The sound of jade bells accompanied the fragrance of pear blossoms, as the beaded curtains of Phoenix Hall chimed pleasantly in the wind.
Rong Zhou held Yun Li before the dressing table.
The little Princess Consort affectionately looped her arms around his neck, tilting her head lazily and charmingly, while the man’s long fingers held a newly crafted Nine Phoenix Hairpin made just for her.
“It’s crooked,” Yun Li chirped happily, swinging her little legs.
Gazing at her reflection in the bronze mirror, she tilted her head further into his embrace. “A bit more to the right.”
Rong Zhou’s dark eyes held a trace of concentration.
Contemplating the placement of the hairpin, he insisted on fixing it himself despite his lack of practice. “How about this?”
Yun Li turned her eyes to the mirror again.
Under her patient guidance, His Highness the Regent Prince finally secured the hairpin correctly. The exquisitely carved Nine Phoenix Hairpin was luxurious yet not overly ornate, with nine phoenixes soaring as if taking flight.
Little Pear Blossom beamed brightly. “It’s beautiful.”
She gazed at her husband beside her with sparkling eyes and pearly teeth, her beautiful, captivating phoenix eyes filled with coquettish attachment.
Yun Li even leaned further into Rong Zhou’s embrace.
Suddenly drawing close to peck his cool lips, she giggled charmingly and radiantly, “The Nine Phoenix Hairpin from A’Zhou is the most beautiful one in A’Li’s jewelry box.”
A low, husky, and alluring chuckle sounded softly.
Rong Zhou held Yun Li’s soft, slender waist, lowering his head to gently nuzzle her nose like an intimate caress.
His voice was hoarse, “If Little A’Li likes it, I’ll have people make them for Little A’Li every day from now on.”
Yun Li thought that really wasn’t necessary.
Not to mention how extravagant this gilded Nine Phoenix Hairpin was, in terms of its significance, she was merely a Princess Consort and truly didn’t dare flaunt it recklessly…
After all, this should rightfully be something only the Empress could wear.
But who made her lord a tyrant?
Yun Li nestled softly against Rong Zhou’s chest. “Then I want to give a gift too. What does A’Zhou like?”
She looked up at him, blinking her eyes.
Come to think of it, whether in her past life or present one, she really didn’t know much about his preferences…
Rong Zhou lowered his eyes and let out a low, husky chuckle.
His fingers slightly curved, cool knuckles gently brushing her cheek. “This prince only likes A’Li.”
As his words fell, he suddenly slid his fingers downward, lifting the little Princess Consort’s face by her chin, then lowered his head to deeply kiss her lips!
“Mmm…” Yun Li let out a soft whimper.
She quickly tightened her arms around Rong Zhou’s neck, afraid of falling. Sitting on his lap with her feet dangling, the lack of support made her feel as if she were floating and sinking on water.
Her rapidly beating heart stirred even greater waves.
The jade bells on her ankles occasionally chimed, and Rong Zhou suddenly reached past her knees to lift her up!
He was about to press her onto the large bed behind them…
When hurried footsteps suddenly sounded, accompanied by Wen Nan’s rash voice, “Your Highness!”
Yun Li quickly opened her eyes in fluster.
Wen Nan, who had barged into Phoenix Hall, froze on the spot. Seeing the intimate scene before him, he immediately turned around with reddened ears. “I-I-I… I’ll leave right away!”
“Get back here.” A deep, cold voice rang out.
Rong Zhou’s eyes clouded with a trace of sullen rage. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the fleeing figure, his voice almost squeezed from his throat. “You’d better have important business.”
Wen Nan: “…”
Who would have thought you’d engage in daytime dalliances!
Steeling himself, Wen Nan walked back, lifting his eyelids slightly to see the Princess Consort still held in His Highness’s arms.
Yun Li: “…”She hastily jumped out of Rong Zhou’s embrace, then turned and fled in embarrassment to the rear hall.
“Speak,” Rong Zhou shot Wen Nan a cold glare.
Wen Nan scratched his head aggrievedly, “It’s Princess Changning. She’s outside the mansion, saying she has urgent business to see the Princess Consort.”
Hearing this, turmoil surged even more fiercely in Rong Zhou’s eyes.
This woman again… In their previous life, it was she who approached Yun Li with ill intentions. If things followed their previous course, she had come to deliver divorce papers to Yun Li!
Rong Zhou was about to order Wen Nan to drive her away.
But Yun Li, who had fled in embarrassment, suddenly peeked out her little head, blinking her eyes, “Looking for me?”
Yun Li carefully recalled events from her past life.
Back when she first married into the Regent’s Mansion, Ning Xin’er had indeed frequently visited her, even pretending to sympathize with her plight by delivering divorce papers to help her leave…
She thought the repeated lessons from before would serve as warning enough, never expecting Ning Xin’er would still refuse to give up her wicked schemes.
“Where is she?” Yun Li looked toward Wen Nan.
Rong Zhou’s dark pupils suddenly flashed with cold intensity as he glared warningly at Wen Nan, but simultaneously Yun Li also swept her cool, haughty gaze toward him…
Wen Nan, caught between them, felt his scalp tingling with tension.
Yun Li slightly raised the corner of her eye, “Outside the mansion? I’ll go meet her.”
With these words, she stepped forward to find Ning Xin’er, intending to tear up those divorce papers and warn her to stay far away in the future!
But Rong Zhou suddenly reached out to grasp her sleeve.
Yun Li turned to look at him, seeing the man who had been raging like stormy waves moments ago now softened…
“Don’t go.” Rong Zhou’s fingers crept forward.
He gradually tightened his grip on Yun Li’s sleeve, his Adam’s apple bobbing lightly, “A’Li… don’t go.”
He knew Ning Xin’er came bearing divorce papers.
Even with unconditional trust in Yun Li, when faced with recurring events from their past life, he couldn’t control his panicked unease. He feared this was all a dream, all false…
He feared that if any detail wasn’t handled properly, everything he worked to change after rebirth would revert to its original state!
“A’Zhou, be good.”
Yun Li naturally understood what Rong Zhou feared. She quickly returned to hold his hand tightly, “I’m not leaving, I won’t abandon you. I just want to go drive her away.”
But this time Rong Zhou seemed less easily comforted.
His eyelashes drooped slightly, those long beautiful lashes softly falling to cast faint, rustling shadows over his eyes…
“She’s a bad woman.”
Rong Zhou’s voice and demeanor had softened, yet still carried a masculine huskiness, “She’ll corrupt my little A’Li. If you become corrupted, little A’Li won’t love me anymore.”
Wen Nan: …?
He watched the man before him with complicated feelings, wondering if this was still his master known for decisive ruthlessness, the living King of Hell of the capital.
“I won’t.” Yun Li softened her voice too.
She cupped the man’s face, rising on tiptoe to peck his jaw. Sensing this, Rong Zhou slightly bent his posture, still pretending to look wronged while positioning his lips for her to kiss.
Yun Li: “…”
How could she not see through this man’s tricks? But she still indulged him with a doting kiss.
Then she tilted her head playfully, “Having seen my gentleman, how could I not be delighted? A’Zhou is so wonderful, A’Li likes you so much… Can’t A’Zhou feel it?”
Hearing this, Rong Zhou’s long eyelashes trembled slightly.He lowered his gaze to the little Princess Consort, his usually cold and fierce deep eyes now clear as water, almost shimmering with unshed tears.
The man looked at her with such sincerity.
As if saying: Just coax me a little more, two more sweet words and I’ll be completely won over!
But…