"Of course I..."
"I’m afraid of falling!"
The first part was trembling, but the latter part suddenly steadied.
As Zhao Junyao came up to protect her, she conveniently fell into his arms.
To be honest, it felt quite safe, and she wasn’t afraid anymore.
Zhao Junyao curled his lips into a smile.
"How about now?"
"Are you still scared?"
Xia Ruqing obediently shook her head.
"Not scared anymore!"
Zhao Junyao suddenly gave a mischievous grin.
"Since you’re not scared, let’s go a bit higher!"
"Stand firm, hold tight, and don’t move, here we go!"
"Ah?!"
Xia Ruqing was incredulous, desperately pushing his shoulders.
"Don’t go higher, I... I..." She didn’t even dare to look down anymore, okay?
The swing wasn’t very big.
And it was swinging so high, almost circling around the top bar.
It was really frightening!
She could now confirm he was doing it on purpose.
"Emperor!"
She was on the verge of tears.
Zhao Junyao held her with one arm, holding the rope with the other.
With a confident exertion of his legs, they soared out with the momentum.
"Qingqing, don’t be afraid, I’m here!"
As his words fell, she let out a startled cry.
"Ah!"
But Zhao Junyao got even more excited, swinging higher and steadier.
"Qingqing, did you know?"
"I was quite the playful one as a kid too!"
"But back then, I had no free time, so I could only sneak here at midnight, otherwise Father would have given me a good thrashing!"
"Now!"
"Finally!"
As he spoke and exerted more force, the swing rose ever higher.
In the sunset, she and he looked like a pair of celestial lovers.
The evening breeze accompanied by the warmth of dusk blew over, his temples fluttering, full of vigor.
While she huddled desperately in his arms, her hair disheveled, her little face pale.
’Hmph!’
’Just now I thought I couldn’t be bullied, now I’ve been slapped in the face!’
’She had forgotten there’s such a jerk!’
’He’s doing it on purpose, definitely on purpose, hmph!’
Just as she was thinking.
A tender young voice rose from below.
"Oh~~"
"Father and Mother are swinging high!"
"Yue Er wants too! Yue Er wants it too!"
Xia Ruqing got so startled, she quickly looked down.
Only to see Zi Yue, Zi Su, and the Wetnurse Sisters there with Xiao Lele.
Xiao Lele was clapping and jumping with laughter.
The whole little person was tremendously excited.
Xia Ruqing got nervous, just about to call out to Yue Er.
Unexpectedly, her foot slipped, and she uncontrollably fell off the swing.
"Ah!"
This time she really screamed, and it was quite miserable.
In that instant, her mind was wrestling:
’Is it worse to fall and die back in modern times?’
’Or not die but become crippled, which is worse!’
’Or is it worse to die and not return to modern times, or live; just simply die, which is worse?’
After considering it.
She still felt ’better a sorry life than a glorious death,’ the last situation was the worst!
Indeed.
She might be muddle-headed in small matters, but she never messed around with life and death.
She cherished her life like this!
However... upon second thought, she felt melancholy again.
’Even if I cherish life, so what?’
’Aren’t I still facing doom right now?’
She felt aggrieved again.
’Obviously not my fault!’
’If something really happened, would he take responsibility? With three thousand beauties in the Harem, would he still like me!’
’Sigh, I don’t even ask for affection, just having food and drinks is fine!’
Xia Ruqing closed her eyes.
She arranged her ’second half of life’ just like that.
But...
After waiting a while.
Hmm? No pain? No exclamations, nor frightened and chaotic sounds!
Only Zhao Junyao’s slightly magnetic voice came from above.
"Qingqing!"
"So many people, even Yue Er is laughing at you!"
"Ah?!"
Xia Ruqing instantly awoke from her imagination.
She cautiously opened her eyes, only to see Zi Yue and Zi Su and the other servants standing aside.
Xiao Lele was still clapping and giggling.
"Father is holding Mother!"
"Father!"
"Yue Er wants a hug too!"
With that, Yue Er toddled over in small steps.
Xia Ruqing’s face instantly turned crimson.
In the blink of an eye, she hurriedly wriggled out of his embrace.
"Emperor!"
"Why didn’t you..." give me a heads-up.
Being seen by the servants is one thing, but Xiao Lele actually saw too.
Zhao Junyao looked somewhat innocent.
"Qingqing, I told you not to move around, I was saving you!"
Xia Ruqing stood to the side with a red face.
She muttered softly:
"But I asked you to go lower, and you didn’t listen either, did you?!"
Zhao Junyao secretly glanced at her, giving her a mysterious look.
Then he bent down and picked up Yue Er.
Yue Er was lying on Father’s shoulder giggling.
"Higher!"
"Yue Er also wants to swing high!"
"Alright!"
"Father will take you to swing high!"