Chapter 151

Chapter 151: A Family of Three

Chun Zhi’s eyes shone with tears as she stared at him in a daze.

The Huo Zheng from before would never have said something like that.

Looking into her eyes, he spoke seriously and plainly: “I like you, only you.”

She opened her arms and hugged him, answering with her embrace. [I really do like Huo Zheng.]

They stayed in the room for a long time, until the lamp was almost spent, when the steward arrived with servants and called from outside: “Prince and Princess Consort, are you here? The young master has woken and is crying for Father and Mother.”

Chun Zhi came back to herself and hurried out, saying: “Little Xing Hui is awake.”

Huo Zheng took her hand, and together they went to the main room. The steward then dismissed the maids and manservants.

Back in the main room, they heard Little Xing Hui crying. Qing Ye and the wet nurse were trying to soothe him: “Young master, be good. The prince and princess consort will be back soon…”

But Little Xing Hui had been with his father and mother these days and was used to their arms; he ignored Qing Ye and the wet nurse.

Chun Zhi hurried in, picked him up, and soothed him gently: “Mother is back, Little Xing Hui, don’t cry.”

Hearing his mother’s voice, he looked at Chun Zhi with tear?filled eyes and buried his head in her arms.

Huo Zheng came after, picked up a rattle drum, and played with him.

The child cried loudly but calmed just as fast. Soon he was lying on Chun Zhi’s shoulder and playing with Huo Zheng.

Holding the rattle with one hand and the child with the other, Huo Zheng said to Chun Zhi: “It’s late, and you haven’t had dinner. Eat a little first.”

Chun Zhi asked: “Have you had dinner?”

He answered honestly: “Not yet.”

She began to say more, but he said, easy and natural: “If you’re willing, you can feed me.”

Chun Zhi was speechless for a moment, but he said it so naturally, as if her feeding him was the most normal thing.

She had the maids bring the dishes into the room and then sent everyone out.

Before leaving, Qing Ye wanted to take Little Xing Hui, but the child was happy in his father’s arms and turned away, refusing to go. Huo Zheng did not let them take him either and said: “You may withdraw.”

“Yes,” Qing Ye, the wet nurse, and the maids answered, bowing as they left.

In a moment, only Chun Zhi, Huo Zheng, and Little Xing Hui were left, a family of three.

With one hand on the rattle and one holding the child, Huo Zheng had no free hand to eat, so Chun Zhi picked up a piece of beef and held it to his mouth.

He lifted his brows slightly, opened his mouth, and ate. He said: “The dishes taste excellent today.”

Of course it was not the food; it was the princess consort feeding him that made it better.

Chun Zhi fed him a second piece. He ate it and at once told her: “I’m not that hungry. You eat first.”

She poured a bowl of fish soup, took a sip, found it fresh, and poured a bowl for him too, holding it to his lips.

He lowered his head to drink, and just then Little Xing Hui leaned in as well. Father and son bumped heads lightly, and Huo Zheng could not help but laugh.

Little Xing Hui leaned back, then leaned in again, trying to drink the soup. Chun Zhi smiled and said: “You’re still little. You can’t drink fish soup yet. Let Father have it first.”

Not understanding why, the child pushed forward stubbornly, trying to get his head into the bowl. Chun Zhi drew the bowl back, and he hurried to follow.

Huo Zheng lifted Little Xing Hui up and settled him on his shoulder, then raised his chin to signal Chun Zhi to pass the soup. She did, and he drank the whole bowl from her hand. The little boy, angry, grabbed at his hair.

The family of three had a lively meal.

After dinner, they carried Little Xing Hui to the back garden for a walk. The weather was hot, and only the night brought a bit of cool.

Summer stars filled the sky, and fireflies floated through the garden.

Little Xing Hui’s attention went to the twinkling fireflies. He waved his hands to catch them, but he never could.

Chun Zhi laughed, caught one, and held it in front of him. When she opened her hand, the firefly flew up. Seeing a “star” so close, Little Xing Hui let out a soft “wow.”

Watching his lively son and the smiling Chun Zhi, Huo Zheng felt his heart fill with the warmth of home.

As a child, he had envied how Emperor Father and the Noble Consort often played with Huo Yan.

Empress Wang was his adoptive mother. She treated him fairly well, but she was not his birth mother, so she did not care as deeply. As the empress, she could not, like the Noble Consort, seek favor by staying with the emperor. Huo Yan had been lively since childhood and easy to like.

Young Huo Zheng had once dreamed of parents who loved him and played with him.

But he had always been the one watching from the side as Emperor Father and a favored consort played with the imperial younger brother.

Now he was grown, had married the one he loved, and had such a lovely child.

He could play with his child together with Chun Zhi, as if making up for his childhood.

He did not say these things to Chun Zhi. He only looked at her, eyes full of gentleness.

Noticing his gaze while she played with the child, Chun Zhi could not help asking: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He smiled and said: “My princess consort is so beautiful that I cannot look away.”

Chun Zhi laughed. At their first meeting, he had not said that, but now he said it without hesitation.

They played in the back garden for a long time. As it grew late, Little Xing Hui grew sleepy. Chun Zhi said: “He’s ready to sleep. Let’s go back.”

Huo Zheng said: “All right,” and carried the child back.

After the day’s crying and fussing, Little Xing Hui fell asleep as soon as he touched the bed.

Huo Zheng looked at Chun Zhi, his gaze deep, and said in a low voice: “The child is asleep.”

These days he had worn her out. Seeing that look, she knew what he wanted and said quickly: “Be careful not to wake him.”

He lowered his voice even more and said: “Then I’ll be gentle.”

He slipped to the inner side of the bed and reached to undo her sash.

Chun Zhi pressed his hand and said: “No. What if Little Xing Hui wakes?”

The child lay right beside them. He was small and understood nothing, but doing such a thing next to him felt too shameful.

Huo Zheng swept out the candle flame on the table. The room fell dark at once, with only faint moonlight slanting through the window.

He let down the Red Gauze Canopy, and even the moonlight stayed outside. Inside the canopy, nothing could be seen.

He whispered in her ear: “Now, even if he wakes, he won’t see anything.”

Chun Zhi still tried to stop him, but his hands were quick and skillful. In a few moves he slipped off her clothes.

His breathing turned rough, and Chun Zhi’s face burned like a rosy cloud as heat rose through her.