Chapter 19 – Are You Free Tonight?

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Passing through Xihua Gate, the carriage slowly entered the imperial palace and arrived at the entrance of Shoukang Palace.

Xuyang pulled Juchen’s hand and sternly ordered her to wait at the gate. She said after greeting the Empress Dowager, she would come out to take Juchen to dinner. They’d also sleep together tonight and chat through the night by candlelight.

“Don’t go anywhere. Wait for me to come back! I have to complain to you about what I’ve been through in the Southern Borders. I couldn’t say it clearly in letters—it’s been suffocating me for months!”

Juchen smiled and agreed. Just then, a cool breeze swept through, and the girl’s flowing robes fluttered gently.

She hadn’t noticed it in the carriage, but standing under the eaves now, she suddenly felt the chill of the northern rain. Seeing Juchen wearing only a skirt, Xuyang frowned and immediately turned to Yuan Zheng with a cough.

The three of them had grown up together. Of course Yuan Zheng knew what she meant. He chuckled and sighed, then obediently removed his cloak and draped it over Juchen’s shoulders.

Song Mi, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes slightly.

Lu Feng had returned to the capital earlier than Song Mi and was now rushing over from the other side of the imperial city road to enter the palace together.

As he approached, he patted Song Mi on the shoulder and rolled his eyes. “Your precious ‘Little White’ already ran back to your residence. You told it to take me back first, but as soon as we reached the city gates, it threw me off and wouldn’t spend another second with me. That horse’s bad temper? Entirely your fault.”

Though Juchen hadn’t spoken to Song Mi the entire trip, her ears were keenly listening. Upon hearing Lu Feng’s words, a realization dawned—no wonder Song Mi didn’t ride his white horse back today. She’d been waiting all morning to spot him by that unique horse. Had she not figured it out, she might have missed him altogether.

Song Mi offered a half-hearted excuse for the horse: “Maybe it just needed to relieve itself.”

Lu Feng sneered, too tired to even argue. Seeing that Song Mi’s sleeves were wet, he frowned and asked, “Why didn’t you wear that water-resistant cloak of yours?”

A brief pause. “Didn’t feel like it,” Song Mi replied.

At that moment, Xuyang and Yuan Zheng stepped into the palace.

Xuyang instinctively turned back—and for some reason, she saw Juchen standing at the gate in a daze, her dark eyes flashing with a deeply hidden disappointment.

As Song Mi walked past Juchen, his gaze flicked to her thin shoulders, then to the cloak another man had placed there.

Still turned around, Xuyang might have noticed, so Juchen quickly looked down and stepped aside to let them pass.

Noticing Xuyang’s gaze lingering at the gate, Yuan Zheng also looked back.

Song Mi followed Juchen’s earlier line of sight—and met Yuan Zheng’s eyes directly.

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The rain hadn’t stopped. Thunder rumbled in the distance as Juchen waited under the palace eaves.

When Xuyang came out from the main hall, she eagerly ran toward her. Juchen smiled, picked up an umbrella, and took a few steps forward—when a familiar image suddenly flashed in her mind.

In her past life, the last time she saw Xuyang was also on a rainy day like this.

She had stood outside the Dali Temple prison with an umbrella. When Xuyang was led out, Juchen rushed up to shield her from the rain.

Xuyang’s vacant gaze floated for a moment before focusing on her. Her lips moved, tears mixing with the endless rain: “Where’s Yuan Zheng?”

Juchen opened her mouth. Her eyes reddened. “Ranran…”

Xuyang’s face turned ghostly pale. The light in her eyes dimmed completely. After staring at her for a while, she shoved her away angrily. “You just let him go die like that?”

The umbrella fell to the ground. Juchen stumbled backward. Lightning split the sky into jagged cracks. Thunder roared. Rain pounded down, mixing with their silent tears.

Xuyang stared at her coldly for a long time, then resolutely removed the violet jade bracelet she had worn for years and smashed it at her feet.

Clang! The sound of the jade shattering was buried beneath the thunder. It broke into several pieces.

The dampness soaked through her clothes—and into her heart.

Back in the present—at Shoukang Palace, Xuyang clung to Juchen’s arm, her warm palms pulling her out of her past life.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

Juchen shivered, pain flashing in her eyes. She instinctively looked at Yuan Zheng, who had just come out behind Xuyang. His lips naturally curved into a cheerful smile, just like he had before he died—dressed in white armor, turning back from his horse to smile firmly at her: “Thank you, A-Chen.”

Song Mi came out last. His eyes landed on Juchen, who was staring blankly at Yuan Zheng. Her small face was filled with a subtle loneliness.

“A-Chen? Why are you ignoring me?” Xuyang shook her arm.

Juchen came back to her senses, gently squeezed Xuyang’s hand, and shook her head with a smile.

Xuyang felt her grip was stronger than usual, like she was holding onto something precious. She figured maybe it was just because they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

She immediately grinned and buried her face in Juchen’s neck.

Juchen patted her head. Seeing the group was leaving, her gaze couldn’t help but search for that other tall figure.

But in the blink of an eye, Song Mi had already walked away down the corridor—without even saying goodbye.

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That afternoon, the rain finally stopped. A summer breeze scattered the clouds over Eastern Capital, and stars dotted the night sky.

Inside a soft silk canopy, Xuyang ranted to Juchen about her demanding mother-in-law—strict with her, lenient with herself.

“She sleeps in, but I’m not allowed to go to bed late. Makes me cook soup for Yuan Zheng with my own hands even though there are servants. Won’t buy new clothes when his tear, makes me mend them. And always compares me to his cousin, saying how gentle and kind she is—if she’s that great, Yuan Zheng should just marry her!”

Juchen leaned against the pillow, holding her hand, smiling as she listened.

“You’re still smiling? I’m furious!” Xuyang yelled, tickling her under the arms.

Juchen laughed and pleaded, “I’m just happy to be talking with you like this again.”

“I don’t believe you!” Xuyang tickled her harder.

Juchen was very ticklish. She couldn’t take it and finally laughed her way out of the bed.

The two chased each other playfully, eventually ending up in the imperial garden.

Juchen ducked behind a rockery, planning to surprise Xuyang. But when she peeked around the corner, she saw a tall figure sitting by the stone table near the pond—holding a bottle of aged wine, looking up at her.

Startled, she stood up straight, brows furrowed.

Several empty wine jars lay by his feet, their white porcelain reflecting eerie green light in the pond’s ripples.

Xuyang caught up and hugged Juchen’s waist—then also froze when she saw who it was.

“Uncle!” she exclaimed.

Song Mi nodded slightly, his expression unreadable. His deep eyes were black as ink in the night.

Making noise in the palace at night—it wasn’t proper. Xuyang nervously exchanged a few words with him. Seeing he didn’t scold them, she quickly dragged Juchen away.

On the way back, Xuyang smiled. “I used to think Uncle was hard to approach, but now he’s not so bad.”

Earlier, Song Mi had even subtly spoken up for her in front of the Empress Dowager.

“My twentieth birthday is coming up. Maybe I’ll send him an invitation and see if he comes. If he does, I’ll really have some face!”

She turned around—only to see Juchen still silent.

“Ranran…” Juchen bit her lip, clenching her fists. “I left something behind.”

“What was it?” Xuyang asked, wanting to go with her.

But Juchen stopped her. “You go bathe first. I’ll go look!”

She ran all the way back—straight to Song Mi.

First, she grabbed the wine bottle from his hand. Then, with stern concern, scolded him for drinking after days of travel. “You should be resting.”

She reached out to pull him up.

Song Mi raised an eyebrow at her, but his mind flashed back to how she stared at Yuan Zheng earlier. Wasn’t her heart with someone else? Why was she bothering with him now? Only when Yuan Zheng wasn’t around did she notice him?

His gaze darkened. “Lady Li’s duties extend this far?”

Juchen froze. Looking at his cold face, she realized she had no right to care for him like this.

She just couldn’t help it.

But she never expected her concern to be seen as overstepping.

Looking down, she softly said, “This official was only worried for your health. Even the Empress Dowager would want you to rest well.”

Though she tried to control her emotions, a tinge of grievance leaked into her voice.

Song Mi clutched his chest, the bitterness in his eyes fading. How could he not miss her after all this time?

He let out a bitter laugh, stood up, and said, “Fine, I’ll go.”

As he turned to leave, she tugged his sleeve.

“Are you free tomorrow night?”

He paused. “Didn’t you tell me to rest?”

She blanked—then blushed. “Not for that…”

“Then what do you want to do?” Song Mi asked with a teasing smile, his gaze locking onto her face.

She clenched her fists, embarrassed by his stare, and retorted, “You’re not that weak, are you?”

The smile froze on his lips. After a short silence, he chuckled coldly.

But in the end… he agreed.