Mu Changxi, however, seemed to shed the usual cold and distant demeanor of Prince Chang the moment the door closed.
He looked at Song Chaoyu with a smile. "What, didn't you know my legs are perfectly fine?"
Song Chaoyu certainly knew!
Yet, she lowered her head, unsure of what to say.
Mu Changxi merely sighed softly. "I once said that I have nothing to hide from you. And now, I will do my utmost to fulfill all the promises I made to you before."
Indeed, when he was still Hanxi, he had said such words to Song Chaoyu.
But times had changed, and everything was subtly transforming, losing its former appearance.
Song Chaoyu opened her mouth, not knowing whether to call him "Brother Hanxi" or "Your Highness Prince Chang."
Mu Changxi mistook Song Chaoyu's silence for anger.
He stepped forward and gently removed the heavy phoenix coronet from Song Chaoyu's head. "Was it heavy?"
His gentle voice stirred Song Chaoyu's heart.
It was Hanxi. She was almost certain that the person before her was still the Hanxi of the past.
As Song Chaoyu looked up, Mu Changxi leaned down and placed a feather-light kiss on her forehead.
Then, he carefully set the phoenix coronet aside, stepped forward, and embraced Song Chaoyu. "A'yu, do you know how long I've waited for this day?"
Song Chaoyu had fallen for him when he was still Hanxi.
So, at this moment, as the familiar embrace and scent enveloped her, she couldn't help but close her eyes.
It was as if they had returned to their past.
The carefree days on the estate, when it was just the two of them, were perhaps the times Song Chaoyu would never be able to recapture in this lifetime.
But before Song Chaoyu could ponder further, Mu Changxi straightened up and gave her a suggestive smile. "It's getting late, shouldn't we... retire for the night?"
Song Chaoyu's cheeks flushed slightly.
She knew what Mu Changxi meant. Before her marriage, Aunt Liu, on Grandmother's orders, had informed her about the customs of the wedding night.
She wasn't unwilling, but a strange feeling lingered in her heart.
"A'yu, don't be afraid."
Mu Changxi removed his outer robe and gently pulled Song Chaoyu up from the bed. "A'yu, don't be afraid of me."
He reached out and gently caressed Song Chaoyu's face, his slender fingers slowly moving down until they rested on her collar.
With a slight flick of his finger, the knotted fastenings of her collar came undone.
Despite being prepared, Song Chaoyu couldn't help but take a step back, her head lowered, afraid to meet Mu Changxi's gaze. "I... I'll do it myself. I still have a lot of makeup on, and I want to wash it off. Otherwise, I just feel so sticky."
Her words grew increasingly cautious.
Mu Changxi, respecting her completely, took a step back and placed his hands behind his back. "If you need any help, you can call me."
Song Chaoyu was taken aback.
It had been the same when they were on the estate. Many times, when she stubbornly insisted on completing a task herself, Hanxi would never proactively help. Instead, he would wait until she had done all she could, and only then would he step forward if she still couldn't manage.
At that time, Song Chaoyu always said that Hanxi was her timely rain.
But thinking back now, she realized it wasn't just timely rain; it was because he had always been watching over her, enabling him to appear by her side at the first sign of need.
Song Chaoyu did not call for the maids outside to help. Instead, she slowly removed the heavy wedding robe herself.
Mu Changxi stepped forward to help her with the hem of her skirt and naturally noticed the damaged part.
Mu Changxi frowned. "What happened?"
Song Chaoyu had not wanted to say anything, but since he asked, she couldn't hide it. She simply said, "It seems the carriage was tampered with, but we're not sure yet. I've already sent Tiao Hong to investigate."
Mu Changxi snorted. "Such low-class tactics can only be the work of Prince Ning's manor."
Song Chaoyu knew that Mu Changxi and Mu Hansu did not have a good relationship, but she still looked up at him with slight surprise. "How... Did Your Highness Prince Chang have a falling out with Prince Ning so soon after returning to the capital?"
Mu Changxi frowned, then waved his hand. "Enough. Today is our joyous occasion. Let's not speak of unlucky people and matters."
However, as far as Song Chaoyu knew, there wasn't any deep-seated animosity between them.
But today was indeed not the time to discuss it. Song Chaoyu sat before the dressing table and carefully removed her makeup and hair ornaments.
Mu Changxi stood behind her, gazing at her reflection in the mirror.
His gaze made Song Chaoyu's cheeks burn. "Why... why are you always looking at me?"
Mu Changxi smiled. "Naturally, I'm looking at how beautiful our A'yu is."
Thus, even though the rouge had been removed, Song Chaoyu's cheeks remained flushed.
Only when her face was clean and her hair cascaded down her back like a black waterfall did she take a deep breath and slowly stand up.
However, before she could steady herself, Mu Changxi was already upon her—
His arms tightly embraced Song Chaoyu, and with a soft whisper of "Close your eyes," he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
For a moment, Song Chaoyu was enveloped by the familiar, pleasant scent emanating from Mu Changxi.
It seemed the same as before, yet also different.
Though Mu Changxi's movements were possessive, the kiss itself was incredibly gentle.
He didn't immediately make Song Chaoyu feel frightened, but rather slowly, ever so slowly, deepened the kiss.
Only when Song Chaoyu had forgotten her initial nervousness and her body was no longer as stiff as before did Mu Changxi release her.
But before Song Chaoyu could react, he lowered his head and swept her into his arms—
The dragon and phoenix red candles in the room burned brightly.
The joyous colors on the bridal bed, infused with lingering tenderness, made the room even warmer.
Outside, the weather was clear with a bright moon and sparse stars, and a pair of magpies slept nestled together on a branch.
Even the flowers blooming in the corner seemed to be paired, blooming side by side.
Everything in this world seemed to yearn for companionship!
—
This night passed much faster than Song Chaoyu had imagined!
She had almost forgotten how she had nestled into Mu Changxi's arms and fallen into a deep sleep.
She only knew that when she woke up, the sky outside was already dimly lit.
Mu Changxi was still sleeping soundly beside her, which momentarily disoriented her. Only then did she realize that she had become someone sleeping beside Mu Changxi, no longer the little illegitimate daughter hiding in the painting academy.