Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Nothing in the World Is Better Than This

Huo Zheng was good-looking, but because of his rank and his cold nature, no one dared say so to his face.

Princess Royal of Anyang was an exception. She pinched Little Xing Hui’s cheeks while joking about Huo Zheng.

Huo Zheng raised his brows and said: “Thank you for the praise, Aunt Anyang.”

His answer made Huo Qiong Hua blink for a moment, then she smiled and said: “So marriage really does change a man.”

Chun Zhi thought: [More than that.]

They walked out together. At the Palace Gate, before each got into their carriage, Princess Royal of Anyang said to Chun Zhi: “Come to my manor when you have time.”

Chun Zhi smiled and said: “All right.”

Huo Qiong Hua stepped into the Princess Royal Manor carriage first and rode off.

Chun Zhi and Huo Zheng boarded the Prince of Chang’an Manor carriage together. Huo Zheng told the coachman: “Return to the manor.”

He set Little Xing Hui on the soft couch and handed him the Luminous Pearl to play with.

Chun Zhi was about to speak when Huo Zheng drew her into his arms and sat her on his lap.

She blushed and said: “What are you doing?” She remembered that just a little while ago Little Xing Hui had been sitting on Huo Zheng’s lap. Now Huo Zheng was holding her the same way.

Huo Zheng said: “You and Aunt Anyang get along quite well. What did you do the last time you went to her manor?”

Chun Zhi recalled the handsome men there, some playing music and some dancing. It had been pleasant to look at, but she had not stared.

Now that Huo Zheng asked, she only said: “Aunt Anyang invited me to enjoy the scenery. That was in spring when the flowers were in full bloom and the birds were singing, so of course we admired the flowers and leaves.”

Huo Zheng said in a steady voice: “If I find out you looked at those men even a little, I will not be happy.”

Chun Zhi leaned in and pecked his lips to stop him, saying: “No, really no.”

Little Xing Hui was using the Luminous Pearl like a marble. When he saw his mother kiss his father, he scooted over, wanting his mother to kiss him too.

Chun Zhi laughed and said: “See, you were noticed by the child.” She kissed Little Xing Hui on the forehead, slipped out of Huo Zheng’s arms, and sat on the soft couch to play with the Luminous Pearl with the boy.

She had never seen a Luminous Pearl before. It did not look very special to her, but anything given by the Princess Royal of Anyang had to be good.

When Little Xing Hui rolled it like a marble, she kept a hand out to guard him.

Watching Chun Zhi and the child play, Huo Zheng could not help the slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

[Nothing in the world is better than this.]

They reached the Prince of Chang’an Manor in the afternoon.

Little Xing Hui was sleepy, and Chun Zhi could not help yawning.

Carrying his son in his right arm and holding Chun Zhi’s hand with his left, Huo Zheng led them into the main house.

The main house still looked like the bridal chamber. Red silk hung everywhere, and the bed had a Red Gauze Canopy.

Huo Zheng placed Little Xing Hui on the bed and said to Chun Zhi: “There is nothing urgent today. Sleep with the child for a while. I will wake you when it is time for dinner.”

Chun Zhi had slept very little the previous night. In the palace she had forced herself to stay alert. As soon as she sat on the bed, she lay down, closed her eyes, and did not want to move.

Little Xing Hui stared at his mother with wide eyes, not sure what was happening.

Huo Zheng laid the boy down, patted him gently twice, and covered mother and child with a thin blanket over their stomachs.

It was hot in summer. Even with ice set out in the room, the heat still pressed in.

Huo Zheng took a folding fan, sat by the bed, and gently fanned Chun Zhi and Little Xing Hui.

The boy watched his father for a long time, then yawned, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Leaning against the bedpost and looking at the sleeping faces of Chun Zhi and Little Xing Hui, Huo Zheng felt: [Nothing in the world is better than this.]

Chun Zhi woke to evening light.

She opened her eyes and saw Huo Zheng sitting beside her. He leaned on the bedpost with his eyes closed, yet the fan in his hand was still moving.

No wonder there had been a soft breeze while she slept. It had felt so nice.

She looked at Little Xing Hui curled at her side, sleeping sweetly.

Chun Zhi reached out to touch the child’s small ear, and a smile rose at her lips without her noticing.

As soon as she moved, Huo Zheng opened his eyes and said: “You’re awake.”

Chun Zhi answered: “Mm,” her voice still husky from sleep.

“Are you thirsty?” said Huo Zheng as he stood, poured her a cup of cool tea, and brought it to the bedside to offer it to her.

Chun Zhi sat up and drank half a cup from his hand. She looked up and asked: “Did you stay here all afternoon?”

Huo Zheng drank the rest, set the cup aside, and said: “We finally married. I want to rest for two days. Princess Consort, do you think I am too idle?”

Since returning to the Capital, he had been busy every day. Back when they were at Song Manor, he could only make time to eat dinner with Chun Zhi.

This was the first time he had kept her company in the daytime like this.

Chun Zhi rose and said: “When did I ever say you were too idle?”

Lightly shaking his folding fan, Huo Zheng smiled and said: “I have not rested in a long time. Today, with no affairs to handle, I did not know what to do.”

He had sat by the bed for half a day and felt there was nothing better in life than this.

It was the first time Chun Zhi had seen Huo Zheng with a folding fan. For no reason, he seemed more graceful.

On stage, scholars loved to hold folding fans. With a simple flip, they charmed the crowd.

Huo Zheng was not showing off. He was only fanning lightly. Even so, his usual sharp air faded, leaving him gentle.

Chun Zhi said to him: “You should not hold the fan.”

Huo Zheng paused and asked in a low voice: “Why?”

Chun Zhi turned to look at Little Xing Hui and said softly: “Like this, you are tempting people.”

Huo Zheng laughed and said: “What did you say?”

Chun Zhi said: “Nothing.”

Huo Zheng said: “If I try to tempt anyone, it will only be you,” then he leaned down to kiss her.

Just then Little Xing Hui woke up. With sleepy eyes, he looked at his father and mother and let out a loud “Waa.”

Startled, Chun Zhi pushed Huo Zheng away and sat at the bedside to pick up the child.

Huo Zheng felt helpless. Tapping his palm with the fan, he thought: [This little rascal has the worst timing.]

Little Xing Hui had slept for a long time. He needed a clean diaper and milk.

Chun Zhi asked the maid to bring a new diaper and was about to change him when Huo Zheng reached out to take over and said: “Let me.”

Chun Zhi asked: “Do you know how?”

“I do not,” said Huo Zheng. “If you teach me, I will.”

Chun Zhi was also a first-time mother. She had not been born knowing how to care for a child.

What she could learn, he could learn too.

She had married him to enjoy a lifetime of honor and prosperity.