After a long while, Ming Lang heard a voice from inside.
"Your Majesty, it's already very late. I wonder if Your Majesty would like to rest?"
The tone was slow and ambiguous, quite suggestive. For some reason, Ming Lang suddenly felt nervous at this moment. The figure in light blue emerged in his mind, and his heart suddenly ached like being pricked by a needle.
Such a beautiful figure shouldn't be trapped here.
Ming Lang knew he shouldn't be standing here anymore, but he couldn't bear to bring such a result to Wan Wan. So he stood there stiffly, not moving.
Until a deep voice came from inside.
"I always feel like there's still something I haven't done. You rest first. I'll go back to my sleeping quarters."
Still something he hasn't done? From the tone of this remark, did it seem that he had forgotten about Wan Wan?
Ming Lang took two steps forward. Just then, Sheng Jiu pushed the door open and came out. The two looked into each other's eyes. Sheng Jiu asked in confusion, "Why are you standing here?"
Ming Lang didn't answer his question immediately. Instead, he glanced behind Sheng Jiu. The woman was standing behind him, looking at him. She was wearing a gentle light purple ruqun, different from all the concubines Sheng Jiu had taken in before.
Those women in the past were frivolous and shallow, so vulgar that one could seemingly see through their souls at a glance. But this woman was gentle, generous, and also a bit cute and playful.
The more different she was from those women, the more she could capture Sheng Jiu's heart.
Ming Lang didn't know whether he should feel sorry or relieved.
If that little mermaid knew all this, what kind of mood would he be in?
Ming Lang pursed his lips and slowly lowered his eyes. "Your Majesty, this humble official... has something very important to report to you."
After saying that, he looked up at the woman again. Just then, the woman's gaze also fell on him. Ming Lang looked into her eyes and always felt that she seemed to know everything. Her calm and sharp eyes landed on him for a moment and then moved away.
The person on the steps frowned slightly. "What important matter do you have to report to me?"
Although the words in his mouth sounded a bit unhappy, he still stepped down the steps.
Ming Lang deliberately lowered his voice. "About Young Master Wan Wan..."
Sheng Jiu frowned. "Wan Wan?"
His eyebrows only frowned for a moment and then relaxed. The expression on his face was no longer as solemn as before. It was a kind of coldness that emanated from within.
"I'll go back and take a look."
Ming Lang lowered his head and didn't say a word. The woman leaning against the door didn't say anything to retain him either. She just watched the figures of the two walking away.
When the two of them returned to the sleeping quarters, Wan Wan was soaking in the water, half asleep.
Although he had always been used to the temperature of the water, since he got his human legs, he always felt that his cold - resistance ability had declined a lot. Soaking in the water like this, his knees couldn't stop trembling.
After Sheng Jiu walked in, he stood there and watched for a long time. Ming Lang had been secretly observing his expression. He always felt that there seemed to be a look of blankness and dullness on Sheng Jiu's face.
This kind of expression only stayed on his face for a moment. Then he slowly moved towards Wan Wan, saying as he moved, "Didn't I say that you can sleep on the bed at night?"
After hearing the voice, Wan Wan opened his eyes and looked up at him. He managed to hold back the tremor in his voice before speaking. "But the keys to the chains on my body are all in your hands."
Sheng Jiu seemed to just remember. He took off the brocade pouch on his body, and sure enough, he took out a few keys from it. Then he handed them to Ming Lang. "Go and unlock them for him."
Ming Lang was stunned. In the past, didn't he always do this kind of thing himself? When had he ever trusted someone else with the keys so much...
Wan Wan probably also thought it was a bit strange. He raised his eyes to look at him, with a bit more curiosity in his eyes. After a moment of hesitation, Ming Lang reached out to take the keys. Just as he took two steps forward, he was called back by the person behind him.
"I'll do it."
Ming Lang turned around and handed the keys back.
Sheng Jiu stepped into the water with the keys in his hand. He lowered his eyes and stared at Wan Wan for a moment. Then he even asked softly, "Is it cold in the water?"
Wan Wan lowered his head and didn't answer. Sheng Jiu wasn't annoyed either. He picked him up from the water and walked slowly towards the couch. The candlelight illuminated Wan Wan's whole body, and even his round toes glowed transparently.
Looking at the person lying obediently in his arms, Sheng Jiu felt a moment of tenderness welling up in his heart. It seemed that his whole heart was filled, warm.
But he also felt that this welling - up tenderness was very strange. It seemed... he shouldn't be here, and this tenderness shouldn't be directed at this person.
After suppressing this strange feeling, Sheng Jiu still gently wiped the water off his body. It seemed that being gentle with the person in front of him had become a habit.
Wan Wan looked at his actions blankly and reached out to press on his wrist. "Are you going to sleep here tonight?"
Wan Wan tried his best to make himself look less nervous. Sheng Jiu looked at his tightly pursed lips and suddenly didn't want to go back. After a moment of silence, he slowly nodded. "Yes."
Wan Wan frowned imperceptibly, but didn't say anything else. Seeing the situation in front of him, Ming Lang didn't stay any longer. He quietly turned around and left the sleeping quarters.
After taking off his clothes, Sheng Jiu carefully lay down beside him. Wan Wan had been preparing for him to turn around, but he fell asleep while waiting. When he opened his eyes, it was already dawn.
Wan Wan looked at the situation on the bed and mechanically recalled.
It seemed that they hadn't done anything last night.
Did they just lie quietly like this all night?
Wan Wan thought it was a bit strange, but it seemed to be a fact.
But when he woke up, he found that the person beside him was already gone. Standing beside the couch was Ming Lang.
Wan Wan blinked his eyes and then looked at the black cage in the middle of the water. Ming Lang said, "Young Master doesn't have to go into the cage today. Since His Majesty didn't give any instructions... Young Master can stay in the water today."
Wan Wan withdrew his gaze, and his eyes landed on the empty space beside him. Ming Lang said in a low voice, "His Majesty went out early this morning."
Wan Wan subconsciously asked, "Where did he go?"
Ming Lang avoided his gaze. "He went to have breakfast with Lady Zhao..."
Lady Zhao...
It was another title he had never heard of. He just thought it was a bit strange. In the past, he didn't remember Sheng Jiu getting up specially to have breakfast with any concubine... How special was this Lady Zhao for him to treat her like this?
Although Wan Wan tried his best to make himself seem not so concerned, this matter still planted a seed in his heart after all.
Who on earth was this Lady Zhao?