Seeing Nan Zhiyun had finally gained some weight, Yu Jingchen felt a mix of complex emotions. Her previous poor health had been entirely his fault. Now that she was slowly recovering, Yu Jingchen was happy, but also filled with guilt and sadness.
Nan Zhiyun didn't notice Yu Jingchen's unusual mood. Looking at the grapes on the plate before her, she didn't wait for Yu Jingchen's permission and started eating them herself. The grapes were sweet and sour, and Nan Zhiyun's shoulders wiggled with excitement as she ate. They were truly delicious, and she felt like she could never get enough of them.
"Are they that good?" Yu Jingchen watched her eat the grapes, his eyes curving into a smile. His heart melted.
"They're delicious, Your Majesty, would you like some?" Nan Zhiyun picked up a grape and offered it to Yu Jingchen.
"I peeled all of these," Yu Jingchen's meaning was clear.
"Hmm?" Nan Zhiyun's mind was slow to react, and she didn't understand what Yu Jingchen was implying.
"Peel me another one, a fresh one, peeled by Yun'er's own hands," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun: "..." There was nothing she could do but obediently peel another grape for Yu Jingchen.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun held out the grape she had peeled.
"What are you calling me?" Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun's outstretched hand and gently took it.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun knew what he wanted.
"Call me husband," Yu Jingchen was direct this time.
"Your concubine..." Before Nan Zhiyun could finish her sentence, Yu Jingchen interrupted her.
"It's me. There's no one else here, so you don't need to use such titles." Yu Jingchen took the grape from Nan Zhiyun's hand and ate it. However, he seemed to do it on purpose, biting down on her finger as he ate the grape. Nan Zhiyun's face instantly turned red.
"Who was that person performing below today?" Nan Zhiyun changed the subject, perhaps out of shyness.
"The person below?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"The one who performed and spoke. I remember the voice." Nan Zhiyun recalled the voice she had heard earlier.
"Bai Yi's daughter," Yu Jingchen replied simply.
The name sounded familiar to Nan Zhiyun. Yu Jingchen held her closer: "She was someone your father worked with a few years ago."
"My father?" Nan Zhiyun was too young then to remember clearly.
"It's alright, forget about it if you don't remember. Let's not dwell on it," Yu Jingchen told her.
"Mm." Nan Zhiyun was quick to let go of things that required too much thought.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun remembered something else.
"What is it?" Yu Jingchen looked at her.
"..." Nan Zhiyun lowered her head, seemingly hesitant to speak.
"Hmm? What is it? What do you want to say?" Yu Jingchen noticed her unusual behavior.
"...Is the imperial selection happening soon? Were the people who came today mostly on the list of prospective consorts?" Nan Zhiyun asked after some hesitation.
Yu Jingchen paused for a moment, then gently stroked Nan Zhiyun's head: "Yun'er, these things are unavoidable."
"Mm... your concubine understands." Nan Zhiyun knew that these events were necessary, but she still felt a bit uneasy.
"Don't worry, Yun'er. They pose no threat. You will continue to be as you are, and do whatever you wish," Yu Jingchen reassured her.