Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 45.1

For the first time ever, Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng weren’t sharing a room at night.

The magazine, flush with cash, had booked a large, single-occupancy room in a luxury hotel for each trainee. Song Jiangjiang and the others, like happy little birds, flapped their wings and rushed upstairs with their elevator cards.

In the elevator, Ji Zhao got into an argument with the delivery robot.

Her left ear heard the robotic voice saying, “Please don’t curse me, it hurts my feelings,” while her right ear heard Song Jiangjiang gleefully egging it on, “How does it hurt? Will it make you cry? If you cry, will you short-circuit?” But the words didn’t register.

She glanced at Yu Cheng, who was standing at the front of the elevator, and then glanced again.

Yu Cheng seemed to notice her gaze, her expression paused briefly. She turned slightly, the small beauty mark the makeup artist had placed on her straight nose bridge making her look even more exquisite and beautiful. Meeting Ji Zhao’s eyes, she gave a puzzled look.

Ji Zhao: “……”

She gritted her teeth, a little resentful that this wasn’t the Great Qi Dynasty. Otherwise, if she had declared her affection for Yu Cheng this morning, Yu Cheng would be carried to her bedchamber by nightfall!

Though it might be a little forceful and even ruthless, imperial power trumps all. As long as she had no morals, morals couldn’t bind her! …Wait, that’s getting ahead of myself. In this era, they believe in and support free love.

Ji Zhao, at a loss for words, asked, “Which room are you in?”

She already knew.

Her room was 1108, and Yu Cheng’s was right next door, no hallway to cross. Perfect for a secret affair… Ugh! A private meeting… Ugh! A casual visit!

Yu Cheng answered truthfully, “1110.”

“We’re right next to each other,” Shen Yican said. “I just checked the hotel layout downstairs, and it’s really chaotic. I’m in 1112, right next door to Yu Cheng, but Zhaozhao’s room, 1108, is in a different hallway.”

Ji Zhao: “?”

She blurted out, “Doesn’t that mean I’m… really far from Yu Cheng… and from all of you?”

Shen Yican: “……”

Was she imagining things? Why did Ji Zhaozhao’s last sentence sound so… forced, like it had been tacked on?

Yu Cheng panicked. “That far?”

Qiao Yue reassured her. “Don’t worry, Yu Cheng. The hotel’s security is top-notch. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

Yu Cheng stared at Ji Zhao. “Really?”

Their eyes met, but Ji Zhao’s gaze flickered and darted away.

Yu Cheng clenched her fists.

…I still scared Her Majesty.

The elevator arrived. Yu Cheng wheeled her suitcase out first, the wheels muffled by the plush carpet. She followed the room number signs along the wall, thinking, I still scared Her Majesty.

Yesterday, in the practice room, they had been so close, their breaths mingling as Her Majesty pressed against her, her body was moving against hers.

She felt like she was being tossed between the clouds, soaring and plummeting.

The overwhelming surge of emotions made her lose control. She had actually left Her Majesty alone in the practice room and fled back to the dormitory. She had thrown herself into the bathroom, where cold water cascaded over her, yet the fire burning within her only grew fiercer.

She remembered her past life.

She recalled the memorial she had sent to Your Majesty while stationed on the frontier, expressing her hope that she would take care of herself and avoid catching a cold as spring approached. A year later, Her Majesty responded with a simple “Read,” but she was overjoyed.

She imagined he must have frowned when annotating her memorial.

He probably even grumbled to his head palace maid, complaining that the border was so quiet now that generals had nothing better to do than send daily greetings to the palace. How annoying!

Even being the subject of his grumbles was endearing. It was a presumptuous thought, but she couldn’t help thinking it.

The next time she received Her Majesty’s annotation was when the peach blossoms had finished blooming. Peach blossoms bloom late in the northwest, and by then, summer had already arrived in the capital. Her Majesty replied: “Due to the recent heat, morning court has been postponed to the evening. Yesterday, during my day off, I visited a Playhouse in disguise and heard a wonderful song called ‘Sleepless.’ I am sending you the sheet music.”

The character “Ai” (beloved) had been crossed out, leaving only “Qing” (minister).

She bought a guqin from the market and, while awkwardly plucking the strings while reading the sheet music, felt the bone-deep yearning etched into the melody. That’s when she realized she was in love with Her Majesty.

Back then, it was just innocent admiration, devoid of any desire. But now, desire surged toward her like a tidal wave.

Making her dare not face Your Majesty.

And with Your Majesty’s keen perception, he must have noticed. That’s why he’s been so distant these past few days. It’s better that we’re not sharing a room; otherwise, I don’t know what I might do.

Yu Cheng stopped at room 1110, swiped her key card, and the door opened promptly.

“I’ve created a group! Everyone, let us know if you need anything!” Song Jiangjiang called from her room. “Don’t sneakily eat all the good stuff without telling me!”

Shen Yican chuckled. “Why do you love creating groups so much?”

Song Jiangjiang: “Can’t help it! I love being in charge!”

Yu Cheng didn’t dwell on the group chat. Her mind was preoccupied with other matters. She’d considered listening for any sounds, but the hotel’s soundproofing was excellent, and Ji Zhao’s room was too far away. She gave up, took a shower, and returned to check her phone. By then, Song Jiangjiang’s group chat already had 99+ unread messages.

Group Chat – “The Wind Continues to Blow (8)”

[ Shen Xin: ] A three-day Hong Kong trip, and this group name is way too outdated.

[ Shen Yican: ] Go with the flow. Let’s make it more Hong Kong-style.

System: Song Jiangjiang changed the group name to “A Bit of Hong Kong Style.”

Pei Jia:Green Frog Pointing at Head.jpg

[ Pei Jia: ] Look at your head!

[ Song Jiangjiang: ] I’m the group admin! Watch out, I’ll kick you out!

[ Pei Jia: ] Then I’ll just create another group without you!

[ Song Jiangjiang: ] How vicious… I’m taking a screenshot and exposing you on Weibo right now!

System: Shen Xin changed the group name to “The Wind Continues to Blow.”

Shen Xin:Shared Music – “The Wind Continues to Blow” by Leslie Cheung

[ Zhou Yuting: ] Let the wind continue to blow~ Can’t bear to part~ Beautiful song!

[ Ji Zhaozhao: ] Beautiful song

[ Song Jiangjiang: ] Where’s Yu Cheng? @Yu Cheng

[ Shen Yican: ] Didn’t she sneak into Zhaozhao’s room? @Ji Zhaozhao Yu Cheng I saw you!

[ Ji Zhaozhao: ] …

[ Ji Zhaozhao: ] I’m asleep.

[ Yu Cheng: ] I was just taking a shower.

[ Zhou Yuting: ] I’m going to take a shower too. We have to get up early tomorrow, everyone should get some sleep.

[ Song Jiangjiang: ] Shower time! Jacuzzi, I’m coming!

[ Qiao Yue: ] Don’t forget to put on your face mask.

Everyone acknowledged the message, and the group chat fell silent.

******

Yu Cheng sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a towel. Her long hair, still damp after being towel-dried, draped over her shoulders. She stared at the screen for a while before opening a chat with Ji Zhao.

The nickname “Emperor Your Majesty” had been set by Ji Zhao, and it certainly fit.

Yu Cheng opened her keyboard and typed:

Are you scared?

No, of course not. Your Majesty is afraid of heights, but you’re brave. She deleted the message.

Do you need me to keep you company?

Do you need me?

Probably.

Your Majesty has always had palace attendants standing watch over you while you sleep. If you ever got thirsty or hungry in the middle of the night, someone would be there to take care of you. Though Your Majesty never does, like last night when you woke up from a nightmare. You just gripped the hem of my clothes before falling back asleep.

Yes, you need me when you have nightmares. Or at least the hem of my clothes.

Divine Eagle.

Re-enter.

I’m going to keep you company…

Before she could finish typing, a message suddenly popped up: “You’ve been typing for ages! Why haven’t you finished yet? If you don’t know how to use Pinyin, just write it by hand, okay? I’m about to fall asleep waiting.”

Yu Cheng: “……”

[ Emperor Your Majesty ]: Don’t tell me you don’t know that ‘typing…’ appears above the chat window when you’re typing?

[ Yu Cheng ]: Your Majesty’s doesn’t show that.

[ Emperor Your Majesty ]: It must be turned off.

[ Emperor Your Majesty ]: What are you trying to say, Yu Cheng?

Yu Cheng fell silent.

Ji Zhao lay in the whirlpool bath, feeling the gentle currents beneath her. The bathroom speakers were playing Shen Xin’s recommended song, “The Wind Continues to Blow.” A small table spanned the bath, and her phone rested on it.

Yu Cheng was typing.

Impatient, Ji Zhao decided to call instead. Yu Cheng answered quickly, and when she saw Ji Zhao, her pupils widened. “Your Majesty, you—”

Ji Zhao dismissed her concern. “I’m soaking in the bath. It’s just women here. No need to be modest.”

She lifted her damp hair, revealing shoulders as white as jade. The steam from the bathwater created a hazy mist, making her appear as if she were behind a blurred filter in the video call, stirring the viewer’s imagination.

Ji Zhao appeared indifferent on the surface, but inwardly she was grinding her teeth: How can you not be captivated by this?!

Looking at the screen again, Ji Zhao realized Yu Cheng wasn’t even looking at her. She was muttering something under her breath, but Ji Zhao couldn’t hear what she was saying. Only when Ji Zhao raised her voice did she hear:

“Your Majesty, did you turn on the air conditioning? Be careful not to catch a cold while soaking. We’ll have some ginger soup waiting for you when you’re done. I’ll call the front desk to have them deliver it. Your Majesty, I’ll hang up now—”

“Don’t you dare hang up!” Ji Zhao thought. She had painstakingly arranged this pose and created the perfect atmosphere. It was bad enough that Yu Cheng wasn’t looking at her, but to hang up the call would render all her efforts pointless.

Ji Zhao immediately threw a heavy accusation at Yu Cheng: “How dare you not look at me! You have some nerve!”

Yu Cheng: “?”

What’s going on?

Isn’t it only proper to look directly at the Emperor during an audience?

Ji Zhao hesitated. “Look at me.”

Yu Cheng hesitated, then turned her gaze toward the camera. When she saw the image on the other end, her breath caught in her throat.

If she didn’t know that Her Majesty had never been wary of her, and that she had been avoiding her these past few days because of her reaction, she might have suspected that she was trying to seduce her.

Yu Cheng forced her voice to sound normal. “What instructions does Your Majesty have for me?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

Damn it, I forgot to make up a story.

Flustered and embarrassed, Ji Zhao snapped, “Can’t I just call you for no reason?”

Then, remembering something, she added, “Besides, weren’t you the one typing for ages trying to ask me something?”

“I wanted to ask if Your Majesty was asleep,” Yu Cheng replied.

“Not yet.”

“…Then you should get some rest soon.”

“……”

Is Yu Cheng made of wood?!

Yu Cheng shifted upward, the waterline dropping to reveal the snowy curve of her back. She brushed her hair aside. “We’ll be in Hong Kong for at least three days. We can’t neglect our rehearsals. Are you tired now?”

Yu Cheng averted her gaze. “Not tired.”

Ji Zhao hummed in acknowledgment. “Then come to my room now. Let’s run through it once.”

Yu Cheng nodded instinctively, then raised her voice. “Now?”

Ji Zhao raised an eyebrow. “What? Are you refusing me?”

Yu Cheng: “No… it’s just getting late, and I have to get up early tomorrow.”

Ji Zhao raised her hand, her wet fingers dripping water. She leaned in close to the phone screen, her body also leaning forward, and said: “Just a quick run-through, it won’t take long.”

Then she hung up.

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