The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 1085

Chapter 1085: 524 Warmth in the Deep of the Night (First Update)

Her chest rose and fell slightly as she spoke, and despite her best efforts to calm her breathing, she still gasped for air, showing just how desperately she had been traveling.

She even lacked the strength to stand, which is why she bumped into the doorframe with a thud.

Not wishing to let Xiao Hen see her in such a disheveled state, she sat with feigned indifference on the hard threshold, leaning against the cold corner of the wall, unaware that her fatigue was already evident on her face.

Even so, when she looked at him, her eyes still shone with light.

The wind and snow raged through the world, and the cold howled fiercely.

Xiao Hen’s heart felt as if it was filled with a burning wave of heat, his blood rushing wildly as he held his breath.

He looked at her in disbelief, her disheveled figure clearly reflected in his deep eyes.

The snow-sealed mountains of Ji City brought a hundred thousand troops to a standstill, yet she had braved the mountains and harsh snow alone, appearing before him on his birthday.

Xiao Hen, having read extensively and deeply learned, could not find the right words to describe his feelings at that moment.

Suddenly, something in his heart felt off, even a bit painful.

He said nothing, but his eyes seemed to say everything.

It was a birthday he himself did not care for.

Why rush back?

Why not wait obediently for the storm to pass?

Why not travel with the imperial army?

Why...

What else could it be?

It was merely something he neglected that someone else had taken to heart for him.

Xiao Hen was moved, but his expression remained unchanged. He quickly took off his outer robe, crouched down, and wrapped Gu Jiao in it, carrying his body warmth.

Gu Jiao was enveloped in a great warmth, accompanied by his unique masculine scent and fragrance.

She sniffed with a slightly frozen snuffle, "You smell so nice."

Xiao Hen looked at her little red nose, "You’re frozen like this and can still tell if I smell nice?"

"Yes, you do!" Gu Jiao stated with certainty.

Xiao Hen, originally looking at her pitiful state and thinking of the risks and hardships of her journey, felt complex and heavy-hearted. But after her interjection, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears.

Xiao Hen brought her Red-Tasseled Spear inside, then removed her small backpack. With one arm around her back and the other under her knees, he gently lifted her.

"I can walk," Gu Jiao said.

She hadn’t forgotten his limp, at home, she wouldn’t even let him carry even a little Kangaroo.

"I can walk too," Xiao Hen said.

Gu Jiao blinked, looking at him.

Xiao Hen, holding her, stood up. She could feel the strength in his embrace, stronger than when she had left Capital City, with more of an adult man’s strength.

Gu Jiao glanced at his legs again and, to her surprise, found that he walked quite well.

Gu Jiao exclaimed with a yip, "Your leg isn’t lame anymore?"

"No."

In a second, someone reverted back to being a cripple.

The truth was, he had recovered a while ago. The day after he cleared up the misunderstanding with Princess Xinyang and resolved his emotional issues, he was able to walk normally. He had initially planned to surprise her on her birthday, but then that girl had turned and run away.

Good.

There was going to be a price to pay.

When Gu Jiao had left Capital City, it was fall, and she wasn’t dressed heavily; now in deep winter, she wore cotton clothing which wasn’t much heavier.

Xiao Hen tightened his embrace around her arms.

The little one at home was three months old, no longer needing night feedings. The Nanny had no need to stay overnight any longer, and the Yao Family moved back to their original room with the little one, leaving the eastern room available for Gu Jiao.

Yu Yaya came every day to clean, and the bedding had all been changed to new.

Xiao Hen carried her into the room and placed her on a chair cushioned with mats. "Sit here for a bit; I’ll go heat up a charcoal brazier for you," he said.

Having said that, he turned to the stove room, lit the straw and kindling in the stove, and placed the silver charcoal inside after it caught fire.

This silver charcoal, sent from the palace, was of the highest quality smokeless variety, easy to light and very long-lasting. _{freёwebnovel.com}

As the silver charcoal caught fire, he poured water into the pot to boil, making a bowl of Vegetable and Egg Noodles and sliced a few pieces of bacon.

By the time the silver charcoal was ready, the noodles were cooked as well.

He brought the noodles into the eastern room.

Gu Jiao was leaning on the table, drowsy with sleep.

This was not just exhaustion but complete depletion of energy.

Xiao Hen gently touched her forehead, finding it not hot. He was somewhat relieved and said, "Eat something before you sleep."

"Hmm..." Gu Jiao murmured in response.

She hadn’t had anything to eat for a day and a night and was indeed very hungry.