Can You Forgive Me

Su Li pouted and said softly, "I-I was taken away by someone, so I was scared and angry, my mind wasn't clear..."

Madam Wang knocked her head again and said, "That’s no excuse for bullying Yuanbao! You were taken away, do you think Yuanbao wasn’t anxious or worried? We rescued you, and you, ungrateful little one, didn’t explain yourself and took it out on Yuanbao. How can you be like this? Ah, look at how my good son-in-law spoils you, letting you run wild! Look at other daughters-in-law, who’s been spoiled like you? You little brat, go find Yuanbao and apologize properly."

Madam Wang spoke with rising emotion, beginning to pant.

Su Li, afraid Madam Wang would get even angrier, hurriedly said, "Mother, it’s all my fault. I will definitely apologize properly to Yuanbao. Please don’t get more upset, you scared me."

Madam Wang said, "You better mean what you say. No half-hearted apologies to me."

Su Li said, "How dare I be half-hearted with you, Mother."

"Enough, enough, you brat, stop clinging to me. Go find your husband and clear things up. Apologize properly where you should. I’m tired of looking at you, now go." Madam Wang said as she pushed Su Li towards the bed.

Su Li got off the bed with a helpless smile, put on her shoes, and said, "Mother, am I really your biological child, or is Yuanbao?"

Madam Wang pinched her, "Yuanbao is my biological child; you were picked up from somewhere. You bad daughter-in-law, go apologize to my son!"

Su Li was pushed out of the room by Madam Wang. Outside the door, she saw Xiao Zetian standing there.

Su Li looked up at him. Her head was no longer dizzy or impulsive. Remembering Madam Wang’s words, she felt she had been somewhat unreasonable and became guilty, lowering her head to look at her toes, wanting to speak but not knowing where to start.

Xiao Zetian spoke first, "Ali, don’t worry too much. Doctor Wu came just in time to save her. Mother is fine, just needs to manage her emotions better in the future. She can’t have such mood swings, or she’ll faint again."

Su Li nodded, her voice muffled, replying softly.

Xiao Zetian looked at her frail figure and still haggard face, reached out his hand, "Tired? I’ll take you back to your room to rest."

Su Li looked at the hand Xiao Zetian stretched out in front of her.

That hand was so familiar, the lines on the palm she had touched hundreds of times. She stared at the familiar yet strange hand in a daze for a moment. Just as Xiao Zetian thought Su Li wouldn’t respond, she suddenly reached out and placed her palm in his hand.

Xiao Zetian was stunned for a moment, then a warm smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He held her palm, gently pulling her hand like before, leading her towards their room.

Along the way, neither of them spoke. They just walked slowly hand in hand, one following the other.

Back in the room, Su Li took off her shoes and got into bed, wrapping herself in the quilt.

Xiao Zetian stood by the bed and said, "Ali, if you feel annoyed when you see me, I’ll leave and stay elsewhere..."

Su Li bit her lip and said, "No, I have something to tell you."

"Hmm?" Xiao Zetian’s heart felt squeezed, a sharp pain like being pricked by needles. He didn’t want to hear anything from her that would make him leave again.

"That... nothing happened between me and Prince Ling... He did try to do something improper to me in the carriage, but before anything happened, you stabbed him into the carriage. I shouldn’t have kept this from you and caused you to misunderstand. You brought me the avoid-pregnancy soup because you were following how I handled the Bailu incident before. I know you meant well for me. It’s just that I was too angry then, my mind was foggy, and I snapped at you... In short, this is my fault... General Xiao, can you forgive me?" Su Li buried her head in the quilt, eyes closed.