When I woke up, the sun was already shining into the room. Compared with usual times, I completely overslept today... Only then did Zhuge Qing remember that he left the wedding banquet without eating anything last night. No wonder he was hungry.

However, the problem at hand is not oversleeping or being hungry.

Qing'er, who was sleeping next to her last night, disappeared.

"Did she escape...?"

On this special morning today, how much he wanted to embrace the beautiful woman and linger together, but with Qing'er's character, it might be difficult.

I should have known better to catch her and prevent her from escaping. I was too careless.

"Then...where has my bride gone?"

Zhuge Qing sat up, stretched and looked around the room.

Qing'er doesn't seem to be here.

He put the clothes that were balled up at the foot of the bed over his shoulders, then got out of bed, and there was movement from the next room.

Last night, Zhuge Qing told Qing'er that the room next door was her exclusive room... Zhuge Qing remembered telling her.

Because he said it before going to bed, he couldn't remember it clearly.

"..."

Zhuge Qing opened the door quietly and found Qing'er sitting in front of the dressing table.

She seemed to have finished washing and changing clothes, and was about to tie her hair.

She was combing her hair with a comb in a lazy and absent-minded manner.

Zhuge Qing leaned against the half-open door, admiring Qing'er.

Qing'er is so cute.

But he couldn't say it every time...

Qing'er combed her hair for a long time, finally took a breath, put down her comb, and stared at herself in the mirror.

I don't know what she is thinking, but her expression from the side is very solemn.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Zhuge Qing couldn't help asking, Qing'er was so frightened that she almost jumped up and looked back at Zhuge Qing with wide eyes.

"You, get up..."

"I just woke up. Since you woke up first, you had to call me. I didn't see you when I woke up and I was so anxious."

"but……"

Qing'er lowered her head, her face flushed. Zhuge Qing took a closer look and found tears welling up in her eyes.

Zhuge Qing was also a little shy, but... seeing Qing'er so overwhelmed, Zhuge Qing became even more shy.

Zhuge Qing scratched the back of his head and coughed a few times.

"Uh... I'm going to pay my respects to my parents later."

"Um……"

"Are you done combing your hair?"

"I still need to put on makeup..."

"Make up? It doesn't matter if you don't put on makeup, right?"

Qing'er rarely puts on makeup.

Qing'er raised her head and glanced at Zhuge Qing, then immediately looked away.

"Because I can't see anyone in my current state..."

Zhuge Qing took a closer look and found that Qing'er's eyes were a little swollen.

She cried for a long time last night.

"I think you're very good...it doesn't matter. I'll go when you're ready anyway."

"Well……"

Qing'er wanted to say something, but Zhuge Qing, who was about to go back to his room, stopped and looked back at her.

"What's up?"

"Zhuge Qing, do you want to change clothes? I'll help you..."

You help me? Zhuge Qing almost blurted out the question, hurriedly swallowed the words and nodded calmly.

"Oh, okay! Sorry to trouble you."

"Wait a minute, I'll comb my hair first..."

Zhuge Qing thought to himself, he usually takes care of his own affairs and changes his clothes by himself. Does Qing'er think that there is always someone to serve him?

...Since she wants to serve me, let her serve me...

Maybe this kind of benefit only comes when you are newly married, so enjoy it now and don't miss it.

Qing'er hurriedly took out the hairpin and ribbon and put them on the dressing table. Zhuge Qing glanced at them and couldn't help but cover his mouth.

It was a yellow hairpin that imitated wax plum blossoms. It was the hairpin that I had thrown into the garden before.

...Are you kidding me?

"Qing'er."

"Do, do what?"

"Do you want to use this hairpin?"

Zhuge Qing's voice couldn't help but become stern.

Qing'er tilted her head in surprise.

"yes……"

"Do not use it."

"What?"

…Instead of wearing a gift from someone else…

Zhuge Qing hurriedly walked back to his room, took the black box from the bookshelf, and returned to Qing'er's room.

"for you……"

He opened the lid of the box and showed it to Qing'er. There were more than a dozen colorful hairpins inside.

"These are all yours, use whichever one you want."

"……mine?"

"I bought it for you before... every time I see something that suits you, I buy it."

Qing'er's eyes widened, she looked at the hairpin in the box, and then at Zhuge Qing's face.

"...When did you buy it?"

"This... I bought it when I received my first salary."

Zhuge Qing pointed to the hairpin in the corner.

"I remember I bought this when I received my third salary. I bought it when I went to Youzhou for an inspection. I bought this at the market during the Ghost Festival two years ago. This is..."

"Why……?"

Qing'er's eyes filled with tears again.

"Zhuge Qing...don't you always say that it doesn't look good on me..."

"Because I'm so angry..."

Although it was embarrassing to say it... Zhuge Qing had long planned to find an opportunity to tell Qing'er.

...Because I used to keep it in my heart and couldn't express it...

From today on, from now on, you have to speak out.

"When you were often around me...I was very naive at that time."

Zhuge Qing placed the box on Qing'er's lap and knelt down beside her.

"Even if I see you dressed beautifully and think you are cute, I can't always say it... because I am very angry. The clothes you are wearing and the hairpin you are wearing were not given to you by me. It is not because I made you change."

It has to be so cute.”

"..."

Qing'er's eyes widened and she remained motionless.

...She must be scared. It's no wonder. Anyway, I have been an unachievable playmate since I was a child. I have never won when I quarreled with girls three years younger than me... People like me are jealous of a hairpin.

, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to win against her in this life.
To be continued...