That fleeting glimpse of the image, "My son is so clever, just like me! .jpg," was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples that would never cease in Lin Wanwan's heart.
That night, all was quiet.
Xiao Che, who was beside her, had already drifted off to sleep after coaxing his son to sleep and spending some time with her. His breathing was even.
The little dumpling in the next bedroom was sleeping soundly, occasionally letting out a soft murmur in its sleep, perhaps dreaming of some delicious food.
The entire Kunning Palace seemed to be asleep.
Only Lin Wanwan was wide awake.
She put on an overcoat, got up quietly, and sat down in front of the dressing table.
The bronze mirror reflected a face that remained as radiant as ever. Time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her, leaving few traces other than adding a touch of maternal tenderness and empressial dignity to her features.
However, at this moment, those clear eyes were filled with lingering shock and...confusion.
She replayed in her mind again and again the scene she had witnessed a few hours earlier at the entrance to her son's bedroom.
The smug look on the pixelated figure's hands on hips, the flashing little text...
Every detail is so clear, it's as if it happened just a second ago.
That couldn't possibly be a mistake!
She said to herself.
A person might misread something due to fatigue, but it is absolutely impossible for them to conjure up a scene out of thin air that is so specific, so vivid, and even has the same dynamic effects as in their memory!
But……
If it's not an illusion, then what is it?
Why would that ability, which had been with her for many years and then "disappeared" when she needed it most, suddenly... "flash back"?
And it was at a time when she absolutely, completely didn't need it.
At that time, she was filled with peace and happiness. She didn't even think about "seeing" Xiao Che's thoughts. She was simply appreciating the warm interaction between her husband and son as a wife.
But it happened at that very moment.
What exactly happened?
A huge mystery lingered in Lin Wanwan's mind, keeping her tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Finally, she made a decision.
She wants to... try again.
She needed to confirm whether that fleeting "appearance" was a beautiful accident or... some kind of "return" that she had not yet understood.
Lin Wanwan took a deep breath, stood up, her movements as gentle as a midnight cat.
She quietly returned to the bedside.
By the bright moonlight filtering through the window, she gazed at Xiao Che's sleeping face.
In his sleep, he shed his imperial majesty and coldness, his eyebrows relaxed, his thin lips slightly pursed, and his handsome face appeared exceptionally gentle in the hazy moonlight.
Lin Wanwan's heart softened involuntarily.
But she quickly regained her composure.
She held her breath and, just as she had done many years ago when she first gained this ability, concentrated all her energy and focused all her thoughts on her eyes, staring intently at the top of Xiao Che's head.
Look!
Show yourself quickly!
Let me see what kind of crazy dream you're having now! Are you dreaming of reviewing memorials, or fighting with Old Zhang's chickens next door?
In her heart, she cried out and called out in every possible way.
One second.
Two seconds.
One minute.
Ten minutes.
...
Time passed slowly, second by second, in the quiet palace.
Xiao Che's breathing was steady and long.
The top of his head, too, remained calmly and steadily blank.
There was nothing there.
Forget animated emoticons, not even a static "."jpg appeared.
Lin Wanwan didn't believe in superstition.
She changed her posture, and even secretly imitated the immortal cultivators in the storybooks, making a "magic hand seal" while chanting incantations.
"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, please let the emojis appear and work their magic..."
"Hurry, hurry, as the law commands! Give me a 'My wife is so beautiful.gif'!"
"..."
Half an hour later.
Lin Wanwan gave up completely.
Her eyes were sore and tears were about to flow. She was extremely exhausted, but above Xiao Che's head, the sky remained unchanged, clear and bright.
Feeling somewhat exhausted, she sat down on the footstool by the bed, leaning against the cold bedpost, completely lost in a bewildered state that was both funny and frustrating.
So... was that just an "Easter egg"?
Random drops, cannot be replicated, entirely based on luck?
This cheat system is just too capricious, too...unreliable!
She sat there, lost in thought for a very long time.
From initial persistence, to later confusion, and then...
After an unknown amount of time, when she raised her head again and looked at Xiao Che's sleeping face, a relieved and reassuring smile suddenly appeared on her lips.
In that instant, she suddenly understood everything.
It was her; she misunderstood.
She was preoccupied with the "appearance" and "disappearance" of this ability, but forgot to think about what the "root cause" of all this was.
Did this ability really "disappear" when she kowtowed to save Tuanzi?
No.
Lin Wanwan shook her head gently in her heart.
That impact was perhaps just a trigger, a… “physical switch”.
The real "disappearance" occurred after that.
It was after that fierce cold war, after she and Xiao Che had a complete showdown and revealed everything.
It was after Xiao Che, with the line "I love you, not your 'emojis'," completely pulled her out of the abyss of self-doubt.
It was after she truly, from the depths of her heart, "let go" of her dependence on this ability.
When she no longer needed to guess his thoughts by "reading"; when she learned to build a new bridge between them with trust and tacit understanding; when this ability, for her, had transformed from a "cheat code" for survival into an insignificant "past"...
It was then that it truly "retired".
It hasn't disappeared, nor has it malfunctioned.
It has simply... "retired".
Like a dutiful old friend who had been with her for many years, it quietly stepped aside when she was finally able to stand on her own and no longer needed support, watching her grow and be happy.
And that's precisely why it suddenly "appeared" today.
Because at that moment, she was so relaxed, so happy, so... completely unguarded.
She completely forgot about the concept of "de-dependence".
That's why this old friend, like a mischievous "Easter egg," quietly pops out, says "Hi," greets her, and then smiles and disappears backstage.
Having figured all this out, Lin Wanwan felt that the last bit of obsession and confusion in her heart had completely vanished.
She suddenly felt that this was... really good.
That's great.
The cheat code was no longer a "cheat code" hanging over her head, constantly reminding her that she was out of place in this world.
It has become... a kind of "fun".
A unique "souvenir" that belongs only to her and him, witnessing their journey together.
Will it reappear? When will it reappear?
All of this... no longer matters.
A genuine, radiant smile blossomed on Lin Wanwan's face.
She stood up and went back to the bedside.
This time, she didn't look at the top of his head again.
She leaned down, her soft, dark hair sliding down his cheek.
Then, she gently placed a tender and devout kiss on that smooth, imperial forehead.
Good night, my Majesty.
She no longer needed to "see" his heart.
Because her heart had already begun to beat in unison with his.
And this secret...
The secret of that old friend who occasionally pops up with a "Hi!"
Lin Wanwan smiled mischievously to herself.
She decided that she would never, ever tell him again.
Let it be a small, sweet surprise for her to enjoy all by herself.
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