Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Sudden Kiss

In that instant, Li Bao'er felt utterly silent, with only the deafening sound of her own heartbeat.

The unfamiliar warm touch on her lips made her mind go blank, and even her breathing stopped.

When she came to her senses, Li Bao'er abruptly pushed Mu Cenlin away, staring intently at the person in front of her like a startled fawn.

The man before her had bright red lips, stained with a hint of saliva, which startled her so much that her ears almost bled.

Li Bao'er stammered, pointing at Mu Cenlin, her fingertips trembling, "You...you...you're being a pervert!"

She didn't know why Mu Cenlin had acted so suddenly. But this was her first kiss, a kiss she had cherished for forty years across two lifetimes!

That bastard just took it!

She intended to save it for her future loved one!

Mu Cenlin looked at her ashamed and indignant appearance with deep eyes.

The girl's flushed cheeks, her moist almond-shaped eyes, and her slightly parted lips in shock—every aspect of her appearance truly met his aesthetic standards.

Mu Cenlin took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily, his voice hoarse beyond belief: "Let me tell you, whether you like me or not, you can only belong to me." He raised his hand to wipe the corner of his lips, a gesture that was inexplicably erotic.

Suddenly, 001 screamed in Li Bao'er's mind: [Host! Your corruption level has dropped below 65%! This is three whole months ahead of schedule!]

It turned out to be just possessiveness at play, and Li Bao'er was furious! That scoundrel of a man had taken it upon himself to steal her first kiss! Before she could even think it through, Li Yu's anxious shouts came from outside the tent:

"Sister, are you done yet? We should go back to the manor." Li Yu was worried about Li Bao'er being alone with Mu Cenlin. He had a feeling that although the prince seemed to dislike his sister, he always appeared by her side.

Would anyone really go to someone they dislike? Hmph, he thought Mu Cenlin must be after his older sister's beauty and had ulterior motives.

Seeing Mu Cenlin's lips move, Li Bao'er's heart skipped a beat, fearing he might say something shocking. In a panic, she shouted towards the tent entrance, "Ayu, it's ready, come in!"

Before the last word had even faded, the tent flap was suddenly lifted, and Li Yu rushed in impatiently, followed by a silent figure in dark robes. Xiao Han had not yet left.

As soon as Li Yu entered, she sensed that the atmosphere was strange. She looked at Mu Cenlin suspiciously but found nothing amiss. However, her older sister's complexion was actually a bit rosy, which was a good thing!

Only Xiao Han's gaze lingered for a moment on their equally rosy lips, as if he had thought of something. His hand in his sleeve suddenly clenched into a fist, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

Without a word, Li Yu bent down and picked Li Bao'er up from the bed. Passing Mu Cen, he said in a slightly annoyed tone, "Thank you for today, Your Highness."

After the footsteps had completely faded away, Mu Cenlin slowly raised his hand to touch his lips, where the girl's sweet fragrance seemed to still linger.

A murmured voice rang out: "I kissed...her?"

On the carriage back to the mansion, Li Bao'er was dozing off on the soft cushions.

The pain in my left arm, the sudden first kiss, Mu Cenlin's unusual behavior... everything that happened today flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.

Li Yu suddenly leaned closer, lowering her voice mysteriously, "Sister, how do you plan to make Li Zhou pay the price?"

Li Bao'er suddenly sneered, a sinister glint in her eyes. "Walk their path, leaving them with nowhere to go."

As soon as the carriage entered the gates of the Prime Minister's residence, the steward rushed forward: "Miss, Master is waiting for you in the front hall. People from the palace have arrived!"

Before even stepping into the front hall, the high-pitched voice of the eunuch announcing the imperial decree could be heard: "One hundred taels of gold, ten bushels of pearls from the South China Sea, and permission granted for Li Bao'er's request."

Li Xiangyuan knelt at the head of the table, his back stiff as a stone.

He slowly rose only after the imperial edict had been read, his expression shifting unpredictably.

Wang Qingzhi rushed forward and looked her daughter up and down, tears already streaming down her face. She choked out, "I'm so sorry you had to suffer like this, my dear. Don't worry, your mother will definitely get justice for you."

Li Xiangyuan's gaze fell on Li Bao'er's bandaged left arm, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times: "I had no idea you were so badly injured."

That crocodile tears are just a facade.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp cracking sound of porcelain shattering came from the side hall.

Zhang Yingying stumbled in, her hair disheveled, her makeup smudged with tears: "Master! What did Zhou'er do wrong to deserve family punishment? Thirty strokes of the cane will kill him!"

"What did he do wrong?" Li Xiangyuan turned around abruptly. "He attacked the princess with a hidden arrow, startling her and causing her elder sister to be seriously injured! If it weren't for Young Master Xiao's rescue, your son would have been imprisoned long ago!"

"Impossible!" Zhang Yingying knelt down with a thud, clutching Li Xiangyuan's clothes tightly, tears streaming down her face. "My lord, please understand! Zhou'er has always respected my elder sister the most. There must be a huge misunderstanding! Someone has framed us!"

She turned sharply to Li Bao'er, her eyes flashing with resentment. "Bao'er, say something! Your brother would never do such a thing, would he?"

Before Li Bao'er could speak, Wang Qingzhi, who was standing to the side, was already furious. She suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Zhang Yingying's carefully styled hair bun, and slapped her pitiful face hard across the face!

A sharp "snap" startled everyone into silence!

"You lowly servant! Who gave you permission to address my daughter by her given name?!" Wang Qingzhi completely abandoned her usual dignified demeanor as a mistress, her eyes filled with a fierce and ruthless glint. "I used to ignore you, but you really think you can push your luck and bully my direct descendants? And your heartless son! Back then, Bao'er was kind enough to save him from the hunting grounds; I should have let him be torn to pieces by the wolves!"

Zhang Yingying was stunned by the merciless slap. A bright red finger mark instantly appeared on her well-maintained face. The pain and humiliation contorted her face, and there was no trace of her usual gentle and considerate demeanor. She screamed and subconsciously reached out to grab Wang Qingzhi's face!

Just a moment before her fingertips were about to touch Wang Qingzhi.

Another, even faster shadow suddenly appeared!

Li Bao'er grabbed Zhang Yingying's raised wrist and, without hesitation, slapped her hard across the other side of her face with a resounding slap!

"Ah!" Zhang Yingying's head was turned to the side by the blow, her hair completely disheveled, and she stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Li Bao'er shook off her hand, as if it were dirty, and took out an embroidered handkerchief to carefully wipe her fingertips:

"You should take the punishment if my mother disciplines you." She stepped forward, looking down at the disheveled Aunt Zhang who was slumped on the ground. "Who gave you the audacity to lay a hand on my mother?"

“And,” she leaned slightly forward, “keep an eye on your good son. If he dares to set his sights on my people again, next time he’ll get more than just a slap.”

The entire flower hall was completely silent; all the servants held their breath and lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.

Looking at his daughter, who exuded a powerful aura, Li Xiangyuan was momentarily speechless.

Isn't she usually the most delicate? Thank goodness she didn't get hit herself...

"Guards!" the Prime Minister suddenly called out to maintain order, "Drag the Second Young Master to the ancestral hall! Confine Madam Zhang to Pear Fragrance Courtyard!"

Zhang Yingying wailed, "Li Xiangyuan! Are you going to ruin my child and me for a sickly man?"

"Slap!" Another slap echoed through the front hall, and five finger marks quickly swelled up on Zhang Yingying's face.

Seeing Zhang's head swollen like a pig's, Li Bao'er couldn't help but think to herself, "Li Xiangyuan is really ruthless."

"Have I been spoiling you all too much lately, Zhang? Do you know what it means that the princess was almost injured?!"

"The Fourth Princess is the Emperor's most beloved daughter. Your good son almost committed such a grave mistake. Get back to your courtyard!"

As expected, Wang Qingzhi smiled upon hearing this, and Li Xiangyuan, feeling uneasy under her gaze, instinctively avoided her eyes.

"Li Xiangyuan, others may not know, but don't I know you well?"

After twenty years of marriage, Wang Qingzhi knew all too well his complicated thoughts.

"It seems like punishment, but really this wretched woman is living a life of luxury in her own courtyard, isn't she?" Wang Qingzhi's tone was cold as she turned to the servants behind her. "Guards, take Zhang Shi to the ancestral hall! Make her kneel before the ancestral tablets and think carefully about how she raised such a wicked child who plotted against her elder sister!"

Li Xiangyuan's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He opened his mouth as if to stop them, but under Wang Qingzhi's gaze, he choked all his words into his throat.

Just as the servants stepped forward to drag the crying and struggling Zhang Yingying, no one noticed a dark figure behind the pillar.