“Oh, yeah. I thought it would be nice to add a crispy texture to the soup. And it would make it a bit more refreshing.”
“Crispy…”
Unable to grasp the taste, Belion couldn’t continue his words and shook his hands slightly. Unaware of that, Grace just continued to smile.
“Still, it’s nice that we all came together like this. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah.”
“Back in the old days, we didn’t have time, and it was difficult for everyone to gather like this.”
Grace, who paused for a moment, looked at Belion’s bare face.
“Aren’t you wearing a mask now?”
“Whether I wear it or not, people’s attention is the same.”
“Did you just realize that now?”
With an amused smile, Grace asked him slyly.
“Then, you won’t wear it when you come to the palace or the capital in the future?”
“That’s right.”
“…….”
Grace fell silent for a moment at his response. Belion looked at her and asked.
“Why?”
“…….”
“Because you don’t like it?”
Even someone like Belion, who usually didn’t care about people’s opinions, could understand.
Since I took off the mask, the way the young ladies look at me has changed. Most of them show favor towards me. Grace nodded slightly.
“Because people spread strange rumors about your mask, when you were young, I wished people knew about your beautiful eyes.”
“…….”
“But now that you’re walking around without the mask… um…”
“Are you jealous?”
“Oh, no. It’s not jealousy. Rather than that…”
“…….”
“It seems right.”
Grace lowered her head in embarrassment. Belion approached her and then opened his mouth.
“Look into my eyes.”
“Huh?”
In response to Belion’s words, Grace raised her head and stared into his eyes. As a result, the color of Belion’s eyes changed as it reflected the sunlight. Grace widened her eyes.
“Oh, just now…!”
“When exposed to sunlight, the inside of my eyes briefly turns yellow.”
“Yeah. But it changes so subtly and quickly that you need to look closely to notice it.”
“Yeah. That’s why no one knew.”
“…….”
“Now only you and I know.”
“Really?”
At Belion’s last words, Grace regained a bright smile. Belion mumbled.
“It’s even visible by candlelight at night.”
“Really? The color changes even by candlelight.”
“Yeah, it’s more noticeable in the room.”
“Okay, then later, at night, in the room, close up… huh?”
As Grace was answering with a smile, her face suddenly changed. Seeing her reaction, Belion slyly raised the corner of his mouth.
“Is the ingredient preparation all done? Belion, did you finish handling them?”
Trying to hide her embarrassment, Grace looked at the ingredients in Belion’s hands. Then she noticed Belion’s bare hands and asked.
“Aren’t you cold? You’re not wearing gloves.”
“Not really.”
“Why? You usually get really cold easily.”
“Me?”
Belion raised an eyebrow in an awkward manner. Grace continued speaking as if questioning.
“Yeah. Don’t you remember? When you inherited the title as the Grand Duke when you were young, you said you would go to the Grand Duke’s mansion in the snowfield instead of the old mansion. You said you liked places with no people and quietness.”
“…….”
“But once you received the title, you said it’s too cold there and refused to go.”
Belion rolled his eyes as if remembering. Grace chuckled.
“I see. So, how is it now? Are you okay? Not cold? Or would you like to wear my scarf?”
“I’m fine…”
Belion, who was about to refuse, hesitated for a moment and nodded.
“Yeah. It’s cold. Please.”
“Okay. Just a moment.”
Soon, Grace’s arms wrapped around Belion’s neck. After several movements that seemed as if Grace was leaning into him, Belion’s neck was wrapped in a cute pink scarf.
“It’s a bit small because it’s mine… But how is it? Warm, right?”
Belion, wearing a pink scarf, looked amusing, and Grace chuckled for a moment before breaking into a bright smile. Watching her, Belion involuntarily nodded.
“Yeah. It’s warm.”
The vast snowfield was quiet and serene. Perhaps that’s why the emotions they had kept to themselves were now conveyed a bit more clearly to each other. Now, they would continue to build their own story.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
