"You're awake?"
Seeing Bai Siruo suddenly appear, Xiao Muqian felt a bit surprised, but with elders present, he couldn't say much.
Bai Siruo felt a little embarrassed. What kind of young lady sleeps so late, dozing off for most of the afternoon?
If her father found out, he would scold her again for being ill-mannered.
"Siruo greets Grandfather."
Bai Xiang was very doting towards this granddaughter.
Apart from the incident with Bai Sihan last time, he had hardly ever raised his voice at her.
"Have you eaten?"
"Not yet."
"Then it's perfect timing. The chicken soup wontons the kitchen made today are quite good. Don't you love wontons the most? Let them send some over for you."
"Thank you for your concern, Grandfather."
Not long after Bai Xiang finished speaking, the steaming chicken soup wontons were delivered.
"Alright, you eat slowly. I'll be going back now. As for Muqian, you should return soon to avoid the worry of the Kang Prince's mansion."
Although Bai Xiang didn't say it explicitly, both of them understood his meaning.
After all, they weren't married yet, and it wasn't appropriate for him to stay at the Bai mansion for so long.
Xiao Muqian immediately stood up, bowed, and said, "Prime Minister, please go slowly. I will return after Siruo finishes eating."
"Hmm."
Bai Xiang got up and left, not disturbing the two of them.
Haitang also wisely led the servants to wait outside, leaving only Bai Siruo and Xiao Muqian alone in the hall.
"Eat quickly, or it will get cold..."
Before Xiao Muqian could finish speaking, Bai Siruo rushed into his arms. If he hadn't been exercising regularly, he might have been knocked over.
"What's wrong?"
Bai Siruo couldn't express her current feelings. She just felt that holding onto the person in front of her was the right thing to do.
He had saved her twice and had never treated her coldly due to gossip, only silently guarding her side.
This sincere affection was independent of status or others, focusing solely on his love for her.
Bai Siruo felt the same way.
After a moment of silence, she looked up at Xiao Muqian. There was a faint blue mark on his chin, a trace left after shaving.
His eyes, like the most brilliant galaxy, shone brightly and sincerely at her.
Bai Siruo smiled, a very happy smile.
She no longer cared about what had happened in the past. She turned to Xiao Muqian and said,
"Hand in hand, grow old together."
Although Bai Siruo was not one to stand on ceremony, such direct expressions of love were rarely heard from her.
Xiao Muqian smiled in return.
Life is long, and finding someone to spend a lifetime with is truly a blessing.
The two under the moon were as sweet and simple as the steaming bowl of chicken soup wontons.
However, Liang Luo at the Prince Li's mansion was not having such a good time.
She always thought of not provoking the Ninth Prince or the other women in his harem, and living a peaceful life behind closed doors.
Who knew that one night, the Ninth Prince, possibly drunk, barged directly into her courtyard and caused a commotion.
In the end, he treated her like a rag doll and tossed her onto the bed before leaving without looking back.
When Jinxiu entered with her people, she saw clothes scattered everywhere, torn to shreds. Liang Luo, on the bed, stared blankly at the ceiling.
The crimson stain on the bed was so glaring.
"Miss..."
Jinxiu was on the verge of tears, completely unprepared for such a situation.
Liang Luo, on the other hand, remained silent, tears streaming down her face.
There were bruises on her lips and neck, not from passion, but clearly from being choked.
Liang Luo sat in the bathtub, her face flushed from the steam, yet she felt a chill in her heart.
The man she had longed to marry day and night was now like this.
The thought of spending the rest of her life in Prince Li's mansion filled her with unbearable sorrow.
Jinxiu, however, tried to comfort her, "Miss, it's alright. I'll apply some medicine for you later. It was sent by the young madam, and it's excellent for promoting blood circulation and dispelling bruises. You won't be able to tell when you pay your respects to the Princess tomorrow."
But Liang Luo heard nothing, her mind filled with disgust.
The thought of the Ninth Prince's guards harassing her, and then him coming to vent his anger on her, was more unbearable than death.
Yet now, she didn't even have the courage to cry.
"Go fetch some of my usual essential oils."
"Yes."
While Jinxiu was out, Liang Luo submerged her head in the water.
However, due to her body's instinct for survival, she eventually emerged from the water, gasping for breath.
She couldn't even manage to die, which was utterly laughable.
When Jinxiu returned, she saw water overflowing from the tub. Liang Luo's hair was completely wet, droplets dripping down her strands, making her look rather unkempt.
She wanted to step forward and comfort her, but didn't know how to best console her.
She could only turn her words into actions, gently drying Liang Luo's hair bit by bit.
Then, she said with heartache,
"Miss, if Madam knew you were like this, wallowing in despair, she would be saddened."
From Jinxiu's perspective, she had no idea what had happened. Her young lady had been overjoyed about her upcoming marriage, but after a serious illness, her disposition had completely changed.
Not only was she extremely resistant to marriage, but she also no longer cared about the mockery of others.
Was this still her former young lady?
Jinxiu didn't know.
Liang Luo, after her near-death experience, had also come to understand many things.
Since she couldn't escape this hellhole, she would strive for a brighter future.
The Ninth Prince was now merely a man to conceive a child with.
If she wanted a comfortable life in the future, she would have to rely on her son.
She picked up a cleansing cloth and slowly began to wipe herself, her spirit much improved compared to before.
"Where is the pregnancy-supporting medicine?"
"I have it safely stored. I've been giving it to Miss daily in the prescribed dosage these past few days."
"Bring another bowl."
"Yes!"
Liang Luo's eyes now lacked the past sorrow and doubt. At this point, if she didn't fight, the path ahead would be one of destruction.
She didn't want to die, nor did she want to lose.
It was simply that her husband had male favorites; if she didn't care, she could pretend not to see it.
She had grown a lot that night.
Unfortunately, this growth had no time to be rewarded, as everything turned to dust with the downfall of the Liang family.
Changlin Grand Princess's Mansion.
Wen Xinglu, having just finished attending to the Grand Princess, stood up and put on his robe.
The princess on the bed still looked alluring, showing no signs of her over thirty years, a testament to her excellent upkeep.
"The驸马 (consort) is truly skilled. This princess has been much more comfortable and happy these past few days."
Once a man is enlightened, especially an intelligent one, he naturally knows how to serve a woman.
Wen Xinglu was such a man.