I smiled at him for some reason.

This smile made the face that had been stiff for a long time and had no expression tense, and even the smile was about to be unable to make it.

At this time, I realized that I had just burst into tears.

But now, all the tears have been blown dry, and there is not even a trace left, only the stiff smile of his own now.

He said softly, "What's wrong with you?" ”

I reached out and stroked my tense face, then smiled again, "It's okay." ”

"Are you really okay?"

"It's fine."

He looked at me for a moment, reached out and gently touched my cheek, feeling the tightness and stiffness, his fingers also paused, and repeated his question: "Is it really okay?" ”

“……”

I lowered my head and avoided his gaze, and was silent for a while, not answering his question, but asking, "Are we going to pick up Li'er?" ”

“…… Yes. ”

"Okay."

I slowly stood up on the edge of the couch, he reached out and took my arm, and the two of them looked at each other, but neither spoke again, and walked out together in silence.

After the spring equinox, the daytime is getting longer and longer, even when it comes to the unitary time the sky is very clear, we sit in the carriage, all the way silently listen to the monotonous bump of the wheels to the dock, look around, the brilliant sun shines on the boundless Yangtze River, the breeze rises, the waves rise and fall, the clear river reflects the sunlight and reflects thousands of dazzling lights, as if a splendid galaxy is displayed in front of us.

The wind, which swept the water vapor in the heart of the river, also blew on our cheeks.

But at this time, I didn't feel the coolness and moisture at all, just looking at the other side of the Yangtze River.

No boat has crossed the river yet.

Why haven't you come back yet?

Where the hell did they go? I've been playing for so long, have I forgotten the time, or-

As if sensing the anxiety in my heart, Pei Yuanxiu gently took my hand and said softly: "Don't worry, it's not time yet." ”

I looked up at him.

"Li'er follows him—no matter what, nothing will happen."

“……”

"Don't worry."

“……”

I bit my lower lip and only nodded slightly.

Of course, I also know that Li'er will not have an accident with that man, after all, he is the Ninety-Five Supreme, and there are only a lot more guards around him than we are in Jiangnan, and Yangzhou is his own territory, and there is not much danger at all; I also know that this is the first real reunion between their father and daughter for so many years, and Li'er may not know why, but his feelings, I can imagine, from the fact that he will get off the boat in person yesterday to see Li'er, I can also feel his almost impulsive fatherly love and longing for this daughter.

None of that worries me.

What I'm really worried about is what if he won't give me back?

Li'er is his biological daughter and a royal princess, a man like him will never let his bones flow outside, otherwise he would not have sent troops to Jiangnan in those years, and this time he would not risk his life to Jinling to see his daughter. If that's the case-

I can't imagine what will happen!

I don't dare to speculate whether this incident will become a prelude to a complete confrontation between the North and the South, or even a war!

Thinking of this, my cold sweat came out, and Pei Yuanxiu, who was holding my hand, immediately felt a chill in his palm, he looked down at me, but he didn't comfort me anymore, after all, any verbal comfort at this time was empty, only accompanied me, looking at the other side of the river.

Time passes little by little.

The anxiety in my heart is getting heavier and heavier.

I'm starting to regret it.

Do I believe in him too much, too much in him who will not be imprisoned and separated from our son, too much in that he will not bear to let our mother and daughter be separated again?

What if he backtracks? What if he takes Li'er away like this? Although now it can't be said who robs and who is weak, but after all, Li'er is just an ignorant little girl, if he wants to imprison Li'er, just like he imprisoned me at the beginning, then Li'er will never be able to return to my side!

What if, what if he did do it?

Thinking of this, my tears had almost begun to roll in my eyes, and the starry river in front of me was completely blurred by tears.

And in the tears surging in my eyes, I suddenly saw that on the other side of the river, a small black shadow appeared, slowly bumping and undulating with the ups and downs of the river.

That's—

I opened my eyes wide and held my breath, Pei Yuanxiu, who was holding my hand, immediately grabbed my hand and said in a low voice: "Qingying, look! ”

I opened my eyes wide, and I didn't even dare to blink, for fear that in the blink of an eye, the black shadow would be swallowed up by the river, and it would disappear into the tears in my eyes, and just like that, watching it grow bigger and bigger little by little, little by little, I could even hear the loud horns of the boatmen on the bow of the ship, and the delicate carvings of the hull, and the snow-white waves stirred up when riding the wind and waves!

The boat was getting closer, closer and closer, and my heart was beating harder and harder, until by the end of the day, I was almost out of breath.

And on the bow of the boat, the figure waving vigorously at us has clearly met my eyes.

It's Li'er! It's Li'er!

I looked at the ship in ecstasy, looked at the small figure, subconsciously reached out to hold Pei Yuanxiu's arm, choked so choked that I couldn't speak, he was very calm, only smiled and patted the back of my hand, and said, "Look at you, you are more like a child than Li'er." ”

I couldn't speak, I could only bite my lower lip desperately, trembling as the ship finally docked on the dock.

Pei Yuanxiu walked over with me, and saw Li'er happily walking down from the boat, a little face was flushed, smiling like a blooming flower, as soon as he saw us, he immediately ran over happily: "Mother! Dad! ”

I crouched down and took her into my arms.

That soft and soft, exuding hot body temperature, when I took her into my arms, all the fear and anxiety were dispelled by her breath and body temperature, I seemed to have a complete soul and the world, only at this moment, can I feel a trace of peace, and a long-lost heartbeat.

My departed, she's back!

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, but immediately disappeared into her jet-black hair, and disappeared in an instant.

Anyway, it's great that she came back and my daughter wasn't taken away!

Although she was also hugging me, it was obvious that Li'er's mood was different from mine, and she probably wouldn't understand what her mother had endured at that moment, hearing her silver bell-like laughter ringing in her ears, my previous sadness and fear also vanished at this moment, and where she couldn't see, she reached out and gently wiped the moist corners of her eyes.

As soon as I raised my eyes, I saw the boat not far ahead, which was still slowly surging with the river.

Pei Yuanhao stood at the bow of the boat and looked at us calmly.

I know that he can see everything very clearly, and he can also see through people's hearts very lightly, so just now, my tears may be able to hide from many people, but they can't hide from him.

There is no escaping my fear under his gaze.

However, he just watched from such a distance, calmly, although the river was surging under his feet, his eyes were so calm that there was no trace of waves.

At this time, Pei Yuanxiu gently held my arm, helped me up, and then lowered his head and said to Li'er: "Why did you come back so late?" Do you know how worried your mother is about you? ”

When I heard it, I was a little timid and didn't explain.

Actually, she didn't exceed the agreed time, but I couldn't see her, and every minute and every moment was too much torment for me.

At this moment, a few more people walked down from the boat in front, but it was Wu Yanqiu who came over with a few attendants, and those attendants were all holding brocade boxes piled high in their hands.

That's—

I looked at it and frowned.

So, looking down at Li'er, he already spoke with a bit of sternness: "Li'er, what's going on?" ”

Li'er looked at it with wide eyes, as if she was frightened, and didn't answer me immediately.

I said, "Have you forgotten what your mother once taught you?" ”

“……”

"How can you get someone to buy you so many things?"

"Mother, I-"

Li'er was anxious to explain, but she didn't seem to know how to explain, and her little face turned red all of a sudden. At this time, Wu Yanqiu walked up to us, bowed his hand, and said with a smile: "Madam, don't misunderstand Miss Li, these are not bought by Miss Li's master." ”

"......," I looked at him with a frown.

"These were bought by the master himself, and they were originally given to Miss Li, but Miss Li always remembered Madame's teachings and refused to accept these gifts, so the lower official now brings them and gives them to Madame and Gongzi."

“……”

"Please take it."

“……”

For a moment, I looked at him with a smile on his face, and then looked at the pile of brocade boxes in the hands of the attendants, not knowing how to deal with it.

It is gratifying that Li'er has always listened to my teachings, and when a girl goes out, no matter how much she likes something, or no matter how poor she is, she can't be in vain, just ask for it, or accept gifts from others, after all, this will have a lot to do with her life and feelings in the future. I hope that in the future she will be a reserved, even noble, girl, and that she will not think that a little material gift or emotional charity from anyone is a great favor.

But—

I frowned slightly and looked at the brocade boxes.

These are gifts from a father.

However, there is another "father" next to Li'er.

Thinking of this, I turned my head and looked at Pei Yuanxiu, who had been standing beside me, and at this moment he was slowly raising his head and looking at the mountains of brocade boxes.

A gift from the biological father of the departed child.