His Rui

Xi Ying left the Imperial Palace and then went back to Xi Manor on his horse.

His horse ran through the roads of the Imperial City at the possible fastest speed. The road to Xi Manor was almost empty because Xi Manor was built almost at the end of the Imperial City. Hence, Xi Ying didn't need to slow down his horse.

Soon he reached at the entrance of the Xi Manor.

An Shing who was hiding in the shadows and guarding the Manor immediately came out and took the reins of the horse from his master as Xi Ying climbed down and went inside the Manor without delaying for a moment.

"Where do you think Master is going to be in so much hurry?"

An Shing turned around and looked at An Si as if he was a stupid person. However, the next moment, he suddenly remembered that An Si had just returned from the Imperial Palace so it was not strange for him not to know much about the changes that had happened in their master's behavior all this while.

"To the Plum courtyard."

He answered with an expressionless face as he tried to take the horse to the stables.

An Si eyebrows raised in surprise hearing this but then he also remembered that Lady Li was pregnant with their master's child.

So it was not surprising, right?

Thinking this, the shadow guard went back to do his own work.

On the other hand, the cold and indifferent prime minister now looked completely different from before as soon as he stepped inside the Plum Courtyard.

His eyebrows knitted in confusion when he heard loud laughter and sometimes shouts from the inside. With the smile still present on his lips, he walked inside further and soon recognized from the voice itself who was laughing.

It was his son, Xi Ling.

Standing at the door of the living room, Xi Ying was surprised to see the scene in front of his eyes. The whole living room was looked vacant.

All the furniture has been shifted to a corner. 

Currently, his three-year-old son had his eyes covered with a cloth. His arms were waving in the air aimlessly as if he was searching for something and around him, he saw Liu Lan and a few other maids.

"To your right, Xiao Ling."

He heard a soft voice and his eyes paused on the figure that was seated in the corner on one of the chairs.

It was his wife, Li Rui and she was guiding Xi Ling to catch the people who were running around in different directions to confuse him.

However, Xi Ling didn't look frustrated at all. Instead, he laughed brightly when his hands would reach out to catch nothing in the direction his mother was telling her because the person would immediately move away from there.

"Ah…Xi Ling missed it, mother…Hehe…"

He pouted a little but then laughed stupidly. He looked stupid but very cute. 

His laughter could be heard throughout the whole living room. It was after a whole fifteen minutes, Xi Ying finally understood the pattern of one person. So when he heard his mother asking him to go in the right direction, he opened both of his small hands spreading them out completely, and finally caught someone. 

A shout full of joy was immediately heard as Xi Ling removed the cloth from his eye and said

"Waah…Xi Ling caught someone." 

It was Liu Lan who was caught by Xi Ling.

Li Hua who was standing beside her mistress chuckled at seeing how happy Xi Ling looked. She would also have played with Xi Ling but her wound was still healing. 

However, it didn't stop her from praising Xi Ling and making him happier.

"Young Master is so intelligent."

Xi Ling's big black eyes went towards his mother who nodded her head softly with a smile on her lips.

"Xiao Ling did very well."

Xi Ling felt very proud after hearing his mother's praise. He removed the cloth completely and then gave it to Liu Lan.

"Liu Lan Jiejie, now it is your turn."

Liu Lan nodded her head as she took the cloth from Xi Ling.

"Yes, Young Master."

She was about to tie it on her eyes when Xi Ling suddenly looked towards the door of the living room and shouted

"Father"

The pair of big black eyes brightened again as Xi Ling ran towards his father with his short legs. At this moment, he suddenly seemed to have forgotten all grudges he had held inside his heart against his father because he always stole his mother's attention from him.   

Xi Ying also decided not to remind his son about that for now and immediately opened his arms when he saw his son running towards him.

As he bent down to pick him up, Xi Ling surrounded his father's neck with his small arms and said

"Father is late today."

Xi Ying sighed hearing these words and looked towards Li Rui.

She must be upset.

After all, he had promised her that he will come soon. However, the afternoon was about to end and he came at this time.

However, when he saw his wife talking to Li Hua and Liu Lan about something, he suddenly realized that she might not be upset. Perhaps she didn't even think about it at all.

And he thought that he was right when Li Rui suddenly walked to him and said

"Did you have anything in the Imperial Palace?"

Xi Ying shook his head hiding all his thoughts inside his heart.

Seeing this, Li Rui just nodded and then said

"I have already asked Liu Lan to serve the lunch for you. You should have something."

Saying this, Li Rui then looked towards Xi Ling and asked him softly

"Xiao Ling should also have something."

Three hours had already passed since Xi Ling ate something. Since the poison had weakened his body, Li Rui was making sure that he was having all the nutrition in the right amount.

Xi Ling nodded his head at his mother's words and silently get down from his father's arms. After that, he left the living room with Li Hua.

On the other hand, Xi Ying was just looking at Li Rui silently since the moment he had put down Xi Ling to the ground. 

She was just doing what an ideal wife should do.       

She was preparing lunch for him after knowing that he didn't have anything since the morning. She was taking care of their son.

However, why is it that it still didn't seem enough?

Looking in her clean black eyes, he tried to find the trace of any emotion that she might have felt because he didn't complete his promise of coming early.

Was it weird if he accepted that he was looking forwards to seeing an upset or angry Rui because he returned late from the Imperial Palace?

However, she neither looked upset nor angry at him.

Xi Ying suddenly stepped forward and hugged her in his arms. Li Rui was startled by his actions, however, she didn't struggle.

"Did you miss me?"

Xi Ying had wanted to ask. However, the words didn't come out of his mouth when the next moment Li Rui's arms rose to hug him back as she put her head on his chest.

The response suddenly seemed to have vanished the little bit of depression and restlessness inside his rest.

His arms around became Li Rui firmer and he softly kissed her hair.

A moment later, he whispered more likely to himself

"I will try to come early in the future."