“Little Yezi, where have you been?” Seeing Ye Jingyu walk in from outside, Luo Ling'er asked, her voice gentle, betraying no discernible emotion…
“Uh, maybe I ate too much last night, and my stomach felt a little off just now, so I stepped out for a moment!” Ye Jingyu spoke directly. He fundamentally did not want Luo Ling'er to worry, so he kept many things hidden from her. He only desired that the person he loved could live without a single care, choosing to bear all the hardships and burdens himself…
He also didn't want the innocent Luo Ling'er entangled in these tedious affairs. In his view, Luo Ling'er was a spirit descended from the mortal world, someone who should never be disturbed by such trivialities…
So, when telling this lie, his face remained steady, his heart untroubled, as if every word he spoke were the absolute truth…
Seeing the calm repose on Ye Jingyu’s face, observing his dark eyes, Luo Ling’er’s own eyes suddenly shimmered with gathering tears…
“Ling'er, what… what’s wrong?” Seeing Luo Ling’er on the verge of tears, Ye Jingyu instantly felt at a loss…
“Husband, what is a fuqi?” Luo Ling’er’s voice, thick with unshed tears, finally broke through…
“Silly girl, today is our wedding day. Why ask such a question? We are fuqi now, and the most devoted fuqi in the entire world!” Ye Jingyu walked to the bedside, puzzled, and drew Luo Ling’er into his embrace…
“Then can you tell me what a fuqi is supposed to do?” Luo Ling’er’s head was buried against Ye Jingyu’s chest, her words barely a whisper. Yet, the tears in her eyes were accumulating rapidly, threatening to overflow at any moment…
“What should a fuqi do? A fuqi should cherish, understand, support, and treasure one another. In short, we are the very model of a fuqi. By the way, why the sudden question?” Ye Jingyu spoke with a smile, utterly failing to notice the intensifying tears in Luo Ling’er’s eyes. Moreover, she had called him Xianggong—a break from her usual manner…
“Xianggong, you missed something in your list…” Luo Ling’er lifted her head, her large eyes fixed squarely on Ye Jingyu’s…
“Ah? Missed something? What part?” Ye Jingyu’s expression was one of complete bewilderment…
“Mutual trust…” Luo Ling’er stressed those four words heavily…
“Yes, yes, precisely that part. Mutual trust is essential!” Ye Jingyu nodded repeatedly, his approval evident…
“But, Xianggong, do you trust me?” Luo Ling’er asked, staring directly at him…
“Trust you? You are the person I trust most in this world. How could I not trust you? Silly girl, don’t overthink things!” Looking into those deep, dark eyes, Ye Jingyu swore his conviction…
“If Xianggong trusts me so deeply, why are you still hiding so much from me?” Seeing that Ye Jingyu showed not a trace of guilt, Luo Ling’er’s eyes filled instead with pain and a slight edge of disappointment…
“Uh…” Ye Jingyu found himself momentarily speechless…
“Xianggong, we are fuqi. You just said that a fuqi should cherish, support, understand, treasure, and trust each other. I know you love me deeply, I know you care for me intensely, and I know you are incredibly considerate and appreciative of me—but do you understand me? Do you truly understand me?” Luo Ling’er’s repeated plea of “understand me” struck Ye Jingyu dumbfounded…
Did he understand her? In his eyes, she was a pure, kind maiden, a woman with the clearest spirit in the world—that was her standing in his heart. But did he truly know her?
Know her? Or not know her?
“I know you love me, that you shield me from many things, that you carry so much alone. But we are fuqi! We are already bound! I am your wife, not a child. Can’t I share in whatever burdens you carry?”
Hearing Luo Ling’er’s words, Ye Jingyu felt a profound jolt…
“Xianggong, you are not alone now. You have Ling’er. Let me bear the pain, let me share the load with you, alright? I don't want to merely be a precious treasure you protect. I want to be your true wife, a woman who can embrace you while also opening her own arms for you. When you are weary, you have Ling’er. When you are exhausted, you have Ling’er. When you are lonely, you still have Ling’er. No matter what storms come, Ling’er will be by your side, loving you, cherishing you…”
Tears slid slowly from the corners of Luo Ling’er’s eyes, yet her voice resonated like a heavenly melody, flowing into Ye Jingyu’s heart, seeping into his very soul…
Gazing into Luo Ling’er’s pure eyes, Ye Jingyu realized he had genuinely misunderstood her before. A fuqi relationship was meant for mutual support and mutual respect. He had intended everything for her well-being, but had he truly considered her perspective?
He had merely treated her as a child, a child who would never grow up. Yet, she had matured. How could a woman raised within the confines of the Imperial Court possibly understand nothing?
Now that they were fuqi, continuing to view her through his former lens was, in itself, a form of disrespect…
Every single sentence Luo Ling’er spoke created ripples in his heart. Watching her tear-streaked eyes, Ye Jingyu suddenly felt that he was no longer alone, that his labors were lighter, and the pressure upon him eased…
Because he was not alone, and he never would be again…
“Ling’er, I love you…” A soft vow escaped Ye Jingyu’s lips as his large hand gently wiped away the tears clinging to her lashes…
“I love you too, Xianggong…” Luo Ling’er whispered involuntarily, as Ye Jingyu’s arms tightened around her in a fierce embrace…
“Xianggong, tell me everything, please?” Luo Ling’er murmured softly, nestled deeply in his arms…
“Yes, I will tell you. I will tell you everything…” Ye Jingyu replied gently, and he proceeded to lay out his entire plan…
The night deepens, the night stills, the night grows cold…
The affection is profound, the bond is heavy, the warmth remains…
When the first ray of dawn pierced the window, the loving couple, who cherished one another so deeply, were still whispering softly about something—
Was it sorrow? Was it hardship? Was it tribulation? Or was it an extraordinarily beautiful happiness?