"Ye Xuan Gege, are you angry?" Chu Qianli walked up to him.
Her obedient demeanor was completely different from the sharp, even… vicious person he had heard outside the door just now.
Feng Ye Xuan looked at her face.
Only her face could calm him down.
But he could never find the familiar, cherished feeling from her anymore.
Where exactly had things gone wrong?
"Ye Xuan Gege?" Chu Qianli took another half-step closer.
"Li'er, you came back this time..."
"Didn't Ye Xuan Gege say that as long as there was a chance, he would take me to the back mountain? I still remember there's a vast sea of purple fragrant orchids there."
"You call them… purple fragrant orchids?" Feng Ye Xuan's gaze deepened.
Something flickered in Chu Qianli's eyes, and then she suddenly smiled, "You say they're called purple fragrant orchids. Of course, I prefer to call them lavender."
Feng Ye Xuan's heart, which had tensed up in an instant, slowly relaxed.
What was he suspecting?
"Ye Xuan Gege, I don't know what's wrong with you, but I can clearly feel your indifference towards me since I returned this time."
This time, Chu Qianli didn't get any closer. Instead, she walked to a chair and sat down, maintaining some distance from him.
As expected, as long as she didn't approach, Feng Ye Xuan's expression and even his eyes softened considerably.
There was even a hint of guilt.
Don't get close! Only maintain a cool demeanor!
This was the impression the previous Chu Qianli had given him.
Only then would he believe more that she was his Li'er.
A myriad of thoughts swirled in Chu Qianli's heart, her emotions indescribably complex.
But on the surface, she remained unfazed.
She poured herself a cup of tea. The fawning smiles were gone from her face. When she appeared cold, her face truly resembled Chu Qianli's.
"Ye Xuan, I thought that if I deliberately tried to please you, our interactions would be more comfortable, especially after we've been through so many hardships."
Feng Ye Xuan moved his lips, wanting to speak, but not knowing what to say.
Chu Qianli continued, "That sea of lavender in the back mountain holds too many of our secrets. The first time you humiliated me was in that sea of flowers."
Two red blushes instantly appeared on Feng Ye Xuan's face.
This was the way his damn woman spoke.
Humiliation.
At that time, it was indeed humiliation.
"Li'er..."
"It's okay if you've forgotten. We can find our memories back, little by little."
"I haven't forgotten!" How could he possibly forget their memories?
It was just that he didn't know why, but seeing her scolding the maid earlier had made him feel unaccustomed.
He felt that the woman before him was inexplicably unfamiliar.
She had never been like this before.
"Ye Xuan, do you think I've changed a lot?"
Chu Qianli lowered her gaze, looking at the tea in her hand, a hint of disappointment in her expression.
"I am now the Empress of the Dragon Ascending Kingdom. You can imagine how many people want my life after I became Empress."
"I will protect you!"
When they no longer referred to themselves as "this King" or "I," the atmosphere between them seemed to become much more harmonious.
Chu Qianli smiled calmly and indifferently, "You can protect me, but I also have to protect myself. After all, you can't be by my side twenty-four hours a day."
"Li'er..."
"I admit I was a bit anxious and nervous just now. I really thought she was a spy trying to assassinate me."
Chu Qianli smiled at him, her smile gentle and charming, "Never mind, Ye Xuan Gege. I'll relax more in the future and won't be so nervous. You won't be angry with me for hitting your person, will you?"
Feng Ye Xuan wanted to say, "You are my person."
But seeing the smile on her lips, the words inexplicably stuck in his throat.
In the past, he always resented her for smiling at him with hypocrisy and caution.
Now, she smiled at him so gently and tenderly, but why did it feel so different?