The sunlight streaming in from the window gradually dyed the ground red.

The sun is going down.

Qing'er kept her eyes closed.

When I was a child, I spent all day hanging around Zhuge Qing.

Looking back now, I am surprised that Zhuge Qing was willing to play with a girl who was three years younger than him. Of course, after that, because Zhuge Qing started studying, he could no longer play with her.

...However, I still like Zhuge Qing in front of me...

Even though Zhuge Qing said he wanted to study and couldn't play with him, he still often went to Zhuge's house and lay on the window of Zhuge Qing's room to watch him in class. He was curious about what he was studying and listened to the teacher's lectures very carefully, but in the end

Or because I didn't understand it at all, I gradually stopped going to Zhuge's house.

From that time on... maybe I realized the difference between myself and Zhuge Qing.

It's not the specific difference in identity and position, but the fact that I finally realized that wearing my sister's old clothes and always being covered in mud from playing was incompatible with the beautiful big house of Zhuge Qing's family.

Therefore, if you don't wear decent clothes, you can't step into that big house again... But even if you dress up, you have never heard any praise from Zhuge Qing.

After that, on the advice of relatives, he became a palace concubine and never went to Zhuge's house again.

Moreover, the adults said that by being with other palace concubines, she might be able to change her little boy-like personality. She had long known that just dressing beautifully would not attract Zhuge Qing's attention.

...Zhuge Qing should have never regarded me as a girl...

No matter how beautifully she dresses, Zhuge Qing always laughs at her as being unsuitable, so she no longer has any expectations for him.

No one else's praise could compare to Zhuge Qing's praise, even if it was just a casual comment.

but……

Qing'er slowly opened her eyes.

The room was darker than before.

...How old were you then? I remember it was almost twelve years old.

That day, Qing'er met Zhuge Qing by chance at a nearby market.

Because we rarely met each other at that time, we passed by each other after nodding and saying hello.

Although it was broad daylight, a drunkard said that Qing'er bumped into him and was deliberately trying to cause trouble.

When Qing'er retorted as usual, Zhuge Qing stepped forward.

"There are so many people here, it's normal for you to accidentally bump into them. Can't you touch them?"

Qing'er still remembers his calm tone and protective back... That was the first time she felt that Zhuge Qing's figure was so tall.

When the drunkard was about to pounce on him, Zhuge Qing grabbed the drunkard's hand and twisted it back hard.

Qing'er's eyes widened. Although she knew Zhuge Qing practiced swordsmanship before, she never thought Zhuge Qing was very powerful.

Zhuge Qing subdued a drunkard who was famous in the neighborhood. The drunkard screamed in pain and ran away amidst the ridicule of the people around him.

Compared with being troubled by drunkards, Qing'er was more surprised by Zhuge Qing's tenacity and even forgot to say thank you.

She still remembers the gentle smile on Zhuge Qing's face when he looked back.

"Qing'er, be careful on the way home. Goodbye."

After Zhuge Qing finished speaking, he turned and left.

That was the Zhuge Qing that Qing'er was familiar with, but also the Zhuge Qing that Qing'er didn't know at all... Zhuge Qing, who had lost every time in the previous quarrels and cried when he fell, had disappeared without a trace.

Later, when Zhuge Qing saw Qing'er dressed up, he still never praised her.

Before Qing'er entered the palace as a court lady, she once went to Zhuge's house to say hello. Zhuge Qing also asked with a surprised look on his face, "Can you dance?"

Although Qing'er was very angry, even if she was angry again, she could not kick Zhuge Qing casually.

I can't beat him anymore... Ever since Zhuge Qing protected her in the market that day, Qing'er realized that she would never be able to make Zhuge Qing cry again, and she would lose forever.

...Only those who lose will cry.

Zhuge Qing has changed.

My own feelings have also changed.

The outcome has been reversed...

"Qing'er, are you ready?"

The door opened, and Qing'er saw her mother walking in from the mirror and raised her head.

"It has been prepared for a long time..."

"The sedan will be here in a moment."

"……Yeah?"

Qing'er lowered her eyes, and her mother took a chair and sat down next to her.

"Would you feel uneasy?"

"Yes, yes..."

"Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Zhuge have always liked you."

"Um……"

Qing'er is more worried about her husband than her parents-in-law.

Of course, the mother could not understand Qing'er's worries. She looked at her daughter in the mirror and smiled.

"I still can't believe that the Zhuge family really wants to marry you as their daughter-in-law... This is really great. The in-laws must be very happy too."

"……Eh?"

"She has always said before that it would be fine if you married Zhuge Qing."

"Before? When was it?"

"When you were only one or two years old."

"...That's just a little baby!"

Qing'er's mother smiled bitterly and lowered her voice slightly: "Don't the eldest lady only have one son, Zhuge Qing? I heard that she also hoped to have a daughter, but after giving birth to Zhuge Qing, her body became very weak, so there was no way

Reborn."

"..."

"She always loves you very much. No matter how naughty you are, she will forgive you with a smile... Maybe she wants you to be her daughter."

Qing'er didn't believe it at all... The eldest lady was always kind and cheerful. She thought that was the eldest lady's natural character.

But...it's true what my mother said...

...Zhuge Qing decided to marry me...could it be because of the eldest lady's wish?

Isn't it because Zhuge Qing wants to marry me?

She suddenly noticed that the wedding dress in the mirror had faded.

...that's right.

I know better than anyone else how unworthy I am of Zhuge Qing...

Qing'er opened her eyes blankly, but couldn't see herself. She tried her best to think back to the night when she was almost killed to save her friend, the figure who protected her from the back, and the strong arms that hugged her.

She didn't even notice that her mother heard her sister's cry and walked out.

...Zhuge Qing...

Can I dress like this?

Can I go to your house wearing this?

I really, really want to be your wife... What do you think...?

Qing'er unconsciously gritted her teeth, and the weight of her wedding dress gradually turned into an uneasy weight.

...Zhuge Qing...

"Qing'er, you are so beautiful."

"..."

The cheerful voice cheered her up again.

Looking back, she saw that her close friend who had married earlier than her... and had become the current queen opened the door and waved to her with a smile on her face.

"Hey, I came to see you. I originally wanted to attend your wedding, but everyone stopped me, saying that attending the wedding as a queen would bring trouble to everyone... Qing'er?"

"Shui Xinyuan..."

Shui Xinyuan noticed something was wrong with Qing'er's situation and ran to her side and asked: "Qing'er, what's wrong with you?"

"Shui Xinyuan, I'm so scared..."

"Fear?"

"Yes, I'm so scared, afraid of marrying him..."

Shui Xinyuan held her trembling hand firmly.

Normally, Shui Xinyuan was a weak sister in Qing'er's eyes, but looking at her eyes now, she looked like a big sister.

"...Qing'er, don't you like Zhuge Qing?"

"I like him……"

"Zhuge Qing likes you too!"
To be continued...