Clatter.
The fire striker fell to the ground without warning. Yun Wan stared at the tall, imposing figure at the door, lips parting slightly but no words escaping.
She was surprised—yet not entirely so.
Emperor Jingxuan set down the food box in his hand and strode toward her with long, purposeful steps.
Yun Wan remained rooted in place, unmoving.
The emperor picked up the fallen fire striker and lit the candlestick. Seeing her standing there in stunned silence, a low chuckle escaped his throat. His deep, resonant voice filled the room as the light gradually brightened:
"Why is my lady so quiet?"
The candlelight illuminated the small space, which suddenly felt cramped in his presence, as though even the air had grown thin.
Yun Wan shifted slightly and glanced at the food box on the table. "Where is Fuling?"
The one who should have been carrying the food box was conspicuously absent.
Emperor Jingxuan idly adjusted the wick, making the flame burn brighter. After a brief pause, he replied, "She didn’t wish to disturb us, so she left."
The words made Yun Wan turn her head. "She serves Your Majesty?"
Her tone was questioning, but her gaze was sharp with certainty. The warm candlelight reflected in her clear, glass-like eyes, and Emperor Jingxuan could see his own reflection in them—so vividly that it almost seemed as though she saw nothing but him.
His lips curved into a faint smile, the shadows from his deep-set eyes casting a slight darkness beneath his lashes.
"My lady is clever to have guessed so quickly."
His gaze bore into her, laced with amusement.
Yun Wan pressed her lips together. Did this even require guessing? Given the circumstances, wasn’t the answer obvious?
She took a deep breath and pressed further, "Was this room also arranged by Your Majesty?"
Everything—every single detail, one after another—was connected to him.
Emperor Jingxuan neither confirmed nor denied it.
Though she had long harbored suspicions, having them confirmed still made Yun Wan inhale sharply. Her gaze toward him shifted subtly.
Noticing the fading warmth in her eyes, the emperor lowered his lashes and asked, "Is my lady angry?"
Yun Wan lifted her chin. "If I were, would Your Majesty let me leave?"
"No."
His dark pupils glinted with icy resolve, his tone dangerous and unyielding. "Do not even think of leaving."
Then why ask at all?
Yun Wan couldn’t help but feel irritated.
Mindful of his status, she frowned and turned away.
Standing over eight feet tall, Emperor Jingxuan had a clear view of her sulky expression from his vantage point. A strange pang tugged at his chest.
"Speak your mind, my lady. Don’t keep it bottled up."
He stepped around to face her, his hands settling on her shoulders.
The heat of his touch seeped through the fabric of her clothes. Yun Wan’s lashes fluttered slightly as she murmured in a soft, clear voice, "Why has Your Majesty come?"
Emperor Jingxuan answered simply, "I wished to see you."
His fingers brushed over her hair, gently straightening the crooked hairpin that had tilted during her afternoon nap. His touch trailed down her silky black tresses until it reached the delicate curve of her ear, where a strand of hair had tangled with her pale blue earring.
A faint itch made Yun Wan instinctively tilt her head away, but he stopped her.
"Don’t move."
His palm cradled her cheek as his thumb stroked her earlobe, carefully untangling the earring before removing it.
Yun Wan touched her ear and reached for the earring.
Just as her fingertips grazed it, his fingers suddenly closed around hers, trapping her hand in his grasp.
His grip tightened incrementally, enveloping her completely.
Unable to pull free, Yun Wan gave up resisting, her palm growing damp with warmth.
She swallowed softly and murmured, "...We already saw each other this afternoon."
A low chuckle escaped him. "That didn’t count. My lady barely spared me a glance."
And whose fault was that?
Her legs still ached from his earlier teasing—all thanks to him!
As if sensing her thoughts, Emperor Jingxuan narrowed his eyes, a glint flashing in their depths. "Is my lady cursing me in her heart?"
"Yun Wan wouldn’t dare."
He leaned closer, his gaze lingering on the luminous curve of her profile. "My lady, has anyone ever told you that this is how you look when you’re being contrary?"
Cheeks slightly puffed, brows faintly furrowed, eyes stubbornly avoiding his—
Outwardly serene, yet more stubborn than anyone.
But that was also a good thing. It meant she was a woman of emotion, not some jade statue with the same expression for everyone.
Had anyone ever said that?
Yun Wan hesitated.
While she was lost in thought, Emperor Jingxuan guided her to the table.
Opening the two-tiered food box released a rich aroma that instantly roused Yun Wan’s appetite.
The emperor tested the warmth of the bowl with his fingers. "It’s still hot. Eat before it cools."
Since it was her own dinner, Yun Wan sat down and picked up the blue-and-white porcelain bowl of porridge, taking slow, deliberate sips.
The porridge was made with milk, honey, and glutinous rice—soft, fragrant, and subtly sweet. The accompanying dishes were yam cakes and crystal shrimp dumplings, both light and delicate in flavor.
Yun Wan loved them.
But the weight of his burning gaze made it impossible to eat comfortably.
After swallowing a spoonful, she feigned concern. "It’s getting late. Shouldn’t Your Majesty be having his own meal?"
Her eyes brimmed with sincerity, silently willing him to leave before he missed dinner.
Emperor Jingxuan studied her face. "Is my lady worried about me?"
Well, she couldn’t deny it. Yun Wan gave a small nod.
He suddenly laughed, delighted. "Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry."
Hope flickered in Yun Wan’s eyes.
But then he asked, "How does the porridge taste, my lady?"
She blinked. "It’s... fragrant. And sweet."
The imperial kitchen’s chefs had worked some magic—the milk was rich but not the least bit cloying, a rarity even for someone like Yun Wan, who usually avoided dairy. She had already finished half the bowl.
Emperor Jingxuan’s gaze darkened as it lingered on the corner of her lips. With a sigh, he murmured, "How is my lady still like a child? Even eating porridge leaves traces."
Yun Wan startled and instinctively reached for a mirror.
But before she could rise, his hand clamped down on her shoulder, his expression predatory.
"Let me help."
Before she could react, he tilted her chin up and leaned in, his tongue swiping over the spot where a drop of milk lingered.
His scorching touch was domineering, erasing all traces with deliberate slowness.
A low, rough murmur brushed against her lips.
"Just as my lady said... fragrant. And sweet."
A soft whimper escaped her, only to be swallowed whole.
