Lin Xihe had barely finished speaking when Ji Zhuo unexpectedly tapped her on the head.
She winced in pain, quickly covering her head with both hands and crying out, "Ouch, be gentle! What if you make me stupid?"
Ji Zhuo replied irritably, "Asking such a question is no different from being stupid."
As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted in the direction Gu Qinghuai had left, and for a fleeting moment, a picture of him living with Gu Qinghuai and Lin Xihe flashed through his mind...
Ptooey! Ptooey!
What am I thinking?!
"You can only be mine. Stop having unrealistic dreams." After saying that, Ji Zhuo picked up Lin Xihe in a princess carry without saying another word and strode into the house.
Once inside, he gently placed Lin Xihe where he had entered, then quickly squatted down behind Tang Bao, waved to Ling Xue, and signaled her to leave.
"You have to make up for how long you spent with him, and how you spent that time with him, by spending the same amount of time with him."
As he spoke, he stood quietly behind Tang Bao, just like Gu Qinghuai had done before.
Lin Xihe rolled her eyes and complained, "You're so jealous! How come you didn't die of jealousy? Qinghuai just came to see the child."
"Don't give me that crap. Come on, give me a smile!" Ji Zhuo smirked, deliberately teasing her.
Lin Xihe burst out laughing at his appearance, and the gloom brought about by Gu Qinghuai's departure was temporarily relieved.
Tangbao got tired of playing, turned around, and stretched out her hands to Ji Zhuo in a childish voice, calling out indistinctly, "Daddy..."
"It can call out now?"
Ji Zhuo was both surprised and delighted. His eyes lit up instantly, and he hugged Tang Bao tightly.
Lin Xihe quietly took a few steps back and muttered, "Qinghuai taught us this afternoon..."
Sure enough, the surprise on Ji Zhuo's face froze instantly. He took Tang Bao's little hand, made her look at him, and coaxed her softly, "Tang Bao, I am the daddy, and that was the uncle."
Tangbao couldn't understand any of this and continued to call out "Daddy" in her childish voice.
But after only two sounds, Ji Zhuo was completely melted by her soft and cute appearance. His heart and eyes were full of doting, and he hugged her and coaxed and teased her. The jealousy he felt just now had long been thrown to the winds.
After that, Ji Zhuo still came every day, but Lin Xihe would always urge him to leave in the evening, since Xu Qi was still being punished and confined in the west courtyard.
Time flies, and two months have passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, Ji Zhuo came as usual, but brought news that shocked Lin Xihe—Mu Ruoyan had ascended the throne and become emperor in the Northern Territory!
Upon hearing this news, Lin Xihe froze on the spot, her mind going completely blank.
Hasn't he always had no interest in the throne?
How could he suddenly ascend the throne? This change is too abrupt.
Lin Xihe suppressed the turmoil in her heart and tried her best to remain calm and composed in front of Ji Zhuo.
Only after Ji Zhuo left did she immediately summon Xu Qi.
"The Third Prince has ascended the throne, did you know?" Lin Xihe stared intently at Xu Qi, trying to catch a hint of surprise on his face.
Upon hearing this, Xu Qi remained calm, showing no surprise whatsoever, and respectfully replied, "I only learned of the definite news a few days ago."
"Isn't your master uninterested in the throne?"
Although Lin Xihe knew in her heart that Xu Qi might not reveal anything, she still couldn't help but ask.
Xu Qi's gaze was fixed on Lin Xihe's face. At this moment, Lin Xihe was full of doubts, and so was he.
In Xu Qi's view, the Third Prince has had plenty of opportunities to become emperor over the years.
Once the Third Prince ascends the throne, given the current strength of the Great Hao Kingdom, it will be absolutely difficult to contend with the Northern Border.
But the Third Prince had previously shown no interest in the throne, so why did he suddenly rush back from Nanzhao to fight for that supreme throne?
The two stared at each other, and for a moment, the room fell silent, as if the air itself had frozen.
Lin Xihe broke the silence first, saying, "Fine, forget it. The three-month period is almost over in ten days. You should write a letter to your master and go back to report. You can't stay here with me forever."
“Miss, the order Xu Qi received is not just to stay for three months. I need to wait for a letter from the Third Prince before I can know what to do next.”
Xu Qi lowered his head, his tone sincere.
"If he never calls you back, are you still planning to stay here and never leave?" Lin Xihe frowned slightly and said with a hint of helplessness.
"You should know, young lady, that I don't live forever."
As Xu Qi spoke, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, and his tone was tinged with sorrow.
Seeing the desolation in Xu Qi's eyes, and knowing that their lives were numbered, Lin Xihe's heart softened, and she couldn't help but ask, "Was the medicine you were taking given to you by the Third Prince?"
"No," Xu Qi replied crisply.
"No? Then why do you all listen to him?" Lin Xihe pressed.
"I know the young lady means no harm, but I really cannot say."
After saying this, Xu Qi knelt on one knee to show his apology.
Lin Xihe sighed helplessly, thinking that after this conversation, she hadn't gotten any useful information; it was all ineffective communication.
"Go back now." She waved her hand, looking helpless.
Xu Qi knelt on the ground but did not get up and leave immediately.
He hesitated for a moment before slowly asking, "Does the young lady know anyone from the Western Regions?"
"The Western Regions?"
Lin Xihe was slightly taken aback, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "I don't know any people from the Western Regions, but I was poisoned by them a long time ago."
"Then I'll take my leave." Xu Qi said, preparing to get up and leave.
Lin Xihe quickly stopped her: "Why are you leaving? What do you mean by suddenly asking me this?"
"It's nothing, I was just asking casually. If you ever go out in the future, please be sure to take me with you."
After Xu Qi finished speaking, he turned and left.
Lin Xihe watched Xu Qi's departing figure, speechless.
Although Xu Qi was a bodyguard who didn't need to be paid, and having him around might provide more protection if she encountered danger, he was still Mu Ruoyan's man. Lin Xihe always felt that he was like a time bomb, and she didn't know when he would explode, so she was always a little uneasy.
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