On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Lin Yi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and didn't reply.

The room was quiet for a while.

The charcoal burned silently in the copper stove, occasionally crackling softly.

A gust of wind blew in through the crack in the window, causing the candlelight to flicker.

Yang Siyu poured him another cup.

This was the third cup already, and Lin Yi felt it was time to leave.

But when Yang Siyu was refilling the tea, he suddenly spoke, and his tone was different from before.

"Your Highness has lost weight these past few days."

Lin Yi paused for a moment: "It's probably because I've been running around construction sites too much lately. It's better to be thinner than fat."

Yang Siyu didn't answer, but instead lowered her head and took a sip of tea.

The charcoal fire inside was burning too brightly, and coupled with drinking three cups of hot tea in a row, Lin Yi felt a bit irritable.

He tugged at his collar and untied his cloak, draping it over the back of the chair.

Yang Siyu noticed this, got up and pushed the window open a crack. The night breeze sneaked in through the crack, carrying the fragrance of winter plum blossoms.

The temperature inside the room dropped by two or three degrees.

Yang Siyu turned around and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"Um."

She sat back down at the low table, picked up the teapot and looked at it, finding that there was still half a pot inside.

So the two chatted for a while longer.

Yang Siyu asked about the progress of the Xiliang Avenue construction, and Lin Yi said that it was halfway completed and would be fully completed next spring.

She then asked how many people the workshop had hired, and Lin Yi said over ten thousand, and they were still hiring.

At this point, Yang Siyu sighed: "Alas, the Great Zhou has been in turmoil these past few years, and the people have suffered. It is a virtuous deed for Your Highness to build workshops and hire workers to give them food."

"I'm not doing this out of goodwill," Lin Yi shook his head and said, "I built the workshop to make money. If steel production increases, the army can upgrade its equipment. Cement can be used to build roads and bridges, which the whole of the Great Zhou needs. Wine and perfume are luxury goods, which can be used to extract money from powerful families. It's a win-win situation."

Yang Siyu looked at him and said, "Your Highness is talking about business, but if it succeeds, it will be the common people who benefit."

"That was just a side effect."

Yang Siyu shook his head, no longer arguing, and smiled gently, with a hint of understanding.

It was as if she knew very well that although Lin Yi said he was immoral, he actually cared more about the lives of ordinary people than anyone else.

Lin Yi felt somewhat uncomfortable with the feeling of being seen through.

He lowered his head to drink his tea, glancing at Yang Siyu across the rim of the cup.

The light shone on her face, highlighting her fair skin and gentle features.

A forty-year-old woman is better maintained than those concubines in their twenties.

Perhaps it was because she was in a better mood after arriving at the Prince's residence that her complexion recovered.

When Yang Siyu was bullied by the Empress in the palace, he was said to be as thin as a bamboo pole, with a sallow complexion, and he could barely walk.

He's gained some weight now, has a rosy complexion, and looks very energetic.

Lin Yi turned his gaze back and took another sip of tea.

For some reason, I felt a little uncomfortable drinking this tea.

It's not a problem with the tea, it's a problem with the atmosphere.

Although Yang Siyu did nothing wrong, every word he said was impeccable.

They chatted about everyday life, the workshop, and their children—all very serious topics.

Every movement was impeccably proper, reflecting the respect that elders should show to younger generations.

But it was precisely this perfect balance that made Lin Yi feel incredibly awkward.

I can't explain why.

Perhaps it was because the room was too small, and the two people were sitting too close together, separated by a low table.

It could also be because Yang Siyu would occasionally glance at him while speaking.

It's not about scrutinizing or probing; it's just about giving a quiet glance and then looking away.

Like looking at a person.

He was neither a regent nor anything else.

It's just one person.

Lin Yi experienced countless high-pressure environments during his time in the army, and he didn't even blink when a knife was held to his neck.

But sitting in this warm room right now, having tea and chatting with a forty-year-old woman, I actually feel a little uneasy.

This feeling is so strange.

Yang Siyu poured him another cup, her eyes lowered, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

The spout was aligned with the rim of the cup, and the tea soup fell steadily without spilling a single drop.

"Your Highness, I must say something I shouldn't."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

She put the teapot back on the stove, her gaze falling on her fingertips.

"Your Highness is a man who accomplishes great things outside, and Min'er will take care of things at home. I will also help out, so Your Highness need not worry."

"Um."

"only--"

She paused for a moment.

Lin Yi waited for her to finish the second half of her sentence.

But then Yang Siyu raised her head and looked into his eyes: "But Your Highness should take better care of yourself. Sometimes I feel that you are more tired than the late Emperor."

These words, spoken by a concubine, are an overstepping of her authority.

The late emperor was the founding monarch of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and he spent his life fighting in the north and south to conquer the country.

Comparing Lin Yi to him is inappropriate no matter how you look at it.

But Yang Siyu spoke very naturally, as if it had just come out of his mouth.

After she finished speaking, she realized something herself, lowered her eyes, picked up her teacup and took a sip, covering up her earlier lapse in composure.

Lin Yi held the cup of tea, but neither drank it nor responded.

I can't describe the feeling in my heart.

From the moment they met Yang Siyu, their attitude towards each other was always polite, neither too close nor too distant, maintaining a proper distance.

But today's words seem to have broken down that distance.

Not much, just a little bit.

But Lin Yi still noticed it.

The wind outside the window picked up again, and the cold air that seeped in through the crack blew the candle on the table askew, almost extinguishing it.

The two of them reached out to protect the flame at the same time.

Just then, Yang Siyu's hand reached out from the left and Lin Yi's hand reached out from the right, and the two hands collided next to the candlestick.

Fingertips touch the back of the hand.

Yang Siyu's fingers were icy cold, carrying a bit of the dampness from the teapot.

Just a touch.

Both of them were stunned for a moment, then simultaneously withdrew their hands.

The candle flame stabilized, and the flame continued to burn upwards without flickering.

Yang Siyu put his hands back on his knees, looked down at his teacup, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He didn't know if it was from the charcoal fire or something else.

She then took out a handkerchief and pressed it to her forehead.

Lin Yi, on the other hand, lowered his head and drank his tea.

The tea had gone cold, and the room was so quiet that you could hear the faint hissing of the charcoal fire in the copper stove.

Neither of them spoke again.

This silence is different from before.

It was natural and comfortable before; the two of them would chat until they got tired and then take a break.

It's a bit sticky now, like an invisible layer stuck in the air, making it hard to breathe.

What was Lin Yi thinking at this moment?

He wondered, was Yang Siyu thirty-six or thirty-seven this year?

Then I thought, why the hell am I thinking about this?

Are you bored out of your mind?

Lin Yi cursed himself in his heart.

Yang Siyu probably sensed that something was wrong, so he cleared his throat and picked up the teapot again to refill his tea.

But this time her hand trembled slightly, the spout tilted, and a few drops of tea spilled onto the tablecloth.

"Oh dear." She quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe it.

Lin Yi said, "It's alright."

After wiping away the tea stains, Yang Siyu folded the handkerchief and placed it aside. Then she looked up and resumed her usual composed expression.

"I am clumsy with my hands, Your Highness, please forgive me."

"Your Majesty is too kind."

The two resumed their normal conversation.

But Lin Yi knew that some things seemed to have changed.

As for where things are different, he couldn't say for sure, nor did he want to.

Like that candle flame.

If it shakes a little, so be it. Once it stabilizes, just pretend nothing happened.

Lin Yi put down his teacup and stood up: "It's getting late, so I won't disturb Your Majesty's rest any longer."

Yang Siyu nodded and stood up as well.

"Then I will see Your Highness off."

"No need, Your Highness, please wait."

Yang Siyu did not insist, but still followed him to the door, stood behind the threshold, and slightly stepped aside to make way.

"Your Highness, please take care. It's chilly at night, so please put on your cloak."

Lin Yi then remembered that his cloak was still draped over the back of the chair. He turned around, went back to get it, put it on, tied the straps, and strode out.

When he reached the door, Yang Siyu stood there looking at him.

The moonlight shone on her face, making her features very clear. Her expression was calm, with a slight smile on her lips.

Not too much, not too little.

"If Your Highness has time tomorrow, you are welcome to come for tea again."

"Alright," Lin Yi replied, and strode away without turning his head.