Lu Liangwei had uttered the word without thinking just now, but now that he was earnestly asking her to repeat it, she was a little embarrassed.
“No.” After saying that, she turned her face away. However, she forgot that her head was still resting on his thigh, and the movement caused her to bump into a particular body part.
The man let out a low groan.
When Lu Liangwei realized what she had just hit, her face flushed furiously.
She said awkwardly, “I didn’t mean to do it.”
“Lu Liangwei, how could you be so careless? What’re you going to do if you break it?” Long Yang sucked in a breath through gritted teeth.
Despite her guilt, Lu Liangwei said, “Well, I could just choose not to remarry and stay with you for my whole life.”
It would have been fine if she had not said this, but the moment she did, Long Yang’s handsome face clouded over ominously. “You’re even considering remarrying?”
Seeing that he was seriously infuriated, Lu Liangwei could not help reaching out to give him a massage. “I really didn’t mean to do it.”
She pressed her hand on his injury, and only after a moment did she realize what she was doing. She immediately retracted her hand as if scalded, but the man grasped it firmly.
“Since you injured it, you should nurse it.” Long Yang’s voice was deep and carried a hint of delight as it sounded next to her ear.
Lu Liangwei’s fingers trembled. She was sure that the Emperor was pretending.
She did not even use that much force when she bumped her head on it.
Thinking it over, she said indignantly, “It’s not made of tofu; how could it be so easily… easily…”
“Easily what?” Long Yang looked at her, a smile playing on his lips.
“Broken.” Gulping, Lu Liangwei replied a little unconfidently.
“I also feel that it wouldn’t be so easily broken, but for safety’s sake, I should test it.”
“How?” Lu Liangwei suddenly had a sense of ominous foreboding.
Sure enough, the next instant, she was picked up and placed on his lap.
Lu Liangwei, “…”
She stared at him in horror, her legs betraying her by suddenly giving out.
“I don’t want to do it.” Lu Liangwei’s small face turned white with dread when she sensed his intentions.
They had already done it a few times today; she would not be able to stand another round.
With his arms wrapped around her back, Long Yang coaxed her in a husky voice, “Be good, Weiwei. It won’t take long this time.”
Gritting her teeth, Lu Liangwei suddenly made a squeezing motion beneath her. There came a muffled groan from the man, and she hurriedly said, “No need to test it; I know for sure that you’ll be fine, Your Majesty. See, if you were hurt, you wouldn’t be acting like this at all.” With that, she took advantage of his momentary daze and jumped down onto the ground quickly.
Long Yang came back to his senses, drenched in sweat as he stared at the girl running away into the distance.
He rubbed the spot between his eyes and smiled ruefully. This girl was awfully bold—if she had exerted more force, she would have really crippled him.
The next day, at the city gates.
Although the Duke Chen Family was now in disgrace, the Lin Family and the Duke Chen Family had been friends for generations, and they even nearly became in-laws, too. Therefore, as the people of the Duke Chen Family were about to be banished from the imperial capital today, Minister Lin came to see them off, along with his wife and daughter.
Both parties were somewhat silent as they approached each other again.
Lin Qingyuan felt a little emotional as she looked at Duke Chen’s haggard face—gone was his past elegance and dignity.
Lin Zhenshu, the Minister of Revenue, was the first to break the silence. He stepped forward and took Duke Chen’s hand. He sighed, wanting to say something comforting, but did not know where to begin.
Duke Chen understood his old friend’s intentions and patted his hand, saying, “In any case, this outcome is already a good enough sign of His Majesty’s grace. Despite everything else, we’re truly fortunate that we can still be alive, and I’m content with that. Please, don’t bother to see us off. If there’s a chance in the future, we’ll meet again.”