Han Suyin and Qin Fuhua gazed into each other's eyes, their posture gradually relaxing. The tender moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the door.
Instantly, Qin Fuhua's demeanor shifted to one of cold indifference. He moved to the edge of the bed, away from Suyin, his voice hardening as he prepared for the interruption.
"What a success!" came a voice from outside, accompanied by a knock on the sliding door. Qin Fuhua remained silent, his gaze fixed on the door, so Suyin took it upon herself to respond.
"Come in," she announced, curiosity piqued about who was playing Qin Fuhua's parents.
Plus, she knew they needed to maintain the facade of a happily married couple for the elders.
The door slid open to reveal an older man with grey hair and a woman standing behind him. Suyin squinted, trying to place the familiar face of the older man.
"Z-Zhaoyun!" she exclaimed, recognizing him as one of Qin Fuhua's trusted right-hand men. Zhao Yun had added a rabbit-fur mustache and some grey color to his hair to play the part. Suyin could barely suppress her laughter, covering her face with her hand.
"Hey, hey. It's thanks to me, okay?!" Zhao Yun said proudly, pointing at himself with a self-satisfied grin.
"Move over, young child. You wouldn't even pass for an old man if I didn't appear here. You make me look like some old lady marrying a younger man," the older woman complained, pushing Zhao Yun aside as she entered the room.
It was Huang Qiyao, the brothel owner from the Qin territory where Qin Fuhua and Suyin had once hidden to evade Jianhong's men in Liaoping. This time, Qiyao held a white-feathered fan, elegantly fanning herself as she made her way to sit beside Suyin.
Huang Qiyao clapped her hands together, her excitement palpable.
"Aiyah, if I didn't know this was a play, I would have thought it was the real deal!" she exclaimed. "Who knew that a cold, heartless man like him would come to me personally for help with something like this."
Qin Fuhua purposefully avoided eye contact, ignoring her comment. "It was to help her get back and fix my little sister's health," he stated flatly.
"Is the Prince making an excuse?" Zhao Yun shuffled closer to tease him, but the Prince's piercing gaze made him back off quickly.
"Hehe, I'm just playing around~" Zhao Yun said, holding his ears in mock fear.
Flustered and annoyed, Qin Fuhua stood up abruptly. With his usual unfriendly expression, he bowed courteously to Huang Qiyao.
"Thank you for your trouble in coming here. We should be heading back home soon. I will take my leave to my room." He shot a glare at Zhao Yun before walking out, irritation evident in his stride.
Zhao Yun, sensing the tension, was about to make a joke at Suyin's expense but stopped when he saw Huang Qiyao's stern look.
She frowned, clearly ready to lecture him.
"I, uh... I'll go help clean up!" he blurted out, running off before Qiyao could scold him.
Huang Qiyao sighed and turned to Suyin, her demeanor softening. "Men can be such fools sometimes. Don't mind them, dear. How are you holding up?" She sat beside Suyin, her eyes filled with genuine concern. Suyin smiled, feeling comforted by Qiyao's presence. "I'm managing. It's all a bit overwhelming, but I'm grateful for the support."
The wrinkles around Huang Qiyao's eyes deepened as a warm smile graced her face, her hand patting Suyin's gently.
The room fell quiet, but Suyin could feel the genuine warmth emanating from her touch.
"Miss Suyin, did you know that one of my dreams was to have a daughter?" she began a hint of wistfulness in her tone.
"But this old lady couldn't find her true love again. What's the point of having a family if there's no love between a man and a woman?"
She chuckled softly, realizing she had veered off into her past, before laughing again.
"I apologize for digressing, but it was truly a joy to be your 'mother' for a day. It felt like watching my own daughter get married," she added, her voice trembling slightly.
Suyin was taken aback by Qiyao's heartfelt confession.
Though she didn't know what to say, she looked at her with sympathy, grateful for the kindness she had shown. She understood the sacrifices they had made to help her escape a dire situation.
Despite her reservations about the marriage being an "easy way out," she knew her parents would never listen to her modern ideals, such as marrying for love.
---------------------------
The night stretched on, and Huang Qiyao assisted Suyin in removing her jewelry and wedding attire, ensuring that no curious relatives would peek into the corridors. Weizhe stood guard, vigilant and alert, while Qin Fuhua sat in his room, his frustration mounting as he poured over a map of the Long territory.
He had been putting off an assignment to investigate the location of the rose-shaped key, and the task weighed heavily on his mind.
With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head, staring intently at the map spread out before him. The Long territory was vast, and he knew it wouldn't be easy to pinpoint the exact location of the key.
"P-Prince!" Weizhe's urgent voice cut through the silence, and Qin Fuhua sprang to attention. He quickly extinguished the candle and slid open the door to find Weizhe bowing before him.
"It's Han Suyin," Weizhe began, his tone urgent. "I think she's found someone who might know the location to access the rose-shaped key."