Mother Empress always maintained a dignified and elegant appearance, sitting high above.
When he paid his respects, she would say he was excused from the formalities.
When he inquired about her health, she would smile, compliment him a bit, and then casually show concern for herself.
Though young, he was not foolish.
He could see through the forced smile on her face that it wasn't genuine.
So, as he grew older, he became more reluctant to visit.
When he did visit, it felt like merely fulfilling an obligation.
After exchanging a few words of greeting, they had nothing more to say, often parting on a sour note.
Later.
He met Qingqing.
She was different from all other women.
She was genuine, forthright, and openly expressed her desires regardless of how they sounded.
She was carefree, without any scheming.
In front of him, she was like a transparent glass doll, with no hidden intentions.
She was pure and flawless, pure like a child who never grows up.
