Shen Yuning burst into laughter.
In front of others, the Prince Regent was cold and unapproachable. Only in front of her would he show such a childish side.
Seeing the teasing smile on Shen Yuning's face, Yin Zidu felt a bit annoyed but mostly warm inside.
He was saved by her when he was twelve. He had always known in his heart that she was his light. Now, he could finally stay by her side, always accompany and protect her.
He reached out his hand, pulled Shen Yuning into his arms, and took a deep breath. "Do I smell strongly of alcohol?"
So he hadn't kissed her because he was afraid the alcohol smell would bother her.
Shen Yuning shook her head. "Not really. A courtier came just now to help you clean up."
Yin Zidu hugged her a bit tighter. There was nothing but a smile between his eyebrows. It was a long while before he said, "Yuning, you're mine. From now on, you'll always be mine."
Shen Yuning could hear her heart pounding. It seemed not her own but his.
Maybe it was both of theirs.
Yin Zidu pressed his forehead against hers and whispered in a hoarse voice, "I was always worried back then, worried whether I would succeed. Later, I finally did... Yuning, I finally did."
Shen Yuning knew clearly how tragic the struggle for the throne was. Even if Xuanzhi didn't tell her, she knew. She had loved reading since childhood and had read so many history books. In all dynasties in the books, whenever there was a struggle for the throne, there was no peace. The court was in turmoil, and the common people suffered even more.
Xuanzhi was a person who cared about the country. When he made the decision to seize the throne for his elder brother, he must have struggled a lot. She didn't know how they had planned it, but they managed to get through this volatile struggle for the throne so safely.
Yin Zidu was really a bit drunk. He kissed Shen Yuning's forehead again and again. "Yuning, I like you. I like you so much."
Shen Yuning didn't know how to respond. She just hugged him tightly.
However, the doubts in her heart couldn't fade away for a long time. Why not take advantage of his drunkenness and ask him properly?
Thinking like this, Shen Yuning slightly loosened her hands and asked in a low voice, "Xuanzhi?"
Yin Zidu responded in a daze, "Yes, sister... Yuning..."
Shen Yuning asked again, "Do you like me?"
Yin Zidu showed a smile and hugged her tightly. "Of course I do. From now on, you'll be mine. No one can take you away. No one is allowed to. You're only mine. I won't allow you to have anyone else in your heart. Do you understand?"
Shen Yuning looked up in doubt. Seeing that he was really drunk and not pretending, she felt at ease.
Right, if he was sober, where would he say such nonsense and so many words? He became especially talkative when drunk.
This bit of talkativeness, combined with Yin Zidu's good - looking eyebrows and eyes, was actually quite cute.
Shen Yuning smiled and asked again, "Then... when did you start to like me?"
Yin Zidu opened his red - eyed eyes, looked at Shen Yuning for a while, showed his former childish smile, and pecked her lips hard a few times.
"Long ago, I knew you were mine."
Shen Yuning was a bit disdainful. "When was I yours? I'm my own person, and you're my younger brother."
Yin Zidu mumbled, "I don't want to be your younger brother. I want to be your husband."
Shen Yuning then asked, "Since you like me and want me, why did you lie to me? Why did you change your name and hide from me? How come you weren't afraid of making me sad back then?"
Yin Zidu's eyes became a bit clearer. He lowered his head and stared intently at Shen Yuning. His breath blew on her face. It was the familiar faint fragrance of Young Master Zidu, mixed with the smell of alcohol, but it wasn't unpleasant.
He seemed to be in a daze. He stared blankly at Shen Yuning for a long time before stammering, "Yuning, I was wrong."
He coquettishly pleaded in a soft voice, just like in Xitian Town before.
But somehow, she just fell for it.
Shen Yuning's heart had already softened by half, but she still pretended to be fierce and asked, "Then tell me, why did you wear a mask to deceive me and say that my Xuanzhi was dead?"
Hearing her fierce and dissatisfied words, Yin Zidu lowered his head and kissed her to stop her from asking.
This kiss lasted for a lingering night.
Shen Yuning was still in a daze. She only felt sore and in great pain all over her body. She didn't know why her eldest sister always looked shy when she came back with her brother - in - law. Clearly... it didn't seem that comfortable.
She only felt tired, but Yin Zidu didn't seem to. Soon, he pulled her into his arms again and messed with her, making her unable to tell whether she was uncomfortable or comfortable.
It wasn't until Yin Zidu stopped that Shen Yuning was completely drowsy. She was so sleepy that she couldn't even open her eyelids. She didn't even want to get up to take a bath and just lay on his side and fell asleep.
At this moment, Yin Zidu seemed very sober. He hugged the person in his arms a bit tighter and whispered in her ear, "Yuning, I was wrong before. In this lifetime, I'll never lie to you again, okay?"
Shen Yuning felt as if there were mosquitoes buzzing in her ear. It was very noisy. She waved her hand and wanted to turn over, but unfortunately, she had no strength all over her body, and the person beside her hugged her even tighter.
Forget it, just rest like this.
Shen Yuning thought in her heart.
She heard his whispering again in her ear.
"At that time, I was afraid I wouldn't make it. I was always worried that I would drag you down. If I failed, it wouldn't matter what happened to me, but I was afraid that Yin Yifei would know about our relationship and would be bad for you, so I could only keep away from you..."
"Yuning, I was just a little bit away from failing at that time."
"Am I very ridiculous? I clearly said I would stay away from you. But seeing so many people around you, constantly having ideas about you, I just felt unhappy in my heart and couldn't help but want to drive them all away."
Shen Yuning felt it was very noisy in her ear. She mumbled, "Don't make noise," and finally managed to turn over.
Because of the intense activities before, Shen Yuning's clothes had been taken off and she didn't put them on again later. When she turned over at this moment, her back was exposed, and the large expanse of snow - white skin was very eye - catching.
The red wedding candles were shining, and there was the sound of the candle wick cracking.
Yin Zidu reached out his hand to touch her back. It was very smooth, making people's heart flutter.
Shen Yuning was disturbed from her sleep. She arched forward and mumbled vaguely, "Lutao, let me sleep a bit more..."
Yin Zidu's hand paused. In the end, he stopped moving. He just pulled up the brocade quilt and covered her completely.
He lowered his head to look at her. Her face, without makeup, was very porcelain - white, but there were fine hairs on her ears. It was very cute.
He remembered that in the past, when she buried her head in organizing the account books, he sat beside her and watched. Her face wasn't this porcelain - white. There were still some spots on her cheeks, and the fine hairs seemed to be able to tremble.
That kind of her was imperfect, but so beautiful that it made his heart flutter.
He was just a little bit away from giving up on her and missing her.
At that time, he thought that Chen Wenwei was also a good choice. He saw the way Chen Wenwei and her walked out of the palace side by side. That scene stabbed his heart painfully.
But no matter how much it hurt in his heart, he still tried his best not to see her or recognize her. He thought that maybe, after she got together with Chen Wenwei, he could let go.
When did he decide not to let go later? Probably when something happened to her.
How could Chen Wenwei, that weak person, protect her?
Maybe only when he became stronger could he protect his sister, the person he loved most.
Shen Yuning didn't sleep soundly this time. She had all kinds of strange dreams in her heart. She dreamed that when she was a child, she went to the Ministry of Justice with her elder brother to secretly look at a large number of complicated case files. The gatekeeper saw them but just turned a blind eye. Even later, when they were caught by their grandfather, the gatekeeper still bowed and saluted, saying it was his fault.
In the dream, her grandfather blew his beard and stared angrily. He grabbed her and her elder brother by the ears and threw them out of the Ministry of Justice.
Her elder brother asked, "Yuning, will you dare next time?"
She replied crisply, "I'll dare next time."
When they got back, they were caught by their uncle. The two - inch - thick ruler was raised high and landed heavily on her elder brother's hand.
Her elder brother said, "Yuning, don't be afraid. It doesn't hurt."
But that ruler looked so scary. It was raised high and landed heavily on her hand.
Strange. Although her uncle was fierce, he had never beaten her.
In the dream, Shen Yuning looked up. The person holding the ruler to beat her wasn't her uncle but her father.
Her father was never fierce and rarely went home. Not to mention beating her, he didn't even talk to her much.
But why did he beat her today? It hurt so much.
She stubbornly raised her small face. Tears welled up in her eyes because of the pain, but they never fell.
However, her heart was whispering, "Don't beat me anymore. Don't beat me anymore. It hurts so much..."
Someone beside her hugged her and hugged her even tighter.
It seemed to be her grandmother. Her grandmother was full of tears and seemed to be arguing with her father.
She couldn't hear what they were arguing about. She looked up and saw her mother's cold eyes. There was another girl in her mother's arms.
That was Xiaorou.
They weren't her parents. The Xue family wasn't her home.
Only her grandmother hugged her tightly and didn't allow them to bully her.
But her grandmother's embrace wasn't as soft as before. It seemed a bit hard and she hugged her a bit too tightly. There were also delicate kisses falling on her.
How strange.
However, this embrace and these kisses made her feel at ease.
Shen Yuning fell into a deep sleep.
She slept until it was broad daylight the next day. Shen Yuning slowly opened her eyes. Looking around at the strange place, she got a shock.
"What time is it?"
Shen Yuning's voice was hoarse and terrifying. Only then did she feel extremely thirsty.
But she didn't see Bihuan and Lutao come in. From the bathroom next to her, Yin Zidu walked out. He looked like he had just taken a bath.
Yin Zidu walked forward and looked at her with a smile. "Is my wife awake?"
Shen Yuning didn't care about being shy. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask what time it was, but her throat was uncomfortable and she couldn't make a sound.
Yin Zidu went to the table and poured a glass of water. He carefully fed it to her and then tidied up her clothes before saying, "It's almost the end of Chenshi now. Don't worry. There are three days off for the wedding. You don't need to worry about your duties."
Shen Yuning stared round - eyed. How could she be worried about her duties? Although she didn't have in - laws now, she had elder brothers and sisters - in - law. She had to go to the palace today to meet the emperor and the empress.