T/N:
Heikou (Black Dragon Mouth)
Heicheng (Black Dragon City)
...
Lou Zhao realized he might have said something wrong, but seeing Yin Jixue's reluctance to engage with him, he opened his mouth but ultimately lay down on the couch by the window.
Resting his head on his arms, he belatedly noticed that the palace seemed to have changed quite a bit. The room was warm and cozy, and he had been puzzled by it when he first entered. But then his little wife had suddenly ambushed him, interrupting his train of thought.
Still, it made sense. His little wife was a human princess, and it was said that she had brought dozens of carts of dowry with her, filled with everything one could need. It was the demon realm that had wronged her.
He pondered how to make it up to her, but he overlooked the fact that Yin Jixue's decisive and swift movements during their encounter were not something a human princess would typically possess.
Though, in his eyes, such skills were practically negligible, as they hadn't caused him the slightest harm.
Yin Jixue wasn't particularly angry. She didn't hold the accidental injury against him because she had struck first. The Demon King's apology had made it clear to her that they were not on the same page.
How could she have underestimated this era, where hierarchy and strength dictated everything? Being weak was a sin in itself.
Yin Jixue smiled self-deprecatingly and pulled the blanket over her head.
It wasn't that she wasn't disappointed. She knew there wasn't much affection between her and the Demon King—they had barely even met. But she had been captivated by his looks, constantly brainwashing herself, and in the process, she had moved herself.
"You'll suffocate if you sleep like that," the Demon King's voice echoed through the spacious bedroom, clearly directed at her.
He hadn't moved from where he lay, yet his vision seemed unimpeded in the dimly lit room.
Yin Jixue turned her back to him under the blanket. "None of your business!"
A gust of demonic wind swept through, forcing a gap in the blanket and exposing Yin Jixue's head.
Yin Jixue sat up and glared at him. "If you're not going to sleep, don't disturb me!"
Lou Zhao rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one hand and giving her a teasing smile. "Little bean sprout, why have you become so fierce after just a few months apart?"
Yin Jixue wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, leaving only her head exposed, and retorted stubbornly, "I treat others the way they treat me."
Lou Zhao chuckled. "It's indeed my fault. I'm not good with words and ended up upsetting you."
Yin Jixue lowered her head, wondering if he could read minds.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You once called yourself my wife. Aren't you going to welcome me back?"
Yin Jixue muttered under her breath, "I've never heard of anyone who would use such force on their wife."
He had never bullied the weak, yet he had made an exception for his little human wife. Even if it was a misunderstanding, he was the one who had acted, and there was no denying that.
Lou Zhao said, "Then what do you want? Should I let you strangle me back to even the score?"
Yin Jixue turned her head away with a cold snort. "Who wants to strangle you? Your flesh is harder than iron."
Her mood had improved somewhat, and the negative thoughts that had been swirling in her mind earlier had dissipated.
Lou Zhao pretended to be pitiful. "Nothing I say seems to work, and you're not willing to talk to me. What do you want me to do?"
Yin Jixue showed no mercy. "First of all, your attitude isn't sincere at all. There's no genuine apology. Secondly, I'm tired. Let's talk tomorrow if there's anything to discuss. Don't disturb me."
She lay back down, wrapped in the blanket, and this time, the Demon King finally fell silent. Peace returned to the world.
Lou Zhao propped his head up, his expression unreadable. It was as if he was seeing Yin Jixue in a new light. He smirked and lay back down.
Yin Jixue had a nightmare but forgot all about it upon waking. She decided to blame it on the Demon King.
What surprised her was that when she got out of bed, the Demon King was still asleep.
How strange. Did demons need to rest too?
Almost involuntarily, she approached him and knelt to observe his sleeping face.
Perhaps it was because he wasn't speaking, but the sleeping Demon King was even more captivating. His sharp jawline, perfectly sculpted features, and lips looked so kissable.
Yin Jixue murmured to herself, "With a face like that, just looking at it could make me eat an extra bowl of rice."
After admiring him to her heart's content, she stood up and stretched. Beauty couldn't fill her stomach, though. Time for breakfast.
The moment she turned around, the Demon King opened his eyes.
Of course, he didn't need to rest. He had just wanted to see what his little wife would do while he was "asleep."
To his surprise, she seemed to like his face a lot, and her affection for him was an extension of that.
Lou Zhao was both amused and exasperated. Should he be grateful that he had a face people found appealing?
"Why didn't you wake me when you got up?" He sat up in one fluid motion and grabbed Yin Jixue's wrist.
So thin. No wonder he had almost hurt her yesterday without even using much force…
A faint sense of fear crept into Lou Zhao's heart, though it was fleeting, lasting only a fraction of a second.
Yin Jixue was startled. "Stop scaring people like a thief!"
He had no idea his little wife was so easily frightened.
Lou Zhao blinked at her innocently, still holding her wrist. Yin Jixue sighed. "I need to go eat."
"I was waiting for you to help me get dressed."
She had almost forgotten about that. In ancient times, wives were expected to attend to their husbands.
"I'll call Feng Xiu to help you dress."
Lou Zhao didn't let go. "I want you to do it."
She sighed and gave in. "Where are your clothes?"
A set of clothes appeared out of thin air on the couch, looking quite formal.
Yin Jixue, encountering something like a storage space for the first time, couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of magic is this?"
Lou Zhao replied, "A storage space. Never seen it before, little bean sprout?" He then took advantage of his height to ruffle her hair.
Yin Jixue nodded on the surface, but inwardly she thought, *I've seen this in novels long ago. I was just confirming.*
She focused on dressing the Demon King. His formal attire was incredibly complicated, with multiple layers, each requiring a different method of wearing. She had no room for any other thoughts.
Just as she was about to accidentally strangle him with the belt while tightening it around his waist, the Demon King gritted his teeth.
"Little bean sprout, are you taking revenge through official means?"
Yin Jixue looked up guiltily. "I'm sorry. Was I too rough?"
Lou Zhao studied her carefully and realized she genuinely didn't know how to dress him. He had brought this upon himself.
Yin Jixue lowered her head, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
After getting her revenge, Yin Jixue ate an extra portion for breakfast and strolled through the palace.
Meanwhile, Lou Zhao stepped out of the palace and was immediately stunned. He stared at the completely transformed streets and buildings, lost in thought. *Where am I? Did I not wake up properly, or did I accidentally use a teleportation spell?*
Standing at the palace gates, he was quickly noticed.
The ones who ran into him were Zhong Shang and Nan Lü, who lived in the palace and went to the school every day. They happened to cross paths with him.
The expressions on their faces shifted from disbelief to joy. "Your Majesty, you're back?!"
Lou Zhao was snapped out of his daze by their voices.
He pointed at the streets. "What's going on here?"
In the school's teacher's office…
"That's how it is. The development of Black Dragon City today is all thanks to Her Highness, the Queen…" Zhong Shang was almost reluctant to stop as if they could talk about the Queen's achievements for three days and three nights if the King hadn't been asking questions.
They explained everything in detail, including the mines outside the city.
Lou Zhao, who had lived for centuries, had never experienced emotions like this before—confusion, shock, and a sense of being at a loss.
He had only been gone for a few months, and Black Dragon City had turned into this?!
So, the heating stove in the bedroom wasn't part of the dowry. It came from the blacksmith's shop, and every household in the city had one. The people of Black Dragon City hadn't suffered from cold or hunger this winter.
The long-standing problems that had plagued Black Dragon City had suddenly been resolved.
And just this morning, before leaving, he had bullied his little wife, making her dress him.
Now, he almost didn't dare return to the palace to face her.