The surrounding people were talking about it and criticizing it.

Li Hua stood outside the carriage for a moment. When he saw Chen Wazhen, a guard from the princess's residence, return and stand by Gan Qiongying's carriage with his hands at his sides, looking at him with hostility, he finally believed that Princess Duanrong, who had always acted arrogantly and recklessly and had even defied the emperor many times, had given in so easily.

Just because of one sentence he said?

Li Hua paused for a moment, then, under everyone's gaze, led her people to the old man's side, stood down, and squatted down.

"Grandpa, please get up," Li Hua asked softly, "Can you still stand up?"

The old man looked up upon hearing this, and was genuinely surprised by Li Hua's gesture of helping him up. He dared not use the support to stand up and instinctively dodged away.

"It's alright, nothing serious." The old man dodged Li Hua's hand and tried to stand up on his own.

The old man was indeed badly injured by the impact. After all, he was old and, although he had always been physically strong, he was still injured by the sudden collision. He knelt on the ground for a long time, and his legs were no longer strong enough to support him.

As he tried to get up, he stumbled and fell back down. Just then, a hand suddenly landed on his arm.

"Take your time, old man," Li Hua said gently, carefully helping the old man to his feet. "Are your bones injured?"

The old man stopped, his eyes still filled with lingering fear, and instinctively took a step back.

Li Hua did not step forward again, but gestured back. San Jiu behind her immediately understood and handed Li Hua a money pouch.

He then instructed his maidservant to immediately help the old man pick up the scattered firewood.

The once chaotic intersection was instantly restored to its former cleanliness. The crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle did not disperse, and some people seemed to have recognized the prince consort's other identity, and discussions arose again.

"I feel like I've seen him before, but I can't remember where I've seen him before."

"Now that you mention it, I think I remember it too."

“When there was a famine in other places before, it seems that he did go there to set up soup kitchens to distribute soup for free to help the victims.”

"Isn't he the owner of the Yuan Chen Chamber of Commerce? I saw him when I went to the Chamber's banquet with my father!"

"I'd heard that Princess Duanrong's husband was a merchant, and it turns out it really is..."

Li Hua took out some loose silver and handed it to the old man, saying, "Please accept this; the child's illness is of utmost importance."

The old man had bumped into the carriage of a distinguished guest and was almost taken to the authorities as an assailant; how could he dare accept money? He shook his hands, refusing and backing away repeatedly.

Li Hua stepped forward and bowed slightly, saying, "The child is still young. Any illness must be treated promptly. Don't delay and cause any long-term health problems."

Please don't end up like him, with an irreparable disability.

The old man was initially reluctant to accept the gift, but when he thought of his little grandson at home, tears welled up in his eyes, and he burst into tears.

"Thank you... thank you... great benefactor!" His hands trembled, and he knelt down again with a thud, tears streaming down his face. He sobbed uncontrollably, kowtowing repeatedly in gratitude, "I have no way to repay you..."

Seeing that the other party had accepted the money, Li Hua didn't say anything more and turned back to the car.

He hesitated for a moment by the carriage behind him, then slowly walked toward Gan Qiongying's carriage.

He knew Gan Qiongying had been watching him, but he didn't expect her to be waiting for him by the car.

“Come up here.” Gan Qiongying naturally reached out her hand to him.

Li Hua froze again, looking up to meet Gan Qiongying's smiling eyes. The warm light of the setting sun bathed the entire street, gilding Gan Qiongying's already charming face with a warm golden edge.

"Come on up," Gan Qiongying urged, waving her hand, "Let's go home together."

go home.

She said she was going home again.

Only then did Li Hua realize the gazes of those around him. His attendants, who were close by, were also watching him. He struggled several times. In fact, the moment he heard the word "go home," he wanted to lend a hand, but his hands, hanging by his sides, felt as if they were weighed down by a thousand pounds.

Gan Qiongying patiently raised her hand to wait. She looked at Li Hua's slightly red ears, which she herself hadn't even noticed, and her smile deepened.

Time seemed to stand still. The maids around her couldn't help but hold their breath, but Li Hua stood still, her eyes lowered, lost in thought.

Seeing that he was really embarrassed and his ears were bright red, Gan Qiongying didn't force him and sighed as she lowered her hand.

At this moment, Li Hua suddenly moved, almost frantically grabbing Gan Qiongying's hand as she was about to lower it.

Gan Qiongying raised an eyebrow, and Li Hua used the momentum to get into the carriage. The maids all breathed a sigh of relief.

After the two got into the car, Li Hua tried to let go of Gan Qiongying's hand, but she didn't let go and pulled him to sit down.

Because they were holding hands, they couldn't sit opposite each other and could only sit side by side.

The atmosphere inside the car gradually became strange, and the temperature seemed to have risen considerably compared to before.

Li Hua was really not used to being close to people, and tried to pull away, but Gan Qiongying still held on tightly. He looked up at her in confusion.

Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke. They quickly turned away, and the car started moving again.

The carriage moved slowly forward. Li Hua struggled twice along the way but failed to free his hand. It was unclear whether he gave up or compromised, but he simply let Gan Qiongying hold his hand.

Gan Qiongying tried to loosen her grip a little, but unexpectedly, Li Hua did not take the opportunity to pull her hand back. He just looked straight ahead and did not give her a second glance.

The two held hands like that until their palms were damp and sticky, their sweat mingling, without letting go.

Gan Qiongying was actually constantly testing Li Hua's bottom line. She knew about his relationship with Zhong Lizheng, but she was unwilling to believe that Li Hua was willingly helping Zhong Lizheng.

Li Hua is kind, patient, and responds better to gentle persuasion than force. Through these few days of interaction, Gan Qiongying discovered that as long as she showed him kindness, he would be at a loss for words.

Even if this goodwill was based on his persistent misunderstanding that Gan Qiongying was "lustful towards him at first sight".

Just like now, she only made a small concession today, and Li Hua took the initiative to hold her hand and let her hold it for a long time, indulging her to take advantage of him.

He seemed to have forgotten how he had been humiliated and beaten by Princess Duanrong during the three months since their marriage, when Gan Qiongying was not traveling through time.

He was so gentle and respectful to an ordinary old man. How could such a good person be someone who would voluntarily help Zhongli Zhengzhen stir up trouble and try to provoke war between the two countries?

She kept turning her head to observe Li Hua, her gaze bold and direct, shifting from Li Hua's ears to his chin.

I don't know what kind of material the mask is made of, but it fits so well that she couldn't see it at all even at such close range.

That night, she stumbled upon Li Hua's true appearance, and upon reflection, she was truly amazed.

The same face, when placed on Zhongli Zhengzhen, is extremely handsome but also full of fierceness and sharpness, but when placed on Li Hua, it is like a jade mountain and still water, elegant and otherworldly.

Perhaps it was because Gan Qiongying's gaze was too intense, Li Hua felt as if a hole had been burned through her body, and couldn't help but look at her again.

Gan Qiongying smiled at him and asked, "How much silver did you give that old man?"

“Some loose silver.” Li Hua’s voice tightened.

With some effort, he managed to pull his damp hand back and immediately tucked it into his sleeve.

Gan Qiongying's hands suddenly felt empty. She rubbed her palms together, her tone tinged with a hint of resentment: "I just saw you speaking softly and gently to that old man..."

She turned her head closer to Li Hua, and asked with a charming smile, "We are husband and wife, are we not even as good as strangers? Why do you always avoid me and treat me with such indifference?"

Li Hua didn't know how to answer. Although they were husband and wife, their relationship had an extremely bad start. Not only was the marriage forced, but if Gan Qiongying hadn't suddenly changed her mind and become lustful, they would have been like enemies.

However, Li Hua's palms were damp and wet, which soaked his heart along the way. He didn't want to bring up Gan Qiongying's past misdeeds at this moment, but he also wanted to know why she was treating him like this now. Just as he was struggling with this dilemma, the car suddenly jolted.

The jolt was actually very small; it was only because he was so tense that he was so sensitive. He instinctively reached out to protect Gan Qiongying, not wanting her to bump her head again.

But when he reached out, he realized that Gan Qiongying was very steady and did not sway at all. Realizing that he was too nervous, he quickly withdrew his arms that were about to hug her, but his ears started burning again.

Gan Qiongying was stunned for a moment, but after seeing Li Hua withdraw her hand, she suddenly smiled.

She smiled and moved closer to Li Hua, almost touching him, and tentatively rested her head on his taut arm hanging by his side, teasingly saying, "I know, my husband cares about me very much."