In front of the Crown Prince, she could rely on his affection to be a little bolder.

But the Empress… if the Empress wanted to kill her, she probably wouldn’t even blink.

Huddled in his arms, Rongrong felt her death was imminent, feeling extremely uncomfortable and wanting to escape.

Yet no matter how she moved, she couldn’t escape his net.

“Be still. If you keep moving, there’ll be trouble,” the man’s voice carried a strange tone, as if he was eager to try something.

Rongrong was stunned.

Was he saying she was restless?

Clearly, he was holding her and not letting her move, yet he was blaming her for being restless.

She had no intention of moving closer to him.

However, his words made Rongrong afraid to move at all.

They were embracing tightly, and she could naturally feel his condition. At the moment, he was not “fired up,” and there were no special movements.

As long as she didn’t provoke him, she should be fine.

In her memories, he seemed never to be “unfired up.” It seemed that today he was truly exhausted; she had no idea what he had been up to.

How much debt did she owe him? Every time she encountered him, she was bullied into silence.

“Behave.”

Rongrong’s heart raced with his provocative words.

She looked up at him, only able to see half of his face from his chin upward.

His perfect jawline was impeccable even from such a strange angle.

She averted her gaze and huddled closer to him. Unlike him, she wasn’t using a pillow but was resting on his arm.

Now that she was calm, Rongrong realized she was resting on his right arm.

They say it takes a hundred days to heal from a broken bone, and it had only been thirty days.

Could she damage his arm by resting on it?

It shouldn’t be a problem. Even if she did cause any discomfort, it was his own fault. Good riddance! Rongrong thought with some bitterness and even turned her head slightly to see if he was in pain.

She pressed on the areas where he was injured, but he showed no reaction, remaining as still as a mountain.

Rongrong sighed and gave up resisting.

He must be really exhausted; he had been talking with his eyes closed the whole time.

Rongrong felt a lack of energy and thought, if he’s so tired, he should just rest properly instead of coming here to stir things up.

“What were you thinking about while you were sitting there just now?”

Rongrong was startled, thinking he was already asleep.

She didn’t expect him to ask her this question. “Nothing in particular. I had a cup of tea at night and couldn’t fall asleep. Since you’re tired, Your Highness, you should rest early.”

She couldn’t really explain what she had been thinking about—contemplating the Empress’s promises, Liang Muchen, Yuhua Palace.

Liang Muchen would surely move into Yuhua Palace in the future.

Where would she and Yuanbao move then? As long as she was with Yuanbao, she didn’t care where they went, but Yuanbao…

Yuanbao had lived in Yuhua Palace since he was young. If he had to move, she didn’t know how distressed he would be.

The Crown Prince gave a soft “mm” and slowly said, “No matter what Mother said to you, just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Rongrong was taken aback.

Did he know about the Empress questioning her this afternoon?

Did he know what the Empress had said to her?

He probably didn’t, as only Anru had been there serving at that time.

Could it be that he came to this room just to say this and reassure her?

The feelings in Rongrong’s heart became complicated again, mingling with a faint sweetness amidst the entanglement and bitterness.

She had never been a greedy person.

She felt very satisfied with the little bit of thought he gave her, but unfortunately…

Rongrong took a deep breath and said, “The Empress came to discuss Yuanbao’s entry into the jade registry. She said that the East Palace hasn’t hosted a banquet for a long time and asked me to take care of it. She will send a few wet nurses from the palace to help.”

The Crown Prince slightly opened his eyes, and his voice became a bit more serious. “Mother asked you to be responsible for organizing the banquet?”

“Yes.” Rongrong was grateful for the Empress’s arrangement.

Firstly, because this was a significant day for Yuanbao’s entry into the jade registry, she wanted to do something for him.

Secondly, Yuanbao had only had his father at his birthday parties before.

This time, he not only had his father but also her.

Although neither the Crown Prince nor Yuanbao knew about it, Rongrong had, in her heart, given Yuanbao a complete family.

“Understood. Go to sleep,” the Crown Prince said, closing his eyes again.

Sleep?

Was it really that simple to just sleep?

Last time at the farmhouse, they had slept together for a night, but that time he was unconscious with a fever and had no choice.

Rongrong had thought that the Crown Prince was just teasing her, that he would let go after taking advantage.

But now, he was holding her tightly and not moving at all. Did he really intend to hold her all night?

She was restless but dared not move, afraid she might provoke him.

Fortunately, after that remark, he indeed remained silent.

Rongrong felt his breathing gradually even out. She tentatively reached out and poked his chin but received no response.

Was he really asleep?

Rongrong was anxious.

If they slept like this tonight, what would happen tomorrow? Could he ensure that he wouldn’t act up tonight and every night? Would she even have a chance to live?

Rongrong’s thoughts were chaotic, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

That night, she had a long dream where she hadn’t drunk that bowl of bird’s nest and had delivered Yuanbao smoothly.

There was no Chen Jinru in the dream, only the Crown Prince and her, living sweetly and lovingly, growing up together with Yuanbao.

Rongrong woke up to the sensation of a fire.

Opening her eyes, she saw the Crown Prince’s sleeping face.

Men always “fire up” in the morning, but fortunately, he hadn’t woken up.

Rongrong lifted his arm; fortunately, after a night, his embrace wasn’t as tight.

She carefully lifted his left arm and wriggled out of his embrace.

Just as she sighed with relief, she met Yuanbao’s gaze.

Yuanbao must have woken up at some point. He was sitting on the pillow, looking dazed as if he had not fully woken up.

“Yuanbao…” Rongrong lowered her head, too embarrassed to face her son.

“Auntie, did Father hug you all night last night?” Yuanbao’s voice was soft, and despite its innocence, his words made Rongrong feel both embarrassed and furious.

Rongrong pulled the quilt over her face, unable to speak.

Yuanbao pouted, looking somewhat troubled. “Auntie, are you and Father going to have a little brother for me?”

Rongrong nearly choked on her breath.

Yuanbao was only four years old; where had he learned such things?

“Yuanbao, who told you these things…” Rongrong was unable to utter a word.

Yuanbao yawned. “Liu Yu said so. He said his father really likes Concubine Qin from the Wang family.

At night, they sleep hugging each other. Soon, Concubine Qin said she was going to have a little brother for Liu Yu.”

Liu Yu was the eldest son of Duke Gong.

When he was little, he had only been raised by the Wang family for a while.

Later, Concubine Qin came into the family, and the Wang family gave Liu Yu to her.

The Wang family feared that Liu Yu would be associated with the legitimate heir.

Concubine Qin was a secondary consort, and having more sons meant more support.

Liu Yu was treated well, always kept in the back of her own palace.

Rongrong hadn’t expected that Liu Yu and Yuanbao, being so young, would understand so much.

Recalling what the Crown Prince did beside her last time, Rongrong felt a bit embarrassed.

Yuanbao then said, “Auntie, please don’t have a little brother for me. I want a little sister, one as pretty as Lady Pingting from the Liang Kingdom.”

“Who is Pingting? Is she very beautiful?”

“Yes,” Yuanbao nodded, “but she’s not as pretty as you. If you and Father have my little sister, she would definitely be even prettier than Pingting.”

Rongrong tried hard to change the subject, but Yuanbao circled back to it.

“There’s no little brother or little sister. Last night, your father came back late and missed you so much that he slept here.”

Yuanbao was puzzled and asked, “If Father missed me, why didn’t he hold me while sleeping? Why did he hold Auntie instead?”

Rongrong was so embarrassed that she didn’t know how to respond.

She tried to distract Yuanbao, “How about I help you get up, and I’ll make your favorite crystal buns for breakfast.”

Yuanbao continued to frown and think, “Actually, having a little brother is okay as long as he’s not as naughty as Liu Lin. Otherwise, I won’t let him play with me.”

“Yuanbao, Auntie… Auntie won’t have a little brother or sister. Don’t think about it anymore.”

“Why? Auntie, you’re lying. You and Father slept together all night.”

“Just sleeping together doesn’t mean having a little brother or sister,” Rongrong quietly explained.

Yuanbao was very curious and wouldn’t let it go, “But Liu Yu said that Concubine Qin had a little brother because she slept with the Third Prince every night. Did he lie to me?”

“Liu Yu didn’t lie to you.” A voice floated out from behind Rongrong.

When did he wake up?

Before Rongrong could react, the Crown Prince said, “Just lying together isn’t enough; you need to do other things.”

“What other things?”

Rongrong’s mind was buzzing.

Was this person out of his mind?

Yuanbao was only four years old, and he was talking about these things to him. Rongrong felt both embarrassed and anxious.

She grabbed a nearby pillow and, turning around, hurled it at the Crown Prince’s head.

The Crown Prince’s reflexes were incredibly quick. He raised his hand and caught the pillow.

Rongrong stood up, stepped on him, jumped off the bed, and swiftly ran out of the bedchamber.

Though she was slender, being an adult, her step on him made the Crown Prince hiss in pain.

“Father, if you’re going to have little brothers or sisters, what else will you do?” Yuanbao crawled over from the pillow, lying beside the Crown Prince, and persistently asked.

The Crown Prince turned around and pinched Yuanbao’s nose.

“When you grow up and marry, your father will teach you. Wang An, take Yuanbao to get dressed.” Wang An stepped forward and picked up Yuanbao.

Once the bedchamber was empty, the Crown Prince pulled up the quilt and glanced at it, his mouth twitching severely.

After holding her all night and with the added heat this morning, it was burning even more than usual.

He’d better take a shower; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to cool down.