Following Qi Lu to the study, Shen Tinghe pushed the door open directly.
Inside, sandalwood incense curled in the air. Xie Yanzhao sat before the desk reviewing memorials, his brows and eyes carrying a composed steadiness that spoke of strategic command. The Emperor had now partially relinquished authority, and many court affairs were personally handled by him.
Hearing the door open, Xie Yanzhao looked up. The sharpness in his eyes faded completely at the sight of the visitor. “Yuanyuan…”
Shen Tinghe lifted her skirt and hurried over, throwing herself into his arms. “Brother~”
The aura around Xie Yanzhao softened. He raised a hand to stroke her long hair, his heart melting entirely. “Why is my Yuanyuan so clingy today?”
Shen Tinghe lifted her head from his embrace and held the Lin Token in her palm out to him. “I don’t want this.”
Xie Yanzhao’s brows furrowed slightly. “Does Yuanyuan want the Tiger Tally instead? It will take a little more time, I—”
“No, that’s not it.” Shen Tinghe quickly reached out a small hand to cover his mouth. “The Tiger Tally is even more unacceptable. That’s for deploying troops and commanding generals. Keeping it privately would be treasonous.”
Xie Yanzhao watched her flustered appearance, his gaze still faint, as if he didn’t consider this a serious matter. He grasped her wrist. “Yuanyuan, you are my Crown Princess, the future Empress. Everything of mine should rightfully be yours.”
Shen Tinghe placed the Lin Token on the desk and wrapped her arms around his waist again. “I don’t dare take it. If something so important were accidentally lost, it would be disastrous.”
Xie Yanzhao let out a soft sigh, pinching her cheek with his fingertips. “When you act coy with me, your courage isn’t small. Why are you afraid now?”
“That’s different,” Shen Tinghe mumbled.
“How is it different?” Xie Yanzhao looked down at her, a hint of teasing in his eyes.
Shen Tinghe raised her head, meeting his deep gaze, and said earnestly, “Brother is different.”
Xie Yanzhao leaned closer. “Why are you so sweet today? Let me taste.”
With that, he lifted her chin and lowered his head to kiss her. Her soft lips were captured by his, gently sucked and licked. His tongue lightly hooked hers, carrying an irresistible blend of dominance and tenderness.
Gradually, Shen Tinghe’s face flushed crimson, her breathing growing rapid. Instinctively, she raised her hands to pat his chest, trying to push him away.
Xie Yanzhao reluctantly released her, then lightly pecked the corner of her mouth. “Still haven’t learned to breathe properly? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?”
Shen Tinghe wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck to protest. “You’re bullying me.”
Xie Yanzhao held her waist, pulling her closer against him, his tone ambiguous. “Is a kiss bullying? Then what will my Jiaojiao do in the future after we marry?”
Hearing this, Shen Tinghe shyly burrowed deeper into his embrace.
Although she was an unmarried young lady from a respectable family, she wasn’t entirely ignorant. During their usual embraces, she could occasionally clearly sense the changes in his body—the scorching heat and firmness that made her both bashful and flustered.
“The Lin… Lin Token, you should put it away properly. I should go back now.”
As soon as she pushed away slightly, Xie Yanzhao pulled her back into his arms.
“Really don’t want it?”
“No.” Shen Tinghe shook her head firmly.
“Alright.” Xie Yanzhao conceded, his tone carrying a note of indulgence. “Then I’ll give it to you after we marry. When that time comes, you must accept it.”
Shen Tinghe pouted, about to say more, but Xie Yanzhao lowered his head and sealed her lips.
His eyes held a smile, as if saying: Say one more word, and I’ll kiss you again.
Shen Tinghe couldn’t stand him like this the most. Those deep eyes were filled with nothing but her reflection, making it impossible for her to resist.
Xie Yanzhao turned her around by the waist and picked up a brush from the desk, placing it in her hand. “Let me see if your calligraphy has regressed these past days.”
“Of course not!” Shen Tinghe straightened her back. “I’ve been practicing diligently every day.”
Holding the brush, she casually wrote a few characters on the rice paper.
Her handwriting had been taught entirely by Xie Yanzhao, bearing some resemblance to his style, yet appearing more delicate and gentle, lacking the domineering sharpness that characterized his own.
Xie Yanzhao stood behind her, their bodies pressed closely together. He could clearly smell the fragrance of her hair and feel her soft form against him.
A slight tremor ran through his entire body, the longing in his heart growing increasingly intense.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “There are still two months until the wedding. It’s too slow.”
Shen Tinghe turned her head to look at him. “Are you even paying attention?”
Only then did Xie Yanzhao shift his gaze to the rice paper. Seeing traces of his own influence in her handwriting, a smile touched the corners of his lips.
This was his little girl, taught entirely by him, and from now on, she would belong only to him.
The two lingered intimately in the study, the atmosphere warm and ambiguous.
From outside the door came Qi Lu’s respectful voice: “Your Highness, Minister Wang of the Dali Temple requests an audience.”
Hearing the sound, Shen Tinghe tried to pull away from his embrace. “Brother Crown Prince, someone is here.”
Xie Yanzhao kept his hand firmly on her waist, his voice lazy yet domineering. “Let him wait.”
Outside, Qi Lu and Minister Wang, Wang Xude, stood quietly.
Wang Xude was a perceptive man. Hearing no movement from inside for a while, he quietly asked Qi Lu, “Eunuch Qi Lu, is His Highness meeting with someone?”
Qi Lu wore a standard, impeccable smile and gave a slight bow. “This humble servant does not know. His Highness has ordered that no one may enter without being summoned.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Xude merely smiled faintly and asked no more.
Everyone present was shrewd; some things were not unknown, but rather could not be spoken of, nor was it necessary to speak of them.
Inside the study, Xie Yanzhao held Shen Tinghe’s hand and wrote a few more characters on the rice paper.
The strokes were bold and powerful, penetrating the paper, forming a stark contrast to Shen Tinghe’s more delicate handwriting beside it.
“Is this the result of daily practice? The wrist is weak, the strength insufficient. Compared to last month, it has clearly regressed.”
Shen Tinghe puffed out her cheeks in protest. “The Thousand Flowers Banquet is tomorrow. I just haven’t practiced much these past few days.”
Xie Yanzhao gently bit her small earlobe, punishing her with a slight grind of his teeth, causing Shen Tinghe to shiver.
“Yuanyuan always has an excuse.”
His voice was hoarse, carrying a mesmerizing magnetism.
Shen Tinghe pushed against him, trying hard to put on a stern face and admonish him seriously. “We’re not married yet, Your Highness should also mind propriety. Men and women should maintain distance.”
“Your Highness?” Xie Yanzhao’s brow lifted slightly, a dangerous glint flashing in his deep, abyss-like eyes as they narrowed.
That innate imperial pressure he carried would inadvertently surface even in such intimate moments, exuding an unquestionable arrogance and dominance.
Shen Tinghe felt a pang of nervousness under his gaze and grew somewhat timid.
She turned around, actively wrapping her arms around his waist, then stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed his chin.
“Brother, there are still people outside. Let go of me first.”
Xie Yanzhao looked down at her, clearly dissatisfied.
“This little taste isn’t enough, Jiaojiao.”