Longing for Spring in the Deep Winter

[A cheerful chatterbox who's a little "airheaded" / A tight-lipped, taciturn man whose bride almost slips away]

When Ruolan heard the nanny calling her, she slid down from the tree barefoot.

The lively little Fox and big Yellow followed behind her.

When she learned they were going back to the capital, Ruolan's eyes lit up.

Is the capital fun? If it is, let's go have a look!

The nanny was full of worry, but all she could say was that it would be fun.

The Earl's household was heartless, and the second master was unfeeling. The girl was born frail, and after her mother died, she was sent back to the family home in the countryside.

They hadn't contacted her in over ten years.

Ruolan returned to the earl's residence with a little bundle. Her aunt took her hand and asked after her, saying her eldest cousin was gravely ill and asking her to help "look after" a young man.

But the nanny was told that Ruolan was to be sent to the Duke of Qing's residence to bring good luck through marriage.

The groom was Lu Zhao, the Duke of Qing's second son and the current Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He had been gravely wounded while saving the former crown prince during an investigation into the sudden death of his aunt, the empress. Now he was unconscious.

With the wedding date fast approaching, the earl's household didn't want to break the engagement, so they planned to make Ruolan take the bride's place.

The nanny panicked, but Ruolan's little face remained calm.

She was a clever girl, after all.

When she found out, she didn't say a word. But when she met the duke's wife, she had little Fox in her right hand and big Yellow in her left, and stuck up her little feet, still caked in yellow mud, making it perfectly clear she wouldn't be "looking after" anyone.

The duchess was amused by the silly little girl, a rare occurrence.

The two families' engagement was called off, but Ruolan went with the duchess to visit anyway.

*

The duke's residence was huge and beautiful, even more fun than the family estate back in her hometown. She ran around, playing to her heart's content.

To return their kindness, she brought her flowers and plants, carried little Fox and big Yellow, and chatted with Brother Zhao to keep him company.

Brother Zhao was a good person. He always slept quietly, never complained that she was noisy, and never chased her friends away.

One day, Brother Zhao woke up because she was being noisy, but didn't scold her. He even sneaked out to play in the middle of the night. It was all very exciting to her, but she did her best to keep the "little secret" known only to the two of them.

Then one day, Brother Zhao stopped lazing in bed. He went from a handsome young man to a fearsome, grim-faced judge of the underworld, but he still didn't mind her being noisy.

Another day, word came from the estate that the crown prince had become crown prince again. Ruolan didn't understand, but she heard some good news: a young scholar who lived next to the old family home had passed the civil service exam. She remembered him promising to come ask for her hand.

Ruolan picked up her little bundle and said goodbye to Brother Zhao and the others. "Little Orchid is going home to get married. See you later!"

After she said it, she noticed, puzzled, that Brother Zhao's face had gone even darker.

Reader's guide:

1. One true pairing, happy ending

2. A light and sweet little romance, without much political intrigue. Just enjoy it.

3. The plot serves the story, and I'll do my best to keep it logically consistent.

4. A companion book to "Spring Comes Late After the Rain in the Deep Chambers." The girls have different personalities, but they're both adorable little rays of sunshine~

Theme: The good days are still ahead.