Chapter 43: The Reward

After finishing breakfast, Luo Wushuang threw herself into her work with a fervor born of a single desire: to spend more time with her sister. She attacked the mountain of memorials with such intensity that one might have expected sparks to fly from the tip of her brush.

Seeing her so driven for the first time, Shangguan Liqian found herself setting aside the book she had been enjoying. Her gaze drifted toward the memorials Luo Wushuang was currently reviewing.

The strokes were vigorous and powerful, each character imbued with an unquestionable authority. Between the lines lay a palpable majesty—the unmistakable aura of a ruler who commanded the world.

A faint smile touched the corners of Shangguan Liqian’s lips, her eyes brimming with admiration.

Wushuang’s handwriting was excellent. It was… domineering, a perfect reflection of the woman herself.

Deep in her struggle against the paperwork, Luo Wushuang sensed the weight of that gaze. Her lips quirked upward, and she subconsciously straightened her back, presenting a more poised figure.

Shangguan Liqian’s smile softened into something warmer as she nonchalantly looked back down at her book. However, she found she couldn’t focus on a single word.

Her mind was filled with the image of those hands moving with the grace of a dancing dragon, and the way the Empress had instinctively tensed up under her scrutiny. It was… actually quite adorable.

Wait, why did she stop looking?

The moment that burning gaze vanished, Luo Wushuang’s eyes darted toward the woman who appeared to be immersed in her reading again.

The curve of her lips flattened, and a look of pure grievance threatened to overflow from her eyes.

Sensing a shift in the air, the distracted Shangguan Liqian looked up. Their eyes met before Luo Wushuang had any chance to hide her emotions.

Startled for a heartbeat, Liqian quickly realized what was happening. She asked softly, “Are you finished with the memorials? I’m still waiting for our walk.”

At the mention of their outing, Luo Wushuang’s spirits surged once more. She returned to the battlefield of her desk with renewed vigor.

Deep inside, however, a tiny seed had been planted—a mischievous desire to “bully” her companion.

Unaware of this, Shangguan Liqian chuckled and returned her attention to the page.

The two worked in their respective spheres of focus, a picture of tranquil, shared time.

Perhaps it was the anticipation, but work that usually took half a day was finished in less than an hour.

Sensing Luo Wushuang stretching, Shangguan Liqian looked up with a smile. “All done?”

At Wushuang’s nod, Liqian rose and walked over to stand behind her, gently kneading the Empress’s shoulders. “Do you need to rest for a moment?”

Luo Wushuang shook her head. She looked up at the woman standing over her, biting her lower lip as if hesitating over something.

Shangguan Liqian arched an eyebrow, waiting for her to speak.

“Sister,” Luo Wushuang murmured.

“Yes?” Liqian replied, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Luo Wushuang turned slightly and buried her face against Liqian’s midriff.

Liqian stood straight, her hand coming up to stroke the Empress’s head as she waited patiently for whatever was coming next.

Luo Wushuang took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of jasmine that was uniquely Liqian’s. After a long moment, she finally spoke.

“I finished the memorials so quickly today… isn’t there a reward?”

Liqian looked down, meeting those shimmering, expectant eyes.

“What kind of reward do you want?” Liqian asked, her hand moving to stroke Wushuang’s neatly styled hair.

With a slight flick of her wrist, the hairband came loose. Dark tresses instantly escaped their constraints, cascading down like a silken waterfall.

Luo Wushuang shook her head, letting her hair fall in messy waves, and spoke hesitantly.

“I want to kiss you… and I also want…”

Before she could finish, a shadow fell over her. The warmth upon her lips made her instinctively close her eyes.

Her sister’s lips were fragrant and sweet, but… she wanted more.

“I also want…” Luo Wushuang gasped out.

In the next heartbeat, a slender, pale finger was pressed against her lips.

“Shh. Right now, it’s—”

Before the word “daytime” could leave her mouth, Liqian felt a sudden warmth on her fingertip. Luo Wushuang had caught her finger, biting down lightly between her teeth.

From the tip… to the pad… and further…

A soft, supple tongue proved exceptionally nimble and mischievous.

A long moment passed. When the fingertip was finally released, a thin, silver thread of moisture lingered between the red lips and the skin.

Shangguan Liqian’s face flushed hot. She opened her mouth to scold her, but Luo Wushuang beat her to it, speaking in a pitiful, aggrieved tone.

“Is it really not allowed, Sister…?”

As she spoke, Wushuang’s gaze settled on Liqian’s reddened face. The urge to tease and “bully” her only grew stronger.

Liqian let out a small huff of exasperation, her voice tight with embarrassment. “Didn’t we agree to go to the Imperial Garden? Are we going or not?”

Luo Wushuang swallowed hard. The “flower” she truly wanted to see wasn’t in the Imperial Garden.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go to the garden, she was just afraid… that particular flower wouldn’t be willing to bloom out in the open.

Wushuang’s gaze was too intense—too direct—leaving Liqian momentarily overwhelmed.

By the time she regained her composure, she had been pressed back into the chair by the Empress.

Seeing Liqian seemingly without the strength to resist, Luo Wushuang wrapped her arms around her waist and rubbed her head against her chest, pleading in a low voice.

“Can I…? Please, Sister…”

Looking at those puppy-like eyes, Liqian’s resolve wavered for a second. But then she remembered that puppies grew up to be predators, and she instantly regained her cool.

Adopting a cold, indifferent expression, she said flatly, “I said not during the day.”

The light in Wushuang’s eyes dimmed. She knew her attempt at seduction had failed, yet she remained huddled there, unwilling to move.

Looking at this clingy yet devious woman, Liqian felt a mix of irritation and amusement. She idly twirled a lock of dark hair around her finger and continued in the same detached tone.

“Get up. Your hair is a mess. Let me fix it for you.”

Luo Wushuang played dead, refusing to budge.

Liqian let go of the hair, her hand slowly moving down until it reached the sensitive curve of Wushuang’s waist. Her tone took on a dangerous edge.

“Are you going to get up or not?”

A moment before Liqian could pinch her, Luo Wushuang practically levitated off the chair, forcing a bright, innocent smile onto her face.

“I’m up! Please don’t be angry, Sister.”

Liqian shot her a look before heading toward the dressing table.

Seeing her sister standing by the chair without moving, Luo Wushuang hurried over and sat down obediently.

Once the messy hair had been meticulously rearranged, Liqian’s gaze fell upon the eyebrow charcoal resting quietly in the vanity box.

Luo Wushuang’s eyes lit up. She looked up with great anticipation. “Is Sister going to draw my brows for me?”

Liqian nodded slightly and asked in a low voice, “What shape do you prefer, Wushuang?”

Finding her suspicion confirmed, Luo Wushuang beamed brilliantly. “As long as you’re the one drawing them, I’ll love whatever shape you choose.”