Who put the yellow robe on me?

Jiang Chen watched He Xiaowei being pulled away by the Thirteenth Princess, and suddenly touched his own hand. The warmth of her wrist seemed to still remain on his palm. Although that momentary contact was brief, it was as soft as the drizzle in spring, moistening his entire heart without leaving a trace.

He stood there, looking in the direction where He Xiaowei was taken away, feeling somewhat lost. After a moment, he shook his head and turned to go back. But after taking just two steps, he turned back to look, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up.

"This girl, her face is so red..." He muttered softly, and the smile in the corner of his eyes could not be hidden.

As the night deepened and the bustle of the streets gradually faded, Jiang Chen walked slowly along the path he had come from. The air was filled with the aroma of sugar and oil, and the fragrance of peanuts cooked with distiller's grains from the roadside stalls. These ordinary flavors were now wrapped in a gentle memory. Everything about this night brought him a long-lost sense of ease and warmth.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Princess Thirteen and He Xiaowei were walking side by side, not walking fast, as if they were intentionally lengthening the time before they parted.

"You and Jiang Chen's relationship has made great progress recently." Jiang Sirou said with a sly smile on her lips, her eyes as clear as ever.

He Xiaowei was already blushing, and now after hearing her teasing, she was even more embarrassed. She forced herself to defend herself, "Sister Rou, you're making fun of me again. We...we are not what you think."

"It's not what I thought?" Jiang Sirou raised her eyebrows meaningfully and grabbed her right hand, as if she suddenly thought of something.

"Let me see your right hand." She said in a light tone with a hint of mischief.

He Xiaowei was stunned, and before she could react, her sleeves were rolled up by her.

At that moment, an arm as white as a lotus root came into view under the night sky. The skin was as smooth as fat, warm and clear. The most eye-catching thing was the bright red toad sand, like a fallen plum blossom, clearly and brightly imprinted on the inside of her wrist.

"Oh, that shouldn't be the case..." Jiang Sirou's voice was full of sarcasm, but her eyes were filled with gossipy interest. She deliberately paused the second half of the sentence, her eyes half smiling.

When He Xiaowei heard this, she was so embarrassed that her ears turned red. She subconsciously pulled her hand back, but Jiang Sirou held it tightly.

"Sister Rou, what...what are you talking about? I don't understand a word you say." She spoke hurriedly, her tone full of panic and shyness.

"I don't understand?" Jiang Sirou raised an eyebrow, looking unconvinced. "Xiao Wei'er, you're the smartest one among us. When did you learn to play dumb?"

"I'm not pretending to be stupid..." He Xiaowei pursed her lips tightly. She knew that if she said anything more she would only be teased again, so she simply gritted her teeth and stopped explaining.

But the evasive look in her eyes under her drooping eyelashes had already betrayed all the beautiful feelings in her heart.

"You, you keep saying you're fine, but your face is so burned..." Jiang Sirou smiled and sighed, letting go of her hand, but gave her a meaningful look, "Jiang Chen, after all, isn't an irresponsible person. If he really betrayed you, as your sister, I will be the first one to not let him go."

He Xiaowei was startled, then raised her head and said softly, "Sister Rou, I...I know he is not that kind of person."

The voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, but it clearly revealed a firmness, like a drop of water falling into the lake of the heart, causing ripples.

Jiang Sirou looked at her expression, and suddenly her eyes froze slightly, as if she recalled something from the past. She turned her head to look in the direction of the street and sighed softly: "I just hope that your kindness will not be let down."

This sentence is plain, but it carries a weight that cannot be ignored.

"Sister Rou?" He Xiaowei noticed her emotional fluctuations and called out to her with some concern.

"It's okay." Jiang Sirou smiled again and patted the back of her hand. "Let's go. I'll take you home."

……

This night was destined to be restless.

After returning to the mansion, He Xiaowei sat alone in front of the mirror, staring at the peach blossom bracelet on her wrist in a daze.

The string of pale pink wooden beads glowed softly in the candlelight, as if trembling slightly. She stroked the bracelet gently, and her mind repeatedly replayed Jiang Chen's playful yet serious and focused expression when he put the bracelet on her.

"When we get married, you will only wear this bracelet..."

His voice echoed in her ears, carrying his unique minty scent mixed with the aroma of the night market. It was clearly just a joke, but in her ears, it inexplicably gave rise to a gentle anticipation and trepidation.

She quietly covered her heart with her hand, and her heart beat faster under her fingertips.

She had never thought that she would be so deeply moved by someone. She had never imagined that it would be Jiang Chen, who smiled like a frivolous nobleman when they first met.

But who would have thought that beneath this seemingly frivolous joke lies a kind of delicacy and sincerity.

He remembered that she once said she liked peach blossoms, remembered the look in her eyes when she looked at the jewelry, and even in such a bustling night market, he noticed her emotions at the first moment.

It's not that he doesn't care, he just hides it deep down.

Thinking of this, He Xiaowei's eyes turned slightly red.

She gently took off the bracelet, held it in her palm, stared at it for a long time, as if to give weight to this thought, and then solemnly put it back on her wrist.

"He Xiaowei..." She whispered to herself in the mirror, "Don't be silly, just believe him to the end."

The candlelight flickered, and the shadows swayed on the wall, just like the unfinished words in my heart.

On the other side, Jiang Chen also tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He tossed and turned, and all he could see was the look in her eyes when she turned back, and the shocking image of the red color of the toad's blood.

"Alas!" He suddenly turned over and sat up, muttering to himself, "I haven't done anything, why is her genitalia still there... I waited all night."

Then he shook his head and smiled, raised his hand and rubbed his face, "But it's okay, no rush, take your time."

He knew in his heart that this relationship was far from as easy as it appeared. Behind He Xiaowei was Prime Minister He, the balance of the entire court; and he, Jiang Chen, was still at the forefront of the storm, with a storm looming.

But precisely because of this, he couldn't retreat.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, got out of bed, took out a piece of yellow talisman paper from the drawer and put it away carefully. On it was the amulet he had secretly bought at the market today. He had originally planned to put it quietly in her purse, but they were so affectionate that he forgot about it.

"Is this considered... a belated token of my appreciation?" He chuckled softly, the corners of his lips slightly raised, but his eyes were clear and determined.