" groan !"
— Hoo!
The moment the girl let go, Ah Jun, still lost in thought, suddenly remembered his younger sister—what about Yuner? Had she grown taller? Oh! Right, I should bring them a little gift...
"Um... alright—oh! Thats all right, dear. Xiner is the most sensible one. Hehe... Oh, look at that pouty face. Alright, its all because of Great-Grandma. Stop crying..."
"Great-grandmother, why did you bully me with them..."
Xiner!
"--And you two, dont fight, you should get to know each other..."
" cough !"
"Um? Oh no—oh... Ah, Grandma, havent you taken your medicine yet? You must be tired, so let me help you back to the Porcelain Palace... Qiuxiang!"
"Ah? Oh... medicine? Yes, yes, yes, oh, look at my memory!"
As the Empress Dowager was pleased to hold the red thread and kindly remind her, the little princess was in tears, and the sense of repression seemed to be about to explode.
Suddenly, a hoarse cough rang out. The Holy Emperor, seemingly kicked by someone, quickly glanced at the Holy Empress beside him. A sudden idea struck him, and with the expression of a Golden Carp Hundred Paintings Award-winning actor, he reminded his grandmother it was time to go back for her medicine...
In fact, the memory of the empress dowager has been declining due to her advanced age, and she occasionally suffers from confusion and memory loss. If she does not take medicine, the symptoms will become more severe. According to common sense, this condition is equivalent to Alzheimers disease.
Although the royal familys health system has long been assisted by the Holy Medical Clan, they are still ordinary people, and the foundation of the old ladys previous overwork is weakened. It is almost impossible to reverse and recover.
Yuwen Lu was the most aware of this--he had been the one to diagnose and treat most of his ancestors over the years, so it was only natural that the old woman was acting now.
After all, the foundation is shaken, and the innate damage is involved in the acquired.
Although Yuwen Lu was constantly exploring new possibilities due to the Little Princess, he remained at a loss as many methods of protecting the world were ineffective without his innate talent.
Fortunately, thanks to his expertise and perseverance, the elderly couple managed to maintain their stable life. Of course, it was also because of the childs filial piety that the elderly woman held a special fondness for Yuwen Lu. After all, he was the grandson of an old friend.
Oh... Oh, my child, how is your grandfather doing recently?
In response to the words of the Empress Dowager, all is well. Grandfather has also asked me to convey his greetings to you.
"Um... Thats fine. Hey, Xiao Lu, why are you always so distant? Like Xin er, you call me Grandmother!"
"Yes, grandmother!"
"Um... Good boy, were all family, no need to be so formal. Xiner, youll have to take care of her more from now on. Youre so sensible, give her more space, haha!"
As Yuwen Lu watched the departing Empress Dowagers silhouette with growing concern, the resilient old woman suddenly turned to him. Like any ordinary person, she inquired about her grandfathers well-being—her expression and tone clearly treating Yuwen Lu as one of her own. Of course, the old ladys intuition was spot-on. Having raised children herself, she knew them inside out. But then came the princess...
"Great-grandmother... I dont care if she takes care of me. I cant do it myself, and Im not some little cat or dog!"
"Um! What nonsense are you saying... silly girl, youll grow up after all — your great-grandmother cant stay with you forever!"
What nonsense are you spouting! Xin er wont let you say such things—I love being with you. Besides, Brother Lu is my brother. Look at you, completely confused again!
"Come on... What nonsense! How dare you talk to my great-grandmother like that!"
Oh well... just kidding... Grandma, come on, let me take you home, shall I?
Oh, well, well--wait a minute, eh, wheres the child?"
Beyond gratitude, the old lady held a special fondness for Yuwen Lu. She had long observed the two children playing, studying, and sharing heartfelt conversations together, and was well aware of their compatibility. Moreover, she clearly saw Yuwen Lus affection for the young princess, often wishing to help them find a match. After all, where else could one find such a fine young man?
But the girl was naive and carefree, always treating Yuwen Lu like her elder brother. Though their bond was strong, the idea of a future together was still a distant dream.
Indeed, the little princesss heartfelt words made his childhood friend Yuwen Lu instantly look embarrassed. Fortunately, the Empress Dowagers interruption promptly shifted the conversation, and the Emperors response came swiftly...
However, just as the elevator arrived, the old man suddenly seemed to remember something, and was so anxious that he turned around again to look for...
"Good," said the old man suddenly, "there was a child named Ah Jun, the boy she had mistaken for her."
Although the previous recognition might have been due to a minor misunderstanding, for some reason, this child had already won the old ladys heart. Perhaps it was because Ah Jun had always been favored by the elderly since childhood, with his proper manners, making him easily accepted.
"Xiao Jun, next time you come, dont forget to visit your great-grandmother... Oh, and Xiao Lu, come often when you have time. Meet Xin er more often and catch up. Boys should take the initiative..."
"Great-grandmother... Why are you making Brother Law run around all the time? I can go to his place to play too. Besides, Brother Law, hes so passive, right?"
"You silly girl..."
"咳咳!!"
"Ah... Grandmother, its cold at night, lets go back to the palace early..."
"Um... wait a minute... Come on, children, make a promise... Dont forget to keep your promise to your great-grandmother!"
"Oh..."
" good !"
Cough, cough, cough!
At this moment, the old man, full of vicissitudes, looked kindly at the two good children, and felt happy in his heart. He smiled and invited them to come to the palace as guests. Although he had to leave after the cough of the queen and the persuasion of the emperor, his heart was still in suspense, which made him unable to forget.
Defying everyones objections, the elderly woman limped over to the children, shook hands with her future great-grandson-in-law Yuwen Lu, and urged him to keep pushing harder—so much so that the Empress Dowagers cough grew increasingly loud... Then, suddenly, she moved toward Xiao Xi and the others, as if beckoning to Ah Jun...
After being scolded by the young princess earlier, Ah Jun had retreated to the side of his seat. When Xiao Xi and Ning er confirmed the matter, he found himself compelled to rush forward again, feeling both flattered and startled. As an outsider, he shouldn t have received such treatment, yet he was showered with the Empress Dowagers affection. Thus, he eagerly hooked his arm around the old ladys, savoring the warmth that never truly belonged to him.
— The hook will not change for 100 years. Stamp!
"Remember, my child... Come often and visit me, this old woman!"
Oh... Hmm!
In this situation, Ah Jun felt confused in his heart, and unconsciously thought of his master, his elder sister, his brother-in-law, his younger sister, and those kind-hearted people. After being away from home for so long, he did not know how his master was recovering.
Suddenly, the childs heart ached. Ah Jun, who had not cried since that incident, felt a fog in front of his eyes and agreed without realizing it.
" cough !"
But at this moving moment, the discordant voice of the Queen of Heaven had again sounded. She had coughed so hard that her throat was almost hoarse, and her face had changed from calm to very serious. She gave a forceful look to her old partner.
Then, with the help of his dutiful and clever grandson, the old man had to leave slowly, looking back from time to time and smiling...
"Big brother, you know my great-grandmother?"
" forehead ..."
The old womans departing figure looked noticeably less spirited than before. Ah Jun couldnt help but feel a pang of sorrow—once a formidable woman, she now appeared frail and frail, her body showing signs of aging. Ah, time truly shows no mercy... Who knows what will become of her, Master...
Just as he was feeling it, a childish voice rang in his ears. It was the little prince, looking at the stranger in front of him with a childlike eye, confused in his heart. Then, the childs question made Ah Jun a little confused.
—How can I explain it? Honestly, its still a big adventure... Ah, what if hes just like the little princess? Wouldnt my well-intentioned lie be completely worthless to diss?!
Oh, thats very good--big brother, will you come often in the future?
"Oh... that..."
"Well, lets go back. Its late. Children should go to bed early. — Hmph..."
But Ah Juns sensitivity and hesitation were instantly dispelled by his vague words and the next question. The young prince was simple and had no airs of royalty. He was a simple and warm-hearted child.
As for Ah Jun, he showed an alternative attitude. It seemed that he inherited the genes of his father. Both of them were the same and very easygoing.
But the older man in front of the child was once again at a loss for words, unable to respond to his sincere invitation—clearly not meant as sarcasm or implying anything deeper. Yet how could Ah Jun, an outsider, possibly answer?
Fortunately, just as Ah Jun was in trouble, the sudden involvement of a third party did dispel his indecision--well... yes, this person was the little boys own sister, the little princess, Chang Sunxin.
The young princess stepped forward, bending gently to urge her brother to return to the palace for rest. Yet the young prince remained stubbornly focused on Ah Juns answer. He obediently echoed his elder sisters words while gazing expectantly at the older brother... The piercing light in his eyes was irresistible to Ah Jun, and naturally, it left the princess utterly furious!
"Ah... Good!"
Oh what? Still... What? What? — Lets go, Xiao Jun!