“No.” Ji Wujing’s response was clean and decisive, without a trace of hesitation.
Gu Jianli wanted to ask why, but Ji Wujing’s kiss silenced her. His hand on her lower back pulled her closer, pressing her tightly against his chest.
“Gu Jianli,” Ji Wujing pinched her cheek, “do you remember those various positions we saw in that booklet?”
Some images flashed before Gu Jianli’s eyes, and she immediately became alert. She placed her hands on Ji Wujing’s chest, leaned back, and stared at him with wide eyes, “What are you going to do?”
“Trying something fun.”
With that, Ji Wujing pulled open the belt of his sleeping robe. He took both of Gu Jianli’s feet, brought them together, and tied the red silk belt around her slender, fair ankles.
“What are you doing?” Gu Jianli asked again, trying to scoot back and break free.
“Don’t move.”
Ji Wujing easily pulled her back, finally tying a firm knot. He pulled her closer and then tied the other end of the belt to the carved wooden headboard.
Gu Jianli widened her eyes in protest, “Ji Zhao, what kind of tricks have you learned in the Flower Alley?”
“Flower Alley? Hah, don’t insult your uncle.” Ji Wujing calmly and securely tied the knot.
Gu Jianli thought that was it, but to her surprise, Ji Wujing reached over and grabbed a scarf from the small table by the bed. Gu Jianli watched as Ji Wujing threaded the scarf through her bent legs, tied it around her knees, and then pulled hard to spread her legs apart, securing the scarf to another part of the carved headboard.
“Let me go, stop fooling around,” Gu Jianli reached out to push Ji Wujing away.
Ji Wujing smiled, patted her cheek, and lowered his voice, “Gu Jianli, if you truly don’t want it, your uncle wouldn’t force you. You keep saying no, but in the end…”
“Shut up!” Gu Jianli covered his mouth with her hands, “I don’t want to hear it. If you keep talking, I’ll sew a cloth to shut your mouth.”
Ji Wujing lightly licked her palm with the tip of his tongue, causing her to pull her hand back instantly, feeling a tingle.
Ji Wujing held her chin, lifting her face to meet his eyes. He leaned in and took her earlobe into his mouth, whispering, “Gu Jianli, if you block your uncle’s mouth, wouldn’t you miss out on a lot of fun?”
As he spoke, his hand slid down her side to her smooth, delicate calf, gently tickling her foot. He coaxed softly in her ear, “Say that your uncle is the most handsome in the world, and you love him the most. Say it.”
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but laugh from the tickling, her body trembling slightly. She pushed against Ji Wujing, laughing, “Shameless.”
“Say it.”
Gu Jianli, unable to withstand the tickling, finally leaned against Ji Wujing’s chest and bit his shoulder, stopping her laughter.
Ji Wujing suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked towards the door.
Gu Jianli, a bit slow to react, also looked up at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
She still had a trace of laughter in her voice as she spoke.
Just as Gu Jianli finished her sentence, she vaguely heard footsteps. As the footsteps grew closer, Gu Jianli’s straight back slowly slumped, and she leaned against Ji Wujing with some disappointment.
Yuanshun knocked on the door from outside, “The little princess woke up from a nightmare and refuses to go back to sleep.”
Although Xiao Xiao was mostly cared for by Gu Jianli, she had two wet nurses. One was the carefully chosen Nanny Chen, and the other was Yuanshun. When Gu Jianli gave birth to Xiao Xiao, Yuanshun had also given birth to her daughter, Dou Dou, just six months earlier, so she also became Xiao Xiao’s wet nurse.
Ji Wujing patted Gu Jianli’s head, then reached down to untie the belts and scarves around her ankles and legs. He got out of bed, walked towards the door while putting on a loose robe and tying the belt. By the time he reached the door, he looked quite presentable.
On the bed, Gu Jianli hurriedly dressed.
Ji Wujing opened the door with a stern face and looked at Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao, leaning in Yuanshun’s arms, pouted unhappily. She glanced at Ji Wujing, then withdrew her gaze dejectedly, her small hand picking at the embroidery on Yuanshun’s shoulder.
“I tried to comfort her, but the little princess wouldn’t sleep. She kept asking for the empress dowager, so I had to bring her over,” Yuanshun explained.
Ji Wujing said nothing, directly taking Xiao Xiao from Yuanshun’s arms and turning back inside. Yuanshun closed the door, yawned, and left.
Ji Wujing rarely held Xiao Xiao. He lowered his eyes to look at the listless little girl. She also lowered her eyes, her long lashes drooping.
Xiao Xiao could talk, say anything, and form complete sentences, but she rarely spoke much, always using the fewest words possible.
Gu Jianli, now fully dressed, sat on the bed and reached out to Ji Wujing. When he handed the little girl to her, he frowned, feeling annoyed at how short the distance from the door to the bed seemed.
Lying back down, Gu Jianli placed Xiao Xiao between herself and Ji Wujing. Gently patting Xiao Xiao, she asked, “Sweetie, what kind of nightmare did you have?”
Xiao Xiao rubbed her eyes, looking sleepy. She slowly said, “I dreamed of a little brother. He kept crying, louder than a duck. I didn’t like him and pinched him to death.”
Gu Jianli’s hand, gently patting Xiao Xiao, froze.
She looked up at Ji Wujing, then asked softly, “Sweetie, you don’t have a little brother. Who told you that?”
Still rubbing her eyes and now almost asleep, Xiao Xiao mumbled, “They all say I’ll have a little brother, a little brother with the surname Ji. Everything will be his.”
Her voice trailed off as she clung to Gu Jianli’s hand and fell asleep.
Xiao Xiao slept soundly, but Gu Jianli couldn’t sleep. She lay there, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Ji Wujing gently turned over, reaching past Xiao Xiao to softly pat Gu Jianli’s hand.
That night, Gu Jianli hardly slept. As soon as dawn broke, she quietly got up, covered Xiao Xiao and Ji Wujing with the blanket, and silently left the bed. She went to punish everyone around Xiao Xiao.
No matter who had been gossiping, the fact that those attending Xiao Xiao hadn’t protected her from hearing such things meant they all deserved to be punished.
When Xiao Xiao woke up, she opened her eyes to find herself not in her own bed. Slowly remembering, she realized this was her mother’s bed. But the space next to her was empty; her mother was not there.
She was unhappy.
She sat up in bed and then noticed Ji Wujing sleeping on the other side of her. Tilting her head, she curiously watched him. After a while, she moved closer to Ji Wujing, getting near his face to look at him.
She didn’t like her father because he looked exactly like her.
Xiao Xiao cupped her face, scrutinizing Ji Wujing’s features.
How can we look so alike?
The more she stared, the deeper her little frown became.
Why isn’t Daddy waking up?
She reached out her small hand and pinched her father’s face. She remembered seeing her father pinch her mother’s face before and thought it looked fun. She wondered why her mother never pinched her father back.
She had wanted to pinch her father’s face for a long time.
But her father always had a stern expression, and she didn’t dare.
Now, her father was asleep.
Xiao Xiao started pinching Ji Wujing’s face, giggling as she did. She rarely smiled this much, so this was a rare moment of joy.
Pinching one side of his face, she wanted to pinch the other side too, but her small hand couldn’t reach.
She slowly climbed up. Her father’s body was like a small mountain, and she struggled to climb on top, sitting on his chest with her small feet on either side of his neck. Using both hands, she pinched and kneaded both sides of his face, like Nanny Chen kneading dough or Lizi playing with mud.
She then played with her father’s nose, poking and pushing it.
Wow, a pig nose!
Xiao Xiao laughed happily, showing her little teeth.
So, her father’s face was this fun to play with, even more fun than Heng Heng’s face.
Xiao Xiao was having so much fun that she nearly fell off when her small body tipped sideways. Fortunately, Ji Wujing’s hand caught her just in time.
Xiao Xiao’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re awake!”
Ji Wujing didn’t want to open his eyes to look at her.
With a creak, the door opened.
Only Gu Jianli could enter the room without knocking.
Ji Wujing instantly opened his eyes, lifted the little thing on top of him, and tucked her into the covers, straightening out his clothes that his daughter had wrinkled.
Gu Jianli walked closer, lifted the bed curtain, and saw both of them with their eyes open. She smiled and said, “Awake already? I was just about to wake you two up.”
She sat by the bed and reached out to Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao, after sneaking a glance at Ji Wujing, quickly stretched out her little arms and escaped into her mother’s embrace.
“Just woke up,” Ji Wujing said.
Gu Jianli smoothed Xiao Xiao’s messy, soft hair and asked, “Xiao Xiao, do you remember what you dreamed about last night?”
Xiao Xiao thought seriously for a moment, then shook her head. She didn’t remember.
“Not remembering is good.” Gu Jianli skillfully tied two small pigtails for her. After all, she had done this many times for Xinglan in the past few years.
“You two, get up and change quickly. It’s time for breakfast. I’ll go check the front, and when I come back, Xiao Xiao and Daddy need to be all dressed up, okay?”
Xiao Xiao nodded slowly. She watched her mother leave, opening her small mouth to call for help but then pouted and held back.
Knowing she was in trouble, she sneaked a glance at Ji Wujing and saw him looking at her. Frightened, she quickly lowered her head again. She crawled to the end of the bed to get her clothes from the small table, pretending nothing was wrong.
Ji Wujing grabbed her by the back of her collar and lifted her up. As she dangled in the air, Xiao Xiao’s small arms and legs flailed, but she kept her lips tightly shut, making no sound or plea.
Ji Wujing placed her on his lap and scoffed lightly, “Weren’t you very brave just now?”
Xiao Xiao imitated him and scoffed lightly, turning her head away to avoid looking at him.
“Don’t let your mother find out,” Ji Wujing said lazily.
Xiao Xiao blinked, a bit confused. She turned her face back and stared blankly at Ji Wujing.
“You’re not going to hit me?” she asked.
“Have I ever hit you?” Ji Wujing replied sarcastically.
Xiao Xiao tilted her head and thought for a while. No, her father had never hit her. But why was everyone so afraid of him? Whenever her father’s name was mentioned, people would hold their breath as if they had been beaten by him.
She asked again, “If I don’t tell Mommy, can I secretly play with your face again?”
Ji Wujing’s face darkened, and he remained silent.
Xiao Xiao cautiously tried to pinch Ji Wujing’s face again. He watched her coldly but didn’t move.
She succeeded in pinching him.
Xiao Xiao smiled, her lips curling up.
With a creak, the door opened again.
Gu Jianli walked in and saw Ji Wujing and Xiao Xiao sitting upright on the bed, both motionless and obedient. She looked a bit surprised and asked, “What are you two doing sitting there? Why haven’t you changed clothes?”
As she spoke, she picked up Xiao Xiao’s clothes and dressed her. Once dressed, Xiao Xiao asked Gu Jianli to put her on the ground, saying she wanted to go play with Heng Heng, and then ran out on her short legs.
“Usually too lazy to even walk, but today she’s running so fast.” Gu Jianli smiled and shook her head as she watched Xiao Xiao’s little figure.
Turning to Ji Wujing, she asked, “You didn’t bully Xiao Xiao, did you?”
Ji Wujing scoffed.
Gu Jianli looked him up and down, deciding that he wouldn’t bully their little girl. She got up and pulled Ji Wujing, saying, “Get up and wash up, you can’t be lazy.”
Ji Wujing let her pull him up but didn’t dress himself. Instead, he extended his arms, waiting for Gu Jianli to dress him. She glared at him but still helped him change clothes.
Suddenly, Ji Wujing asked, “Gu Jianli, would you be willing to accept me having multiple wives?”
Gu Jianli, standing in front of him and bending over to tie his belt, froze. The knot she was about to tie became crooked. She looked up at Ji Wujing’s expression, scrutinizing him, and slowly said, “Who cares about you…”
Ji Wujing patted her head and smiled, “You are the only one, and Xiao Xiao is the only one.”
No one could share him with her, and no one could share their parents with his little princess. A person’s heart is only so big. If there were someone else, how could he give everything to his little princess? His princess should have all the good things in this world, not share anything with others.
Gu Jianli lowered her eyes and slowly retied Ji Wujing’s belt. She said, “Okay.” Her lips curved into a slight smile, and her eyes softened.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Xiao was three years old. Today was her birthday. They held a banquet at home, inviting close relatives and friends. Even though Ji Wujing didn’t want to host it, given his status, they still set up ten tables in the courtyard.
In the morning, after Gu Jianli woke up and washed, she returned to the bedroom to find the father and daughter still asleep.
The sunlight was beautiful today. Gu Jianli opened the window, letting the bright morning light flood the room. She walked to the bedside and looked at the sleeping father and daughter. Xiao Xiao was lying with her head resting on Ji Wujing’s arm, her drool wetting his sleeve.
The gentle morning light fell on their faces. Gu Jianli was surprised to find a small red mole had appeared under Xiao Xiao’s left eye, exactly in the same spot as the tear mole under Ji Wujing’s eye. This mole was not there when Xiao Xiao was born; it had appeared suddenly.
Gu Jianli bent down and gently kissed Xiao Xiao’s soft cheek. As she straightened up, she hesitated for a moment and then placed a light kiss on Ji Wujing’s forehead.
Carefully, as if afraid of waking him. Yet she knew he would wake up.
The light kiss barely touched before Gu Jianli met Ji Wujing’s gaze.
Their eyes locked.
Neither moved nor spoke.
Gu Jianli’s lips gently curled into a smile, warmth shimmering in her eyes.
Nan Nan was growing up day by day, and every morning she woke up with him by her side. Such days couldn’t be any better.
Xiao Xiao rubbed her eyes and woke up.
Gu Jianli sat up straight.
Xiao Xiao looked at Gu Jianli, then at Ji Wujing, and mumbled, “Mommy, you kissed Daddy again.”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Gu Jianli lightly tapped Xiao Xiao’s forehead with her finger.
Xiao Xiao pouted but didn’t argue, perhaps too lazy to do so. She yawned and asked Gu Jianli to hold her. As Gu Jianli dressed her, Xiao Xiao repeatedly asked,
“When is Emperor Brother coming?”
“When are Grandpa and Little Uncle coming?”
Fifteen-year-old Gu Chuan had grown into a tall and handsome young man. Well-versed in martial arts and with considerable military experience from following his father, he had already earned a few military merits and held a minor officer’s position in the army.
However, Gu Chuan was not very happy today.
He had carved a small wooden horse with a chisel, planning to give it to Xiao Xiao as a birthday present. He had apprenticed with a craftsman, putting in a lot of effort. He eagerly imagined Xiao Xiao’s joy upon seeing the little wooden horse, but his enthusiasm deflated even before he reached the state father’s mansion to see Xiao Xiao.
Because… Gu Jingyuan had given Xiao Xiao a newborn red horse as a birthday present.
Gu Chuan grumbled, “Father, Nan Nan is still young and can’t ride a horse yet…”
“How is she young? She can start learning to ride at three! I’ll teach her myself!” Gu Jingyuan laughed heartily, patting the little red horse’s neck.
Gu Chuan felt a bit dejected.
Ji Xinglou usually gave Xiao Xiao many gifts, and for her birthday this time, he had thought long and hard about what to give. Finally, with the suggestion of the Empress Dowager, he decided to give her a title and fiefdom.
Thus, Xiao Xiao became the youngest titled princess in the history of Da Ji, and her fiefdom was larger than that of a prince.
“Long live the princess! Long live the princess!” The green-feathered parrot perched on the wutong tree branch repeated in a sharp voice. This parrot, belonging to Changsheng, had finally learned a second phrase besides “Changsheng, you fool—”.
“I want it!” Xiao Xiao pointed at the green-feathered parrot on the wutong tree.
Ji Wujing glanced at her, lifted her up, and placed her on his shoulder, heading towards the wutong tree.
“Don’t drop her,” Gu Jianli reminded him. She wasn’t reassured, so she quickly walked a few steps to catch up, staying by Ji Wujing’s side, her hand hovering protectively behind Xiao Xiao.
“I won’t drop,” Xiao Xiao reassured her, smiling. She sat on Ji Wujing’s shoulder, happily swinging her little legs.
“Don’t kick around,” Ji Wujing warned, giving her a sideways glance.
Xiao Xiao pouted and quietly lifted her foot, bending down to remove her shoe.
Gu Jianli, worried she might fall, quickly steadied her and helped take off her shoe.
As they reached the wutong tree, before Xiao Xiao could reach out to the green-feathered parrot, it let out a sharp cry and flew away.
A flash of red zipped by, and Changlin swooped in from somewhere, easily catching the parrot.
In the distance, Changsheng jokingly shouted, “Changlin, be gentle! Mao Mao is pregnant; she’s an expectant mother now!”
Jixia rolled her eyes at him, “Stop talking nonsense!”
Changlin, holding the parrot, handed it to Xiao Xiao, smiling foolishly, “Here you go, little princess!”
But Xiao Xiao didn’t want the parrot. She tilted her head and looked at Changlin, then suddenly pointed at him with her small finger, “I want!”
“Huh?” Changlin was confused.
Xiao Xiao hugged Ji Wujing’s neck and said slowly, “I want the Twelve Sons, the amazing Twelve Sons!”
Ji Wujing responded with an “Oh,” and said, “Okay.”
He easily granted his little princess the command of the Xuanjing Sect.
Changsheng quickly caught the green-feathered parrot that Changlin had let go and sighed. He patted the parrot’s head, saying, “Ah, we’re both unwanted, huh? Others don’t want you, and the Twelve Sons don’t want me. Sigh.”
Jixia rolled her eyes, “Heng Heng’s dad is here to boil water and make tea!”
Changsheng’s face immediately lit up with joy, and he ran over to help.
He had struggled for many years, always wanting to defeat any one of the Xuanyuan Mirror’s Twelve Sons and join their ranks. Since the time when Heng Heng was still in Jixia’s belly, he had been returning home covered in injuries, letting Jixia apply medicine while she scolded him. Even now, with the Xuanjing Sect having a new master, he still hadn’t become one of the Twelve Sons…
Looking up at the sky, Changsheng sighed deeply, “Ah, I’m old now. This world belongs to the young!”
He squatted down and heavily patted Heng Heng, who was playing with mud on the ground, on the shoulder, saying, “Son, the heavy responsibility of bringing glory to our family rests on your shoulders now!”
Heng Heng sniffed and asked, “Bringing what to the door? What does that mean? Why do we have to carry the door on our shoulders?”
“Sister!” Xiao Xiao patted Ji Wujing’s shoulder, signaling for him to put her down. She lightly ran towards Kang Xinglan.
Kang Xinglan had returned to the Kang family for a memorial yesterday and hurried back early this morning. Just as she appeared at the courtyard gate, Xiao Xiao spotted her.
Kang Xinglan’s crescent-shaped eyes crinkled with a smile, her dimples deepening. She squatted down, gently hugging her younger sister and speaking softly to her.
Ji Xinglou, along with everyone else, turned to look at Kang Xinglan standing at the courtyard gate.
Ji Xinglou suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia. The chubby little sister with a sweet baby voice from his memories had grown up, like a bud covered in morning dew.
The day was lively, and Xiao Xiao grew tired and sleepy early. Gu Jianli coaxed her to sleep and handed her to Yuanshun, then returned to the room, only to be immediately pulled into the bed by Ji Wujing.
The doors and windows were closed, and even the candles in the bedroom were blown out.
“It’s not even dark yet, no fooling around!” Gu Jianli pretended to get up, but Ji Wujing tripped her lightly. She let out a soft “ah” as she lost her balance and fell into his arms.
Ji Wujing drawled, “The little princess rides me during the day, and the big princess rides me at night.”
“Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish, all day long you talk nonsense! Who wants to ride you?” Gu Jianli laughed as she tried to get up.
“Not happening. Even if you don’t want to, it’s not happening.” Ji Wujing grabbed Gu Jianli’s legs, planning to try a different position that night.
The long night passed, their shadows entwined on the brocade bed curtains.
Early the next morning, Gu Jianli woke up groggily. She thought that since Xiao Xiao had slept early the night before, she might already be up and wanted to check on her.
She lazily got out of bed and walked to the pearwood clothes rack to get her clothes.
Her gaze fell on her hands, and she was puzzled by the long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles. Slowly, she turned back, stunned to see herself lying in bed.
Gu Jianli’s eyes widened, and she was suddenly wide awake.
She looked down at her large feet, realizing they were unmistakably Ji Wujing’s feet!