The Imperial Palace, by any measure, had tripled in size compared to before; after all, was Luo Xiaofeng not now the Great Emperor of Nanyun?
Yet, as the most beloved princess of Luo Xiaofeng, Luo Ling'er still resided in the Yongle Palace. Now, the lights of Yongle Palace were extinguished, leaving only the pale yellow lanterns hung high along the corridors...
But Luo Ling'er was far from asleep; instead, she stood in her private chambers, gazing upward at the moon hanging in the sky...
To bring joy to his daughter, Luo Xiaofeng had commissioned a skylight above her sleeping quarters, spanning several zhang in length and width, crafted entirely from transparent crystal...
Within the chamber rested a fist-sized Night Luminescent Pearl, which, viewed from a distance, cast a soft glow upward through the skylight toward the night sky...
In the heavens, the bright moon hung high, dotted with countless stars, occasionally streaked by the quick flash of a meteor—it was a sight of exquisite beauty...
Yet, within Luo Ling'er's pure eyes, there was only an accumulation of sorrow and bewilderment...
"Little Yezi, where are you? I miss you so much, do you know?" Luo Ling'er murmured softly, as a single tear slowly traced a path from the corner of her eye and fell...
Not far away, Xiao Taotao, who had been dozing on the carpet, heard the words. It lifted its goat-like head and, with remarkable human-like gesture, shook it slowly, its eyes flickering with a shade of melancholy...
"Little Yezi, Father Emperor has betrothed me to Brother Xiao. Next month, I will be Brother Xiao's bride. But I don't want to. I want to leave this place, I want to be with you. Little Yezi, where are you? You promised you would take me away. Where are you now? I miss you terribly, truly, so very much..." Luo Ling'er stared at the faint moonlight in the sky, tears tracking down her face, one after another, like shining pearls, exquisitely bright and beautiful...
Her voice was filled with desolation, steeped in endless bitterness...
She stood there vacantly, staring at the skylight, and involuntarily, the image of Ye Jingyu’s face—even fairer than her own—and the perpetually wicked smile playing on his lips began to surface in her mind...
Gradually, that face lifted from her internal thoughts and appeared right before her eyes. It was still so handsome, still so roguish, but why was his complexion looking somewhat pale and greenish?
Luo Ling'er felt a flicker of confusion, but Xiao Taotao, nearby, instantly sprang to its feet, its pair of green eyes fixed intently on the skylight, locked onto the silhouette pressed against the glass above...
"Swish..." A flash of golden light emanated from Xiao Taotao’s body, and the figure pressed against the skylight instantly dropped, yet the crystal pane showed no sign of rupture...
The person landed directly in front of Luo Ling'er...
"W-what in the hell is happening?" Ye Jingyu cursed under his breath...
Xiao Taotao, on the other hand, displayed a triumphant grin; this was precisely the Dragon Clan's divine ability: Nieb Na (Pinched Grasp)...
Taking advantage of the target’s inattention, it had directly seized and transported the person's body...
"Little Yezi, why are you speaking today?" Luo Ling'er, who had been lying down, sat upright, gazing at Ye Jingyu, who was now so close, speaking to him in a dazed manner...
Ye Jingyu shot a sharp glare at Xiao Taotao, then completely ignored it, turning instead to Luo Ling'er—to this face he had yearned for day and night, and to those pair of innocent eyes that constantly reminded him of her purity...
Seeing the yearning in her gaze, the bewilderment on her face, and the melancholy shadowing her brow, Ye Jingyu knew she must have suffered greatly in his absence. She must often think of him, perhaps even fantasize that he was right beside her; otherwise, why would she stare at him so blankly now without any immediate sign of shock?
She must still believe he was just an illusion, mustn't she? The thought brought a searing pain to Ye Jingyu's heart. Only the most intense longing could conjure such apparitions...
Gently, he took a step forward, drawing near Luo Ling'er. Slowly, he extended his hands and placed them upon her delicate cheeks, stroking them softly...
"Ling'er..." A soft call escaped his lips, and his eyes held nothing but tenderness...
No violence, no anger, no bloodshed—only the deepest affection...
"Little Yezi..." Luo Ling'er still gazed dazedly at the person before her. She assumed this was yet another dream. With a slightly intoxicated expression, she surrendered to Ye Jingyu's gentle caress, even beginning to slowly close her eyes, savoring this perfect moment, afraid that if she opened them, everything would vanish like smoke...
Watching Luo Ling'er slowly close her eyes, Ye Jingyu gradually lowered his head, slowly pressing his mouth onto her crimson lips...
A current of pure warmth surged through Ye Jingyu’s entire being, and a hint of fragrance pierced his heart...
Luo Ling'er remained lost in this kiss, sure that it must be an illusion again. But she found this phantom incredibly rude—even her dreams were so insolent as to kiss her...
Luo Ling'er maintained this thought internally, yet she offered no resistance whatsoever. She dared not even open her eyes, simply absorbing the experience quietly...
Ye Jingyu extended his tongue, forcibly parting Luo Ling'er’s pearly teeth, and entangled with her small, delicate tongue...
A wave of sweetness flowed into her heart; her pulse inexplicably quickened at that moment...
The little scoundrel is getting naughtier! Last time, he only held her hand, and now he’s actually kissing her...
Luo Ling'er thought back to the last time she dreamed of Ye Jingyu leading her through a field of a hundred flowers. For what was happening now, she still offered no defense, allowing Ye Jingyu’s tongue to roam freely within her mouth...
A tingling sensation spread across her body. Luo Ling'er felt her heart racing and her body temperature seemingly rising, but this sensation felt so incredibly good, so wonderfully good...
Suddenly, a hand climbed onto her [The original text uses an unclear character/omission here, but contextually implies reaching her chest/breasts]—Luo Ling'er’s entire body trembled...
Her tightly shut eyes snapped open instantly, and her hazy expression cleared in a flash. She shoved Ye Jingyu away forcefully, staring with her pure eyes directly at the man before her...
Her gaze was filled with shock, disbelief, and utter astonishment...
"You... you... who are you?" Luo Ling'er’s voice wavered, uncertain if it was from excitement or terror. She had been immersed in the dreamlike state just moments ago, but when Ye Jingyu’s hand settled upon her peaks (feng luan), she was instantly jolted awake—that area was far too sensitive, after all... But upon awakening, the face she saw was still that familiar one, the only difference being that his long, flowing hair had been replaced by a buzz cut...
"I am Ye Jingyu... your... Little... Ye... Zi..." Ye Jingyu looked at the lovely woman before him, a gentle smile touching his lips...
Luo Ling'er glanced at Ye Jingyu, then turned to Xiao Taotao nearby, as if seeking confirmation of reality. But when she saw Xiao Taotao’s green eyes blink deliberately, her small mouth opened, and she suddenly burst into loud sobs...
(Palace romance, pleasure-seeking, stimulation—Ah! I was jolted awake by the earthquake yesterday afternoon~~ Tragic~ But thankfully, nothing serious happened~ Hmm~)