Tao Chuyi’s honey-smeared lips brushed against the other’s. She had only meant to let Fairy Sister taste a bit of the sugar, but suddenly she discovered that Fairy Sister’s lips felt just like soft candy—sweet and yielding. She really wanted to take a bite, so she did.
That bite jolted Nangong Yunshang back to her senses. She instinctively shoved Tao Chuyi away, her heart still pounding. Whether from her wind chill or something else, her cheeks were tinged with red, faint teeth marks lingering on her lips.
She ought to have flown into a humiliated rage, but in the end, Nangong Yunshang felt only shock. Her anger never even surfaced.
Tao Chuyi tumbled to the foot of the bed, her expression utterly bewildered. Why had Fairy Sister pushed her? She hadn’t bitten enough yet. Her gaze locked involuntarily onto those rosy lips. She wanted another nibble.
At that moment, someone burst into the bedroom like a whirlwind and roared furiously at Tao Chuyi. “You pervert! How dare you!”
Tao Chuyi curled into a ball and rolled to the inner side of the bed, clutching Nangong Yunshang’s arm and refusing to let go.
This Min Qing was so mean! She always glared at her and yelled at her. She was a bad person!
Seeing this, Min Qing grew even more frantic. She reached out to yank Tao Chuyi away, only to be halted by an icy voice.
Nangong Yunshang pressed a hand to her chest and coughed twice. The gaze she leveled at Min Qing held a trace of indifference.
“Min Qing, he is the prince consort. No matter who else might discipline him, that’s not your place.”
“This servant deserves death!”
Min Qing’s bluster vanished in an instant. She dropped to her knees, bowing her head low like a frightened little rabbit huddled in a corner.
“This servant was only afraid he would take liberties with Your Highness.”
After spending these days together, how could Nangong Yunshang not know Tao Chuyi’s temperament? Silly though she was, Tao Chuyi was kindhearted and well-behaved—a good child. Even if Nangong Yunshang had no fondness for men, she still couldn’t bear to speak ill of her.
The only real flaw was that silliness.
Nangong Yunshang shot her a sidelong glance before lying back down.
“Min Qing, I summoned you to stand guard, not to cause trouble. Remember your duties. Don’t make me repeat myself a third time.”
Min Qing kowtowed at once. “This servant obeys!”
When she raised her head again, she caught Tao Chuyi pulling faces at her once more. Anger flushed her face beet red, but she couldn’t lash out.
Tao Chuyi stuck out her tongue and squinted her eyes in provocation, as if to say, “Fairy Sister’s protecting me, not you.”
After Min Qing withdrew, Tao Chuyi hopped down from the inner side of the bed. She pulled up the quilt and tucked it securely around Nangong Yunshang, even stuffing the corners tight.
When Tao Chuyi looked up, she found Nangong Yunshang still watching her. So she raised her hand to cover those beautiful eyes.
“Time to sleep. Dad says lots of sleep makes the sickness go away.”
This blunt method of coaxing sleep proved surprisingly effective. Before long, waves of drowsiness overtook Nangong Yunshang, and she gradually slipped into dreams.
Tao Chuyi sat right beside her, propping her cheeks on her hands as she stared unblinkingly at the figure on the bed. She stared and stared until sleepiness overtook her too.
Beneath the night sky, the icy moon hung overhead, its soft, tranquil light spilling through the window to speckle the room. Starlike motes dappled Tao Chuyi’s cheek, lending her moonlit face an otherworldly clarity.
“No, it won’t happen! No!”
Tao Chuyi jerked awake. After a dazed moment, she realized the voice came from the bed.
“Your Highness the Princess?”
Nangong Yunshang murmured in her sleep, gripping the quilt tightly before suddenly releasing it and flailing her hands wildly.
“Don’t… don’t abandon me!”
Bewildered, Tao Chuyi caught those thrashing hands. Recalling the lullaby Xichan hummed to soothe her own nightmares, she started humming it too—stumbling at first, but hitting the tune.
Xichan had said that whenever Tao Chuyi suffered such nightmares, the lullaby would make them vanish.
Sure enough, Nangong Yunshang soon quieted. Her body stilled, and she settled into peaceful slumber once more.
Tao Chuyi yawned hugely, tucked those hands back under the quilt, flopped onto the bed’s edge, and passed out in moments.
As the first rays of morning sun pierced the bedroom, Nangong Yunshang stirred and awoke. She blinked her eyes open, collecting herself, and realized her body felt much lighter. The heavy dizziness had lifted—it seemed yesterday’s medicine had worked wonders.
“Mmm, Fairy Sister, don’t be scared.”
Nangong Yunshang startled. Looking aside, she saw the little fool propped against the bed’s edge, asleep on the floor. To have slept so deeply in the presence of a man, even if he was her prince consort… Had her trust in this person grown that much?
Sensing the movement, Tao Chuyi mumbled and finally roused herself.
“Fairy Sister! Your Highness the Princess!”
Who wouldn’t feel their morning brighten upon waking to such a radiant, innocent smile?
Nangong Yunshang’s expression softened unconsciously. “You stayed here all night?”
Tao Chuyi nodded eagerly. “Your Highness the Princess! Princess is all better now!”
“Thank you,” Nangong Yunshang said mildly.
Tao Chuyi lit up even more, nearly bouncing in place. Fairy Sister was thanking her!
Over the next few days, Tao Chuyi never left Nangong Yunshang’s side, coaxing her to take medicine and rest with the most sincere methods. This time, the Third Princess recovered far more quickly than usual.
The entire Princess Mansion came to see their prince consort in a new light. No one avoided her anymore; they all bowed respectfully in greeting. Everyone except certain individuals had started accepting their foolish prince consort.
Now that her wind chill had passed, Nangong Yunshang craved some fresh air. Her attendants urged her not to venture far, lest she catch cold again. So she and Tao Chuyi simply lingered in the pavilion within the mansion grounds.
Both wore heavy cloaks, bundled up snugly. In thanks for Tao Chuyi’s devoted care, Nangong Yunshang had her guqin brought over and played a piece just for her.
Hearing the Third Princess play was a rare treat in the Princess Mansion—it depended entirely on her whim. Now the household staff crowded the garden, basking in the heavenly strains, all thanks to the prince consort.
Nangong Yunshang rested her hands on the strings. Her fingers danced lightly, and enchanting music cascaded forth.
Tao Chuyi knew nothing of music theory, but she happily sat still to listen to the melody Fairy Sister played for her alone.
Yinghong and the others waited outside the pavilion, heads bowed with faint smiles. They thought the pair inside looked wonderfully well-matched. Only one person eyed Tao Chuyi with an enigmatic gaze.
The tune shifted from the grandeur of mountains and flowing streams to something light and joyful. Tao Chuyi couldn’t help herself—she scooped up fish food and tossed it into the pond. The koi leaped gleefully, mirroring the music’s delight.
When the piece ended, Nangong Yunshang rose, with Yinghong attending her to bathe.
Tao Chuyi lingered in place, lost in the afterglow. Fairy Sister’s playing had to be celestial music.
“Prince Consort, it’s chilly out here. Let’s go back inside.”
Fendie prompted her gently.
Tao Chuyi snapped out of it. “Where’d the princess go?”
Xichan replied, “Her Highness went to the bathing pool.”
“Huh? Prince Consort?”
A gust of wind drowned out Fendie’s voice as Tao Chuyi skipped off toward the rear courtyard.
She wanted to bathe with Fairy Sister!
