Seeing that her mother didn't look well, Duoduo rolled over and hugged Su Xian.
Su Xian closed her eyes, gently patting Duoduo's back rhythmically.
The milky scent of Duoduo gradually calmed Su Xian's heart.
Soon, she fell asleep.
Duoduo had long since gone off to play chess with the Sandman.
Xiao Yi did not look up until the sound of the night watchman's clapper drifted in from outside.
He saw that Duoduo, feeling hot, had kicked her legs out from under the blanket, leaving half of her small body exposed.
Shaking his head, Xiao Yi wheeled his chair over to the bed.
He reached out to pull the blanket down, but Duoduo was pressing down on it tightly.
A footstool by the bed blocked Xiao Yi's wheelchair.
Left with no choice, Xiao Yi stood up, sat on the edge of the bed, and tugged the blanket out from under Duoduo's body.
Duoduo rolled over, throwing a leg over Xiao Yi and gripping his clothes tightly with her small hands.
Xiao Yi dared not move a muscle.
After a good while, Xiao Yi carefully tried to pull his clothes free.
However, Duoduo was holding on too tightly.
If it weren't for Duoduo's long, slow breathing, Xiao Yi would have thought she was pretending to be asleep.
Xiao Yi let out a yawn.
Having traveled all day, he wasn't made of iron; naturally, he was already exhausted.
However, ever since he was injured, he was no longer used to having anyone sleep beside him.
The current bed was already terribly crowded for three people.
Xiao Yi had originally planned to just doze off in his wheelchair for a while.
But now, with Duoduo holding onto his clothes, he couldn't easily leave.
Xiao Yi leaned against the headboard, deciding to just take a nap sitting on the edge of the bed.
It worked out anyway; he could block Duoduo and prevent her from rolling off the bed in the middle of the night.
With this thought, Xiao Yi closed his eyes.
The candle on the table flickered a few times before the wick collapsed into the wax, extinguishing the flame.
The room was plunged into darkness.
In the middle of the night, Su Xian suddenly woke up.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt something heavy pressing down on the blanket.
Su Xian's eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness.
Only then did she see clearly that it was Xiao Yi's hand pressing on the blanket.
He was holding the blanket down, seemingly worried that Duoduo would kick it off.
Su Xian looked at Xiao Yi's sleeping face, remaining perfectly still.
Asleep, Xiao Yi's expression was incredibly gentle, without a trace of his daytime coldness.
However, even in his sleep, his brows were tightly furrowed.
Su Xian greedily took in Xiao Yi's features.
It had been a long time since the two of them had been in such close, intimate proximity.
Su Xian could even feel Xiao Yi's breath.
Her face gradually flushed red.
Su Xian carefully reached out her hand, wanting to smooth out the crease between Xiao Yi's brows.
Halfway there, she stopped.
Xiao Yi was a light sleeper; he would definitely wake up if she touched him.
Remembering the dark circles she had seen under his eyes during the day, she couldn't bear to do it.
Su Xian traced the contours of Xiao Yi's face in the air, her heart filled with satisfaction.
Such a handsome and outstanding man was her husband!
Suddenly, Su Xian felt a pain in her stomach. She looked down and saw that Duoduo had rolled over and kicked her.
Then, Su Xian watched as Xiao Yi gently patted the blanket, and Duoduo stopped moving.
Su Xian's heart felt as sweet as honey.
The way they looked right now, they seemed exactly like a real family.
Su Xian touched Duoduo's cheek, her heart full of gratitude.
It was all because of this child that she had a growing hope to live a few more days.
Su Xian felt Xiao Yi's hand gently patting the blanket.
Pat by pat, again and again...
Su Xian closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
The crowing of a rooster gradually tore away the darkness of the sky, and the horizon began to turn white.
Xiao Yi opened his eyes and saw Duoduo smiling cheerfully at him.
"Morning, Daddy!"
Duoduo lowered her voice, revealing a sweet smile.
Only then did Xiao Yi realize that he had actually lain down and fallen asleep without knowing it.
Moreover, he had actually slept soundly until dawn.
Looking at Duoduo's sweet smile, and having had a good night's sleep, Xiao Yi was also in a very good mood.
"You're awake? You spent the whole night throwing punches."
Duoduo's eyes widened round, and then she smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.
"I dreamed last night that bad guys were bullying Daddy, so I went up and beat them up."
"There were so many of them, and it was just me. I fought for a long time before I finally chased them away."
Xiao Yi found it somewhat amusing.
"You really do dream at night about what you think of during the day."
After saying that, Xiao Yi sat up.
Sleeping on the inner side of the bed, Su Xian stirred.
Xiao Yi raised his index finger to his lips, signaling Duoduo to be quiet.
Duoduo nodded. She deliberately raised her hand to block Su Xian's line of sight.
Xiao Yi carefully got out of bed and sat in his wheelchair.
Then, he wheeled himself away to wash up and change clothes.
Just as Xiao Yi left, Su Xian opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Duoduo holding her hand up, blocking her view.
"Duoduo, what are you doing?"
Duoduo stuck out her tongue, lowered her hand, and rolled into Su Xian's arms.
"Mother, you're awake?"
"I wanted to block the light so you could sleep a little longer."
Su Xian looked at the sky outside. "It's dawn?"
"Huh, why don't I see your father?" Su Xian noticed that the outer side of the bed was completely empty.
Could it be that Xiao Yi hadn't actually come to bed last night, and it had all just been a dream?
Su Xian felt a bit uncertain.
"Daddy went to wash up. Mother, Daddy said I was throwing punches under the covers last night. Is that true?"
Hearing Duoduo's words, the joy in Su Xian's heart continued to spread.
She felt as if flowers were blooming in her heart.
"That's right. Who knows what you were dreaming about? You even kicked me."
"Your father definitely didn't sleep well because of all your noise."
Duoduo lifted her head from Su Xian's embrace. "Then I'll let Daddy catch up on his sleep in the carriage later!"
Su Xian sat up, grabbed her outer garment from the head of the bed, and put it on.
"Mother is getting up. Are you going to sleep a bit longer, or are you getting up too?"
Duoduo pushed off the blanket and sat up.
"I want to get up too! I have to do my morning practice!"
Su Xian shook her head. "Did you forget? Didn't your father say you aren't allowed to practice while we're on the road?"
"I'll just practice the horse stance."
Duoduo stood up on the bed, grabbed her clothes from the side, and pulled them on.
After Su Xian finished dressing herself, she came over to help.
At that moment, Xiao Yi finished washing up and entered the room.
With a single glance, Su Xian could see that Xiao Yi had changed into fresh clothes and seemed to be in a very good mood.
Su Xian lifted Duoduo down from the bed. "Come on, let's go wash up."
The two of them walked over to Xiao Yi and greeted him.
"Your Highness / Daddy!"
"Mm," Xiao Yi nodded at them.
Duoduo quickly finished washing up, came back in, and leaned against the wall to hold the horse stance.
Su Xian walked in. Looking at Xiao Yi reading by the window, she picked up her embroidery and sat on the edge of the bed.
Such peaceful days were what she had always dreamed of in the past.
It was wonderful! Now she finally had them.
Not long after, a knock sounded at the door.
"Your Highness, it is your subordinate," Yun Xiao's voice rang out from outside the door.
"Come in."
As soon as Yun Xiao entered, he fell to his knees before Xiao Yi.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness. I was negligent yesterday, and we lost a carriage full of our luggage."
"I only just discovered while taking inventory that the birthday gift for His Majesty is missing."
