Chapter 49: Return Visit

Chapter 49: The Return Visit

Just thinking about it, Liu Yun was too excited to sleep, tossing and turning restlessly.

"Are you flipping pancakes?"

In the darkness, Xiao Hang opened his eyes and said abruptly.

Liu Yun immediately stilled. With an awkward smile, she explained, "Sorry for disturbing you, Your Highness. It's just that I'm so excited to see my family tomorrow that I can't sleep. I'll go to sleep right now."

Liu Yun pulled the blanket up to her chin and declared with conviction.

But Xiao Hang wasn't having it. His big hand slid under the blanket, grabbed her slim waist, and pulled her into his arms.

"Since you're not sleepy, how about the Crown Princess and I find something to pass the time?"

With that, he planted a hot, burning kiss on her, sealing her lips.

Liu Yun made muffled noises, frantically pushing at him, but his chest was just too solid and heavy—she couldn't do a thing.

Oh no, was he going to do it again?

To be honest, her body didn't hurt much anymore, but remembering how rough and intense their wedding night was, Liu Yun started to get nervous.

But after a moment, Liu Yun realized the Crown Prince was just kissing her, not undoing her sash or slipping his hand up her skirt like he did on their wedding night.

Though she could still feel the occasional poke against her leg.

The long kiss finally ended, and they both panted, their breaths mingling in a haze of intimacy.

"How much longer until that injury of yours heals?"

Trying to suppress the burning desire in his gut, Xiao Hang asked in a hoarse voice.

Newly married and having just gotten a taste of the good stuff, Xiao Hang was in his prime—how could one night ever be enough?

It wasn't even a drop in the bucket.

Once she caught her breath, Liu Yun licked her slightly swollen lips and whispered, "Soon."

She answered vaguely, hoping to put it off as long as she could.

Xiao Hang clearly saw through her. He gave her a playful bite and pressed on relentlessly, "It should be fine after we get back from the visit, right?"

Liu Yun couldn't argue—three days with that ointment, and those little tears would definitely be healed.

"Yeah, about that."

Liu Yun answered reluctantly, her heart full of dread.

Satisfied with her answer, Xiao Hang let her go, got out of bed, and headed to the bath.

Liu Yun watched in surprise, wondering what he was up to.

After drifting in and out of sleep for who knows how long, Liu Yun felt the bed dip and found herself in a warm embrace.

The late autumn air was biting, and Liu Yun hated the cold. Feeling the warmth, she instinctively snuggled in with little whimpers.

She was made of the same flesh and blood as him, yet so impossibly soft—Xiao Hang's heart melted right along with her.

So cute.

Xiao Hang thought, but his next thought was about their married life after the visit.

...

The next day, Liu Yun dressed up from head to toe, glowing as she boarded the Eastern Palace's carriage.

The Eastern Palace's carriage and entourage were already flashy enough, let alone the long line of return gifts trailing behind.

As they rode down Xuanwu Avenue, tons of people in the capital stopped to gawk.

Liu Yun didn't know at first, casually lifting the curtain, only to be met with a sea of stares. After that, she kept her head down.

On the way, the Crown Prince stole a kiss of her lipstick and messed up her clothes—he was such a handful.

A guy like him made Liu Yun sometimes wonder if his claim of having no concubines was total BS.

With how he was, how had he held back all these years?

Soon they arrived at the Liu residence, and Liu Yun pushed those thoughts aside.

Lifting the curtain, she saw her father, mother, and little brother standing at the gate in the distance, and she wished she could fly out.

When getting off the carriage, Liu Yun wanted to skip over like she did before marriage and throw herself into her mother's arms for a hug.

But now she couldn't act like a little girl anymore.

She was the Crown Princess now, after all.

In the future, she'd be the Empress. In front of so many people, she couldn't be so undignified—otherwise, people might think she was still a baby.

Everyone watched as the Crown Prince got off first, then reached out to help the beautifully dressed, glowing Crown Princess down.

Though the Eastern Palace's lady was young, she looked calm and dignified, stepping down gracefully with gentle poise.

Though she didn't say a word to the Crown Prince, their body language and looks showed they were close and in sync.

"Your subjects bow to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess!"

Liu Yun had barely reached her parents when, before she could even say a word, her whole family bowed deeply to her.

This was something she'd never experienced—her own parents bowing to her like she was their superior.

It reminded her of her wedding night, when the Crown Prince held her hand as they stood up high, and all the officials bowed down.

She was reminded again of her new identity.

She was no longer just some official's daughter.

"Father, Mother, please get up!"

Liu Yun reached out to help her parents up, her face beaming with smiles.

Xiao Hang also chimed in at the right moment, saying gently, "No need for such formality among family. Please, get up."

After a few polite exchanges, the family quickly welcomed their daughter and son-in-law inside.

The long line of return gifts was carried in box after box, filling the courtyard again—lavish and festive.

According to custom, Father and my little brother went to host Crown Prince Xiao Hang, while Liu Yun happily followed her mother back to her private quarters.

The room had been cleaned spotlessly, though it felt a bit lifeless after sitting empty for a few days.

It was strange—only three days had passed, yet Liu Yun felt like she'd been gone for ages.

Maybe this was what "a day apart feels like three years" really meant.

Once the door was shut, sealing off the Eastern Palace maids outside and leaving no outsiders inside, Liu Yun couldn't keep up the act anymore.

"Mother!"

With a soft whimper, she buried herself in her mother's embrace, unable to stop herself from acting like a spoiled child and pouring out how much she'd missed her.

Zhang Yuhua doted on her only daughter, and now that she was finally back for a visit, she couldn't get enough of her.

"How've things been at the Eastern Palace these past few days? How does the Crown Prince treat you?"

She worried her daughter might be hemmed in by palace rules or struggle to serve someone as exalted as the Crown Prince and end up feeling wronged.

She was determined to get to the bottom of it this time—if something was off, she'd step in as a mother and offer some advice.

Liu Yun first nodded, then shook her head, leaving Zhang Yuhua totally confused.

"So is it good or not?"

In Zhang Yuhua's view, good was good, bad was bad—why such a wishy-washy reaction?

Knowing only her mother was in the room and no one else could hear her secrets, Liu Yun stammered out an explanation.

"Don't worry, Mother. Life at the Eastern Palace is okay, and the Crown Prince treats me well, it's just... well..."

When she got to the embarrassing part, Liu Yun stumbled over her words, her face flushing red.

"The Crown Prince is too rough in bed—it hurts and wears me out, and I don't like it."

Though her voice was soft, she managed to say it word by word, leaving Zhang Yuhua speechless.

Looking at her daughter's soft, rosy cheeks, Zhang Yuhua leaned in and whispered, "Didn't Shanshan use the trick Mother taught you?"

At that, Liu Yun got even more embarrassed, dropping her gaze and blushing as she said, "I did, but it didn't seem to work—if anything, it..."

It only made him fiercer, nearly crushing her.

But Liu Yun couldn't bring herself to say that out loud, so she just stammered vaguely.

Zhang Yuhua slowly caught on and let out a sigh too.

For one, the Crown Prince was young and full of fire, so losing control was only natural.

For another, Shanshan was clearly the apple of His Highness's eye.

For a moment, Zhang Yuhua didn't know what to do with such a lusty young groom either.

Just as she was fretting, she heard her daughter's cheerful voice.

"But I've got a much better trick!"

"The Crown Prince is kind-hearted, so I just need to act all pitiful!"

Liu Yun had already planned it—if the Crown Prince turned rough and fierce again, she'd scream in pain like crazy, sure it would work.

Zhang Yuhua smiled, patting her daughter's hand to comfort her. "Married life takes adjusting, and so does the bedroom stuff. Take it slow."

The mother and daughter moved on to happier topics, like Liu Yun telling her mother about all the nice gifts she'd gotten these past few days and the glass flower house specially built for her in the Eastern Palace.

Her eyes crinkled with joy as she spoke, clearly thrilled.

"Shanshan, you have no idea—ever since our family gained the Crown Prince as a son-in-law, countless families have tried to suck up to us and get in good with us. Some have even got their eyes on your little brother, wanting to marry their young daughters off to him!"

"Ah?"

Liu Yun couldn't help but be astonished, since her younger brother was only fourteen this year—still just a kid, way too young to be talking marriage.

Those families were way too eager.

As Liu Yun said this, Zhang Yuhua chuckled, "Isn't it all because of your fine Crown Prince? With this connection, our Liu family is now royal relatives. Even if your brother amounts to nothing in the future, he'll still be the Emperor's in-law, so naturally people are eager."

Liu Yun didn't want to dwell on it, only urging, "In any case, Mother, please don't rush to get Brother engaged. He's still young—his focus should be on studying and passing the civil service exams."

Zhang Yuhua nodded. "Of course, of course."

The mother and daughter chatted a while longer until a maid came to say dinner was ready.

At dinner, Liu Yun had gotten more skilled at serving the Crown Prince, but her old habit was still there—she always picked out dishes Xiao Hang didn't like.

Xiao Hang ate them without batting an eye, showing no sign of displeasure, then put the dishes Liu Yun usually loved into her bowl.

In public, he was all proper and attentive, but who would've guessed how wild and raunchy he was at night.

As the sky darkened, Liu Yun reluctantly said goodbye to her family and got back on the carriage, heading back to the Eastern Palace.

The ride back didn't have the excitement of the trip there—just a heavy heart full of reluctance.

Passing through a busy part of town, Liu Yun seemed to hear a familiar voice...

"Shanshan~"

"Shanshan~"

The voice wasn't loud and was occasionally drowned out by the crowd, but Liu Yun knew right away who it was.

It sounded like Zhen Zhen!

At that, Liu Yun excitedly pulled back the carriage curtain.

Sure enough, there was Zhen Zhen, waving at her happily, all smiles.

Liu Yun wanted nothing more than to jump down and join Zhen Zhen right then, but this wasn't the right time.

She thought for a moment, then suddenly wrapped her arms around the Crown Prince's arm, speaking in a coaxing tone, "Your Highness, could I ask you a favor?"

She wrapped her arm around his like a soft vine, and Xiao Hang's lips curved slightly, his voice so gentle it could practically drip with sweetness.

"What is it?"

To get what she wanted, Liu Yun used the same cutesy act she'd once used on her parents, now turned on her husband.

"I haven't seen my best friend from before I got married in forever, and I miss her so much. Would Your Highness let me send her an invitation to come visit me at the Eastern Palace?"

Author's note:

New chapter up!

I almost forgot in the last chapter that it was Dragon Boat Festival—wishing you all a happy and healthy one, my dears.