The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 105

“Does this feel a bit dull to you?” Song Qingqian asked, setting her trowel aside.

“Not at all. This place is quite serene.”

Song Qingqian offered a faint smile. “That’s good then. Come, we should head back to prepare dinner.”

“Let me help you.”

Song Qingqian gave a helpless laugh. “What could you possibly help with? The kitchen is full of grease and smoke; just wait for me.”

Xiao Yi was peeking from behind the door, her little head bobbing out. Seeing them return, she quickly pulled back into hiding.

“Yi’er,” Song Qingqian called out.

“Mother!” Xiao Yi ran over and threw her arms around her.

“Why don’t you two play together for a while?” Song Qingqian suggested to Xiao Beitang.

Xiao Beitang nodded. She extended her hand, and Xiao Yi tentatively reached out to take it. Song Qingqian smiled gracefully and headed toward the back garden.

Xiao Yi’s eyes darted around mischievously. “Mother bought me a Luban lock once, but I don’t know how to solve it.”

“Go and fetch it.”

Xiao Yi brought the wooden puzzle, and Xiao Beitang took it in her hands, manipulating the pieces with seasoned ease. In a few swift motions, it was undone. These were the toys she had played with constantly in her youth.

Xiao Yi watched, wide-eyed with sudden admiration. “That was incredible!”

“Practice makes perfect. The mechanisms are ingenious, but they never change; once you solve it once, you can solve it a hundred times. Here, I’ll teach you.” Xiao Beitang picked up the scattered wooden blocks and patiently explained the logic to her.

Xiao Yi listened intently, following every step. As she relaxed, her natural childhood innocence bloomed, and her fear of Xiao Beitang seemed to evaporate.

“Dinner is ready!” Song Qingqian called from outside.

“Let’s go. I’ll teach you more tomorrow.”

“Mhm!” This time, Xiao Yi proactively reached out to hold her hand.

Xiao Beitang hesitated for a heartbeat. Perhaps because she is Qingqian’s child, I feel this instinctive closeness to her.

“Sit down, everyone.” Song Qingqian pulled a stool closer to herself.

Xiao Yi climbed up gleefully. Song Qingqian placed some food in her bowl, reminding her to eat properly. In truth, the girl was very well-behaved; she wasn’t a picky eater and had a healthy appetite, never requiring much fuss.

She sat there, her legs swinging rhythmically under the table. She looked genuinely happy, her expression far more relaxed than it had been at noon.

“What has made you so happy?” Song Qingqian asked, adding more to her bowl.

“Hee-hee!” She gave a radiant laugh but accidentally swallowed wrong, letting out a small cough.

Song Qingqian patted her back. “Alright, just eat for now. Careful not to choke.”

When the two sat together, the resemblance was uncanny. Xiao Yi was like a miniature version of Song Qingqian. Sometimes, looking at her, Xiao Beitang felt as if she were spending time with the childhood version of her beloved—though she recalled Minister Song once mentioning that Qingqian had been quite a handful as a child, whereas this girl was remarkably gentle.

Perhaps it was just lack of familiarity; the girl seemed too shy to be mischievous in front of Xiao Beitang yet, her face frequently flushing red with bashfulness.

“Is the food not to your liking?” Song Qingqian asked, noticing Xiao Beitang lost in thought.

Xiao Beitang finally picked up her chopsticks and began to eat with slow, measured movements. Song Qingqian watched her, considering that in the palace, the Emperor was used to an army of servants attending her every whim; she likely wasn’t used to this domestic simplicity.

After dinner, Xiao Tao hurried to clear the table. Song Qingqian wiped the corners of Xiao Yi’s mouth and asked, “Yi’er, would you like to sleep with Sister Xiao Tao tonight?”

Xiao Yi stole a glance at Xiao Beitang and nodded.

“Come then, Mother will help you wash up first.” Song Qingqian led her toward the back room.

“Mother, we solved the Luban lock just now!”

“Mhm,” Song Qingqian replied while helping her undress.

“She’s so amazing!” Xiao Yi’er’s eyes were glowing.

Song Qingqian’s expression turned stern. “Did you forget what Mother told you? Do not refer to her as ‘she’.”

“Oh,” Xiao Yi’er’s brow slumped.

“Yi’er, do you not like your mother?”

“It’s just, I feel embarrassed to say the word.”

Song Qingqian sighed softly. “I won’t force you. We’ll be going home with her in a few days. You’ll have to get used to having her by our side slowly.”

“Home? Isn’t this our home?”

Song Qingqian wiped the girl’s face. “This is also home. But here, it is just us. We are going back to the home that belongs to all three of us with your mother.”

“Oh.” Xiao Yi seemed to only half-understand. “Can we still come back?”

Reading her mind, Song Qingqian asked, “Are you sad to leave Sister Xiaoyu and the others?”

Xiao Yi nodded.

“Mother will bring you back to visit. The place we are going isn’t far from here.” She patted the girl’s head. “Now, get into bed.”

“I’m not sleepy yet.”

“Lie down first, and Mother will tell you a story.”

“Yay!” Xiao Yi cheered, burrowing into the covers.

By the time Xiao Tao returned, Xiao Yi was fast asleep. She crept in, whispering, “Is she out?”

Song Qingqian, still rhythmically patting the child, nodded.

Xiao Tao kept her voice low and gestured toward the door. “Miss, you should go. I’ll take over here.”

Song Qingqian rose and slipped out, closing the door softly behind her.

Xiao Beitang was sitting in the courtyard, gazing up at the sea of stars. The moonlight bathed her face, carving her features with exquisite sharpness. She looked lonely and distant. Was she always like this when she was alone?

Song Qingqian sat beside her, following her gaze. The moonlight was dappled, making it seem as if the legendary Goddess and her Jade Rabbit were truly busy up there.

Xiao Beitang turned to look at her.

“Give me two more days to say my goodbyes to the villagers,” Song Qingqian said first. “Then we’ll go back.”

Xiao Beitang gave a thin smile. “There’s no rush. We can stay a few more days.”

“Are you unhappy?” Song Qingqian asked.

“No.” Xiao Beitang reached out and gently squeezed her hand.

They sat in silence for a while before returning to the room. Song Qingqian helped her undress and brought warm water for her to wash. Having cared for a child for years, her caretaking skills had become impeccable.

Finally, they lay down together. Xiao Beitang pulled her into her arms, resting her chin atop Qingqian’s head. “Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I will accept her. I just, I need a little more time.”

“You mean Yi’er?” Song Qingqian asked, nestled against her neck.

“Mhm.”

“Do you not like children?” Song Qingqian asked with a hint of worry.

“That’s not it. It’s just, accepting someone else’s child requires some mental preparation.” Xiao Beitang felt her heart rate quicken slightly.

Song Qingqian pulled back, looking at her in utter bewilderment. “Someone else’s child?”

Xiao Beitang suddenly panicked. She licked her lips, stammering, “I didn’t mean you were someone else, I meant you and someone else, I.”

Song Qingqian froze for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Xiao Beitang stared at her, confused.

“Xiao Beitang,” Song Qingqian managed to say through her laughter, “what nonsense are you talking about? Yi’er’s surname is Xiao!”

“Surname Xiao?” Xiao Beitang stood as if turned to stone.

“She is your daughter.” Song Qingqian gently stroked her cheek.

The words exploded in Xiao Beitang’s mind, leaving her thoughts in total chaos.

“Mine?”

Song Qingqian suddenly threw her arms around the Emperor’s neck, holding her tight. “Yes! She is our daughter! She looks so much like me that I often wondered why she couldn’t look a bit more like you. That way, when I looked at her, I wouldn’t have missed you quite so much.”