Cui Yu lowered his gaze to her slender, fair, soft hands that were tightly clasping his palm. The moment his fingertips twitched, Shen Yanshui noticed his gaze and quickly withdrew her hands, smiling brightly as she said, “This concubine lost her composure for a moment out of happiness just now. Your Highness mustn’t blame me~”
Cui Yu slowly curled his palm into a fist, the softness from before seeming to still linger on his palm and the back of his hand.
He glanced around the room, then turned his eyes back to her and asked, “What do you usually do during the day?”
Shen Yanshui hadn’t noticed his subtle movement, and upon hearing his question, she recounted her daily routine in detail.
To summarize: waking up in the morning, eating, practicing the Eight-Section Brocade twice to move her body, (cultivating), and strolling through the garden—an entire morning would pass this way.
Coming back for a nap and lunch, reading books or listening to storybooks, tending to the flowers and plants in the courtyard, pondering what to eat, and after eating, an entire afternoon would pass, followed by a walk to aid digestion, (cultivating), and sleep.
Aside from the cultivating, she told him everything honestly.
A perfect day, complete.
After listening, Cui Yu paused inexplicably for a moment. “So you’re… quite ‘busy’ every day.”
Listening to her simple, straightforward description somehow made one feel a sense of leisure and comfort—unhurried each day, living her small life earnestly.
Still, the Eight-Section Brocade was rather effective for building resistance to illness and strengthening the body. If practiced year-round, combined with activities like cuju and polo, it wasn’t so strange that she had such a healthy constitution.
Shen Yanshui happened to know that the Great Yong dynasty also had the Eight-Section Brocade, which was why she’d mentioned it.
Listening to his words, she deliberately put on a show of pondering for a moment, then nodded seriously at him: “Mm, indeed quite busy.”
Busy cultivating, busy planting flowers and melons, busy sleeping, busy eating delicious food, and also busy enjoying this kind of small life where she never had to worry about food or drink, with no one pointing fingers or ordering her around.
Cui Yu suddenly raised his hand and flicked her forehead with a bent finger, saying flatly, “Looking at you, I’d say you’re too idle.”
Shen Yanshui covered her forehead with one hand, her tone accusatory: “Ow~”
The attendants serving inside the room were sharp enough to withdraw far away at once.
Shen Yanshui let go of her hand, and Cui Yu saw that her originally fair, lustrous forehead had turned red in a small patch. He was stunned for a moment—he hadn’t even used any force. Who knew her skin was so delicate? Mm… and not just her forehead, it seemed like everywhere else was just as fragile, turning red at the slightest touch…
His gaze deepened slightly for a moment before he finally looked away from her, casually picking up a book that had been left on the couch, his voice slightly lowered: “What book is this?” No sooner had he spoken than a small colorful object fell out from between the pages.
Cui Yu reached out and picked it up, glancing sideways at her. “This is… a lucky knot? For me?” His voice sounded very flat, giving away no hint of emotion.
Shen Yanshui was stunned for only a moment before nodding with a perfectly natural expression, “Yes! In a few days it’ll be the Dragon Boat Festival. This concubine wove this especially for Your Highness. A lucky knot woven from five-colored thread can ward off evil spirits and bless you with safety and smooth sailing in all things. I just didn’t expect you’d see it today.”
She didn’t mention at all that this was something she’d tied just to practice on her own—and that because she wasn’t skilled yet at the start, she’d tied it a bit too loose and too large.
Standing at the doorway, Chunping’s head lowered even further upon hearing this.
Cui Yu looked over the roughly finger-width lucky knot woven from five-colored thread in a concentric pattern, then casually set it down on the side table, seeming not to think much of it.
Shen Yanshui didn’t mind either—something she’d tied for fun as a beginner, how could it possibly catch the eye of someone who’d seen who knew how many fine things in his life?
The two chatted idly as they went out for a walk to aid digestion. Cui Yu thought she might bring up, directly or indirectly, the matter of going to Jinling Pond for the Dragon Boat Festival, but to his surprise, throughout the entire walk, she didn’t mention it even once.
After the two bathed and changed, everyone else withdrew, leaving only a single lamp by the bedside flickering in the night wind.
Tonight, Shen Yanshui was unusually enthusiastic.
Wasn’t she supposed to be too idle? And yet here she was, pulling night duty—though admittedly, it was a duty she was more than happy to perform. But how could he say she was too idle?
Looking at the sturdy physique covering her, Shen Yanshui couldn’t help herself—and didn’t need to hold back—reaching up to touch him, watching the changes in the man’s eyes and expression, she couldn’t help but tease him even more. Black Lotus Reading | black lotus novel
Cui Yu’s eyes suddenly darkened, and the next moment Shen Yanshui was jolted so hard her head nearly hit the bedpost, saved just in time by being pulled back.
Though her stamina was more than sufficient, staying in one position the whole time wasn’t comfortable either…
When her head was knocked against the soft pillow propped against the headboard a second time, her breathing slightly ragged, her voice trembling as if wronged, she said softly: “Your Highness, this concubine’s head hurts from hitting it…”
Cui Yu’s movements paused slightly.
His hands shifted position on her body, and just as he grasped her ankle, Shen Yanshui lifted her leg, her rounded toes lightly pressing against his firm shoulder, and said in a faintly aggrieved, soft voice: “My back is sore too.”
Cui Yu’s hands stilled for a moment, his gaze deep and heavy, his voice tight, low, and slightly hoarse: “…Delicate.”
Then, without waiting for her to say anything else, he sat up and lifted her entirely into his arms.
Startled, Shen Yanshui instinctively wrapped her legs around his lean, powerful waist, her slender, gracefully curved arms tightening around his neck.
Cui Yu’s breath caught sharply, feeling his face sink into a soft expanse of warmth.
Shen Yanshui: “…” Her jade-fair cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.
Standing outside, Chunping listened with a flushed face and racing heart to the faint, muffled sounds coming from inside the room, occasionally punctuated by a soft creaking noise, which left her worried for quite a while.
But before long, the occasional faint creaking stopped, and the room seemed to fall silent—yet no call for water came either, leaving her rather puzzled.
Shen Yanshui discovered that this Crown Prince, who appeared cool, aloof, and refined like polished jade on the surface, actually had considerable strength in his arms—far more than she’d expected. Holding her through all that exertion, he didn’t seem the least bit tired.
A rather different flavor to it…
The next morning, when Shen Yanshui woke and opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a face of extraordinary, refined handsomeness.
She thought for a moment and finally recalled—today seemed to be a rest day?
But then, why was she in his bedding? Every other time before, after they finished, the two of them would clean up briefly and each cover themselves with their own blankets. She thought that was quite nice—covering herself with her own blanket was so much more comfortable. But now… there was a large hand resting on her chest, no wonder she felt a bit weighed down.
She wanted to shift position, but the moment she moved, Cui Yu opened his eyes.
His palm moved unconsciously, and a soft, enticing hum sounded by his ear, at which point Cui Yu finally woke up completely.
Shen Yanshui’s peach-blossom eyes gazed at him, her tone languid: “Your Highness, your hand is so heavy…” Seeing his faintly uncomfortable expression, she couldn’t help but smile inwardly, and before he could say anything, added: “Your Highness, this concubine is a little hungry.”
Composed and unbothered, Cui Yu withdrew his hand, gave a low acknowledgment, then threw back the covers and rose, circling around the screen to call Zheng Yuande in to attend to him.
Separated by a faintly translucent screen, Shen Yanshui watched from behind as sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating half his back and body. Under the pale golden light, the lines of muscle along his arms stood out even more clearly.
As he dressed, the muscles along his back rippled and shifted smoothly, only now his once-flawless back bore several faint, thin red marks, as if scratched there by accident from fingernails—adding an inexplicable touch of disheveled sensuality.
The next moment, a white undergarment covered his body. Only then did she rise, throw on an outer robe, casually tie a sash around her waist, and step forward with a soft, smiling voice: “Your Highness, allow this concubine to help you dress.”
Zheng Yuande hurriedly lowered his head and presented the outer robe to His Highness, then withdrew a short distance.
Cui Yu lowered his eyes slightly, saying nothing for a moment as he looked at her attire.
Shen Yanshui recalled the steps the nannies had taught her back at Chuxiu Palace, dressing him slowly, one step at a time. At the end, the leather belt at his waist proved a bit difficult to fasten—she bent over, head lowered, fumbling somewhat clumsily until she finally managed to tie it.
Fortunately, no one rushed her.
Feeling rather accomplished, she said, “There we go.” She smiled and had just looked up when she saw the Crown Prince had turned his head and was staring at the bamboo branch on the incense stand nearby, as if a flower had somehow bloomed from it.
Cui Yu kept his expression stern, gave a low “Mm,” and turned to walk out.
Shen Yanshui watched his back as he left. Then, without meaning to, she noticed his gaze had suddenly landed on the crimson tips of his own ears. Puzzled for a moment, she suddenly glanced down at herself.
Since the sash had been tied hastily, her collar was somewhat loose, and underneath she hadn’t even put on a dudou… Thinking back to his expression from just now, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and surprise. | BLACK LOTUS Novel Site | Black Lotus Novel
The Crown Prince… surely he hadn’t just glanced at her and gotten embarrassed enough for his ears to turn red?
And here he’d had his hands roaming freely the moment he woke up.
Still, even as she thought this, she couldn’t help but feel that a Crown Prince with a cold face and red ears was actually rather interesting.
