Since she finished dealing with the Luo family's affairs in late March, she began to gradually renovate the inside and outside of the Zhao Prince's Mansion. Now, the central hall and courtyard are completely different from what she saw when she first visited before the New Year.
It's practically a complete transformation.
Even the smallest details, like the gravel path in the courtyard, were re-laid by craftsmen, adding a touch of ingenuity to the original rustic simplicity.
In April, she added two rows of crabapple trees to the roadside, their upright and graceful forms complemented by lush green conifers, which were particularly striking when in bloom.
Common varieties of crabapple blossoms have no fragrance, but the Malus spectabilis not only has a bright and beautiful appearance, but is also fragrant and gorgeous, making it a top-grade crabapple.
Before it blooms, the buds are bright red, like dots of rouge; after they bloom, they gradually turn pink, like the rosy clouds at dawn.
When these crabapple trees were transplanted to the Prince Zhao's residence in April, they were in full bloom, their lush and vibrant blossoms rivaling the brilliance of the morning sun.
She chuckled to herself then, wondering if her beloved son would appreciate the subtle charm in her words when he returned.
Unfortunately, it is already the height of summer, and the blossoms on the branches have long since faded.
As for her beloved son, she didn't know if he had safely embarked on his journey home.
Luo Cuiwei stood in the courtyard, her eyes gradually welling up with tears.
In the height of summer, the sun is long, and even at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), it is not yet completely dark; the sky presents a serene and restrained gray hue.
Her aunt Luo Bibo, who was once obsessed with woodblock printing, once told her that this color should be called "love gray".
At that time, she even joked, "How sentimental must one's eyes be to see longing in this grayness?"
But now, standing beneath the fallen petals and the sunlight, in a drowsy state as she grew increasingly sleepy, she suddenly understood that soft affectation.
In the vast twilight, standing alone, all that can be seen is an inch of longing, an inch of ashes.
****
At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), when people are asleep, the moonlight on the night of the sixteenth is as bright as water.
It must have been thanks to the calming herbs in the medicinal diet that Luo Cuiwei slept soundly and dreamlessly for a full hour and a half after lying down at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM).
This is the best sleep I've had in almost half a month.
She yawned silently and lazily turned over to lie on her side.
Unintentionally, she stretched out her slender arm and seemed to hit something, followed by a muffled groan that was both drowsy and painful.
She was so frightened that her whole body stiffened and her hair stood on end.
The lights in the bedchamber were all out, and the room was dimly lit. She couldn't see who was next to her at all.
Before she could spring into the air, the person beside her pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's me."
A hoarse, languid voice, filled with weariness and languor, seemed so close to my ear.
The voice was both familiar and unfamiliar, and it inexplicably brought tears to her eyes.
"you……"
"Yes, I'm back."
After a moment of silence, Luo Cuiwei sorted out the chaos in her mind, sniffed lightly, and shoved him fiercely.
"So what if you're back? You didn't even light a candle. Who are you trying to scare by sneaking around in the dark? Let go of my hand..."
The last syllable of her voice trembled, as if she were trying to suppress a sob.
Yun Lie did not loosen his embrace as she wished, but only groaned repeatedly as if begging for mercy. After a moment, he forced a smile and said, "Please, Madam, have mercy... I'm injured."
Startled, Luo Cuiwei froze in his arms, too afraid to move.
Noticing her sudden, cautious fear and stiffness, Yun Lie patted her back somewhat awkwardly, as if coaxing a child, "It's okay, it's really okay, you'll be fine after a nap."
It wasn't some tender, moving love confession, yet it had the power to calm the soul.
"Then go to sleep and don't talk."
Luo Cuiwei's voice and body softened, and she nestled quietly in his arms.
Hearing the deepening breathing beside her, Luo Cuiwei finally felt the weight lifted from her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cloud-like temples.
He's back, that's good.
****
The next morning, Luo Cuiwei opened her eyes in the dawn light and saw the sleeping face beside her. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and laugh silently.
Last night she was annoyed that he hadn't lit any candles and scared people, but now she wanted to kneel down and thank him for not lighting any candles—
If she had lit candles last night, she would have been scared half to death by his unkempt, bearded appearance.
Seeing that he looked tired and was sleeping soundly, Luo Cuiwei did not want to disturb him. She carefully lifted the thin silk quilt little by little to see where he was injured.
"Don't take advantage of me..." Yun Lie, who was fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyelids a crack, pulled her back into his arms, and mumbled, "You have the guts to seduce me again when I wake up."
Luo Cuiwei, who was now trapped in his arms again, was stunned for a moment before baring her teeth at his sleeping face in annoyance.
Seeing that he had closed his heavy eyelids again, she muttered in a low, amused voice, "Who seduced you?"
"You, it's you," Yun Lie mumbled, though he was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, "You seduced me with your eyes... intending to do something improper..."
Luo Cuiwei was so wronged that she looked up at the sky speechlessly, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.