Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Before I knew it, it was already late at night. There was only one day left until Mid-Autumn Festival, but the moonlight outside was dim and hazy. The night was like a heavy veil wrapping up the full moon, and even the night wind was extremely dull.

Tang Ling was still reading under the lamp, but she had been reading the volume in her hand for a long time but could not turn a page.

Qi Xiao should have returned long ago, right? Tang Ling had promised to wait for him at Yangxizhai, but he broke his promise. And Qi Xiao hadn't come to Huaxi Villa to look for him either. He must have known everything, right?

"Knock knock." The knock on the door startled Tang Ling, and the scroll in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.

"Young Master." Qing Lan pushed the door open and came in, bringing a cup of tea to Tang Ling's hands. She bent down and picked up the scroll for him. "Young Master, drink your calming tea and go to bed early. You're clearly feeling sleepy."

Tang Ling looked at Qing Lan, her heart filled with disappointment and melancholy after the shock and joy. Qi Xiao wouldn't come.

Tang Ling lowered her head and drank the calming tea. "Got it. Qinglan, you should go and rest too."

Qinglan left with the empty teacup in his hand, and before closing the door, he didn't forget to nag again: "Young Master, please go to bed early."

The door closed tightly, and Tang Ling was the only one left in the room, with a lamp beside her and a book at hand.

Tang Ling opened the book again, but still couldn't read a single word by the light of the lamp.

He didn't know how long he was stunned, but Tang Ling's door was gently pushed open. He didn't even notice it until the book in his hand was taken away. He suddenly came to his senses and looked up, but the lights suddenly went out and it was pitch black and he couldn't see anything.

Qi Xiao picked up Tang Ling and held her sideways. Before she could scream in fright, he whispered, "It's me."

Before Tang Ling could react, Qi Xiao carried him to the bed and let Qi Xiao gently take off his shoes and socks.

Tang Ling gradually adapted to the darkness. The moonlight was not bright tonight and could not penetrate the window lattice, so she could only spread a layer of silver-gray on it.

Tang Ling could clearly see Qi Xiao's outline but not his expression. He reached out and held his cheek. The warm touch on his fingers confirmed that the person was real and was right in front of him.

"You're back?" Tang Ling's voice was a little hoarse, but it was faintly filled with surprise, and seemed a little aggrieved. "It's already late, I thought you wouldn't come."

"Hmm..." Qi Xiao raised his hand and placed it on the back of Tang Ling's hand, and said softly, "Are you still waiting for me?"

So much had happened today, leaving Qi Xiao feeling shattered. He had no idea how to approach Tang Ling, but he couldn't resist the urge to see her. He quietly made his way to Huaxi Villa, figuring he'd return the same way if Tang Ling had already turned out the lights and gone to bed. When he saw the light still on in Tang Ling's room, a wave of strange emotions washed over him. Before he could even identify what was going on, he'd already landed in front of her room and pushed the door open.

Qi Xiao took off his outer robe, lay down beside Tang Ling, pulled her into his arms, and held her neither tightly nor loosely.

Tang Ling leaned against Qi Xiao's chest, letting him hold her quietly. She said nothing, asked nothing, as if she could think of nothing. She only caught a whiff of a strange, mellow fragrance.

"you've been drinking?"

Qi Xiao drank quite a bit and took a shower before coming here, so the smell of alcohol on his body was almost washed off. However, he was so close to Tang Ling that he couldn't avoid being discovered.

"Apricot Blossom Rain, I drank it here last time."

Apricot Blossom Rain? Huang Zexian was very happy in the evening and drank Apricot Blossom Rain.

"...You know everything?" Tang Ling retracted her arm around Qi Xiao and hugged him tighter, as if she was afraid that Qi Xiao would run away.

"Hmm." Qi Xiao buried himself in Tang Ling's neck, rubbing his slightly cool skin, and murmured, "Tang Ling, give it to me."

Qi Xiao's voice was so soft that no one except Tang Ling could hear it, but it exploded in his ears and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Tang Ling lowered her head and kissed Qi Xiao on the forehead: "Okay."

Qi Xiao paused, changed his posture, and leaned up slightly, looking at Tang Ling. His eyes were slightly sparkling in the darkness, as if the moonlight was faintly held in his eyes. He slightly opened his lips but did not need to say a word. Just by looking at him quietly, she could express all her feelings.

Qi Xiao lowered his head and kissed it, licking the bitterness of the calming tea. As the bitterness melted away bit by bit, sweetness slowly overflowed.

It was clearly not Tang Ling who was drinking. He seemed to be drunk, as if he was on fire. He felt hot and uncomfortable, but could not help but pounce on Qi Xiao's scorching fire.

***

Tang Ling was very tired but couldn't bear to fall asleep, so she looked at Qi Xiao carefully over and over again in the dark. She liked him a little more every time, but it seemed like she had reached her limit and couldn't like him any more.

Qi Xiao stayed close to him, saying nothing. He quietly held his hand, opened his eyes, and met Tang Ling's gaze: "Tang Ling, you promised not to leave me. You must never break your promise again."

"……sorry."

Qi Xiao suddenly bit Tang Ling's wrist, leaving two rows of teeth marks.

"Tang Ling, your life is mine, and so is your body. You are mine."

The stubbornness in Qi Xiao's eyes locked Tang Ling in place, clearly and directly.

"……Um."

Tang Ling agreed, but Qi Xiao was still not satisfied and pressed him, saying, "I want you to say it yourself."

Tang Ling sighed softly, looked at Qi Xiao, and slowly said word by word: "I am yours."

Qi Xiao then smiled and kissed Tang Ling's lips again.

***

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Early in the morning, Qinglan came to help Tang Ling wash up, but he saw another person in Tang Ling's room. He seemed to have seen a ghost in broad daylight. He screamed and fell out of Tang Ling's room, and knelt at the door.

"what happened?"

The guards rushed over after hearing the noise, but just as they entered the yard, Qinglan stopped them: "Don't worry! I just saw a big rat. I was scared to death! Don't worry, you guys go out first."

The guards looked at each other in confusion. There were rats running around in Huaxi Villa so early in the morning?

"I told you it's okay! Get out, get out!"

Qing Lan drove away all the guards and breathed a sigh of relief. The next moment, he suddenly remembered something and shouted again: "Ye Huai!"

Ye Huai appeared behind Qinglan and pulled him up.

"You! What were you doing last night?!"

"Ok?"

Qing Lan pointed at Tang Ling's room and asked Ye Huai, "Why didn't you know someone entered the young master's room?!"

“…” He knew.

"You?! You knew?! You knew and yet... you let him in?!"

Ye Huai looked at Qinglan's face, which looked like she was about to cry, and suddenly felt a little sorry for her. After a while, he nodded and said, "That's what the young master meant."

"Young Master... Young Master... What do you mean?" Qinglan's legs went weak and he was about to fall to the ground again. Fortunately, Ye Huai grabbed him and helped him lean against the wall.

"Young Master... Is this the kind of love you're talking about?" Qing Lan looked up at Ye Huai, tears welling up in her eyes, about to be held back. "Just because you like me, you let him bully you?! Ye Huai! How can you be a good guard! If the Marquis knew..."

Ye Huai pressed his forehead, not knowing what to say. He couldn't stop him. This young master of their family was so determined, and if the Marquis knew about it, he might not be able to stop him.

"Wuwuwu... Young Master..." Qinglan started crying as she spoke, feeling very sorry for Tang Ling.

Ye Huai held his forehead and pulled Qing Lan up: "Stop crying, it's embarrassing. Go and prepare a bath for the young master."

"Ooooooo…bath water! Wow!"

Ye Huai covered Qinglan's mouth and pushed her out: "Stop crying!"