...
The big day had finally come.
Wang Zheng couldn't sleep from anxiety, she tossed and turned in bed, wishing that every time she closed her eyes, it would be time to leave. It was exhausting watching the night slowly slip by.
The sleepless night left the queen tired and drained. In fact, she even asked Huan Yang to reschedule all her appointments for the day except her meeting with Liu Wei. She knew that if she didn't rest, even bigger problems would arise later, and she worried that her fatigued appearance might unsettle the young princess.
The queen was determined to present her most beautiful self.
She had always thought the dramatic gestures of love on TV were overblown, yet she couldn't deny that love made people act a little foolishly sometimes, a notion that both thrilled and frightened her.
While the queen surrendered to her fatigue and slept peacefully, Liu Wei was busy in the kitchen with the cooks, putting the final touches on the picnic and lending a hand with the queen's lunch.
There was something magical about the kitchen, a simple place where genuine happiness could be stirred up in the most unassuming way, and the princess loved that simplicity.
Liu Wei quickly won over all the kitchen staff with her laid-back manner and humorous storytelling. Even Chun Lei, who usually found watching her mother cook rather dull, was delighted by Liu Wei's energy.
The little girl was absolutely enamored with the princess and thrilled to have her as a friend.
Feeling light and hopeful, Liu Wei pushed aside her worries.
After all, she was doing everything in her power to surprise and please the queen, eager to enjoy good company and delicious food. Her cell phone buzzed occasionally with updates from Anna, photos and messages that reassured her that everything was on track. The house would soon be ready for their date, with beautiful lights, delicious food, and even a table that would be set up in just a few hours.
Before long, lunchtime arrived in a flurry of activity.
The kitchen buzzed with intense, lively energy as people hurried about, serving and plating dishes. Liu Wei wondered for a moment if one of those dishes was meant for the queen, or if she herself was so busy that Wang Zheng had spent even five minutes thinking about her. She vividly remembered the feeling that surged through her during their kiss, did the queen remember it too? A quiet sigh escaped her.
"Miss Liu Wei?" Mrs. Chun called gently, noticing the young omega staring intently at the freshly baked bread, lost in thought.
"Yea?" Liu Wei replied with an awkward laugh, clearly struggling to hide her emotions. "... I just wonder if the queen will like what I'm making. It all seems so simple."
Mrs. Chun smiled warmly. "It's not easy to plan a renovation and cook so many dishes for a picnic… But, princess, the most remarkable thing is how well you know exactly what she wants and how to deliver it. Just trust yourself and go all the way."
"Yea. Thank you."
Relieved and buoyed by the encouragement, the young princess felt more confident, she wasn't going to give up now, not when she was so close to finally winning the queen's heart.
Meanwhile, Wang Zheng awoke at the sound of her door opening.
She knew Huan Yang was there to rouse her for the date. For a few brief seconds, her heart skipped a beat, she was both anxious and overjoyed at the thought of going out with Liu Wei. Ignoring her secretary's cautious tone, the queen leapt from bed, dashed to the bathroom, and began her shower.
Huan Yang couldn't help but smile at how head-over-heels the queen seemed to be.
It was just after 2 p.m., they had arranged for Liu Wei to meet the queen in front of the palace at 3 p.m.
Liu Wei examined the huge selection of clothes she had brought, deliberating over what to wear. After a few minutes, she settled on simple perfection: black pants paired with a white blouse. Taking a deep breath to release the tension in her chest, she gently adjusted her bangs and applied a touch of lipstick. She was ready.
The young omega hurried from her room to the palace entrance, where she found two cars waiting. Out of one car stepped Shi Lian, who walked briskly toward her.
"Miss Liu, here's the car you requested…"
Liu Wei accepted the car keys with a delighted smile, it was a beautiful 4x4, and she instantly fell in love with it.
"I talked with some of the guards so that, to keep you comfortable with the queen, we'll maintain a short distance between you two. But if anything seems off, please let us know."
"Thank you very much."
"Now, let's head out and wait outside the palace grounds. Have a wonderful date, Miss Liu Wei."
"Thank you for all your hard work, Shi Lian."
Excited, the young princess beamed, she had met so many kind people ready to help her. As she watched the car behind her pull away, she leaned against the side of the vehicle and stared at the palace entrance, her heart pounding in anticipation.
The queen could appear at any moment.
At the same time, Wang Zheng looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. A bit more sleep had done her good; she looked much better now. Picking up her bag, she joined Huan Yang at the bedroom door.
"Miss Liu Wei is already waiting for you."
"Right," the queen replied, though her nerves were evident. There was also a sweet scent of pineapple in the air, Huan Yang enjoyed watching how content the queen looked when thinking about Liu Wei.
"Huan Yang…" the queen began.
"Yea?"
"Is this outfit okay?" she asked, pausing abruptly as a hint of insecurity crept in.
Huan Yang smiled reassuringly. "Yes, you look fabulous… Miss Liu will definitely love it."
Feeling a bit more at ease, the queen smiled as they made their way through the vast corridor leading to one of the palace exits. The palace, built by her grandfather, had been designed as a labyrinth, with secret doors known only to kings. Constructed during turbulent times when an imminent attack was feared, it had many corridors and hidden exits.
Over the years, renovations had made it easier to navigate, but the maze-like quality still remained.
The easiest route for the queen was to exit from the side and stroll through the garden to the main entrance.
Wang Zheng anxiously scanned the area for any sign of the little princess. When she finally spotted her, she couldn't contain her smile, she felt radiant.
Huan Yang secretly mused that if everything continued at this pace, he already knew what the queen's choice would be.
Quickening her steps, the queen approached just as Liu Wei turned around at the sound of someone coming. Liu Wei's eyes shone brightly; her heart raced and her breathing quickened, Wang Zheng looked like an untouchable work of art.
The queen was utterly enchanted by the sight: the young princess leaned casually against the car, looking elegant and beautiful in her simple attire. The fabric traced the gentle curves of her slim figure in all the right places.
"Am I late?" Liu Wei asked.
"No, you're too early…" the queen replied softly.
Liu Wei reached out, taking the queen's hand and gently kissing it. At last, after so long, she could breathe in the sweet pineapple scent that had become so familiar, Wang Zheng's presence made her feel calm and happy, a rare comfort that filled her with warmth.
"You look beautiful, Your Majesty."
"You too…" Wang Zheng murmured, her cheeks warming as all her worries melted away in that moment. All that mattered was those sweet eyes looking back at her.
Smiling in satisfaction, Liu Wei interlaced her fingers with the queen's and pulled her into a tender hug.
"...Let's get in the car. I'll take you there."
"Can you drive?" the queen asked, laughing in surprise. It was hardly unexpected that Liu Wei would know how to drive, after all, she was full of surprises.
One hand held the queen's fingers, while the other wrapped around her slender waist. If anyone got too close, they would catch a whiff of the sweet pineapple-mint scent that clung to them.
The queen savored the warmth of the princess pressed against her, the delightful mint aroma making her head spin and her senses tingle. "I know, I can be your private driver whenever you like."
Locked in that embrace, they felt completely at ease. The queen pulled back slightly, meeting Liu Wei's eyes. "I think that's a wonderful offer."
They exchanged a knowing smile. Liu Wei swiftly opened the car door for the queen and expertly fastened her seat belt. As the queen settled in, she took a moment to inhale the minty scent that clung to Liu Wei. The princess then quickly buckled her own seat belt and started the car.
Discreetly, the queen watched Liu Wei drive, admiring the way she handled the wheel with ease while keeping her eyes firmly on the road. The fact that Liu Wei navigated without any assistance only heightened the queen's curiosity.
"Have you memorized the route yet?" the queen asked softly.
"I have a good memory…" Liu Wei replied, squeezing Wang Zheng's hand as they drove. The journey was a bit long, leaving them with plenty of time together. They were shy and cautious at first, their gestures tentative, but as the ride continued, their intimacy grew and their pheromones mingled effortlessly.
The car ride was smooth and filled with light conversation. "The car smells like food," the queen remarked.
Liu Wei grinned. "That's because I packed all the picnic food in the trunk, I organized everything into several coolers so that the food stays warm and the drinks cold... Do you think it smells good?"
"Yea."
"I did everything myself. Let's see if my food wins your approval."
The queen smiled in pleasant surprise. "Is there anything you can't do?"
After a thoughtful pause, Liu Wei admitted, "Well, I'm not very good at riding horses."
The queen laughed warmly. "That I can teach you."
"Would the queen have time for that?" Liu Wei teased.
"I can always make time for you," the queen replied, her cheeks turning red as she felt her body heat up. Glancing back at the road to hide her blush, she chuckled at Liu Wei's embarrassed reaction.
"This is good…"
When they arrived at the meeting place, they saw Anna waiting. Liu Wei stopped the car, and the beta promptly went to open the door for the queen. Calmly, Liu Wei moved to the trunk and began organizing the boxes.
"Anna, take these two boxes, I'll handle the other two."
"Right."
The queen watched the place she hadn't seen in so long. She hesitated to think about returning, fearing that revisiting old memories might stir up sorrow for the moments she never fully enjoyed. But now, with Liu Wei by her side, what was there to fear?
Liu Wei approached and intertwined her fingers with the queen's, having already unloaded all the food. She simply waited for the queen to come along. Anna watched them holding hands, a scene so cute it made her nostalgic for how fast the little princess had grown.
What began as a modest diplomatic trip had taken an unexpected turn, the princess was truly vying for the queen's heart.
Leaning in, Liu Wei whispered something to Anna, instructing her to give them privacy. "I told Anna to leave us alone."
The queen felt her face warm at the intimacy. Liu Wei looked at her kindly and asked, "Shall we go?"
"Yea."
They approached the old house, a grand structure built of stone and gravel that hadn't changed much since the queen last saw it. She vividly recalled the summer days when she would run and play in the enormous garden and hear her mother call her to lunch. Throughout her childhood, that house had been her world, a place of routine, laughter, and countless games invented by her mother to ward off boredom.
Even though the war had shattered much of that past, and leaving the house had once felt like abandoning her family, she now realized that with Liu Wei by her side, there was nothing to fear.
"What do you think?" the queen asked softly as they entered.
Inside, the house was spotlessly clean.
The furniture looked brand new, and the floors gleamed. As the queen ran her fingertips over the worn wallpaper, she remembered the strong smell of glue that once made her mother sneeze repeatedly. In the dining room, a huge table bore the faint pen marks left during her long study sessions, remnants of her life and childhood scattered throughout every corner.
The queen's eyes grew misty. In the large kitchen, she was startled to see a huge hole where a perfect wall once stood.
"Did that wall collapse?"
"Yes, I had them reinforce the structure to prevent any problems… But this house needs a thorough inspection to rule out any danger."
"I see… Look at those marks."
"Yea."
The queen approached a wooden door leading to a small service area and gently touched it. Scratches with numbers lined its side.
"This is where my mom measured my height every month after lunch…"
The princess stepped closer, noticing that the numbers were dates. A small smile tugged at her lips, she wondered what the queen had been like as a little girl.
"You grew up so fast."
The queen laughed confidently. "Mom said the secret was the yeast in my birthday cake, so I had to eat a lot to grow strong and healthy."
The princess giggled. "But why use yeast in the cake?"
After a brief thoughtful pause, the queen smiled. "Perhaps she said that because no one ever came to celebrate my birthday, not even my dad."
Finally understanding the bittersweet memory, Liu Wei pulled away briefly to rummage through a kitchen drawer. "What are you looking for?" the queen asked softly.
"I found it," Liu Wei said, emerging with a fountain pen she'd bought to explain her drawings to the woodworkers, a pen that had lingered in the house. "Stay still."
The princess gently leaned the queen against the door, securing her in place as she carefully brushed the pen onto the wood. "Alright, you can step back now."
Wang Zheng pulled away slightly, finally comprehending what Liu Wei was doing. Overcome with emotion, she watched as Liu Wei finished writing on the wood and then wrapped her arms around her. "Someday, your children will look up and see just how much you've grown…"
The queen observed the new scratch next to the old ones and smiled in satisfaction.
"Do you think my children will ever catch up to me?"
"I don't know… but you'll need to give them plenty of cake, right?"
"Right."
Liu Wei and Wang Zheng exchanged smiles, sometimes, all you really need is a little cake and a lot of love.