By now, the sky had completely darkened. Outside, Mei Jiang and the grand eunuch were busy launching fireworks into the sky.
The once-silent imperial capital of the Northern Yan Empire suddenly erupted into a riot of noise.
Many commoners opened their windows or stepped out of their houses to look up at the fireworks.
In the room shared by Huo Wei and Dugu Luanyue, the light flickered on and off.
Huo Wei said, "There are people everywhere outside. It's not appropriate for you to go out now."
Dugu Luanyue glanced at the hand on her waist and mercilessly slapped it away. "It's none of your business. Let me out right away!"
As if he were deaf, Huo Wei continued on his own, "It's not even the Chinese New Year. Who's setting off fireworks?"
Dugu Luanyue replied, "I did. I set them off for your birthday. But now I regret it so much."
Huo Wei let go of her and latched the door, clearly indicating that he wouldn't let her out at this moment.
Dugu Luanyue reached out to pull the latch but found that she was too weak and the latch was too tight. For a moment, she was at a loss.
Huo Wei walked over and opened the window halfway. Looking into the distance, the sharp contours of his jaw involuntarily twitched. "They're quite beautiful."
The dazzling and magnificent fireworks lit up the sky above the imperial capital of the Northern Yan Empire. One after another, they bloomed like colorful umbrellas against the inky black sky.
Each one burst in the night and also blossomed in Huo Wei's deep, dark eyes.
He had never seen a night with such a spectacular display of fireworks. It was so beautiful. But today he had, and this was the most beautiful night he had ever seen in his life.
He had no family, and he had even made up his birthday to tell Murong Min. He never expected that there would really be someone in this world who would go to such great lengths to celebrate his birthday.
Huo Wei turned his head and looked at her nose, which was a little red from the cold. Then he turned around and lit the silver charcoal in the room. "Come here and warm yourself by the fire."
Dugu Luanyue stood still in front of the door. "No need. How could a person as despised as I be worthy of the precious charcoal from your Prince Yuzhang's Mansion?"
Huo Wei stood up, pulled her over, and pressed her onto a stool. "Are you really angry?"
Dugu Luanyue raised her sleeve to wipe away a few tears. "No."
When she opened her eyes again, a clean silk handkerchief was held out in front of her.
She didn't reach for it, and they remained in a stalemate.
Huo Wei smiled faintly. "Do you want me to wipe your tears?"
Dugu Luanyue remained expressionless, still with a straight face. She was sure that Huo Wei wouldn't wipe her tears. He was such a cold military general, oblivious to the ways of romance. She might have been wasting her efforts.
The words he said today had really angered her.
The soft silk handkerchief gently touched her face. Huo Wei used it to wipe away her tears. "The words I said just now were not from my heart. I didn't despise you."
Dugu Luanyue said coldly,
"Huo Wei, I know you've been alone and helpless since childhood. I thought that since I'm also alone and helpless in the Northern Yan Empire, we could rely on each other. But I was wrong.
From now on, I won't bother you anymore. After I go back this time, I'll live a good life with His Majesty.
Although I know His Majesty doesn't treat me very well, he's still my husband after all. I'll accept my fate.
I shouldn't have harbored feelings for other men. It's against a woman's virtue, and if it were ever discovered, I'd be doomed.
Even though I've done all these things for you, I'm sure you're annoyed by me. From now on, I won't annoy you anymore."
Huo Wei's hand, which had been wiping her tears, stopped in mid-air. After a while, he forcefully threw the silk handkerchief into the brazier.
Some sparks flew out of the brazier, and the silk handkerchief was quickly burned to ashes.
He said in a deep voice, "Do as you please."
Huo Wei stood on the other side of the brazier, with his back to Dugu Luanyue, so that she couldn't see his cold and solemn expression.
For no reason, his heart felt stuffy.
Dugu Luanyue noticed that the fireworks had stopped. It was time for her to return to the palace.
She said again, "Huo Wei, I'm really leaving."
Huo Wei got up and pulled out the latch without saying a word to her.
The door slowly opened, and the wind and snow rushed in. Dugu Luanyue took a step forward when she heard Huo Wei say from behind,
"Today's my birthday, and I don't even have a bowl of longevity noodles. What kind of birthday celebration is this?"
Dugu Luanyue was speechless.
Huo Wei turned around. "You have no sincerity at all."
Dugu Luanyue was utterly confused.
She had no sincerity? Enough! Huo Wei was really going too far.
Not to mention the fireworks, the gifts for the court officials and their wives had all come from her private treasury. She had stayed up two nights in a row to plan this for him, and he still said she had no sincerity?
Huo Wei stepped out of the room before her and casually said, "There's a small kitchen behind the sleeping quarters in my mansion. No one goes there."
Dugu Luanyue looked at the sky. It got dark early in this season in the Northern Yan Empire. If she stayed a little longer, the palace gates probably wouldn't be closed yet.
But this Huo Wei was really unreasonable. She still hadn't vented her anger, and now he dared to order the queen of a country to cook for him. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
She puffed out her cheeks. "If you think I have no sincerity, then so be it. Anyway, you don't care in your heart."
Huo Wei looked back at her. "Your Majesty, you're an elder. It's really unreasonable that you won't even make a bowl of longevity noodles for your subject."
Dugu Luanyue gave a cold snort and didn't say anything more. She lifted her foot and followed him to the small kitchen.
However, Huo Wei didn't really let her do anything. He took out the flour himself, poured it into a porcelain basin, and started kneading the dough.
Dugu Luanyue said, "Isn't it customary for others to make longevity noodles for the birthday person? Why are you making them yourself?"
Huo Wei glanced up at her. "Can the princess of the Southern Chu make them?"
Dugu Luanyue pursed her lips. "Well... no."
But then she became curious and asked, "You're the Prince Yuzhang. You can just tell the cooks in your mansion to prepare whatever you want and bring it to you. Why do you have to do it yourself?"
Huo Wei said in a deep voice,
"During a battle in the Western Liao, I was secretly attacked. Half of the soldiers in the entire camp fell ill, and I almost lost my life.
After that, I preferred to do things myself. Even after I got this mansion, I still didn't like to rely on others."
Dugu Luanyue stood by the stove. After hearing what he said, she realized that Huo Wei was a person with extremely low trust in others. He couldn't bear any suspicion or betrayal.
That's why whenever something happened, he liked to question and cross-examine repeatedly, looking for any reason to refute.
"So what do you usually cook for yourself? Do you have the time?"
"Most of the time, I'm in the military camp."
Dugu Luanyue rolled her eyes in her heart. Well, her question had been in vain.
Huo Wei hardly ever came to this kitchen. He was just doing it for his own peace of mind.
But she still pretended to comfort him casually. "It doesn't matter. When you have a legal wife in the future, she'll cook for you every day."
Huo Wei's hands, covered in white flour, stopped. His black eyes stared at her intently. "Do you want me to get married?"