Gao Zhi didn’t notice his discomfort and walked closer on her own.
“What did you want to tell me?”
The graceful figure drew nearer and nearer, and Feng Che could smell the rich fragrance coming from Gao Zhi, mingled with the mist left behind after her bath. It made his thoughts descend into chaos.
【Don’t… don’t come any closer.】
Gao Zhi froze.
【How can A-Zhi have so little awareness of the boundaries between men and women?】
【She’s been like this ever since we were children.】
【Doesn’t she know how dangerous it is for a young man to see her looking like this?】
“Feng Che, what are you thinking about?”
Gao Zhi finally noticed his knuckles turning white from how tightly he was gripping the armrest. She lowered her head and glanced at what she was wearing.
Her nightclothes were perfectly intact, and there was nothing revealing about her appearance.
How was she dangerous?
“Nothing…”
Feng Che cleared his throat, though his voice inevitably came out hoarse.
“Put on an outer robe first.”
“I just finished bathing. I’m so hot.”
Gao Zhi refused to indulge him.
Wasn’t he the one who wanted to separate from her?
Let’s see how long he could hold himself back.
“What were you going to tell me?”
Gao Zhi casually walked over to his side and poured herself some water.
Feng Che maneuvered his wheelchair backward a little before saying,
“I came to tell you that I’ll be sleeping in the study from now on.”
The cool water slid down her throat, and the restlessness she had finally managed to suppress began rising in her chest again.
“Didn’t you already have Shang Lu come tell me?”
He had even made a special trip here to tell her in person.
Was he deliberately provoking her?
“What I mean is…”
Feng Che pressed his lips together.
“You said earlier that you were worried the matrons your… your mother-in-law sent over might notice that we weren’t getting along.
“But the study I’ve moved into is close to the main residence. If they ask, you can simply say that I leave early in the morning to handle official business and don’t return until late at night. They shouldn’t notice anything.”
“…”
Gao Zhi froze.
“You came all this way just to explain that?”
In fact, she had already heard that the study Feng Che had moved into was located in a courtyard that had been abandoned for years.
There were countless courtyards in the Prince’s residence, and more than one study. His decision was therefore rather puzzling.
Gao Zhi had asked Bai He to look into it and learned that the study was separated from the main residence by only a small garden. The matrons the Gao family had sent to look after her lived in the servants’ quarters, which were even farther away than the study.
With a little thought, she could guess what Feng Che was thinking.
He was afraid those people would discover that they had started sleeping separately right after getting married.
Keeping the study nearby would at least make it easier to keep up appearances.
“Mm.”
Feng Che lowered his eyes again.
“Feng Che, why did you have to come all the way here to explain this to me?”
A faint change appeared in Gao Zhi’s eyes.
“When I saw you set that one-year agreement, I thought you had no intention of truly building a life with me. Or are you… playing hard to get?”
Feng Che froze for a moment before saying,
“You’re overthinking it. I just…”
【I’m afraid A-Zhi will misunderstand.】
【I’m afraid A-Zhi will overthink things.】
【I’m afraid A-Zhi… will be hurt.】
Hearing the restrained voice of the man’s thoughts, Gao Zhi’s heart skipped two beats.
“I have to attend court tomorrow morning, so I’ll leave first.”
Yet the man who had just laid his heart bare in his thoughts wore an outward expression of keeping her at arm’s length.
Gao Zhi stared at the direction he left in and sighed.
This man… was so young, yet already so good at restraining himself.
No wonder he had kept her completely in the dark in her previous life.
The next day, nearly noon, Chan Yi brought the two young masters over.
The moment Wen Ting saw Gao Zhi, he flew into her arms like a happy little butterfly.
“Mother!”
Gao Zhi sat the little ball of flesh on her lap. Seeing pastry crumbs all over his fair little face, she wiped them clean with a handkerchief.
“What delicious thing have you been eating again?”
“It’s the chestnut cakes Aunt Qiao made yesterday.”
Wen Ting leaned against Gao Zhi, his short legs swinging back and forth.
“You were still eating yesterday’s chestnut cakes today?”
Gao Zhi frowned and looked at Wen Yan.
“Mother, I didn’t eat any.”
Wen Yan explained,
“It was A-Ting being greedy. He ate all the chestnut cakes we didn’t finish yesterday.”
“Where are your matrons?”
Gao Zhi remembered that two older matrons had come back with them from the Lian residence yesterday. Madam Xi had sent them to take care of the two children.
“The matrons probably forgot to throw them away.”
Wen Yan spoke softly.
Gao Zhi frowned and poked Wen Ting’s chubby cheeks twice.
“You can’t eat food that’s been left overnight next time. Understand?”
Wen Ting blinked.
“But… when Father and I were fleeing before, sometimes we ate food from the day before too.”
“That was before.”
Gao Zhi’s heart ached when she heard this.
“Your father had no choice back then. Things are different now. You’re at the Prince’s residence, and there are cooks specifically preparing food for you.
“You’re still young, and your stomachs are delicate. You can’t keep eating food that’s been left overnight.”
Because she had grown up under Madam Shao’s influence, Gao Zhi had absorbed a great deal of knowledge simply by being around her mother. The children had not been properly taught before, but now that she was their mother, it was naturally her responsibility to help them correct unhealthy habits.
“Got it, Mother.”
Wen Ting answered loudly. Before long, he rubbed his stomach and announced that he was hungry again. His adorable appearance made Gao Zhi laugh, and she called Bai He to serve the food.
Only the three of them ate together. Unlike the large gathering at the Lian residence, Gao Zhi was easygoing by nature, and she got along quite well with the children.
Even though they chatted happily throughout the meal, Gao Zhi still noticed that apart from the two bites of food she had placed in his bowl, Wen Yan barely touched his chopsticks.
Five-year-old Wen Ting ate two bowls of rice, while Wen Yan hadn’t even finished half a bowl.
Gao Zhi had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare dishes completely different from those served at the Lian residence, yet Wen Yan was still the same. His complexion became noticeably paler whenever he chewed, and eating seemed to be an ordeal for him.
Having grown up under Madam Shao’s influence, Gao Zhi could tell that there was probably something wrong with Wen Yan’s health. She had not brought it up at the dining table, but after nightfall, she went to Feng Che’s study.
After crossing the path through the rear garden, she saw that the study was brightly lit.
“Princess Consort, please wait a moment. Master is having dinner. He’ll come over shortly.”
Cang Zhu opened the door and let Gao Zhi inside.
“Why is he only eating at this hour?”
Gao Zhi remembered that Feng Che had returned to the residence an hour earlier.
“Recently, there have been severe floods in Tanzhou. The imperial court allocated disaster relief funds, and I heard…”
Cang Zhu hesitated.
“I heard that some officials embezzled the funds. His Majesty was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, which was entrusted to the Prince. That’s why he has been so busy that he’s only getting around to eating now.”
The floods in Tanzhou…
This had also happened in her previous life.
Emperor Feng had appointed Feng Che to handle the matter. After uncovering the corrupt officials, Feng Che had gone to Tanzhou to assist the local officials in building dikes and dredging the waterways.
It was also during that trip to Tanzhou that Feng Che was assassinated and suffered severe damage to his heart meridians. The imperial physicians had once said that he likely wouldn’t live a long life.
During the ten years after Gao Zhi’s death, when she followed him, she had personally witnessed how accurate their words were. Feng Che’s health deteriorated at an alarming rate. Even with her maternal grandfather’s efforts to treat him, there was nothing they could do to reverse it.
But Gao Zhi remembered that this had happened a year after she entered the Eastern Palace.
How could it be happening so soon in this life?
Could it be that by changing Feng Che’s fate of losing the use of his legs at the city gate, she had also caused other events to change?
“Princess Consort, Master is here.”
Seeing Gao Zhi’s face turn pale, Cang Zhu hurriedly reminded her.
Only then did Gao Zhi return to her senses. She suppressed the unease in her heart.
She remembered that there would still be half a month between Feng Che’s investigation of the corrupt officials and his departure for Tanzhou. She would surely find a way to stop this from happening.
Under the corridor, the man looked somewhat hurried. Gao Zhi remembered that Cang Zhu had just said he was going to eat, and yet barely half a tea hour had passed before he had already returned.
“You finished eating already? That fast?”
“Mm.”
Feng Che looked at her.
“Did you need something?”
“Can’t I come see you if I don’t?”
Gao Zhi temporarily set aside the heavy worry in her heart and turned to enter the study first.
The square-shaped room was not particularly spacious. In fact, it could even be described as crude. A folding screen divided it into two rooms for the time being.
The outer room contained a square wardrobe, along with a table and chairs. The inner room had only a narrow couch, and from its length, it seemed barely large enough for a girl of her size.
Wouldn’t Feng Che have to sleep curled up?
Gao Zhi frowned deeply.
His legs were still being treated. How could he sleep like that?
“I didn’t mean it that way earlier.”
Feng Che was still seriously answering her joking remark.
Seeing the solemn expression on her face, he asked,
“What happened?”
“…”
Gao Zhi paused before asking,
“My mother had Doctor Shi examine your legs. He should have arranged when he’ll come again, right?”
“Once every two days.”
Feng Che said,
“He’ll come tomorrow during the Shen hour.”
“Tomorrow, I want A-Yan to come over and have him examined too.”
She said,
“I think his appetite is far too small. Something isn’t right. It seems like there might be a problem with his health.”
Feng Che’s brows knitted tightly when he heard this.
“I remember his appetite hasn’t been very good this past year. I thought he was simply a picky eater.”
“I called him over for lunch today, and the dishes were completely different from what the Lian family prepared, but he still barely touched his chopsticks. I think it probably isn’t pickiness.”
She continued,
“Doctor Shi’s medical skills were passed down from my mother. Let him examine A-Yan. If there is a problem, we can treat it as soon as possible. If there isn’t, I’ll feel more at ease too.”
“Good.”
Feng Che looked at her, his expression filled with both guilt and gratitude. After a long pause, he finally said,
“Before, I was busy taking them away from those pursuing us. After returning to the capital, I was busy with government affairs.
“There were many times when I neglected them. Thank you for thinking so carefully about A-Yan.”
“You don’t need to blame yourself. There may not even be anything wrong.”
Although Gao Zhi had not witnessed it herself, she was certain Feng Che had never committed treason.
From what the children had said, she could imagine how difficult that year of fleeing had been.
They had to escape their pursuers while caring for the children, and even making a living had been a problem.
Seeing Feng Che’s tightly furrowed brows, Gao Zhi tried to ease the atmosphere.
“It’s only natural. Although someone has gone and made some ridiculous one-year agreement, as long as I’m their mother for even one day, I’ll do my duty.”
Feng Che’s gaze paused.
“There’s something else.”
He raised his face.
“What?”
“You’re coming back to our room to sleep tonight.”
Feng Che’s breath caught. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“W-what?”
“You heard me, didn’t you?”
Gao Zhi enunciated every word.
“Prince Huai’an, you’re coming back to our room to sleep tonight.”
The fingers hidden beneath Feng Che’s sleeve curled tightly.
【Is A-Zhi… inviting me?】
【But… didn’t I tell her about our one-year agreement…?】
【Could it be that… it isn’t only men who think about that sort of thing? Women do too…?】