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Lian Hua’s eyes lit up. This was wonderful—she adored listening to stories in her childhood, secretly slipping out after school with a bunch of friends to the teahouse to hear them.

She later became fascinated with storytelling.

Back then, she couldn’t quite understand those made up entirely of words, so she could only look at those with illustrations, guessing as she read along.

Xiao Jizi cleared his throat, hoping to remind Young Master Lian.

Lian Hua snapped back to reality, feeling conflicted. She wanted to listen to the storytelling yet feared the visitor was there to spy on her, and she anxiously tugged at her hair.

No, it wouldn’t do. Xiao Linzi was sent by His Majesty as an undercover agent, an ear with divine powers. She couldn’t just compromise; otherwise, wouldn’t His Majesty know everything if she wanted to do something bad... cough... to do something good in the future?

Absolutely not, definitely not! She was already strictly controlled; how could she handle another divine ear reporting everything?

She asked Xiao Jizi to take the person away first, and they would see when His Majesty returned.

Xiao Linzi looked pitiful, glancing back three times with every step he took.

He hadn’t wanted to come to Canglan Court in the first place, but who would have thought that Young Master Lian wanted him even less?

She disliked him because he was good for nothing, which made him want to stay to prove he wasn’t truly incompetent. ..

He began to doubt himself. Was he really that bad?...

In the evening, the time for lighting lamps had passed.

Lian Hua had yet to have dinner, saying she wanted to wait for His Majesty to return, so wait for His Majesty she would.

Xiao Jizi and Xiao Qing tried to persuade her in turn, and even Zhang Qing, the blind bluffer, came to convince her to eat first, but she shook her head, only asking for some cakes to hold her over.

After questioning Xiao Linzi, Lian Hua casually questioned Xiao Qing and Xiao Jizi as well and, sure enough, after His Majesty left, they had received instructions from Chief Steward Zhang, saying that now she was pregnant, she had to be extra careful, not even a strand of hair should be harmed.

She glared at the two traitors, asking if they would listen to her or to Chief Steward Zhang from now on.

Finally, with guilt on their conscience, they said it was the first time they were dealing with her pregnancy, not knowing what to do and getting flustered, so they had listened to Chief Steward Zhang.

From now on, they would follow her lead above all else.

She nodded, and to put their minds at ease, she promised to be careful, telling them not to worry so much—it made her anxious too, which wasn’t good.

After everything was taken care of, His Majesty had still not returned. She couldn’t help but walk out of the Side Hall, approaching the main gate of Canglan Court, asking for the gate to be opened. She didn’t go out but stood in place, looking out the gate in anticipation.

She missed him. It had only been half a day since she last saw him, but she missed him so much.

She wondered if His Majesty’s affairs had gone smoothly. The journey was long; she hoped he wouldn’t be too weary.

She was torn between hoping for his swift return and worrying that he might be rushing and exhausting himself with too much haste.

Although she didn’t like His Majesty treating her like a porcelain doll, overseeing everything, this was but a sweet inconvenience. It made her feel both sweet and vexed, but overall, it was more sweet than vexing.

Zhang Qing stood waiting behind her with a group of people.

Zhang Qing had advised Lian Hua, saying that His Majesty’s time of return was uncertain and that it would be better to wait inside the house to avoid the autumn night chill, which might harm the Young Master.

Upon hearing this, Lian Hua rifled through her winter clothes and put them on, asking if this was okay.

Zhang Qing was speechless for a moment before finding another excuse, saying Young Master Lian would get tired standing, and now that she was pregnant, she should sit inside and wait.

Lian Hua looked at him, then asked Xiao Qing to bring her a stool so she could sit and wait by the gate.

Zhang Qing was completely out of words, feeling a heartfelt wonder. He had thought Young Master Lian was insensible, but to his surprise, she also knew how to care for someone. His Majesty had not been unduly concerned about her.

But if His Majesty knew she was waiting here in the wind for him, he would be so heartbroken, alas.

Finally, during Wu Hour, noises came from outside the courtyard; a procession was arriving under a sky sprinkled with stars and the cover of night.

Lian Hua’s spirits lifted suddenly; she sprang to her feet, oblivious to the stool she knocked over with her behind.

The footsteps drew nearer, and her eyes brightened more and more. If not His Majesty in that sharp riding attire, then who?

She couldn’t help wanting to rush over to meet him, but as she saw him coming closer, she involuntarily became shy. Biting her lip, she gazed at the approaching figure with brimming eyes, her hands unknowingly twisting her handkerchief.

The comer noticed her too and quickened his pace.

In the end, Lian Hua could not contain her excitement and jogged toward the approaching figure. She couldn’t wait to throw herself into His Majesty’s embrace.

He returned later than the Emperor had anticipated, mainly due to having seen Nanny Qi alone in the Yixiang Palace, and out of compassion, he had stayed to share a meal with her before departing.

Eventually, it was Nanny Qi who noticed his anxiety.

The meal was not even halfway finished when she hurried him along, saying that she, as an old woman, would take care of the affairs of the Yixiang Palace and that there would be plenty of time in the future for meals, not sparing this one bit of dining effort.

Thus, the Emperor rode back swiftly with his entourage.

As he entered the gates of Canglan Court, he caught sight of a shadowy figure in the distant glow of lanterns, the light too dim to make out the face.

His heart burning with anticipation, he guessed it to be his Little Concubine waiting for him with her attendants.

Indeed, as he drew closer, who could that be, wrapped in a pink cloak if not his tender Little Concubine?

At that moment, the Emperor’s heart was extraordinarily warm. Never in his more than twenty years of life had he felt as blissfully satisfied as he did now. The fatigue of travel vanished in an instant, and he could only think of taking his beloved into his arms as quickly as possible.

His steps hastened, his attendants struggling to keep pace. When he was about ten steps away, the charming lady ahead couldn’t restrain herself and ran towards him.

He quickened his pace and called out, "Slow down," his beloved was with child, after all.

At last, as they came close to each other, he anxiously caught the person leaping toward him and couldn’t help but encircle her in his arms, spinning her around.

"Your Majesty, I’ve missed you so much~" Lian Hua couldn’t keep her yearning inside any longer and murmured into His Majesty’s chest, overwhelmed with longing. She had missed him to the point of restlessness, even the pastries lost their appeal.

Her arms circled around His Majesty, inhaling his scent. Her suspended heart finally settled, feeling an immense sense of security.

Hearing her words stirred a tempest in the Emperor’s heart, and he couldn’t help but hug her tighter. From now on, he would no longer be lonely. In this world, from this moment forward, there was one person, she was the haven for his heart.

All the other attendants knelt down, their heads lowered, not daring to look up.

The two embraced quietly for a while, no words exchanged, yet their understanding was mutual, a gentle warmth enveloping them both.

Finally, a "gurgle" disrupted their tender moment.

The Emperor released the person in front of him, one eyebrow raised: "Have you had your evening meal yet?" He hoped she hadn’t been waiting for him all this time.

Lian Hua felt embarrassed. Why did her stomach always betray her at crucial moments? Oh, how embarrassing.

She spoke meekly, "Not yet..."

At her words, the Emperor felt both distressed and irritated as he sternly said, "How can you neglect yourself so, you..." He couldn’t finish the reprimand, afraid of frightening his Little Concubine.

Lian Hua peeked up to see His Majesty’s displeased face.

Knowing she had not heeded his words and upset him, she quickly embraced him again, burying her head into his chest and murmuring softly, "This servant had some cake to fill my stomach, but little did I know that this cake is so poor at keeping hunger at bay. .."