Chapter 358: How Many People Are in Your Heart?
Ji Qingwu truly couldn’t tell the difference between the Emperor’s affection and his love.
But Ji Qingwu was the type of person who would rather cut through a tangled mess than try to unravel it.
She was about to roughly wipe the tears from her face and banish any unwelcome weakness.
’Once she had her cry, it would be over.’
"Ah Wu, you’ve asked so many questions. I’m just wondering where to begin."
The man who had been silent finally spoke.
Ji Qingwu’s hand fell from her face—or rather, it was roughly yanked away by Emperor Wu Su.
His actions were the very opposite of the gentleness in his words.
Frantic kisses rained down on her face, each one heavy and forceful, far more than Ji Qingwu could bear.
The sheer force of his kisses bent her backward until she was lying helplessly on the imperial desk.
He slid one arm behind her to keep her from hitting her head, while his free hand gripped hers, forbidding any movement.
He kissed away her tearstains, trailing from her chin to her cheeks, to the reddened tip of her nose, and then to her glistening eyes.
The tears in her eyes finally stopped welling up, no longer threatening to spill.
As his lips moved to hers, Ji Qingwu suddenly bit down hard. Zhao Mingyan stopped, wincing in pain. A clear set of teeth marks was visible on his upper lip.
Ji Qingwu snapped, flustered and furious, "You stay away from me, too."
"Ah Wu, have you ever wondered why I always seem to be around you? Why I treat you differently from everyone else? Why I want your heart?"
Zhao Mingyan asked, his voice gentle and coaxing.
Ji Qingwu had no patience for this. She turned her head, pressing her left cheek against a painting on the desk. The soft flesh of her cheek puffed out, looking eminently pinchable.
But her temper was anything but soft. "Because you’re a pervert," she huffed.
She had been in the middle of her sorrowful appeal, and Emperor Wu Su had impatiently descended on her with kisses, pinning her down.
The more Ji Qingwu thought about it, the colder her heart grew. ’Maybe she was right. Maybe he was only interested in her looks.’
Zhao Mingyan turned her head to face him, cupping her chin. Even after she’d called him a pervert, he still stole a peck on her lips.
"This mouth of yours, Ah Wu... I both love it and hate it. But I find I love it more."
Ji Qingwu wanted to glare at him, but she avoided his gaze, instead fixing her eyes on the screen behind the Dragon Chair.
But he wouldn’t let her, kissing her eyes instead.
Ji Qingwu’s lashes trembled like the wings of a butterfly caught in the rain—too wet to fly, left to be tormented at will.
Zhao Mingyan’s lips traced the shell of her ear, nuzzling her until her earlobe grew hot.
"Ah Wu, do you know how I recognized you when you returned to Lin’an?"
This was one of the questions Ji Qingwu wanted to know the answer to, but she was still sulking. She decided to imitate his earlier behavior and said nothing.
Zhao Mingyan said, "Because there’s no one else like you. One look, and I could never forget."
Ji Qingwu could never hide her feelings. A light flashed in her eyes, and her face instantly bloomed with a captivating charm.
But she felt that Emperor Wu Su was changing the subject, trying to win her over with sweet nothings and cloud her judgment.
Still, that single word, "unforgettable," truly did improve her mood considerably.
Zhao Mingyan suppressed a smile, his eyes crinkling. "I thought you were a pragmatist, Ah Wu—that actions were more important than pretty words. But it seems you enjoy hearing sweet nothings too."
"Who wants to hear your sweet nothings."
Ji Qingwu had just started to rebuild her mental defenses when he gently bit her right earlobe.
"I was wrong."
His low voice echoed in her mind.
’Who was wrong?’
’He said, "I."’
Ji Qingwu blinked slowly. Her ear felt like it was on fire. She wanted to rub it, but couldn’t pull her hand free.
Zhao Mingyan’s breath ghosted across her lips. "Ah Wu, you’ve been hiding so much in your heart. Is there anything else you want to say? Let’s clear the air today."
Ji Qingwu nodded honestly, her lips accidentally brushing against the high bridge of his nose.
"Yes."
"Go on," Zhao Mingyan said, his mood clearly improved.
"You... you... tell me..." Ji Qingwu stammered.
"Tell me what?" Zhao Mingyan asked, his gaze softening.
Ji Qingwu said slowly, "Tell me... exactly what you did wrong..."
Before he could answer, a heavy head rested on her shoulder, the Emperor’s golden crown pricking her cheek slightly.
The vibrations from Zhao Mingyan’s muffled laughter traveled through her shoulder blades and into her body.
His voice was filled with amusement. "I was wrong for not giving Ah Wu a chance to speak her mind sooner."
Ever since Emperor Wu Su had woken, he’d noticed how emotionally unstable Ji Qingwu was around him, as if she were always holding something back.
Today, she had been even more withdrawn, constantly beating around the bush with him.
He had watched her emotions gradually crumble, holding himself back, until he finally heard the words he most wanted to hear.
In his presence, Ji Qingwu had finally laid her heart bare.
Zhao Mingyan lifted his head, not forgetting to plant a kiss on her neck. The tickling sensation made Ji Qingwu shrink away.
He released her captive hand and cupped her face, his jet-black eyes reflecting only her.
"I was wrong for not letting you see my heart sooner."
"I almost lost you again."
Ji Qingwu was defenseless against him like this. She almost forgot to breathe.
She parted her lips and gasped for a few quick breaths, but in his eyes, it looked like a silent invitation.
Zhao Mingyan lowered his face, his nose brushing against hers. The rich scent of ambergris mingled with another fragrance...
...the scent of ink.
Ji Qingwu raised a slender arm to stop him.
"I’m not finished asking my questions."
Zhao Mingyan frowned, his eyes fixed on her lips. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Fine, you go first. Say everything you need to say this time."
Ji Qingwu reached out and poked his chest firmly with her index finger, right over his heart.
A tight, hoarse grunt suddenly escaped him.
Ji Qingwu’s eyes flickered. ’Damn it,’ she thought, ’my aim was too good.’ She truly hadn’t meant to tease him.
She said quickly, "Your Majesty said I should see your heart clearly. Well then, I’d like to ask, just how many people are in it?"
Zhao Mingyan looked down at her hand, capturing it in his own. "Just holding this one is more than I can handle," he said with a helpless sigh. "If there were another, I’d be a dead man."
Ji Qingwu patted the painting beneath her. "And what about this peerless, otherworldly beauty?"
This time, Zhao Mingyan truly couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.
The Palace Attendants standing at the door could all hear the Emperor’s hearty, melodious laughter.
Li Yuzong was so startled that he dropped his horsetail whisk. He looked back at the closed doors of the hall, his face a picture of shock and disbelief.
Little Dongzi picked up the horsetail whisk, dusted it off, and said worriedly, "Could it be that our Holy Emperor... has finally gone mad from approving too many memorials?"
Li Yuzong crept closer to the door and eavesdropped for a moment. He heard a woman’s voice, both shy and indignant.
Ji Qingwu gave him a push. "What are you laughing at?"
Zhao Mingyan pinched her cheek, giving it another playful squeeze. "I’m laughing at you," he said. "For praising yourself so earnestly."