Points of light slowly climbed upward from below. Before long, they scattered into countless stars that rained down across the sky.
Jingliu had no attention to spare for the fireworks outside the window.
Zero's fingertip rested against her lips, brushing them with the lightest touch.
The next moment, his finger pried open her lips and slipped into her mouth.
Jingliu didn't understand what he meant and looked at Zero questioningly.
Zero didn't move. He simply looked at her.
Jingliu bit down lightly, once again leaving teeth marks on his knuckle.
She raised a brow, caught hold of Zero's wrist, and teased, "You really like that ring?"
Zero lowered his eyes, avoiding Jingliu's gaze.
"…Mm."
Jingliu let out a soft laugh and wrapped her lips around his finger, biting ring-shaped marks one by one along the joints.
She deliberately controlled her strength, not breaking the skin anywhere.
Zero lowered his head and glanced at the bite marks on his hand.
Then he lifted a hand, cupped Jingliu's jaw, and kissed her.
Jingliu instinctively raised her arms and looped them around Zero's neck.
This kiss was different from before.
It seemed… fiercer somehow.
Jingliu followed his movements while carefully minding her own strength, afraid she might accidentally bite him hard enough to leave another wound.
After a while, Zero finally pulled away.
Jingliu's breathing was slightly uneven, her cheeks burning hot.
She raised a hand to smooth back his bangs and softly said, "Don't worry. There's no bleeding."
Zero looked as though he had encountered a problem beyond the limits of his understanding.
He asked, "What do you want?"
"I can give you anything."
Smiling, Jingliu extended a finger and lightly tapped his chest.
"What I wanted, you've already given me."
From the very beginning, the only thing Jingliu had ever wanted was his sincere heart.
Zero would never speak of love aloud.
But his eyes had already said it thousands upon thousands of times.
Jingliu pressed her lips together.
"It's just that… I'm all alone. I'm afraid I can't provide a dowry worthy of it."
She withdrew her hand and pointed at the place over her heart, smiling as she asked, "I wonder… would you still be willing to accept it?"
Zero looked steadily at her and quietly replied, "…I would."
How could he not?
Zero paused, then added, "Don't use honorifics with me anymore."
Jingliu suppressed the corners of her lips that almost curled upward and nodded very cooperatively.
'Got it.'
From now on, she should use honorifics more often.
Zero turned his head and looked out the window.
Following his gaze, Jingliu looked outside as well.
Countless fireworks bloomed across the night sky.
On the Xianzhou, only during the Festival of Grace could one witness such a grand sight.
Many people had once tried bringing Patrol Dockets and pulling strings to fund private fireworks displays.
Unfortunately, none had succeeded.
Yet this time, an exception had been made.
Jingliu withdrew her gaze and stared at Zero without blinking.
He was absentmindedly looking out the window when suddenly, as though he had thought of something, hesitation flickered across his face for a brief instant. Then he subconsciously glanced toward the door.
Jingliu, "..."
'Zero wasn't thinking about going home, was he?'
She had only gone to the frontlines for a while.
What? Did the progress between them have to reset back to zero and start all over again like one of those games Zero always played?
Zero turned back and softly said, "It's getting late…"
Jingliu took a deep breath.
She needed to stall for time.
She couldn't let Zero stay alone.
Jingliu pulled him along to the guest room door.
Upon entering, the first thing visible was the moon lamp placed beside the window.
Jingliu sighed.
"…I had to dismantle three doors in a row just to get this lamp inside."
Zero lowered his gaze toward the bed, where all sorts of flowers had been laid out.
There was the large bouquet of peonies he had given Jingliu when he confessed.
There were also single flowers he had casually picked out while passing flower shops, simple blooms that weren't expensive at all.
These… Were all flowers he had given Jingliu.
Even now, they remained in perfect condition.
Looking closer, the flowers were wrapped in an almost imperceptibly thin layer of ice.
Zero heard himself say, "…You kept all these flowers?"
Jingliu nodded. Hooking her arm around his, she guided him toward the wardrobe and softly urged, "Open it and take a look."
Zero opened the wardrobe. Inside hung clothes in all kinds of different styles.
He froze in place.
Jingliu reminded him, "There's more in the drawers too."
Following her words, Zero crouched down and pulled open the drawers beneath the wardrobe.
Belts to match Xianzhou outfits.
Gemstone cufflinks suited for formalwear.
And bolo ties made with gemstones the same color as his eyes.
Jingliu crouched beside him as well and softly said, "Originally… I wanted to wait a while longer before giving these to you."
Zero asked, "…Why?"
Jingliu didn't answer. She picked up one of the bolo ties.
The house Zero had gifted her previously hadn't just come with the property itself.
Not only were the furniture and decorations already prepared, even the walk-in closet had been filled to the brim.
Considering her own savings, Jingliu had no choice but to settle for clothing as gifts instead.
Back then, she hadn't known Zero's identity. After seeing the boldly designed clothes in the wardrobe, she had merely assumed he was unusually open-minded when it came to fashion.
Now, after seeing Daiyang and Chanzhen's styles of dress… It was obvious they were catering to their superior's tastes.
Jingliu instantly understood.
Zero didn't want to interfere with her choices.
Unfortunately, unlike him, she had never been a particularly generous person.
Of course, in exchange, she would also indulge Zero's preferences and cater to his tastes.
Jingliu lifted the bolo tie and compared the gemstone to the color of his eyes. After confirming there was no difference in shade, she placed it back where it belonged.
Her gaze shifted upward to the clothes hanging in the wardrobe.
Very quickly, a guess formed in her mind.
'Zero wanted to go home… because there were no spare clothes here?'
'Wait...'
Her figure stiffened.
"You keep looking."
Jingliu stood up and quickly headed toward the bathroom.
She carefully gathered up every sharp object she could find.
Her gaze swept over the bathroom before settling on the bathtub.
Her residence wasn't very large. If anything happened in another room… even from the master bedroom, she would notice immediately.
Jingliu hesitated for a moment before finally giving up on the thought in her heart.
She returned to her own bedroom, rummaged through the wardrobe, then quickly came back to the guest room and stuffed an armful of clothes into Zero's hands.
"Fresh clothes."
"It's late. Go take a shower."
Keeping her head lowered to avoid his gaze, Jingliu pushed him into the bathroom.
Listening to the sound of running water, she thought to herself that she couldn't let Zero stay alone.
She couldn't drag this out any longer.
Just in time, Zero owed her once.
Tomorrow was Monday. The Six Commissions would be operating normally.
Tomorrow, she would go find Dan Feng and prepare the remaining documents needed for marriage.
This time, she would act first and inform him afterward.
Jingliu waited and waited. Only after Zero finished bathing and walked safely out of the bathroom did she finally let out a sigh of relief.
Without giving him any room to object, she dragged him into her bedroom, dried his hair, and finally pressed him down onto the bed.
Jingliu wrapped an arm around him and pressed his head against her shoulder and neck.
"Alright, sleep."
Zero, "..."
Silently, he broke free from Jingliu and lifted an arm around her shoulders instead.
Jingliu blanked for a moment before understanding.
Holding back a smile, she pretended not to understand and asked, "What difference does it make?"
The two looked at each other, and Zero remained speechless for a long time.
He and Jingliu had completely reversed roles.
Whether it was the confession or the proposal, she had always beaten him to it.
Zero sighed.
"…Forget it. Just do whatever feels comfortable for you."
Thinking about tomorrow's plans, Jingliu ultimately decided to indulge him.
Very cooperatively, she rested her head against his chest and quickly drifted into a dreamless sleep.
When Jingliu woke up, Zero woke as well.
He asked, "Is it five-thirty already?"
That was the daily assembly time for the Cloud Knights.
Jingliu responded with an "Mm."
Zero wrapped his arms around her waist.
"What day is it today?"
Without changing expression, Jingliu lied smoothly, "Sunday."
She lightly patted his arm, signaling for him to let go.
He asked again, "Where are you going?"
"To practice swordsmanship." Jingliu gently smoothed his bangs aside and softly said, "Sleep a little longer."
Zero's voice was thick with drowsiness.
"…Okay."
Soon, Jingliu returned.
In one hand were the materials needed for marriage registration. In the other was the jade abacus she had discovered before leaving the house.
Jingliu set the jade abacus down.
"Your jade abacus. I put it here."
With his eyes still closed, Zero slowly nodded.
"…Mm."
Lan was still somewhat useful.
At the very least, He had snatched his jade abacus back from Aha.
Jingliu stood where she was.
She gazed at her lover's face and made no move to disturb him.
After watching him for a while, Jingliu left the residence to find Dan Feng.
As familiar as ever, she climbed over the wall into the courtyard, only to meet Dan Feng's eyes directly.
Dan Feng, "..."
'Jingliu, why are you climbing over the wall again?!'