Zhou Shi was lecturing Huo Qiyuan as she walked, though he barely heard what she was saying. Perhaps it was the rain the night before, but Huo Qiyuan felt his thoughts had been washed clear. Before he even reached Su Muqing's door, he had already convinced himself.
Su Muqing, with her swollen, red eyes, was about to go out to find Huo Qiyuan when she opened the door to find Zhou Shi and the person she was looking for already waiting outside.
Huo Qiyuan was still damp, his hair a little wet, and his expression looked a bit awkward and embarrassed. Seeing them, Su Muqing also felt a bit shy and raised a hand to shield her red, swollen eyes.
"Oh, Your Majesty! Why are your eyes swollen like peaches?" Zhou Shi suddenly exclaimed, her voice full of concern as she pulled Su Muqing to examine her.
However, as she asked the question, she wasn't looking at Su Muqing at all but rather staring, with a displeased expression, at the motionless "culprit" standing there!
As soon as Zhou Shi finished speaking, Huo Qiyuan's head snapped up, and the others from the Cold Squad also looked towards Su Muqing. While it wasn't as exaggerated as Zhou Shi's peach-like description, it was clear her eyes were indeed swollen!
Leng Nuo gave the others several meaningful glances, as if to say, "See? I wasn't lying last night! I really heard His Majesty crying so sadly."
The others in the Cold Squad were not as bold as Leng Nuo. They merely glanced quickly before averting their eyes. Leng Si even pulled Leng Ren and the others to turn their backs.
How could they stare intently at His Majesty's swollen, tear-filled eyes? They couldn't be like Old Ten, eager to get a closer look.
Leng Nuo was utterly thoughtless. In the future, when His Majesty remembered how embarrassing she had made herself in front of them, would they still have a good life?
Huo Qiyuan moved Su Muqing's hand away from her eyes. Looking at her once bright eyes, now wet and fixed on him, he also felt a pang of discomfort.
Huo Qiyuan took Su Muqing's hand and gently pushed her back into the room. Seeing his actions, Zhou Shi finally let out a sigh of relief. At least there was still hope.
"Alright, alright! You all look so disheveled. Hurry back and rest! And tidy yourselves up properly! You are all generals and vice-generals; you can't be a laughingstock... Go back now! Don't disturb the Prince and His Majesty here..."
Zhou Shi eavesdropped by the door for a while. Unaware that the two had entered the space, she inwardly marveled at how soundproof the wooden door was, as not a single word could be heard.
Turning to continue guarding Xu Fu, Zhou Shi saw the others from the Cold Squad craning their necks, looking as if they wanted to eavesdrop. Fearing they might make a noise and disturb the possibly intimate moment between the couple, Zhou Shi promptly sent them all away.
Su Muqing and Huo Qiyuan sat opposite each other in the lounge chairs within the space, looking at each other in silence for a long time.
"I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry..."
They both apologized to each other simultaneously. Hearing the same three words, they were stunned again.
Huo Qiyuan took a moment to compose himself, then reached out and tucked a strand of hair from Su Muqing's cheek behind her ear. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper with you last night..."
Su Muqing raised her hand and clasped Huo Qiyuan's. Her eyes welled up again. "It was my fault too. I should have told you the truth long ago, but I was afraid you would blame me, so I never dared to say it..."
She had never considered herself a crybaby. Ever since she could remember, apart from when her parents left, Su Muqing had shed tears very rarely. But yesterday, she had been truly terrified, afraid of losing Huo Qiyuan.
Unknowingly, Huo Qiyuan had become so important to her. If she had to leave him one day, Su Muqing felt her heart would be utterly broken!
"Brother Huo, I truly did not participate in what happened to your parents or the subsequent events in this small world. I don't know what will happen next either. Before, I only knew that there would be many difficulties ahead. All along, like you, I've been taking things one step at a time... I really haven't casually manipulated anyone's life and death..." Su Muqing choked up with sadness as she spoke. She truly didn't want Huo Qiyuan to misunderstand her so much.
"Alright! Don't be sad anymore, it was my fault. I believe you didn't know these things, and I won't lose my temper with you again. Please don't cry, okay?" Huo Qiyuan gently wiped the tears from Su Muqing's face, but her tears were too many to wipe away completely.
Huo Qiyuan cupped Su Muqing's face and kissed her tears away with his cool lips, then gently kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her lips... then her neck, her collarbone...
They naturally embraced, tumbling and entwining on the grass in the space where no one else was present.
An hour later, Huo Qiyuan finally stopped, seemingly still wanting more. Su Muqing lay on top of him, too exhausted to move.
Huo Qiyuan wrapped his arms around Su Muqing's smooth waist, gently massaging her with his fingers to relieve the ache in her back.
Su Muqing was enjoying it, but then! She remembered something. She looked at Huo Qiyuan, who had his eyes closed, unsure if she should say it now...
"What is it? Does it still ache?" Although Huo Qiyuan's eyes were closed, he was keenly aware of Su Muqing looking at him from time to time.
"There's something I want to tell you..."
"Hmm?"
"If we continue like this, we can't have children..."
Huo Qiyuan's eyes suddenly snapped open, and the relaxed feeling vanished instantly. He looked at Su Muqing with confusion, not understanding what she meant.
"What do you mean? Why can't we have children?"
"Because I'm not from your world. As a divine envoy, I have to leave after completing my mission, so I cannot leave any of my bloodline in this small world with anyone..."
"You have to leave?" Huo Qiyuan tightly gripped Su Muqing's shoulders, his voice betraying a fear he himself hadn't noticed.
Su Muqing buried her face in Huo Qiyuan's neck and said hesitantly, "Logically, I should leave once the mission is complete. That's why I didn't dare to accept your confession when you confessed your love to me at sea. Later, I learned that my mission, besides rescuing you, was also to repair this small world, which means I would have to stay here for a long time, and only then did I dare to respond to your feelings."
"Can't you stay here forever? If the day comes when you complete your mission and leave, what will happen to me? You can't make me unable to leave you, and then abandon me here alone... You can't be so cruel!" Huo Qiyuan cupped her face, making her look him in the eyes.