what for do you yearn?

I still think about this scene in the last episode.

Even after finding out his status, she still spoke to him in a reprimanding tone for fighting in the front lines, and also ordered him around when the children woke up.

Um, Maomao looking back on her past self in a Courtesan Maomao type AU, yay!

the chirping of birds in the early morning

the way the sun shines through the trees

nature after it just rained

constantly learning new things every day

first sketch of them (jinmao) : also from last year.

jinmao in a nutshell:

Because he already knows Maomao almost never asks for things out right. Their earliest case of miscommunication had him almost losing contact with her forever and her being driven into prostitution because she couldn't even ask to be kept as a mere servant in the rear palace

So then, he has to work with what little she says and she does, to make sure they never find themselves in a situation like that again. And what does Maomao do? Lets him sleep on her lap, She feeds him, tucks him into bed, sings him to sleep, constantly fusses about his health and sleep, lets him lay down in her bed, strokes his hair, etc

Also, I may be speaking on conjecture here (forgive me Maomao & Luomen) but was him sleeping in the carriage on the way to WC his indirect way of wanting to cuddle up next to her in some privacy, that Maomao's pov just scowled at and left (there's also always the option he's just dense as fuck ik)

And this isn't a modern friendship where: hey! boys and girls can cuddle watching a movie and still just be friends! don't be weirdo!

You don't do that stuff with the opposite sex in such a conservative society unless it's courting (even then their actions are a tad inappropriate).

Not to mention, it's not even just him initiating all of this anymore, it's Maomao, too, meaning his initiative is being reciprocated. And then she wears his hairpin to the fucking bride banquet Jinshi is excited this is working! they're on the same page, she took the final step of making it public to everyone, and then... she says he should marry Lishu?

People also think he was unreasonable for insisting on telling Maomao the truth about his identity, even though Gaoshun agreed that he should. And let’s not forget that she literally learned that her boss, the manager of the rear palace, has a penis when he shouldn’t. Isn’t that the kind of situation that deserves immediate clarification?

Later on, as you mentioned, Jinshi also has to deal with Maomao giving him mixed signals. She tells him he doesn’t have to control himself anymore, then doesn’t clarify things when she realizes he wasn’t talking about sleep. She even decides that the best time to check his cheek wound is when he’s trying to kiss her.

Then there’s all the care from Volume 5 that you mentioned and something I rarely see brought up: her decision to stay at Jinshi’s house in Volume 7. She was summoned there with her father and others to discuss the Shrine Maiden. When she noticed how tired Jinshi looked, she chose to stay behind to make sure he got some sleep. That’s not exactly the kind of thing you do for a man you only see as your boss.

Jinshi even asks her in his bedroom why she’s not leaving with Luomen. And when he brings up Suiren’s wish to see him take a consort, she reacts as if it’s unreasonable for him to ask her about it.