Little Pink Starfish

Little Gu, I Realize I Like You More and More

It wasn’t a wide alley, but it was just big enough for a single-horse carriage. There were no pedestrians. The sky was a straight strip wedged between two high courtyard walls. No birds flew overhead. It was so quiet that even the wind rushing past could be heard clearly.

Gu Xinglang was still sitting in stunned silence, eyes wide open. The blue sky overhead was cloudless. Even in this deserted alley, he was still shaken by that kiss in broad daylight.

Yu Xiaoxiao savored the lingering taste of the kiss. Her Little Gu’s lips were so soft—not at all like what a battle-hardened general should have. She reached out and gently pressed his slightly dry lips with her fingertip and said, “Little Gu, I realize I like you more and more.”

Gu Xinglang looked at his little wife and suddenly smiled. They were husband and wife—what was a kiss? If she didn’t mind, why should he, as a man, be so uptight? “So… you didn’t like me before?” Gu San Shao asked, half-joking.

Yu Xiaoxiao thought it over. Back then, all she’d wanted was to get out of the palace, arrange things for Nanny Wang and the others, and then leave this world where the cruel empress had lived her tragic life. In her old plan, there had been no place for Gu Xinglang. But now, looking at him, she knew—she couldn’t leave him behind. She couldn’t do it.

Seeing her gaze turn so serious, Gu Xinglang sobered up too. “So you really didn’t like me before?”

Yu Xiaoxiao answered honestly, “I hadn’t met you yet. How could I know if I liked you or not?”

“Then you—” Gu Xinglang was trying to confirm if she liked him now. Even if they always struggled to communicate, this was something he had to understand clearly.

But before he could finish, Yu Xiaoxiao wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. To the princess, love wasn’t something you said—it was something you did. Sweet talk was meaningless.

Gu Xinglang couldn’t let his wife take the lead every time. He wrapped his arms around her waist and cautiously licked her lips with his tongue, testing her, hoping she would respond.

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t hesitate—she opened her mouth.

Gu Xinglang took the invitation and slid his tongue into her mouth. Some feelings had to be tasted slowly. As they tangled in each other’s embrace, lips and tongue exploring, this kiss felt different from any before. Maybe it was the tension of the last chaotic day and night, maybe the exhaustion—whatever it was, this kiss completely drew Gu Xinglang in. At seventeen, it felt like he’d just opened a new door to a new world—one that had “Yu Xiaoxiao” written on it.

Yes, Yu Xiaoxiao. He murmured the name in his heart. Compared to “Princess Linglong” or “Your Highness,” he preferred “Yu Xiaoxiao.” He had never told anyone, but subconsciously, he knew—only Yu Xiaoxiao belonged to him and him alone.

Yu Xiaoxiao mischievously bit the tip of Gu Xinglang’s tongue. Feeling his body tremble slightly, she shamelessly enjoyed it. If one day I really have to leave this world, she thought, I’ll take Little Gu with me. If I lose food, I can always find more. But there’s only one Gu Xinglang in this world—if I lose him, I’ll never find another.

At that moment, Jing Mo and Xiao Wei had just climbed up the wall and were greeted with the sight of the two of them kissing passionately outside.

Xiao Wei was still a single guy. Seeing his princess and prince consort like that, he blushed furiously and turned away, too flustered to keep watching.

Jing Mo, however, wasn’t so innocent. He’d tasted plenty of women and wasn’t shaken like Xiao Wei—but even so, he still scowled. They could sleep together for all I care, he thought, but right now there are unconscious monks from Yongsheng Temple in my courtyard, Wuhuan standing right here, and some homeless-looking Daoist on the ground. And what are these two doing? Making out. Do they even take Yongsheng Temple seriously?

Jing Mo’s subordinates stood below, unable to look directly at their master squatting on the wall. This squat destroyed his whole dignified image.

Jing Mo elbowed Xiao Wei and whispered, “Do they do this in other places too?”

Xiao Wei had no choice but to respond, even though it was mortifying. He cleared his throat hard.

Hearing Xiao Wei’s voice, Gu Xinglang—who’d been immersed in the kiss—instantly stiffened.

Yu Xiaoxiao was still holding onto his neck. She looked up at Jing Mo squatting on the wall and said, “Hey, we meet again.”

Jing Mo felt helpless. Dealing with someone like her—shameless and unruly—he truly didn’t know what to do.

Xiao Wei quickly explained on behalf of his princess and the prince consort, “There was no one else in the alley just now.”

Jing Mo nearly rolled his eyes. No one around means you can just start kissing? Gu Xinglang is a soldier, fine, but Yu Xiaoxiao is a princess! Has there ever been a princess this shameless?! He looked down at the couple. It had to be Yu Xiaoxiao who initiated it—no way Gu Xinglang had the guts to start it himself.

Gu Xinglang glanced up at Jing Mo.

Jing Mo gave him a very meaningful smile.

Gu Xinglang’s face instantly turned red.

“Jing Mo, I brought Wuhuan,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, still looking up, unaware that her Little Gu was blushing again.

Jing Mo gave a bitter smile. He could see that just fine—and it wasn’t someone he wanted to see, either.

“I was going to say—” Yu Xiaoxiao started.

Jing Mo waved his hand to cut her off. “Princess, do we really have to talk like this?” Him squatting on a wall, her standing outside—it was awkward and weird. Jing Mo also felt deeply embarrassed. Doesn’t this look like a mistress climbing the wall to meet her lover?

At that moment, Tian Xingzi stood beside Wuhuan, looking at Jing Mo’s squatting back and whispered, “Seems like Prince Jing is pretty close with the princess. But… why are they talking like this?”

Wuhuan didn’t respond. He had nothing to say anymore.

“We should go in,” Gu Xinglang said gently, patting Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand still resting on his shoulder.

Smack. Yu Xiaoxiao gave him another kiss on the forehead, then grabbed his hand and helped him up the wall into the De Yi Winery.