Si Que slowed his steps. Si Lang, completely unaware, took two steps forward before noticing. He turned to look at Si Que and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The cold wind blew, lifting the white veil of Si Que’s hat slightly. Before Si Lang could see his expression clearly, the veil slowly fell back into place.
“Nothing,” Si Que continued walking.
When they reached Si Lang’s study, the two sat down. A maid brought in tea, respectfully placing it on the table before quietly walking out. At the doorway, the maid couldn’t resist turning back. She saw the two of them sitting opposite each other, raising their teacups at the same time, even the angle of their raised wrists was identical.
They both took just one sip and then set their teacups down simultaneously.
Si Lang turned his head and instructed the maid to brew a new pot of tea, with fewer tea leaves.
The maid acknowledged and quickly stepped out to brew the tea again. Without needing to say it, if the Crown Prince found the tea too strong, Princess Que would too.
Their tastes were strangely similar.
“Since you’re here, there’s something I want to ask you,” Si Lang said. “When you first arrived at the Jinnan Prince’s residence, Si Hua went to find you, but he disappeared on the way and has been missing ever since. Did you see your second brother that day?”
Yes, and he turned into a puddle of water.
“No, I didn’t.”
Si Lang sighed, “It’s been so long without any news; I’m afraid it’s not good.”
Si Que had already removed his veiled hat when he came in. He lowered his eyes, showing no expression, and didn’t respond further.
“I almost forgot to give you the fake death pill,” Si Lang said with a smile, getting up and walking to a nearby bookshelf. While rummaging through a box, he joked, “The leader of the Poison Pavilion really demanded a high price, two thousand taels of gold for just one pill.”
He found a small porcelain bottle the color of duck egg blue and placed it in front of Si Que, laughing self-deprecatingly, “Luckily, we bought it while still in the Si Kingdom. Now, we couldn’t afford it.”
Si Que pulled out the stopper and glanced at the pill inside.
“It’s good; using this pill will be more thorough, avoiding many troubles. When you plan to leave the Jinnan Prince’s residence, do you need me to arrange for people to meet you outside?” Si Lang asked.
“No need.”
Si Que put the pill away and picked up his veiled hat from the table.
“Do you know her?” he asked.
“What?” Si Lang was puzzled. Before Si Que could explain, he understood and smiled in realization. “I’ve admired her for a long time. I heard she’s not living well after marriage. Since we’re both from the Si Kingdom, it would be a good deed to save her from the Jinnan Prince’s cage.”
A lamp hung on a branch of an apricot tree in the courtyard, its red tassels gently swaying in the winter wind.
Si Que looked at the swaying red lamp, listening to Si Lang’s words. When Si Lang finished, he didn’t respond and walked out.
The maid had not yet returned with the newly brewed tea.
Si Lang remained seated, watching Si Que’s departing figure. As Si Que walked away, a figure silently emerged from behind a screen. The man frowned and asked, “Did Your Highness figure it out?”
“More or less,” Si Lang replied, sipping the slightly cooled tea.
“Si Hua was killed by him. That woman is indeed entangled with him.” Si Lang put down his teacup, resting his head on his hand, lightly pressing his eyebrow with his thumb.
“Hmph,” the man snorted, “He can even kill his own brother. Truly cold-blooded! Your Highness was so kind to him just now, but he kept a cold face the entire time, not even bothering to say a few more words!”
“No,” Si Lang shook his head, “Compared to the years he was mute, he already speaks a lot more now.”
Si Lang waved his hand, dismissing his personal guard.
Si Lang felt a bit troubled.
Indeed, he could see through Si Que accurately. But was that a good thing? No, Si Que could also see through him at a glance.
Such is the nature of twins.
It was night by the time Si Que returned to the Jinnan Prince’s residence.
He walked into his room, turning to close the door. Suddenly, he sensed something was off—a familiar presence, faint but unmistakable. He paused for a moment before closing the door completely.
“Where have you been?”
The voice of You Yuji came from behind him.
Si Que turned around, his face, which had been devoid of emotion all day, instantly lit up with a smile.
“Sister!” He quickly walked over to where You Yuji was reclining on the chaise longue, the soft glow of the candles reflecting the smile on his face.
Si Que sat down on the chaise longue, leaned in, and embraced You Yuji, burying his slightly cool cheek against her neck. “Sister, why did you come back early? I thought I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow night. It’s so good to see you today.”
He lifted his face, looking at You Yuji with clear, bright eyes full of anticipation. “Did you come back early because you missed me?”
You Yuji opened her mouth, her original question momentarily forgotten. Her furrowed brows gradually smoothed out, a gentle smile spreading across her face. “I thought it might snow, so I planned to stay overnight, but the sun shone brightly all day. I also missed Ying Ying, so I came back early.”
Si Que’s bright eyes dimmed immediately. He lowered his long eyelashes, his voice dropping. “Oh, so Sister was missing someone else, not me.”
You Yuji smiled and gently removed his hand from her waist. She sat up and asked, “Where did you go?”
“Were you worried I was out admiring flowers, drinking wine, counting stars, and watching the moon with other women?”
You Yuji shook her head helplessly. “Don’t be naughty, okay? Your health isn’t good, and given your current… situation, you should avoid going out as much as possible.”
“I went to Lianshui.”
“What did you do there?” You Yuji asked.
“Because in Lianshui, everywhere reminds me of being with you.”
You Yuji laughed and pushed Si Que away slightly as she got up from the chaise longue. “In the future, don’t wander off on your own. Even if you want to go out, tell Zhenxu to arrange a few guards to accompany you.”
“Sister thinks I’m a useless little waste.”
You Yuji had already put on her shoes. She turned around, leaned down, and planted a light kiss on Si Que’s forehead. She said softly, “Don’t say things Sister doesn’t like to hear. Ah Que is very useful.”
She straightened up and walked out, instructing Zhenxu to prepare hot water. When Si Que had embraced her earlier, she felt the chill from his body. In the dead of winter, a good soak in hot water was necessary after coming back from outside.
As Si Que listened to You Yuji giving instructions to the maid outside, he adjusted his expression, changing his posture. He picked up an apple from a small table and lazily took a bite, his face expressionless.
By the time You Yuji returned, Si Que had finished the apple. He adjusted his slouched position, sitting upright at the edge of the chaise longue, smiling as he watched You Yuji approach.
You Yuji glanced at him with a smile before looking away and continuing inside to fetch clean clothes for Si Que. She opened the wardrobe and looked at Si Que’s clothes. Then, she turned her gaze to her jewelry stand, where a few pieces of her jewelry lay scattered, alongside a jade clasp from Si Que’s hair.
The snowy jade clasp was lightly covered by the tassels of one of her hairpins.
Traces of Si Que were increasingly present around her.
You Yuji collected her thoughts and carried Si Que’s clothes out.
“You’re chilled to the bone. Take off your outerwear first,” You Yuji said as she approached Si Que, naturally bending down to help him remove his coat.
Her hand brushed against a small porcelain bottle in his sleeve, making her exclaim softly. She felt the bottle through his sleeve and asked, “What’s this?”
Si Que’s smiling eyes darkened slightly. He grasped You Yuji’s wrist, gently pushing her hand away. “You’ve been busy all day, Sister. I wouldn’t want to trouble you with helping me undress.”
You Yuji looked at him, saying nothing.
Si Que smiled obediently. “The item in my sleeve is a New Year’s gift for you. It’s not time yet, so I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
He stood up, carrying the clothes You Yuji had set aside, and went to the washroom to bathe.
You Yuji sat sideways on the chaise longue, pondering what Si Que might gift her. A small bottle like that was probably medicine. She had never heard of someone giving medicine as a New Year’s gift.
She smiled and yawned softly. She had only just returned to the Jinnan Prince’s residence after a bumpy carriage ride and was already tired. If she hadn’t been waiting for Si Que to come back, she would have gone to bed already.
After sitting on the chaise longue for a short while, she didn’t wait for Si Que to come out of the washroom. Yawning, she headed to bed. By the time Si Que emerged, she had already fallen asleep, hugging a cat named Baisui.
Si Que walked to the bed with a casual air, glanced at the sleeping You Yuji, and picked up the cat from under her pale arm, tossing it off the bed.
He replaced Baisui.
—
The next morning, when Si Que woke up, he knew without opening his eyes that You Yuji was already awake. He listened to her breathing, noting that it wasn’t her usual drowsy morning state but fully alert, though she lay still on the outer side of the bed.
Si Que opened his eyes and looked at her, seeing her quietly staring at the canopy above the bed.
Following her gaze, he glanced up but saw nothing unusual. He looked back at her and spoke in a gentle tone, “What’s wrong, Sister?”
You Yuji continued staring at the canopy, not answering or moving.
Si Que’s hand searched under the covers until he found You Yuji’s hand.
She had her hands folded over her stomach.
Suddenly, You Yuji turned around, burying her face in Si Que’s chest.
Si Que’s hand paused for a moment before pressing gently on her back, pulling her closer into his embrace.
“Sister?”
You Yuji remained silent.
Si Que didn’t press her further.
After a long while, he felt a slight dampness seeping through the thin fabric of his nightshirt at his chest.
She was crying.
A strange feeling arose in Si Que’s heart, an unfamiliar emotion beyond his control that made him frown.
He couldn’t tell if he disliked the sudden inexplicable ache in his heart or if he found the novelty of this feeling strangely thrilling.
As his heart gradually adjusted to this damp emotion, he held You Yuji tighter, his long fingers smoothing her slightly disheveled hair, gently patting her back.
She probably didn’t want him to see her crying, so he didn’t look.
Time passed slowly. Baisui wandered in and out of the room twice, and the third time it came in, it climbed onto the bed, sprawled on the empty pillow beside You Yuji, and yawned widely before tilting its head curiously at the two people seemingly tied together by an invisible string.
Much later, You Yuji pulled away from Si Que’s embrace. She sat up and smiled at him gently, “It’s time to get up and have breakfast.”
Si Que looked at her reddened eyes and smiled, agreeing.
You Yuji turned, lifted the bed curtain, and sat at the edge of the bed to put on her shoes.
This morning, the familiar dull ache in her abdomen told her that her period was coming. She thought of her mother’s frail appearance when she returned home yesterday, and for a moment, the sadness and frustration nearly overwhelmed her. She couldn’t help but bury her face in Si Que’s chest, shedding quiet tears.
Other than in front of her mother, she didn’t like to cry in front of others. Fortunately, Si Que neither comforted her nor made any other gesture, just let her cry in his arms for a while.
After putting on her shoes, You Yuji stood up and looked back through the hanging bed curtain.
She regretted it a little, thinking she shouldn’t have cried in front of Si Que. Although she was anxious and upset about not getting pregnant, she shouldn’t have let these emotions affect him.
This kind of dejection and urgency was unpleasant, and she didn’t want him to experience it. His health was so fragile that he shouldn’t have to bear her negative emotions.
She lifted her wrist to gently part the bed curtain, looking at Si Que with a gentle smile. “Don’t oversleep; we have deer milk for breakfast this morning.”
Thank you so much for the additional chapters!