That night, Lin Wanwan suffered from insomnia again.
She sat on the cold dragon bed, eyes wide open, until dawn.
The seat beside him was empty. Xiao Che really didn't come back.
This fact, like a dull knife, added countless fine wounds to her already riddled heart.
At daybreak, the palace maids came in to serve her. They were startled by her frighteningly haggard face and the dark circles under her eyes, but dared not ask any questions.
Lin Wanwan had little appetite, only ate a few mouthfuls of congee, and then sat back down by the window to continue staring blankly.
Her heart had sunk to the bottom, as cold as iron.
She had even begun to consider what she would do if... if the day truly came to no avail. Would she take Tuanzi and elope? Or would she remain in this deep palace, a queen in name only, a living dead?
Just as she was lost in thought, almost overwhelmed by sadness and despair, the door to her bedchamber was suddenly pushed open with a bang.
Lin Wanwan was startled and looked up to see Xiao Che rushing in like a gust of wind.
Today, he wasn't wearing a dragon robe, but rather a set of casual clothes that allowed him to move around easily. His hair was simply tied back, and he looked... radiant, even with a hint of inexplicable excitement.
Lin Wanwan's heart sank suddenly.
He seemed to be in a good mood.
It seems he slept well in the Imperial Study last night. He was indeed much more relaxed without her by his side.
This realization made her heart grow even colder.
"All of you, get out."
As soon as Xiao Che entered, he waved his hand at the palace maids inside the hall.
The palace maids dared not be negligent, and quickly bowed and withdrew, thoughtfully closing the palace doors behind them.
Inside the bedchamber, only the two of them remained in an instant.
Lin Wanwan lowered her eyes, not wanting to look at him. She was prepared to face another round of his "business as business," or... an even more cruel confrontation.
However, Xiao Che remained silent.
He simply walked up to her and stopped.
Lin Wanwan could feel his shadow completely enveloping her. She clenched her hands in her sleeves, awaiting the impending judgment.
After waiting for a long time, all I heard was a rustling sound, like something being pulled out from behind.
Um?
Lin Wanwan couldn't help but lift her eyes slightly to peek.
Then she saw... a bunch of... things.
It was a bunch of...green, fuzzy, long...grass?
No, to be precise, it was... a bunch of foxtail grass.
Yes, you read that right, it's that kind of plain, unassuming foxtail grass that you can see everywhere in the fields and that even cows are too lazy to nibble on.
This bunch of foxtail grass had clearly been carefully picked; each stalk was of uniform length and looked vibrant. It even had morning dew on it, giving it... a rather... unique... wild charm?
Lin Wanwan was completely dumbfounded.
She stared blankly at the bunch of foxtail grass that Xiao Che had held up in front of her, her brain completely blank.
What kind of operation is this?
Hitting someone... there's no need to be so insulting, is there?
Meanwhile, His Majesty the Emperor was currently wielding the first trick he had learned after studying the first chapter of "Folk Tale: The Domineering Young Master Falls in Love with Me" all night—the "gift of surprise."
The story goes: "A man should pick nameless wildflowers covered with morning dew at dawn and give them to his beloved. This is the most romantic thing in the world."
So, before dawn, our esteemed Emperor personally and secretly sneaked into a corner of the Imperial Garden and, in his eyes, took drastic action against a patch of thriving foxtail grass (which he considered the perfect "nameless wildflower").
At this moment, he was holding up his "trophy," his face still bearing that unchanging icy poker face, but the tips of his ears had already quietly turned red.
He cleared his throat and spoke slowly in an extremely arrogant, as if meticulously calculated tone:
"I see..."
He paused, seemingly considering his words.
"...This is a good match for you."
After saying that, he stuffed the bunch of foxtail grass into Lin Wanwan's hand.
Lin Wanwan: "..."
Holding the bunch of foxtail grass that still smelled of earth, she looked at the serious, expressionless man in front of her and was completely bewildered.
Is this... a new way to humiliate someone?
To say she's like the roadside weeds, lowly and an eyesore?
Her heart was instantly pierced and riddled with holes.
However, before she could recover from the shock of this bunch of "foxtail grass," Xiao Che dropped another bombshell.
Seeing that sending flowers seemed to have little effect, the Empress's expression remained that of someone half-dead.
So, he decisively used the second move in the "secret manual"—"inseparable companion".
The story goes: "Companionship is the longest confession of love. When a woman is heartbroken, a man should stay by her side and keep her company. Even without a word, it speaks louder than a thousand words."
Okay! That makes sense!
So Xiao Che turned around and, with an air of authority, sat down behind the table in Lin Wanwan's bedroom that was specifically used for handling documents.
Then, facing outside, he announced loudly:
"Guards! Bring all today's memorials to the Kunning Palace! I will be conducting official business here today!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanwan's hand holding the bunch of foxtail grass trembled violently.
What...what did he say?
He's going to work in the Kunning Palace?!
What does this mean?!
Are they monitoring her?! Are they afraid she might do something rash? Or are they afraid she might...do something that would damage the royal family's reputation?
Lin Wanwan's mind was in complete chaos.
She looked at the lush green foxtail grass that seemed to mock her, and then at the man who was now comfortably reviewing documents on her turf. A huge, absurd sense of panic gripped her heart instantly.
If... if the emojis were still around.
She would see that when Xiao Che handed her the foxtail grass, a huge and shy "Wife, praise me.gif" was floating above his head!
She would see that when he announced he would be working here, a small tip above his head would be flashing that read "Secret #2: Companionship!"
She will know that all of this was his clumsy, adorable attempt to please her.
But now, she can't see anything.
All she could see was a man whose behavior was strange and whose emotions were unpredictable.
She could only see his expressionless, handsome profile.
Not only did he send a "compensation" gift yesterday, but now he's even sending "wildflowers" today?
Is this... a "new trick" taught to him by that talented woman from Jiangnan?
First, he used expensive jewelry to numb her mind and make her feel indebted; then he used this cheap "romance" to show his so-called "sincerity".
A slap followed by a piece of candy?
A complete PUA process was instantly and clearly imagined by Lin Wanwan's suspicious mind.
And now, he still has to "work" here...
Is this how he's telling her that although he's physically here, his heart is no longer with her?
Lin Wanwan held the bunch of foxtail grass and felt a chill run through her body.
Looking at the man who felt completely unfamiliar to her, she felt nothing but endless sorrow.
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