Lu Liangwei’s tears immediately streamed down her face uncontrollably.
It was no wonder she had felt a ray of golden light pulling her and bringing her back while her soul was drifting about aimlessly.
Did the gods hear Grandmother’s prayer?
Seeing this, Long Qingzhi hurriedly sat down and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears away anxiously. “Hey, don’t cry. You shouldn’t cry during postpartum recovery, or it’ll hurt your eyes. The Dowager Duchess really loves you; she’ll be upset to see you like this. Brother’s coming back soon too, and if he sees you crying, he’ll think that I’ve been bullying you and make me pay for it.”
Slowly, Lu Liangwei stopped crying and nodded. “All right.”
Long Qingzhi put her arms around the girl’s fragile figure, her heart aching for her.
She had just woken up after surviving a great crisis. If she were to learn that she still had another child who had been…
Sighing to herself, she collected her thoughts and said gently, “I’ll stay in the palace for the next few days and help take care of you. If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me, and I’ll order the imperial kitchen to make it for you. If you don’t feel well, you’ve got to tell me too; don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I’ll remember that.” Lu Liangwei felt her heart warm. “Thank you, Royal Sister.”
Shaking her head, Long Qingzhi tucked her in and got up. “You must be hungry after waking up. I’ll go and see if the nourishing soup’s ready.”
“All right.” Lu Liangwei watched her leave. When she walked out the door, she suddenly lifted her sleeve as if to wipe her eyes.
She sighed. Her close brush with death must have been distressing for everyone.
Soon, Zhu Yu walked in with a bowl of chicken soup.
Her eyes were dreadfully red and swollen, an obvious sign that she had been crying.
Lu Liangwei sighed. “I’m fine, aren’t I? Why are you still crying?”
Zhu Yu smiled through her tears. “These are tears of happiness.” However, her heart still throbbed with a dull pain, and at the same time, she was drowned in remorse and guilt.
If her death was not bound to rouse her mistress’s suspicion, she would have gladly died to atone for her sin.
If she had not let Manna stay, this disaster would not have happened.
Oh, the poor Princess…
“Miss, you should drink this soup while it’s warm. Let me feed you.”
“Sure,” Lu Liangwei replied cheerfully. She wanted to recuperate faster so she could take care of her two children and ease everyone’s concerns.
When Lu Liangwei finished the chicken soup, Long Yang happened to come in at the same time, so Zhu Yu took the empty bowl and retreated from the room.
Noticing the undisguisable fear in Zhu Yu’s eyes when she saw the Emperor, Lu Liangwei could not help getting suspicious.
It was not Zhu Yu’s first time meeting the Emperor. Why was she still so scared?
However, she did not have time to dwell on it, for Long Yang had sat down beside her.
Comparing his current neatness to his disheveled appearance just now, Lu Liangwei could not help being amazed by the difference.
She took his hand, only to be surprised by how icy it was. “Are you feeling cold, Your Majesty?” It was now the hottest time of the year, so why was the Emperor’s hand as cold as ice?”
Long Yang retracted his hand rapidly for fear of making her cold.
He had heard from Imperial Physician Wu that women in postpartum recovery should avoid catching a cold.
“I took a cold bath just now,” Long Yang replied casually, dropping his dark eyes.
Lu Liangwei did not doubt him, but she said disapprovingly, “I know the weather’s hot now, but you shouldn’t take cold baths. You might catch a cold.”
“I won’t do it again.” Long Yang lifted his gaze and drank in the sight of her almost greedily.
Embarrassed by his heated stare, Lu Liangwei said softly, “Your Majesty, our children are so beautiful. Have you held them?”