen loosened his grip, but did not let go of her, allowing her to lie against his chest.
His gaze returned to her face. Her skin was delicate and fair, without any makeup. Time had been kind to her, leaving no trace on her face. It was the simple and natural look that he loved so much.
"Yi'er, why haven't you changed, while I've grown old?" Yinzhen said with some frustration.
Nan Yi agreed with this, and happily boasted, "There's nothing I can do, God is on my side."
Then, she sighed and said quietly, "I'm doing so badly, God probably couldn't stand it and had to give me a break."
Yinzhen felt a pang in his heart as he listened to her casual self-deprecating humor. "Don't worry, Yi'er, your good fortune is yet to come. With me here, you won't suffer any misery even if you want to."
Nan Yi glanced up at him and thought to herself, "That's true. The future emperor, given her current rank, if the Fourth Prince were to favor her, she might be able to secure one of the four concubines."
Yinzhen put his arm around Nan Yi and brought up the events of the day, saying, "I heard that Liu Shi made things difficult for you today."
Nan Yi chuckled lightly. She was not one to suffer losses. Liu Gege was just an insignificant person in life, and she had already taught her a lesson. She couldn't possibly cause any trouble.
Of course, she wouldn't refuse if her fourth uncle stood up for her.
She had been gone for many years, and since entering the Yong Prince's Mansion, she had spent very little time there. It was normal that they didn't take her seriously.
"Hmm, does Master like Liu Shi very much? She was very angry and spoke rudely. I was annoyed by her and cursed at her a couple of times."
"Whom does Master cherish in his heart? Doesn't Yi'er know?"
"I don't know. My heart is like the clouds in the sky, unpredictable, elusive, and unfathomable."
Yinzhen raised an eyebrow. His feelings were so obvious, yet this girl was pretending not to understand.
"Oh, Princess, the Prince and his concubine are inside. May I announce their arrival first?"
Lanzhi's voice came from outside the door, followed by Yinggege's voice, "I'm looking for my father. Don't hold me back, Mother has a terrible headache. I want to ask Father to take a look."
“Princess, this is the inner room, you are a grown woman now…” Lanzhi seemed unable to persuade her, so Yingge directly called out loudly to her father.
Nan Yi got up from Yinzhen's arms in surprise and lay back down on the bed. Yinzhen frowned and draped the quilt back over Tong Shi. "I'll go take a look."
Yinzhen walked out into the outer room with an unpleasant expression.
Yingge rushed over anxiously, "Father, Mother suddenly has a terrible headache, please come with me to see her."
"Quiet." Yinzhen coldly reprimanded, very disappointed in his daughter's impetuousness. "As a princess of the royal palace, what kind of behavior is this, shouting and yelling? Is this how your nanny taught you?"
"Father, Mother has a headache. I panicked for a moment, but I was really worried. Father, please forgive me this once." Yingge wiped the sweat from her forehead, a hint of panic flashing across her face.
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