Shocking! The actress was dragged to the regent's bedchamber every night.

She was afraid the curtains would suddenly be lifted, and that Qi Zexun would walk in.

I'm even more afraid he might do something else.

There are people talking outside, but I can't hear what they're saying.

She dared not sleep, and could only clench her fists and dig her nails into her palms to stay awake.

She managed to stay awake until the early hours of the morning, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

She bit her lip, trying to bite back the sleepiness.

But soon the drowsiness returned, even stronger than before.

Su Wuli simply stuck her fingers out of the sleeve of her down jacket and pinched her thigh.

It didn't hurt when I pinched it through the fabric of the jeans.

She pinched it again, this time harder.

Then he pulled his hands back and hugged them to his knees, staring at the tent flap with his eyes open.

The sunlight filtering through the gaps in the tent flaps brightened a bit more, casting a grayish-white glow on the felt.

She stared at the light, watching it move from the left side of the curtain to the right, and from the right to the left.

My eyelids started drooping uncontrollably again.

Su Wuli opened her eyes wide in panic.

However, they surged up again.

I don't know how long I held on, my consciousness began to fade.

Finally, unable to resist, she buried her face in her knees, her forehead against them.

She didn't know if she was asleep.

She only remembered suddenly feeling a cold wind blowing in through the gap in the tent curtains, her shoulders hunched, and she abruptly raised her head.

No one came in.

She breathed a sigh of relief, then buried her face back in her knees.

She didn't know when she fell asleep.

She only remembered the last time she looked at the light coming through the gap in the tent flap; it was so bright that it made her squint.

Finally, he closed his eyes.

When the curtain was lifted, Su Wuli was leaning against the wooden box.

Knees curled up, face buried in arms.

She wasn't asleep; she just had her eyes closed.

Footsteps entered from outside the tent; there was more than one person.

Su Wuli immediately raised her head, her eyes bloodshot and dark circles under them.

The guard stood by the tent flap, looking at her, and gestured with his chin towards the outside.

"Get up, His Highness wants to see you."

Su Wuli stood up.

My legs went numb from squatting, so I stood for a while, holding onto the wooden box.

Only after the numbness spread from the soles of my feet to my calves and then to my thighs did I take a step.

Konoe walked in front, and she followed behind.

Upon reaching Qi Zexun's tent, the guard lifted the tent flap.

Su Wuli stepped inside.

Qi Zexun was sitting behind a low table, holding a bowl of hot soup in his hand.

He had changed his clothes and was now wearing a dark brown cotton robe.

Qi Zexun placed the bowl on the table and looked up at her.

A smile played at the corners of his lips.

He rested his hand on the edge of the table, tapping his fingers lightly twice. "You must be tired after sitting all night?"

His voice carried a smile, as if he were welcoming a guest who had come from afar.

Upon hearing this, Su Wuli stood by the tent flap without moving.

The guards have already retreated.

Qi Zexun didn't rush her, but pushed the dry food dish on the low table towards her.

There were a few dry biscuits on the plate, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

"Are you hungry? Shall we eat something first?"

Su Wuli didn't look at the dry biscuits he pushed towards her.

Instead, she shifted her gaze from his face to the direction of the tent curtain.

Qi Zexun picked up the soup bowl, took a sip, and paused for a moment with the rim of the bowl against his lower lip before putting it down.

"Did you sleep well last night? I had a blanket sent to you. Is there anything else you need?"

His tone was very natural, as if he were chatting with an old friend.

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Wuli turned her gaze away from the tent flap, glanced at his face, and then looked away.

Her lips moved slightly but then she pursed them.

Qi Zexun looked at her and smiled, then turned the ginger soup bowl around so that the rim faced outwards and placed it steadily.

"He doesn't eat or drink, doesn't speak, and ignores everyone."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, with a hint of teasing, "How does the Regent usually coax you?"

Without waiting for her reply, he raised his hand and waved it towards the tent flap.

The guard came in and cleared the food off the low table.

Qi Zexun leaned back in his chair and asked, "Did you receive the gift I gave you last time?"

He looked at her profile, the light gliding across her cheekbone. "I painted this myself. Do you like it?"

Su Wuli remained silent.

Qi Zexun wasn't annoyed by her appearance and raised his hand again towards the tent curtain.

The guard lifted the curtain and came in.

He was carrying a painting table with Xuan paper spread on it.

Two servants followed behind, one carrying an inkstone, the ink already ground.

They placed the painting table in the middle of the tent, directly facing Su Wuli.

A servant moved a chair from the side and placed it opposite the painting table.

The soldier came over, grabbed Su Wuli's shoulder, and pushed her toward the chair.

She struggled.

However, the hand on her shoulder pressed down harder.

She stopped struggling, and there was no way for her to struggle anymore.

The difference in strength is too great.

Su Wuli had no choice but to sit down in the chair.

The chair was positioned directly opposite the painting table, so one could see Qi Zexun's face as soon as they looked up.

She looked away from him.

Qi Zexun stood up, walked around the low table, and sat down behind the painting table.

He then picked up the largest pen on the pen rack and dipped it in ink.

I scraped the ink off the edge of the inkstone twice with the tip of the brush.

He looked up at Su Wuli and said cheerfully, "Don't move."

Su Wuli didn't move, nor did she look at him.

Qi Zexun lowered his head, the tip of his brush landed on the Xuan paper, and the brush strokes moved across the paper.

He paused after making a few strokes, then looked up at Su Wuli's face.

After looking at it for a moment, he lowered his head and drew a few more strokes.

He stopped and looked at the drawing paper, then at her face.

He then put down the pen, picked up the drawing paper from the table, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it on the ground.

Another sheet of paper was quickly laid out.

He picked up the brush again, dipped it in ink, and looked up at her face.

His gaze swept from her cheekbone to her chin, then back to her cheekbone, before he lowered his head to draw.

He made a few strokes, then stopped, crumpled the drawing paper into a ball, and threw it on the ground.

I drew it repeatedly several times, and the paper balls ended up scattered all over the floor.

Su Wuli refused to look at him or cooperate.

By the time Qi Zexun put the brush on the brush holder, the ink in the inkstone was almost dry.

He leaned back in his chair and stared at Su Wuli's profile for a few seconds.

Then he stood up, walked around the painting table, and stood in front of her.

Qi Zexun bent down and suddenly brought his face close.

Su Wuli's hands, which were resting on her knees, unconsciously curled up and clenched.

The other person's gaze moved from her brow to the bridge of her nose, and then to her lips...

Suddenly, he raised his hand to touch her face.

Su Wuli quickly turned her head away to avoid it.

My fingers slid past her cheekbone and paused for a moment.

He then suddenly grabbed her chin.

He controlled both sides of her jawbone, forcibly turning her face around.

Qi Zexun tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping from her brow to her chin.

He clicked his tongue in disbelief, "They were born with such beautiful eyes, how come they look lifeless in paintings?"