When Yuchi Li returned, Liu Luoyi had already tidied up the room. She supported her forehead in her head, her eyes heavy lidded as she looked off into the distance.
Yuchi Li padded over softly. She saw that Liu Luoyi had left her the food and a cup of hot tea, and she felt warmth flow through her heart. She bent at the waist, wanting to draw closer and see her sleepy appearance.
Just then, Liu Luoyi’s hand slipped. Her head dipped and Yuchi Li, not moving, just caught Liu Luoyi on her shoulder. Their cheeks pressed together.
Yuchi Li’s smile became more dissolute. She reached out and hooked Liu Luoyi’s jaw with her hand, whispering: “If you don’t wake up, I’ll take you to bed?”
Liu Luoyi immediately opened her eyes, pushed Yuchi Li away, and sat up, her cheeks pink. As it happens, she had woken up when her forehead made contact with Yuchi Li, but she still wanted to lean there for a while longer.
The warmth of Yuchi Li’s shoulder made her unwilling to separate.
“If you want to lean against me, just say so. My shoulder is for you only.” Yuchi closed in again, beaming. She stooped to look at Liu Luoyi, her eyes curving as she smiled, making Liu Luoyi’s heart thump in her chest.
“I didn’t.” Liu Luoyi was obstinate. Facing Yuchi Li’s forthright consideration was really quite embarrassing for her.
Yuchi Li was already amused, but she coughed twice and retracted her smile, lest she anger Liu Luoyi. She sat down beside her, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating things at random.
She truly was hungry and tired, so in no time, all of the food on the table had been picked clean. The flavors from the Northern Territory were very different from those of the Yan Kingdom, but because she was starving, she did not care so much about it and wolfed down the food without actually tasting any of it.
Liu Luoyi hurriedly passed her a cup of tea. Yuchi Li took a sip, then leaned against Liu Luoyi, her body now more comfortable.
“Princess, you should change your clothes first, then take a bath and have a rest. You’ve been busy for so long; you didn’t get any sleep last night, either. You must be exhausted.” Liu Luoyi said as she reached out to clear the table, but her hand was caught by Yuchi Li.
“You can’t. Have a seat.” Liu Luoyi ordered her about with a spoiled tone.
“Why?” Liu Luoyi asked, confused.
“Sit.” Yuchi Li pressed her back in her chair, “You’re someone I brought back with me, but I can’t tell everyone who you are at the moment. If I let you do these kinds of tasks and the people here were to misunderstand, how would you deal with it if they were to push you around when I’m not present.”
Liu Luoyi listened and nodded in a muddle. After she understood, she lowered her head and smiled.
Yuchi Li was truly so conscientious towards her. Even at a time like this, she was always thinking for her.
Yuchi Li let her go and cleaned up the table herself, then carried the plates out of the room. The maidservants immediately snatched away the plates. They all wore horrified expressions at Yuchi Li taking care of these chores on her own.
Yuchi Li did not know what to do with all of their chatter, so she bluntly instructed them to draw some hot water. Then, she closed the door and released a breath, smiling helplessly at Liu Luoyi.
She had still not yet adapted to her identity of a princess. Indeed, while she had been in the Yan Kingdom, she had not felt that she had that much power. She had only discovered what it meant to be a princess after coming to the Northern Territory.
Was it power, dignity, position, or duty?
She still was not entirely clear. Perhaps she had not rested in too long or she was a little muddled.
Once the water was drawn, Yuchi Li raised her arms and signaled to Liu Luoyi with her eyes. Liu Luoyi hesitated before walking over uncertainly, her face flushed, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t ask me to do these things?”
“Except for this one.” Yuchi Li raised an eyebrow at her.
After a moment, Liu Luoyi slowly walked over. She did not know where to look, so she could only turn her head away and fumble around for the belt on Yuchi Li’s outer clothing and slowly unfastened it.
The outer garment fell to the ground. Yuchi Li did not move. She continued to gaze serenely at Liu Luoyi, a smile hanging off her lips.
Yuchi Li started to feel grateful for the numerous layers of ancient-style clothing; even after removing them for ages, there was still more to remove, enough to draw this time out greatly. Liu Luoyi’s movements picked up speed until Yuchi Li was only left in her thin inner clothes. Then, her hands stopped.
“Why’d you stop.” Yuchi Li stepped forward and gestured to Liu Luoyi.
Liu Luoyi was so flustered that she did not know what she should do. Her hands froze in midair. She could faintly see Yuchi Li’s straight back, her proud shoulders, her thin, powerful waist, her slender limbs. Just this look was tantalizing. The white material of the cloth made her skin even more luminescent.
She did not understand how Yuchi Li could be so pale after being exposed to the northern sun all day.
Yuchi Li glanced down at herself, then simply raised her chin and smiled: “Xiao Liu’er, I’m cold.”
Only then did Liu Luoyi start to move again, but just as her inner clothing slipped to the ground, she whirled around and dived onto the bed, burrowing her head into the blanket.
Yuchi Li stood there, her arms on her hips, simultaneously wanting to laugh and cry. She said helplessly: “It’s nothing you haven’t worn or nothing you don’t have. What’re you hiding from?”
With this kind of bashfulness, how would they be open with each other in the future? Yuchi Li shook her head, then walked over to the now-cold water and washed herself, then put on a clean set of clothing.
After she finished drying her long hair, she could only let it hang freely. Yuchi Li had disliked her hair for being too long and had cut it herself in secret. Even so, it still hung past her waist. The satiny black strands of hair curtained her cheeks, complimenting her face.
The floor was very clean, so Yuchi Li simply went without shoes. She walked, barefoot, dressed in flowing fabric that floated behind her, revealing her slender arms. Clear droplets of water dripped down her neck into the closures of her clothing.
Liu Luoyi wrapped herself in the blanket. She could not refrain from secretly peaking one eye out, but her heart was sent into a flurry by this scene.
Yuchi Li walked over to the bed, laid down, and reached out to snatch half of the blanket, directly rolling Liu Luoyi, who had just wrapped herself in the blanket, over beside her.
“Princess, shall we sleep together?” Liu Luoyi said. The dampness on Yuchi Li’s body made her fall into a trance, feeling at a loss of what to do.
“Mn.” Yuchi Li nodded slightly. She turned her head, the corners of her lips hooking upward. Her eyes sparkled. From the side, she had a high nose bridge. With her naturally red lips, when the corners of her mouth curled upward, the sight was breathtaking.
She reached out and wrapped her arms around Liu Luoyi’s neck then pulled her into her embrace, closing her eyes.
But Liu Luoyi did not close her eyes. She kept looking and could not help but, supporting herself with the bed, lean her body over Yuchi Li, looking down at her slightly.
Yuchi Li did not respond, so she figured that she had fallen asleep. She let out a breath and her actions became more reckless.
She examined Yuchi Li closely. The more she looked, the more joy she felt in her heart. Unable to hold back, she reached out and caressed Yuchi Li’s face. Her face was always alluring in her eyes; brilliantly warm with a smile, a brush of unswerving determination without.
She recalled everything they had experienced and even fell into a daze.
After looking for some time, Liu Luoyi’s arms started to ache. She approached her carefully, like she was stealing a taste of honey, and kissed her softly on the lips.
The next moment, Yuchi Li suddenly opened her eyes, as if she had been in the know the whole time. Her eyes were bright as she looked at Liu Luoyi’s lips and smiled: “So Xiao Liu’er likes me that much when I’m sleeping, huh?”
Startled, Liu Luoyi trembled and almost lost her balance. In that moment, Liu Luoyi wished nothing more than to find a crevice to crawl into and hide away from sight.
So humiliating, why did she always end up doing something humiliating like that. Liu Luoyi hurriedly tried to move away but was caught at the waist by Yuchi Li and could not move. Yuchi Li turned them and reversed their positions.
Liu Luoyi’s eyes widened and, stunned, stared at Yuchi Li, unaware that her hands were held tightly by Yuchi Li.
“I was going to sleep, but you started it first.” Yuchi Li said, leaning in to kiss her.
Liu Luoyi’s neck flushed red. She stared at Yuchi Li, her gaze misty, dazed, and timid, but with such an expression, she suddenly started to kiss her back.
She tried to learn from Yuchi Li’s actions that day and deepened the kiss with unskilled movements. Her body tensed with nervousness as she continued the kiss bit by bit.
It was Yuchi Li’s turn to be surprised this time. She stared at Liu Luoyi, her eyes wide. Because they were so close, she could almost see the delicate, red glow beneath her skin. Liu Luoyi’s eyelashes trembled. Her lips were soft, pliant, and wild with abandon.
Yuchi Li gripped her hand, embracing her tightly.
Soon, Liu Luoyi ran out of breath and suddenly dropped back onto the bed, her hair scattering behind her. She gasped for air lightly as she gazed up at Yuchi Li’s face, her lips red.
Yuchi Lip wiped her lips, her gaze landing on Liu Luoyi’s body. The thumping of her heart made it difficult for her to restrain herself, so when she reached her hands out again, she hesitated, and then withdrew them. She hung her head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: “You learn—very fast. Almost made me lose my head.”
“What?” Liu Luoyi asked breathily, her eyes clear. For a moment, she really did not understand.
Yuchi Li loosened her grip, then slid down and embraced Liu Luoyi tightly, her hair scattered in front of her. She whispered: “Do you think I could be a good ruler?”
“Of course you could.” Liu Luoyi did not hesitate in the slightest.
“But I’m not a princess, not the Northern King’s daughter. I don’t know why I must carry these kinds of responsibilities. I’ve never studied this before, either. I’m a mess, Xiao Liu’er.” Yuchi Li voiced her disorderly thoughts without any consideration.
She hugged Liu Luoyi tighter, like she was seeking solace.
Liu Luoyi blinked. She thought carefully, then reached out and stroked Yuchi Li’s hair to reassure her.
“Princess, since you’ve always wanted to return to the Northern Territory, that proves that you do want to carry them. Every citizen here sees you as their princess, the Northern King sees you as a precious daughter. You are very important to him, and to me, as well.”
“You helped me save my father, you’ve earned the trust of the eldest princess and many others. Whether or not you wish to become ruler, as long as you desire it, you can definitely do it.”
Liu Luoyi spoke slowly and in a gentle voice, gradually calming Yuchi Li’s heart. Yuchi Li knew that, despite Liu Luoyi never saying much, she always did so with kindness and sensibility.
“You will always be Xiao Liu’er’s queen.” Liu Luoyi said, burying her face into the crook of Yuchi Li’s neck. She wrapped her arms around her, rubbing against her softly.
“And you mine.” Yuchi Li said, a smile in her voice. She lowered her head to find Liu Luoyi’s ear and kissed her gently, “Get some rest. Tomorrow, I have a surprise for you.”
Liu Luoyi shivered. She poked Yuchi Li in admonishment, then asked blushingly: “What surprise?”
PURPOSEEEEEEEEEEEEE