She picked out another hairpin for her. "My lady, this gemstone fragment hairpin is lovely, and the color is so understated!" Xia Ruqing was also very satisfied. "Let’s go with this one..." Honored Lady Lan and Honored Lady Xi were seated, having tea. Not long after, Xia Ruqing finished preparing herself and came out. The three were of equal rank, so there was no need for formalities, and they exchanged a few pleasantries. "We’re practically neighbors now..." Honored Lady Xi said. "To visit Elder Sister Xia, we no longer need to cross the Imperial Garden!" Honored Lady Lan was quite happy as well, but she didn’t know quite what to say and just sat there smiling. Xia Ruqing was very polite. "If you like my place, you are welcome to come often..." Though her words seemed inviting, upon closer examination, they carried a hint of distance. Honored Lady Xi, seemingly oblivious to the subtext, remained enthusiastic. "The two of us have our little places too..." "When spring arrives next year... I also want to tidy up my place just like Elder Sister Xia..." Lijing Pavilion, formerly Honored Lady Hu’s residence before she was sent to the Cold Palace, always felt a bit ominous if not properly cleaned. Zhaohua Pavilion, where Lady Xia had once stayed, was fine; it was just... too secluded. It was almost on the edge of the Cold Palace itself! "Eldest Sister Lan? How about your place?" Honored Lady Xi asked. Honored Lady Lan, caught off guard, was a bit flustered. "My place... is good... The residence where Lady Xia stayed was well-kept..." Honored Lady Xi gave her a gentle pat. "Oh, Eldest Sister Lan... just because Elder Sister Xia liked it doesn’t mean you have to, right?" "Since you’ll be living there, naturally, you should arrange it to your own liking." Honored Lady Lan nodded absentmindedly. "I... I think it’s quite nice already." Honored Lady Xi decided not to press further and changed the subject. "That bamboo grove in front of the window looks charming..." "Elder Sister Xia, it must be very cool in the summer, right?" Xia Ruqing sipped her tea. "Eh... it’s alright..." It wasn’t that she found them bothersome. However, a huge question mark loomed in her mind. Why do some people inexplicably like to cozy up to those who don’t reciprocate their warmth? They keep coming, yet I’ve never shown them any particular warmth! Could it be that they’ve misunderstood my expressions? Sighing inwardly, Xia Ruqing knew she still had to muster her spirits and continue to deal with them. By evening, the two ladies finally left. Xia Ruqing was so tired she didn’t want to speak. "I hope they come less often," she murmured, lying down on the recliner. "My lady, you didn’t rest well at noon. Would you like to take a nap now?" Zi Yue suggested. Xia Ruqing nodded and turned over. After a while, she got up again. "It’s cold out here; I need to go to bed!" "I was just about to say! Please, come over." "This servant will go fill a hot-water bottle for your feet." Xia Ruqing removed her outerwear and changed into her most comfortable, fine cotton house clothes. This outfit had been made by Zi Yue. She had chosen the softest, most breathable cotton fabric. It was plain off-white, with no embroidery, designed purely for comfort. Wearing it, she snuggled into the warm bed, resting her feet on the cotton-wrapped hot-water bottle. Xia Ruqing felt as if every pore in her body was breathing, exhaling in relief. Xia Ruqing peeked her head out from the covers and sighed contentedly. Zi Yue tucked her in properly, then sat on a small stool by the bed with her needlework basket. "My lady, you sleep now. This servant will wake you later!" Xia Ruqing hummed in agreement and closed her eyes. 「After one Shi Chen.」 When she woke up, she groggily became aware of a figure seated beside her. "Zi Yue... what time is it?" Xia Ruqing, eyes still closed, clutched her quilt, turned over, and asked sleepily. The person remained silent. Xia Ruqing sensed something was very wrong! WHOOSH. She snapped her eyes open, her mind instantly clearing. Xia Ruqing was startled and shot bolt upright. "This servant deserves death! Please forgive me, Emperor!" Because of the recent incident with the Little Prince, the Emperor’s mood is probably not good. I dare not provoke him! Thinking this, Xia Ruqing lowered her head even more. Zhao Junyao looked down at her and slowly spoke. "Are you very afraid of Us?" Xia Ruqing stiffened. Oh no, what if the Emperor is looking for an excuse to punish me? While she hesitated, unsure how to respond, Zhao Junyao spoke again. As he said this, he seemed to realize his expression was a bit stiff. He relaxed it, and his tone softened considerably. Xia Ruqing breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly thanked him. "Thank you, Emperor..." Zhao Junyao watched her with an indifferent expression, but his hand unconsciously reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Sleeping until this hour? Your hair is a mess!" Xia Ruqing inadvertently looked up. Her gaze met his, which was like a warm spring on a winter day—not fiercely passionate, but just enough to warm every hidden corner of her heart. The lingering worry in her heart dissipated. Xia Ruqing lowered her head and responded obediently. Zhao Junyao’s lips curved into a slight smile, and he extended his arm. "Come here!" ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩 Xia Ruqing obediently walked over to him. Her small face instantly bloomed like a sunflower as she sweetly called out, "Emperor..." Zhao Junyao’s frozen heart melted in that moment. He embraced her, settled her onto his lap, and asked, "We haven’t visited these past few days. You... what have you been doing?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Junyao himself was a bit puzzled. What could the women of the Harem possibly be doing? Besides, I am the Emperor; how can I casually concern myself with women’s affairs! This isn’t like me. Xia Ruqing, however, paid no mind to such thoughts. She thought for a moment and answered truthfully. "I’ve set up a small vegetable garden. It’s not very big, but in winter, we can have hotpot with vegetables so fresh they’re practically still dewy!" "I also had a pair of slippers made for you, Emperor..." As she spoke, she actually retrieved a pair of unfinished cotton slippers from the needlework basket beside the bed. "Emperor, these slippers are incredibly comfortable. Won’t you try them?" Saying this, she scrambled up, bent down, and was about to put the slippers on his feet. Zhao Junyao was speechless for a moment. "Qingqing, there are still two large pins in the slippers!" Xia Ruqing picked them up to look. Oh! They were gleaming! "This servant didn’t do it on purpose!" Xia Ruqing stood up, smiling sheepishly. Zhao Junyao pulled her into his embrace again with a mischievous smile. "Did you make these slippers?" Xia Ruqing couldn’t hide the truth and had to surrender. "No, but I had Zi Yue make them! After all... I’m not very good at it..." Xia Ruqing could only lower her head in embarrassment. "But this servant would mind!" In truth, I’m just too lazy to do it myself, hehe. A white lie, perhaps, she thought. As she spoke, she seized the opportunity to flatter him. "Emperor, you... you’re so handsome, you absolutely must wear good-looking shoes!" Zhao Junyao chuckled with amusement.