Chapter 45

When Xie Qingya suddenly carried Xu Duanyi in his arms,

She couldn’t hold back a gasp of surprise that slipped from her throat.

Her already dizzy head spun even more as if the entire world were swirling around her.

Reacting quickly,

Instinctively, Xu Duanyi’s hands clung to Xie Qingya’s neck almost immediately, pulling the distance between them even closer.

Caught off guard, Xie Qingya was forced to lower his head toward her face.

Their eyes locked.

Their breaths mingled.

They were so close that if Xie Qingya leaned in just a bit more, he could have kissed her rosy lips.

An ambiguous, intimate distance.

Yet, Xu Duanyi’s eyes remained dazed, childlike and confused.

Her innocent expression only made Xie Qingya’s suddenly racing heart feel all the more awkward.

He held his breath, feeling flustered, and turned his head away in annoyance,

Avoiding her dark, grape-like eyes.

He adjusted his posture, holding her closer to avoid repeating the same embarrassing position as before.

Even though he created more space between them,

The warmth of her fingertips still burned against the back of his neck.

The closeness was unsettling.

Xie Qingya looked uncomfortable, perhaps even awkward.

He had never been this close to anyone before.

The last time something like this happened, she had sleepwalked directly into his arms.

And now, just like then, she remained oblivious, staring at him with wide, innocent eyes, completely unaware of the trouble she caused.

Xie Qingya clenched his teeth in frustration.

He thought of calling her name sternly to scare her awake,

But before he could speak,

She beat him to it.

“… So magical,”

She whispered like a dreamer, her gaze still hazy and unfocused.

—A one-drink lightweight.

Xie Qingya silently grumbled in his heart as he looked at her.

Despite his inner complaints, he still responded politely to the little drunkard before him.

“What’s magical?”

Perhaps even he didn’t realize how relaxed his tone had become,

A rare smile playing at the corners of his lips.

There was no one else here,

No schemes, no enmity.

Only the two of them.

Though she was drunk, that very fact allowed him to be at ease with her—

No need for pretenses, no need to think of anything else.

Yet the soft curve of his mouth froze when she spoke again.

“… I’ve never dreamed like this before,”

She murmured, releasing one hand from his neck to let it fall near his face.

Her fingers hovered as if wanting to touch him, but hesitation held her back.

Under the flickering lamplight,

Xie Qingya stood holding her,

His earlier smile entirely gone.

He lowered his gaze, his voice turning hoarse without him realizing it.

“… What kind of dreams did you have before?”

Xu Duanyi didn’t answer.

She simply stared at him, then shook her head, curling into his arms like a little quail, refusing to speak.

But how could Xie Qingya not understand?

Her usual cautiousness and unease around him spoke volumes about how she must have seen him in her dreams.

“Xu Duanyi…”

He called her name, his voice raspy.

She stared at him, waiting as if expecting him to continue.

But words failed him.

Finally, he just gazed into her eyes and softly said,

“Close your eyes. Sleep. I’ll take you home.”

Xu Duanyi blinked at him,

Reluctant to close her eyes.

This Xie Qingya was even gentler than the one from that night. She wanted to keep watching him,

Afraid that if she blinked,

This version of him would vanish forever.

But she always listened to him.

Despite her hesitation, under his watchful gaze, she nodded obediently and whispered, “Okay.”

Then she really closed her eyes.

So well-behaved.

Even in her dreams, she wouldn’t dare ask too much from him.

She followed his words without question.

Xie Qingya stood silently, watching her for a long time.

Countless emotions swirled in his eyes.

The room remained quiet.

Xu Duanyi must have been truly exhausted that day.

Though she hadn’t wanted to sleep, once she was cradled in his arms, she drifted off before long.

Her steady breathing filled the space.

Xie Qingya continued to watch her, unmoving, until voices came from outside—

Lingji and Bixi had returned.

Lingji, having waited too long without seeing them emerge, came back to check if something had gone wrong or if they needed help.

Bixi stopped him outside, refusing to let him enter.

At this point, the two of them were talking outside.

Xie Qingya finally collected his thoughts, lowered his eyes, and carried Xu Duanyi out.

The two talking outside…

Ling Ji was facing the main door. When it opened, he saw his master carrying the princess out.

Naturally, he greeted his master first.

Seeing them in this state, he didn’t overthink it.

Bixi also turned her head at this moment.

When she saw her mistress in the arms of the Prince of Nan’an, eyes closed and seemingly unconscious, she grew tense and hurriedly took a step forward.

Before she could ask what happened, Xie Qingya lowered his voice and said, “She’s fine, just asleep.”

Hearing this, Bixi finally let out a sigh of relief.

Without paying further attention to her, Xie Qingya instructed Bixi to carry a lantern and ordered Ling Ji to clear the path ahead.

He did not want unnecessary people to witness tonight’s events.

With Ling Ji handling things, Xie Qingya carried Xu Duanyi through the grounds without encountering anyone.

The servants of the Liu residence had been instructed to stay out of sight.

They did not know why such prominent figures requested this, but considering one was the Prince of Nan’an and the other the beloved Jia Shun Princess of the Empress Dowager, they dared not defy them.

Everyone feared seeing what they should not see and hid well away.

Xie Qingya thus carried Xu Duanyi unimpeded, placing her carefully inside his carriage.

This carriage was the one he usually used. It wasn’t as luxurious as Xu Duanyi’s but was adequately furnished.

He fetched a soft pillow and placed it behind her waist to make her more comfortable.

But since she was sleeping, there was still a concern. The road back wasn’t treacherous, but the journey wasn’t entirely smooth.

With no one to support her, she might slide down.

Unless someone held her in place.

Xie Qingya remained silent, contemplating. He could do it, of course, but he worried she might wake halfway, and then things would be even harder to explain.

“Your Highness, shall we leave now?”

Lingji’s voice came from outside the carriage.

Lingji and Bixi were both waiting, having yet to board.

Xie Qingya gave Xu Duanyi one last glance before lifting the curtain and stepping out.

Seeing him exit so suddenly, Lingji and Bixi were puzzled.

“Your Highness, is there a problem?” Lingji asked.

Instead of answering, Xie Qingya looked at Bixi. “You go in and take care of her.”

Bixi did not question this. She had already worried about whether His Highness could tend to her mistress properly. Now that he had stepped down, she quickly bowed to Xie Qingya and climbed aboard with her lantern.

She assumed the prince would follow, as the carriage had enough space for three.

But even after the carriage began moving, she realized he had no intention of staying.

It dawned on her that he had never planned to remain inside.

Watching her mistress still fast asleep, Bixi frowned deeply, casting her gaze at the lowered curtain as though wishing she could burn a hole through it to see the Prince of Nan’an’s expression.

If he didn’t care for her mistress, why had he rushed from the palace? But if he did…

What was he thinking? What would her mistress feel upon waking? What impression would others have?

Bixi couldn’t understand. Anger surged within her.

Her mistress had risked everything by stepping into the Nan’an Palace for him. Despite knowing how precarious things were, she had sacrificed much for his sake. Yet the Prince remained oblivious.

Had it not been for fear of upsetting her mistress, Bixi would have confronted him and demanded to know: What exactly is she to you? Why can’t you treat her better?

Frustration boiled in her, her face flushed with anger.

Yet she could not see past the curtain to Xie Qingya’s somber expression.

Suppressing her temper, Bixi sat quietly by her mistress, making sure she remained steady despite any jostling along the way.

Thankfully, the journey went smoothly.

Night had fallen, and the streets were quiet.

But as they neared the palace, a new worry emerged for both Bixi and Xie Qingya.

Xu Duanyi was still asleep.

How would they move her to her chambers?

Bixi feared the Prince of Nan’an would refuse to carry her inside.

Xie Qingya, meanwhile, looked down at his hands, the very ones that had held her.

The warmth had long since faded, but he could still feel her presence vividly.

At this moment,

Xu Duanyi unexpectedly woke up first.

Xie Qingya heard a voice behind him, starting with Bixi’s ecstatic exclamation:
“Master, you’re awake!”

Immediately after, a familiar voice reached his ears.

“…What happened to me?”

The moment Xie Qingya heard Xu Duanyi’s voice, he immediately turned around, instinctively reaching forward as if to lift the curtain of the carriage.

But soon—

Xie Qingya’s hand hovered mid-air, his movements halting.

In the end, he did nothing.

The lantern hanging outside the carriage cast its light on Xie Qingya’s figure, but it could not illuminate his lowered face or reveal his current expression.

He remained silent.

Finally, it was Lingji who broke the silence:
“Master, the princess has awakened.”

Lingji’s voice was not particularly quiet.

Although there was some distance between them, it was enough for Xu Duanyi to hear.

“Is that… Lingji?”

Inside the carriage, Xu Duanyi’s voice carried a tone of uncertainty.

Bixi had yet to respond when Lingji smiled and raised his voice, answering cheerfully:
“Princess, it is I!”

Xu Duanyi had just awakened, her mind still muddled.

The events after she became drunk earlier were now a blur in her memory.

Hearing Lingji’s voice, fragments of memory began to resurface in her mind.

Suddenly, she recalled seeing Xie Qingya just now…

But she had thought—

…That it was only a dream, not reality.

She glanced at Bixi, silently asking if Xie Qingya was outside.

Wanting to confirm whether what she had seen earlier was a dream or reality.

When Bixi nodded in response,

Xu Duanyi immediately felt her head begin to ache again.

Her fingers resting against her temples trembled slightly, and even her lips twitched involuntarily several times.

From childhood to now,

This was the first time Xu Duanyi experienced the emotion of “wanting to disappear from sheer embarrassment.”

She thought of how she had hugged Xie Qingya just moments ago.

Though much of it was hazy and unclear,

She couldn’t recall what he had done.

But clearly, she must have offended him tonight.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sitting outside.

Even with her usual cleverness, Xu Duanyi now had no idea what to do.

She had always been at a loss around Xie Qingya.

—-

On normal days, even without doing anything, merely seeing him left her nervous and flustered.

Let alone a moment like this.

She didn’t know how to face him, didn’t know what to say. If she could, she would have found a hole to crawl into and avoid him entirely.

But unfortunately,

There was no hole to hide in here.

And she couldn’t run away.

The silence outside remained, with no sound from Xie Qingya throughout. Yet Xu Duanyi, of course, couldn’t just pretend nothing had happened.

Xie Qingya’s willingness to let it go reflected his magnanimity.

But she couldn’t, in good conscience, accept his kindness as if it were natural.

Especially considering that her earlier behavior was far too forward…

Recalling how she had impulsively embraced him, Xu Duanyi was overcome with shame and self-reproach.

Could it be that dream from that night had influenced her?

Was that why she had suddenly become so bold, daring to embrace him like that?

She would never have dared to do so before.

She couldn’t figure it out.

But now, no amount of reasoning would change the past.

Emotions churned within Xu Duanyi, her face burning bright red.

Until she overheard Lingji muttering under his breath:
“Why is the princess so quiet? Could she have fainted again?”

Xie Qingya was already annoyed.

Hearing his personal guard say this only worsened his irritation.

He wished Xu Duanyi would remain silent.

The situation was awkward enough, and he wondered how much of what happened earlier she still remembered.

He hoped she had forgotten everything.

Just as he was about to glare at Lingji to make him shut up, he suddenly heard movement behind him.

—Someone had lifted the carriage curtain.

Xie Qingya stiffened, his hand resting on his knee tightening reflexively.

Without turning his head,

He already knew who stood behind him.

“…Your Highness.”

He heard Xu Duanyi’s hesitant voice from behind.

Xie Qingya clenched his fist and closed his eyes, suppressing the emotions that surged within him.

He didn’t turn around, nor did he open his eyes.

His voice, cold and deliberately composed under his nervousness, asked:
“What is it?”

Upon hearing his voice, Xu Duanyi grew even more unsure of what to say. She clutched her hands nervously on her lap.

From her angle,

She could only see Xie Qingya’s upright back, not his face.

She couldn’t tell what expression he wore, and this made her even more uneasy.

But if she could see his face now, meeting his gaze directly,

She would likely be even more flustered and at a loss.

This was better, in a way.

Grasping the hem of her dress, she quietly and sincerely apologized to his back:
“Your Highness, I was drunk earlier. If I offended you in any way, please accept my apology.”

Xie Qingya waited until she finished speaking before replying, “It’s fine.”

Hearing the tension and unease in her voice, Xie Qingya’s thin lips pressed into a line. Finally, he softened his tone, no longer sounding as cold as before.

“I know you were drunk. I’m… not angry with you.”

There was nothing more he could say—he didn’t know what else to add.

Xu Duanyi, for a moment, didn’t know what to say either.

Even though Xie Qingya claimed he wasn’t upset, guilt and regret still weighed heavily on her heart.

Thinking about how he had been resting peacefully at home, only to be forced to come out and fetch her, making the trip back and forth—and then being subjected to such impropriety from her—she couldn’t even begin to imagine how he felt at this moment.

All she could do was silently hope they would reach the Wangfu soon.

At least that would be better than sitting stiffly in the carriage like this.

It was truly uncomfortable.

Fortunately, her prayers were answered. Turning down a street, the familiar Crescent Alley came into view.

Seeing the familiar surroundings, Xu Duanyi let out a breath of relief.

Since Xie Qingya was sitting outside, it would be rude to lower the carriage curtain directly. After a long hesitation, Xu Duanyi finally apologized again, “I’m sorry for troubling you tonight, Your Highness.”

She didn’t need to guess—she already knew.

It must have been because of Aunt Deng again.

She couldn’t do anything about Aunt Deng, let alone Xie Qingya, who had been under her care since childhood.

He was always respectful to his elders.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t yield to Aunt Deng’s wishes so readily every time she spoke a few words.

Xu Duanyi didn’t know how to ask Aunt Deng to stop troubling Xie Qingya.

She had tried, but it was no use. Aunt Deng, with her heart set on seeing them live harmoniously like other couples, would always find ways to push them together.

How could a few words from her change that?

Looking at Xie Qingya’s back, Xu Duanyi quietly promised, “Tonight was a special case. I won’t stay out so late in the future. Even if something comes up, I’ll send someone home to inform you so the household doesn’t worry, and I won’t trouble Your Highness to make such tiring trips on my behalf again.”

She truly didn’t want to trouble him.

Yet, to Xie Qingya, every word felt like she was drawing boundaries between them.

Though he understood her reasons and knew it was only right, his heart still sank, heavier and heavier.

At this moment, he felt even worse than before.

Frowning, Xie Qingya finally opened his eyes.

He stared into the dark, empty alley ahead. After a long while, he lowered his gaze and responded softly with a hum.

In the quiet of the night, his voice wasn’t loud, but Xu Duanyi heard it clearly.

She exhaled a breath of relief.

A moment passed.

Just when she thought he wouldn’t say anything else, his voice came again, “Xu Duanyi, don’t drink anymore when you’re out.”

Hearing this, her cheeks flushed red again, filled with embarrassment.

“Alright,” she agreed without hesitation.

Tonight had been an accident.

In the past, she only sipped fruit wine at banquets and never got drunk.

After tonight, she had learned her lesson.

Feeling deeply embarrassed and remorseful, she certainly wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

While they spoke, the carriage arrived at the Wangfu.

The carriage drove straight to the screen wall.

At this late hour, only the gatekeepers were on duty. The other servants had already retired.

Seeing them return, the servants quickly greeted them.

Lingji waved them off, indicating they didn’t need to follow. He drove the carriage to park by the screen wall.

When the carriage came to a stop, Xie Qingya was the first to alight.

He didn’t leave immediately but instead watched Xu Duanyi carefully as Bixi helped her down, worried that she might still be intoxicated.

However, Xu Duanyi was now perfectly sober.

Even if she had been unclear before, the series of events had frightened her into full clarity.

Noticing his gaze, she felt even more self-conscious.

She lowered her eyes, withdrew her hand from Bixi’s arm, and addressed him, “It’s late, and you have official duties at the courthouse tomorrow. Please go rest. I’ll return to my quarters.”

Her words made it clear she wanted him to leave first.

Seeing she was fully sober, Xie Qingya said no more.

He gave her a long look, murmured a soft acknowledgment, and turned to leave.

“Your Highness, I’ll take my leave too,” Lingji called after her before hurrying after Xie Qingya.

“Your Highness, wait for me!”

Xu Duanyi could hear his voice and footsteps fading away.

Only when they disappeared completely did she finally breathe out, lifting her head.

The master and servant pair were long gone.

Still, she lingered for a while, only turning to Bixi after ensuring Xie Qingya was out of sight. “Let’s go.”

As they walked, she glanced at Bixi. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”

Thinking of her behavior in front of Xie Qingya tonight made her head throb.

“Milady…”

Bixi hesitated, unsure how to explain.

How could she tell her mistress that she had let her sleep because she felt sorry for her and had stayed outside to keep watch?

She wondered if their relationship would improve significantly after this.

However, the attitude of the Prince of Nan’an made her feel a bit regretful.

She thought it might have been better to wake the master up earlier.

Lowering her head, she truly didn’t know what to say.

Fortunately, Xu Duanyi’s mind was a chaotic mess at the moment, so she didn’t notice Bixi’s unusual behavior. Seeing her mumbling awkwardly, Xu Duanyi simply pressed her temples, sighed, and said, “Alright, let’s just go back.”

That night.

Neither Xu Duanyi nor Xiè Qingya slept well.