Qin Huaiqiu, who had been so confident that the emperor would never choose him, stared wide - eyed at Sikong Ting standing in front of his bed.
He started to sweat again.
Sweating profusely.
"All of you may leave first," Sikong Ting said to the maids.
The maids bowed and left one by one. Only Qin Lan glanced at Qin Huaiqiu before leaving, winking at his pleading look.
"Click." The door closed. Now it was just him and Sikong Ting in the room.
What on earth was this guy doing here so late at night? Didn't he have problems in that area? And he himself was still a patient, all thanks to this guy!
Qin Huaiqiu deliberately coughed a few times.
See? I'm feeling terrible. Just leave after taking a look. I can't serve you.
Sikong Ting glanced at him and asked, "Still feeling bad?"
"Yeah."
A long silence followed.
See, this was how it was between him and Sikong Ting. They couldn't even exchange a few words without hitting a wall. They both knew it well. So why did this guy come here to cause discomfort?
Sikong Ting seemed to sense the awkwardness too. He coughed lightly and asked again, "Have you taken your medicine?"
"Yes."
Then they had nothing more to say.
Sikong Ting sat down in front of the bed and stared at Qin Huaiqiu's face, examining it bit by bit.
Something was off.
Sikong Ting always felt that there was something wrong. His eyes lingered on Qin Huaiqiu's face, as if he was trying to find something to prove his suspicion.
But he couldn't find it. The face in front of him was definitely Qin Huailian's. The woman who had sneaked into the imperial study and rummaged through his secrets.
"If Your Majesty has nothing else to do, please go back first. Your concubine is going to rest," Qin Huaiqiu couldn't stand this awkwardness any longer and issued the eviction order.
Sikong Ting frowned. Yes, he had sensed the difference. Before, Concubine De had resorted to all kinds of tricks to stick to him, but now she was trying to keep a distance from him for various reasons.
Had she given up after realizing it was hopeless? Or was it just a new trick of hers?
Seeing that Sikong Ting didn't respond, Qin Huaiqiu lay down on his own, burrowing into the quilt and only showing a pair of eyes. "Your Majesty, your concubine really needs to rest."
Sikong Ting looked down at him, was silent for a while, and then began to undress.
"????" Qin Huaiqiu was startled. He sat up and shouted, "What are you doing!"
Sikong Ting looked up at him. He seemed quite satisfied with his panicked expression. He laughed and said, "Going to sleep."
"You're going to sleep here?"
"Otherwise?" Sikong Ting saw Qin Huaiqiu's wide - opened eyes and watched as he shrank towards the inside of the bed.
Are you still pretending, Concubine De?
Since you're playing hard - to - get, then I'll just go along with it. Isn't this exactly what you want? I'd like to see what's really going on in your mind.
But Qin Huaiqiu really didn't have any such thoughts. He watched as Sikong Ting took off his outer robe and threw it aside, then made a move to get into the bed. He grabbed the quilt and said nervously, "Well, it's kind of disgusting, isn't it? How can we share a bed like this?"
Didn't you say I was disgusting? Then why do you still want to sleep together?
"Really? But I'm sleepy now."
You didn't deny it? You're going to sleep with someone you find disgusting? What's wrong with you, Sikong Ting? Are you a masochist?
Sikong Ting took off his boots, and one leg was already on the edge of the bed.
Qin Huaiqiu's scalp went numb. He got up on his knees on the bed and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, your concubine knows her mistake, knows her mistake."
Sikong Ting was taken aback. "What mistake?"
What mistake? What mistake! I don't know either! Anyway, I can't let Sikong Ting get into the bed. The fate of the Qin family hangs in the balance!
Qin Huaiqiu's mind raced. "Your concubine... shouldn't have contradicted Your Majesty."
"And?"
"And? Are you really getting into this, Sikong Ting?"
"Your... your concubine shouldn't have thought about leaving the palace."
"Good."
Sikong Ting had already gotten into the bed. He leaned against the head of the bed leisurely and watched Qin Huaiqiu kneeling beside him. He was in an extremely good mood.
Qin Huaiqiu's mind exploded. Resignedly, he straightened up and said, "That's all."
Sikong Ting nodded and said, "Then go to sleep."
Qin Huaiqiu was on the verge of crying. He simply decided to take a risk and said, "Don't touch me."
Sikong Ting was stunned. He glanced at Qin Huaiqiu, snorted, then turned around to blow out the lamp. He pulled up the quilt and went to sleep with his back to him.
In the darkness, Qin Huaiqiu let out a long sigh. He wrapped himself in the quilt and moved to the very inside of the bed.
He pressed himself tightly against the wall, closed his eyes, but his mind was on high alert.
The moon rose above the willow branches. Qin Huaiqiu, who was already sick, finally couldn't hold on and fell into a deep sleep.
Sikong Ting, who was sleeping on the outside, was still wide - awake. He had originally wanted to wait for Qin Huaiqiu to make a move. After all, with what he had done, given Concubine De's personality, she should have pounced on him directly. If Concubine De couldn't hold back and stopped pretending, it would mean that Concubine De was still the same old Concubine De, just with an alluring appearance but still a scheming, spoiled and obsequious woman inside.
But Qin Huaiqiu didn't. He even kept a far distance from Sikong Ting and didn't move at all after lying down.
Sikong Ting just lay there with his eyes open, waiting, until he heard Qin Huaiqiu's soft snoring.
Sikong Ting: "..."
Asleep? Concubine De was asleep?
Sikong Ting suddenly turned over. With the faint moonlight, he saw Qin Huaiqiu with his back to him. He was curled up in a ball, and his body rose and fell evenly with his breathing.
Sikong Ting stared at his back for a while, gritted his teeth and said, "Qin, Huai, Lian!"
What was this woman doing? How could she fall asleep? Didn't all his actions to test her seem extremely stupid and vulgar?
Sikong Ting was furious. He grabbed Qin Huaiqiu and turned him over.
Qin Huaiqiu was sleeping soundly and was suddenly woken up by Sikong Ting. He opened his eyes and saw Sikong Ting's angry face against the moonlight. Because of the darkness, it even seemed a bit ferocious.
Wh... what's going on?
Did I kick him in my sleep?
"Qin Huailian!" Sikong Ting roared. He was very angry, but he couldn't tell whether this anger was directed at Qin Huailian or at himself. Maybe he shouldn't have listened to the Empress Dowager's words and come to the Kunning Palace to see Concubine De in the first place. Maybe he shouldn't have impulsively tried to test her reaction.
Now Concubine De didn't react as he had expected. Instead, she just fell asleep.
The young emperor felt a sense of落差 and helplessness that he had never experienced before. This feeling rushed to his head, making him so angry that he wanted to go crazy.
"Humph!"
Sikong Ting wanted to say something, but he was so full of pent - up anger that he couldn't say a word even after opening his mouth for a long time. He just pushed Qin Huaiqiu away, got up, grabbed his clothes and rushed out of the door. He walked extremely fast. Those who knew would understand that he was angry, while those who didn't know might think he was running away in a hurry.
Qin Huaiqiu was stunned on the bed, looking utterly confused.
What the hell?
The door was kicked open with a "bang". Not long after, Qin Lan rushed in in a hurry and saw Qin Huaiqiu lying on the bed.
"Young master?" She had been guarding the door since the emperor entered the room. She didn't dare to sleep for fear that something might happen inside.
At first, she was extremely nervous. Later, it seemed quite quiet inside. She had thought she could have a peaceful night, but unexpectedly, the emperor rushed out angrily with his clothes in his hand in the middle of the night.
Qin Huaiqiu looked at Qin Lan's worried face and shook his head calmly. "Don't ask me what's going on. I think he's crazy."
Qin Lan: "Ah?"