51 Ambiguous Interactions (Seeking First Subscription)
Since leaving the No. 1 Restaurant, Liu Hanruo's lips have been curved into a faint smile, somewhat radiant and dazzling. This shows that Liu Hanruo is in an extremely good mood at this moment.
To understand why, we must go back to an hour before this happened. Qin Siyan was ignited by a careless remark from the Prince of Xiaoyao, which sparked intense jealousy within her. This caused her to lose control, abandoning all manners and etiquette, and acting like a shrew, pointing at Xiao Feng and cursing him. Initially, Xiao Feng tried to calm things down and reason with her, but Qin Siyan, in her rage, wouldn't listen to anything and only thought Xiao Feng was making excuses. So, she started hitting him like a madwoman. Being beaten and verbally abused by his wife in the street made Xiao Feng feel utterly humiliated.
Hearing the constant jeers and laughter from the crowd, Xiao Feng's face flushed crimson, the color even reaching his ears. Qin Siyan, however, remained relentless, her insults growing more and more intense. The jeers grew louder and louder, making Xiao Feng blush even more. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he raised his hand and slapped Qin Siyan. Realizing what he had done, he froze in shock.
But who was Qin Siyan? The Grand Commandant's only beloved daughter, pampered since childhood. She had never been slapped in the face before. This humiliation made her eyes redden, and she forgot everything else. While gently stroking her reddened cheek, she glared at Xiao Feng and shouted incredulously:
"Fine, very well! Xiao Feng, how dare you hit me! Don't you even know who you've relied on to get to where you are today!"
“I…” Xiao Feng looked at his raised right hand and was speechless for a moment.
"Xiao Feng, you and I both know how you got your official position. To put it bluntly, without me, you wouldn't have such a comfortable life today!" Qin Siyan pointed at Xiao Feng, her breathing becoming rapid with anger.
"Xiao Feng, you ungrateful wretch! Now that you've become a vice minister, you've gotten so cocky and don't respect me anymore! Fine, very well! I'll make you pay the price for daring to hit me!"
Xiao Feng suddenly realized his mistake and berated himself for being so impulsive, forgetting about Grand Commandant Qin. At this moment, he no longer cared about the mocking looks of others and only wanted to appease Qin Siyan. Helpless, he could only beg for forgiveness in a soft voice.
“My lady, please don’t be angry… it will affect your beauty… it’s all my fault… I admit my mistake, I’ll kneel on the washboard when we get home… you’re so magnanimous… please don’t hold it against me.”
"Hmph, Xiao Feng, you think you can smooth things over with a few sweet words after hitting me? Let me tell you, you're dreaming! I won't let this go so easily!"
After Qin Siyan finished speaking, she left without looking back, not even offering a greeting. Xiao Feng could only awkwardly bow to the Prince of Xiaoyao and apologize.
"My wife has been rude and made Your Highness and Princess laugh at me. I apologize and beg Your Highness and Princess to forgive me!"
Watching the dogs fight, Liu Hanruo felt a sense of satisfaction and said with a faint sarcasm:
"Lord Xiao, your wife has already gone far away. If you don't chase after her soon, you might lose the official position you've worked so hard to obtain, hehe!"
"Your Highness is too kind." Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng broke out in a cold sweat. How could he not understand the gravity of the situation? Although he was anxious, he pretended to be indifferent and showed no sign of panic.
"Hehe, whether it is true or not, I believe Lord Xiao knows the truth perfectly well. Or rather, what Lord Xiao has done in the past, only Lord Xiao himself knows, isn't that right?!"
"Your Highness, this humble official does not understand what Your Highness means?"
"I understand. Lord Xiao is a man of high status and has a short memory. It seems he simply doesn't remember!"
The Carefree King watched Liu Hanruo constantly antagonizing Xiao Feng. Although he didn't understand, he didn't intend to interfere. As long as Liu Hanruo was happy, what did it matter to him whether others lived or died?
"Lord Xiao, you'd better hurry and go after Madam Ling. If you don't go soon, you might lose your official position. If you really lose everything, it will be too late to cry then, hehe!"
Looking at Xiao Feng, who was timid and clearly distracted, Liu Hanruo immediately lost interest and gave him the order to leave.
Xiao Feng bowed and then hurriedly left. Watching his figure disappear in the blink of an eye, one couldn't help but marvel at how fast a weak scholar with no internal strength could walk!
Perhaps because she saw Qin Siyan being beaten and Xiao Feng getting the short end of the stick, Liu Hanruo felt a great sense of satisfaction, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her face, a mixture of smugness and glee. As the saying goes, when you're in a good mood, everything seems pleasing to the eye, and even the carefree prince seemed extremely charming to Liu Hanruo at this moment. Noticing Liu Hanruo's gaze, the carefree prince smiled faintly, his eyes full of doting affection.
She had never seen such a bright face, and a faint smile slowly blooming on his resolute cheeks. That smile, in an instant, focused on you, showing you an irresistible favoritism. The level of understanding it showed was exactly the level of understanding you wanted to be. Just this slight smile made Liu Hanruo suddenly feel that the Prince of Xiaoyao was not so bad after all. She smiled back.
For the first time since his rebirth, certain things that he had deliberately ignored have finally become a relatively clear image.
The carefree prince and Liu Hanruo walked side by side, without any trace of the male superiority and female inferiority of this era. Perhaps because she was in a good mood, Liu Hanruo took the initiative to take the carefree prince's hand. This small gesture made the carefree prince very happy, and he could not hide his smile in his eyes. He wished this moment could last forever.
Autumn dusk always comes especially quickly. The sun slowly burrows into the thin clouds, turning into a red sphere. A pinkish hue, even redder and more delicate than a chubby baby's cheek, appears on the western horizon. The area around the sun is the reddest, so enchantingly red. The red spreads in all directions, covering half the sky, fading layer by layer until it turns grayish-white.
The air was soft, clear, and moist. The two walked side-by-side, hand in hand, in the sunset. The afterglow stretched their shadows long and slender, creating a harmonious scene. Then, an untimely 'gurgling' sound rang out. Liu Hanruo blushed, and the Carefree King suddenly laughed, saying:
"I am hungry. Would the Princess Consort be willing to have dinner with me?"
"Since Your Highness has invited me, I will certainly obey," Liu Hanruo replied politely, her face flushed.
The two arrived hand in hand at the renowned Tianxiang Restaurant. Before they even entered, someone grabbed their clothes. As the saying goes, nothing is more important than food. Liu Hanruo was already quite hungry and just wanted to eat something as soon as possible, but being held back made her extremely impatient.
Liu Hanruo turned around, about to lash out, when she saw a hunched-over six-year-old child kneeling on the ground, a small, dark hand clutching his trouser leg, repeatedly kowtowing and crying as he begged:
“Kind lady, please give me some money. My mother’s leg was broken a few years ago, and her health has been getting worse every day. I want to raise money to treat her, but everyone thinks I’m too young to help. So, I have no choice but to beg on the streets, hoping that one day I can raise enough money to treat my mother.”
Liu Hanruo carefully looked the child up and down. From his words, it was clear that he had been to school and possessed a compassionate heart, which was something everyone had. It was astonishing that he was so young yet was always thinking about raising money for his mother's medical treatment. This filial piety was truly touching.
Liu Hanruo bent down slightly, personally helped the six-year-old child up, and said with a smile in the gentlest voice:
"Get up."
However, this six-year-old child was also stubborn. Before Liu Hanruo gave a direct answer and agreed to save his mother, he kept kowtowing and begging, refusing to get up. Seeing this, Liu Hanruo smiled and said:
"I've covered all the expenses for your mother's treatment. Can you get up now?"
"Thank you, thank you!" Upon hearing this, the six-year-old child was stunned for a while before bursting into laughter through his tears and repeatedly expressing his gratitude.
"By the way, little one, what's your name?" Liu Hanruo asked the little boy with a smile, acting like she was an older woman.
"I'm not little anymore, I'm already six years old, and Mom says I should be called Big Tiger from now on!" The little boy pouted, clearly unhappy with the way he was addressed.
The little boy's words made Liu Hanruo laugh again. Hearing the little boy's nickname reminded Liu Hanruo of Sister Zhang. She remembered that her child's nickname was Xiaohu. All these years have passed, and Xiaohu should be about the same age as the little boy in front of her now. She wondered how they were doing.
Perhaps because of Xiao Hu, seeing a boy of the same age with Hu Zi, and noticing his tattered clothes and dirty face, Liu Hanruo instantly felt a pang of pity. She turned to the carefree prince beside her and asked:
“Sir, this child is so thin he’s practically skin and bones. He probably hasn’t eaten properly. It’s really pitiful. Let’s take him inside with us.”
"I'm glad you like it!" The carefree prince nodded indulgently and said.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Liu Hanruo smiled, took the little boy's hand, and prepared to step into Tianxiang Tower. However, a hand suddenly appeared and blocked her way. She looked up and saw a man dressed as a waiter with a disdainful expression. Liu Hanruo didn't want to pay attention to such a person, so she stepped aside and tried to enter from the other side. However, the waiter seemed to be deliberately making things difficult for her, following her wherever she went and refusing to let her in.
"Get out of the way!" Just as Liu Hanruo was about to lash out, the voice of the Carefree King rang out at the right moment.
The waiter glanced at the carefree prince before him. Having been at Tianxiang Tower for so long, he had seen all sorts of high-ranking officials and nobles. Those wealthy people were always adorned with gold and silver, practically wearing their entire fortune to let everyone know they were rich. So when he saw the carefree prince and Liu Hanruo dressed simply, without any valuable accessories, he instinctively judged them to be poor and immediately began to mock them:
"Hey, look at this! Who are they? A dirty little beggar and two monkeys who think they're human just because they're dressed. Don't they realize that Tianxiang Tower is not a place for freaks like you? Bah!"
After speaking, the waiter spat at the Prince of Leisure, causing the prince to momentarily forget to react. As a man of unparalleled nobility, no one had ever dared to disrespect him since birth. Seeing this audacious waiter daring to humiliate him so blatantly, the Prince of Leisure narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning cold. He secretly channeled his inner strength, unleashing a palm strike directly at the waiter.
Just as the palm strike was about to hit the waiter, the waiter was suddenly shoved aside by a man in red. Losing his balance, the waiter crashed straight into a doorpost, blood gushing out incessantly. The waiter, in pain, only felt that he had hit his head and was bleeding, but he didn't realize that he had just narrowly escaped death. Instead, he thought that the man in red had ill intentions and was deliberately trying to cause trouble!
The waiter was immediately enraged and furious, shouting:
"Damn it, are you out of your mind? Are you looking for a beating or something? Even if you're mentally ill, this isn't illegal. Do you think the people at Tianxianglou are pushovers who can be bullied by you at will!"
The man in red ignored the waiter's words, merely giving him a cold glance before walking into the Tianxiang Restaurant without offering any further explanation.
Seeing the arrogant, indifferent attitude of the man in red, the waiter was unwilling to suffer in silence. Clutching his head wound with one hand and grabbing the man in red with the other, he cried out in a shrill voice:
"Someone's being assaulted! Someone's being assaulted at Tianxiang Restaurant! Help!"
Because of this sharp shout, a crowd of onlookers gathered at the entrance of Tianxiang Tower, and even the guests inside were alerted. Just then, several very strong middle-aged men carrying sticks came out; they were clearly bodyguards and thugs from Tianxiang Tower.
What came into view was the waiter pressing his wound, with blood constantly flowing from between his fingers, down the edge of his face, staining his clothes, and then slowly seeping in. His clothes were covered in conspicuous red, making him look extremely disheveled. This aroused a lot of voices of all kinds, cursing and indignation, rising and falling, making the scene extremely noisy.
"Look, come and see! It's him! He didn't say a word, just started hitting me right away. Look at me now, you can see how badly I was beaten!" The waiter pointed at himself, sharply criticizing the man in red. "And that's not all! He even tried to leave without saying a word after the beating. Tell me, how can someone beat someone up and then just walk away like that? Did he think I took all that beating for nothing?"
After hearing the waiter's words, everyone carefully examined the man in red in front of them. His skin was as smooth as jade, and his red clothes did not look vulgar at all, but were quite eye-catching. The cinnabar dot between his eyebrows made his already outstanding appearance even more enchanting, even breathtaking, making people unable to look away. His deep eyes were as calm as a pool of water, making people unable to resist falling in love.
Everyone loves beauty, and faced with such a beautiful woman, the crowd immediately split into two factions. One faction supported the waiter, saying that the man in red was bullying the weak, while the other faction supported the man in red, saying that the waiter was useless and had no reason to blame the man in red. As the dispute between the two factions escalated and was about to get out of control, the man in red, who had caused the fight, didn't even glance at them and let them argue.
The man in red looked impatiently at the waiter's hands and said coldly:
"Let go, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
The waiter wasn't easily intimidated; he thought the man in red was just bluffing, so he gripped even tighter and shouted even louder.
"Come and see! Come and see! He hit someone and he's still so self-righteous, saying he'll get rough with me if I don't let go! Look at this world! Everyone here is more savage than thugs!"
The waiter kept babbling on, and the coldness in the red-clad man's eyes deepened. His face showed growing impatience, and with a casual flick of his wrist, a snap was heard. The arm gripping the red-clad man's collar broke off. The waiter, ignoring his head injury, clutched his arm and rolled on the ground in agony, unable to utter a word. Just then, the red-clad man's cold voice suddenly rang out:
"Finally, it's quiet!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the man in red stepped into Tianxiang Tower. The people around him spontaneously stepped aside, remaining silent. Liu Hanruo, who had witnessed everything, watched the man in red's retreating figure thoughtfully, lost in thought.
Just then, a slightly overweight middle-aged man walked out of Tianxiang Restaurant and brushed past the man in red. Judging from his attire, he was undoubtedly the manager of Tianxiang Restaurant. As soon as the waiter saw his manager, he burst into tears and began to complain:
"Shopkeeper, I'm innocent! That man in red started hitting me as soon as he came up. I tried to reason with him, and he broke my arm. You must avenge me!"
Ignoring the waiter's cries, the manager of Tianxiang Restaurant walked up to the carefree prince and respectfully said:
"Sir, I didn't expect you to come to Tianxiang Restaurant today. Is it the same private room by the window as before?"
The carefree prince nodded and went in first. Liu Hanruo followed, pulling the little boy along. Because she was holding the little boy, Liu Hanruo didn't notice that the carefree prince had stopped and suddenly turned around. She bumped right into the carefree prince's chest and was hugged tightly. The carefree prince let out a muffled groan. Liu Hanruo immediately blushed with embarrassment and jumped away as if her butt was on fire, glaring at the carefree prince with great resentment.
The carefree prince merely smiled slightly at Liu Hanruo, then turned his gaze to the shopkeeper and spoke calmly:
"Manager Sun, that man at the door is arrogant and disrespectful. He not only insulted me, but also my wife. I don't want to see him again. You should know how to deal with him!"
After hearing this, Manager Sun nodded repeatedly in agreement. Only after the carefree prince left did he start cursing at the waiter:
"You scoundrel, I usually turn a blind eye to your snobbishness and let it go, but this time you've really gone too far! How dare you offend this master so easily!"
Manager Sun gave the thugs a wink, and they immediately understood, dragging the waiter away. Seeing that the two main characters of the incident had left one after another, everyone dispersed.
The three members of the Carefree King's party arrived at their usual private room, ordered their food, and then Liu Hanruo had someone take the little boy away to wash up and change into clean clothes. Having authority made things easier, and soon the little boy was cleaned up and brought back. Looking at the tender, rosy face before her, Liu Hanruo felt a sense of déjà vu, but couldn't quite place where she had seen him before.
At this time, the dishes were served one after another, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, abalone, and shark fin. Faced with the temptation of the table full of food, Liu Hanruo's stomach began to rumble, as if protesting the host's ingratitude. Helpless, she had no choice but to give up thinking and start to satisfy her hunger.
The carefree prince kept putting food into Liu Hanruo's bowl, and Liu Hanruo ate elegantly, not forgetting to urge the little boy to eat quickly. However, the little boy was born into a poor family and had never seen so many delicious dishes before. Looking at the table full of food, he was stunned, his face flushed, his brows furrowed, not knowing where to start.
Seeing this, Liu Hanruo smiled slightly, placed an abalone in the little boy's bowl, and said softly:
"This is abalone, which is extremely nutritious. You are at a great age for growth, so you should eat more of it."
When the little boy heard that the nutritional value was extremely high, his eyes lit up and he immediately said:
"I'm well-nourished and don't need any supplements. This abalone is for Mother!"
Hearing the little boy's words, Liu Hanruo laughed out loud. She immediately felt that the little boy was extremely filial. Even at such a time, he did not forget his sick mother. This filial piety was truly rare and worthy of praise!
"This is your portion, eat it without worry. As for your mother's portion, we'll take it back to her later."
Hearing Liu Hanruo's assurance, the little boy smiled and began to eat, behaving with impeccable manners, clearly a sign of excellent upbringing. The three chatted and laughed, enjoying their meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
"Big Tiger, now that you've eaten and drunk your fill, how about you take us to see your mother?" Liu Hanruo asked softly.
The little boy nodded, looking at Liu Hanruo awkwardly, hesitating to speak several times.
"Dahu, what's wrong? Don't be afraid, just tell your sister if you have something to say."
“That… abalone… damn it…” the little boy said softly, his face flushed.
Liu Hanruo vaguely heard the little boy's words and guessed what he meant. She pinched the little boy's cheek and said with a smile:
"Big Tiger, don't worry, I will definitely keep my promise. I've already had abalone and bird's nest packed up. Let's go, I'll take you to get your mother treated now."
The little boy nodded and smiled. He took Liu Hanruo's hand with one hand and Xiaoyao Wang's hand with the other, and walked quickly towards home. Xiaoyao Wang did not feel disgusted by this; on the contrary, he felt a sense of happiness.
After passing through road after road and turning corner after corner, she finally arrived at a poor alley. Looking at the unusually familiar alley, Liu Hanruo was overwhelmed with emotions. Yes, this was the slum where she had lived in her previous life. Looking at the little boy in front of her, she finally understood why the little boy looked familiar. It turned out that he was Xiao Hu from before. After several years, he had grown up a bit.
I still remember when I first came here, Liu Hanruo knew nothing and relied entirely on Xiao Hu's mother for help. As time went by, the two became acquainted and began to call each other sisters. It wasn't until Xiao Feng became the top scholar in the imperial examination that they moved away. To my shame, I never saw Xiao Hu's mother again after leaving. At first, I was too busy to come over, so I could only write to her every month. Later, Liu Hanruo became pregnant and was forbidden from going out. Until she was poisoned to death, she never got to come back to see Xiao Hu's mother.
With Xiao Hu half-pulling and half-dragging, Liu Hanruo and Xiaoyao Wang arrived at the dilapidated gate. Xiao Hu released Liu Hanruo and Xiaoyao Wang, excitedly running and shouting to the people inside:
"Mother, I brought a kind sister and a kind brother to see you. Your illness will be cured soon!"
As Xiaohu finished speaking, a weak response and bursts of coughing came from inside the house:
"Big Tiger, is that you back?"
Hearing the familiar voice coming from inside, Liu Hanruo was excited, but when she thought of Xiao Hu's words, she felt helpless. She had many questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't know where to begin. Just then, she heard coughing again and again. Hearing the coughing, Liu Hanruo immediately sensed something was wrong and quickly went inside.
Upon entering, one sees a table, a cabinet, a bed, and a few dilapidated stools. Apart from these, there is nothing else, even worse than before. Liu Hanruo was very puzzled and looked at the bed with a puzzled expression. She saw a thin figure half-lying on the bed, with her exposed hands unusually withered. Her face was sallow and wrinkled, and she looked nothing like Sister Zhang from back then.
If it weren't for hearing Xiao Hu pulling the person on the bed and calling her "Mother," Liu Hanruo really wouldn't have believed that the middle-aged woman in front of her was actually Sister Zhang from back then. Faced with such a big change, she really didn't know what to say. She just stared at Sister Zhang, standing there quietly, motionless.
Looking at Liu Hanruo and the Carefree Prince, whose ordinary attire couldn't conceal their noble air, Sister Zhang gave an awkward smile and said:
"I am a woman with mobility issues, please forgive me if I have not been able to serve you properly! Cough cough..." She couldn't help but cough again after saying that.
The coughing brought Liu Hanruo back to her senses. Without a word, she lifted Zhang Dajie's hand and began to take her pulse. After a while, she released her hand, then turned her gaze to the quilt. She turned to the Prince of Xiaoyao and said:
"My lord, I have something I wish to discuss privately with this lady. Please excuse me for the time being."
The carefree prince nodded and strode out. As soon as he left, Liu Hanruo threw off the blanket and, sure enough, saw that her ankle was unusually swollen. She tried to touch it lightly, but suddenly heard Zhang Da Niang gasp.
Seeing this, Liu Hanruo smiled and said:
"Since there is pain, it means that the necrosis has not yet occurred and there is hope for recovery. However, the entire treatment process will be very painful, so you should be mentally prepared."
Upon hearing that there was hope, tears streamed down Aunt Zhang's face as she repeatedly said, "Thank you, thank you so much!"
While giving Aunt Zhang a massage, Liu Hanruo subtly inquired:
"Big sister, seeing how well-behaved and sensible Dahu is, and how he has some literary talent, I don't know how you ended up in such a sorry state. And looking at the wound on your leg, it's obviously done by someone. If I'm not mistaken, it must have been from being beaten with sticks. I don't know who you offended, big sister, that the person who did this was so ruthless and showed no mercy."
Upon hearing Liu Hanruo's words, Sister Zhang was overcome with grief and sighed as she slowly began to speak.
"Ah, this matter... it's a long story... about a few years ago, a couple came to the alley. The woman's name was Leng Qingli, the daughter of a former prime minister. It turned out that she had broken with her family and come here to marry a poor scholar, which caused quite a stir at the time. I got along well with her and we became sworn sisters, taking care of each other from then on. Later, the poor scholar became the top scholar in the imperial examination, and they left and never came back. We have kept in touch by letter ever since."
Sister Zhang paused for a moment, then continued:
"Until two years ago, when the letters stopped, I went out to inquire and learned that she had died in childbirth. I don't believe this at all. To be honest, Sister Qingli is a disciple of the Ghost Doctor. Just based on that, I absolutely do not believe that she would die in childbirth. Moreover, before giving birth, Sister Qingli wrote to me to tell me that the baby's position was correct and that she would definitely have a smooth delivery. There must be some unknown secret behind this."
"After that, I secretly followed Qingli's man, and sure enough, I found out that he was having an affair with the Grand Commandant's daughter. I was furious and spoke up for Qingli. But when the Grand Commandant's daughter found out, she had me beaten to a pulp. Later, my husband went to the Grand Commandant to reason with him, but he was also beaten. Because we were poor, we couldn't afford a doctor, and not long after, my husband passed away, leaving my mother and me to struggle to survive."
Hearing this, Liu Hanruo truly didn't know what to say. It turned out that the reason Zhang Dajie's family had fallen into such a state was all because of her. This filled her with immense shame. She hadn't expected Zhang Dajie to be so devoted to her, even to the point of ruining her family for her sake. And what had she been doing? Since her rebirth, she had been constantly struggling with the belief in revenge, neglecting those who cared about her. Although Zhang Dajie's tragedy wasn't directly caused by her, it was indirectly caused by her. She silently told herself:
Xiao Feng, Qin Siyan, with new grudges and old hatreds added to the mix, one day I will settle accounts with you one by one!
Liu Hanruo massaged Sister Zhang for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. She then got up, went outside, and said to the Carefree Prince:
"Your Highness, I have something I wish to ask of you, and I hope you will grant my request."
“Ah… Ruo’er, there’s no need for the word ‘ask’ between us. Just say it directly.” The carefree king sighed and said.
"Your Highness, I find Xiao Hu to be very adorable and take a great liking to him. I would like to adopt him as my godson and bring him and his mother back to the palace to settle them in. I wonder if Your Highness would agree?"
"If you like it, take it back. As long as Ruo'er is happy, I have no objection."
With this little incident, Liu Hanruo's first date with the Prince of Xiaoyao came to an end, and the four of them hailed a carriage at the market to return to the Prince's mansion.
Upon returning to the Prince's Mansion, Liu Hanruo first settled Zhang Dajie and Xiao Hu, then went back to Meixiang Garden. From afar, she saw the maid Chunxiang waiting by the garden gate, constantly looking around.
Upon seeing Liu Hanruo, Chunxiang hurried forward, chattering about the interesting and important events that had happened in the manor that day.
Back in the master bedroom, Liu Hanruo felt utterly exhausted. She relaxed and let Chunxiang massage her shoulders. After a short while, she heard Chunxiang say:
"Your Highness, you must be tired after a long day. Why don't you go for a soak in a hot spring to relieve your fatigue?"
"Never mind, it's getting late, let's just use the bathtub." Liu Hanruo looked up at the moon hanging high in the sky, then shook her head wearily and said.
Chunxiang obeyed the order to boil water, and Liu Hanruo took the opportunity to remove her makeup, change into light clothes, and quietly sit on the rosewood chair with a book in her hand. About half an hour later, Chunxiang, along with four or five servants, each with a bucket, poured hot water into the large bathtub until it was three-quarters full. Chunxiang tested the temperature with her hand and found it to be just right before sprinkling the flower petals on it. On the clear, steaming water, pale pink and bright red rose petals floated.
After adjusting the water temperature and sprinkling flower petals, Chunxiang rose to take her leave, closing the door behind her and leaving Liu Hanruo alone. Once everyone had departed, Liu Hanruo gracefully moved to the edge of the bathtub, lightly removing her clothes to reveal skin as white as mutton-fat jade. Looking at the steaming water, she stirred it a few times to check the temperature before stepping into the tub. The warm water enveloped most of her body, instantly making her feel incredibly comfortable. She relaxed completely, resting her head against the edge of the tub, fully enjoying the soak and closing her eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, after quickly finishing his official business in his study, the carefree prince arrived at Plum Blossom Garden with a heavy heart. Upon seeing the master bedroom door, he hesitated, like a young man just beginning to fall in love, advancing and retreating, raising his hand only to lower it again, appearing extremely indecisive. Hearing the continuous, seemingly chaotic footsteps, Liu Hanruo assumed it was Chunxiang and spoke softly:
"Come in!"
Hearing Liu Hanruo's call, the Carefree King took a deep breath, gently pushed open the door, and upon hearing the sound, Liu Hanruo stood up and said:
"Chunhyang, help me change my clothes."
After receiving no response for a while, Liu Hanruo turned around impatiently, intending to scold Chunxiang, but saw Xiaoyao Wang with a flushed face. There was no trace of Chunxiang anywhere. Then, she heard a scream, and Liu Hanruo crossed her arms and splashed back into the water.
At this moment, the carefree king's mind was blank. His gaze remained fixed on Liu Hanruo's chest, his mind replaying the image of her proud and full breasts. The two nipples on her chest, bobbing with her emotions, seemed to invite one to pluck them, inevitably arousing fantasies. Just imagining himself constantly caressing that softness, that touch, made his heart race. Just thinking about all sorts of erotic images made his nose bleed without him even realizing it.
Noticing that the carefree king's gaze remained fixed on her chest, Liu Hanruo felt both ashamed and angry, and retorted angrily:
"Your Highness, there is a saying that one should not look at what is improper. Do you have any gentlemanly conduct in doing this?"
Upon hearing Liu Hanruo's mocking voice, the Carefree King finally snapped out of his daze and coughed awkwardly a few times.
"Your Highness, please excuse me for now, I need to change my clothes!" Despite her anger, Liu Hanruo remained mindful of etiquette.
The carefree king nodded awkwardly, turned and left the bedroom. Before closing the door, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Liu Hanruo's half-hidden softness. It has to be said that it was precisely because of this half-hidden appearance that it was easier to arouse a man's fantasies.
After the carefree prince left, Liu Hanruo quickly got out of the bathtub. The early autumn evening was chilly, which made Liu Hanruo feel a little cold. She dried herself, changed her clothes, and put her hair in a neat bun on the left front before opening the door.
The earlier incident left both of them slightly embarrassed. To break the awkwardness, the Carefree Prince could only speak to her under the moonlight. Perhaps the moonlight was too beautiful and gentle, making everything seem so wonderful, causing Liu Hanruo to become somewhat lost in it. As their eyes met, something inexplicable flowed between them. The Carefree Prince gazed at Liu Hanruo affectionately, slowly moving closer and closer until they could clearly hear each other's irregular heartbeats and breaths. Gathering his courage, the Carefree Prince gently kissed Liu Hanruo's forehead, then took her hand again, whispering the words of love from the bottom of his heart:
"My dear, I will hold your hand and grow old with you. We are bound by our vows, through life and death!"
The atmosphere was very ambiguous. The carefree prince originally thought he could take this opportunity to confess his feelings, but unexpectedly, his words brought Liu Hanruo out of her deepest confusion and made her go further and further away.
Hearing these words stirred up the deepest hatred in Liu Hanruo's heart. The image of the Carefree Prince before her slowly overlapped with Xiao Feng, making it difficult for her to distinguish between them. She shoved the Carefree Prince away, her eyes bloodshot, and roared in fury:
"What 'holding hands, growing old together, life and death bound by vows'? It's all bullshit! Do you think I'm still the same fool you used to be, letting you play with me? Let me tell you, don't dream about it! I won't let you get away with this! What you owe me, what you owe them, I'll slowly make you pay for it all! I'll make sure you suffer a terrible death! Hahaha!"
Seeing Liu Hanruo's extreme excitement, even bordering on madness, the Carefree King was filled with worry. He held her tightly and forcefully. Feeling restrained by this external force, Liu Hanruo became even more frantic, biting and kicking. The Carefree King didn't utter a single word of reproach for Liu Hanruo's irrational behavior. Instead, he held her even tighter and more firmly, gently soothing her in his ear.
Gradually, Liu Hanruo calmed down, regained her composure, gently pushed away the Prince of Xiaoyao, and asked politely but distantly:
"Your Highness, you've come here so late at night. Is there something you wish to discuss with me?"
"Ruo'er...do we have to be so distant with each other?" The carefree prince's tone was full of helplessness.
"Your Highness, it is getting late, and I am feeling a little tired. Please return."
Seeing Liu Hanruo's resolute attitude, the Carefree King sighed and said:
"Ruo'er, we are husband and wife, we should share the same bed, why do you keep me out?"
"Since Your Highness insists, then let us stay."
Liu Hanruo spoke softly, then yawned and went to bed facing inwards. She lay down on the bed, and after undressing, Xiaoyao Wang followed suit. He gently embraced Liu Hanruo, but feeling her stiff body, he smiled wryly, released her, and whispered:
"Go to sleep."
She hadn't slept all night, and the sky was still overcast. Around four in the morning, the carefree prince quietly got up to go to the morning court. The moment the carefree prince left, Liu Hanruo opened her eyes and stared in the direction he had gone for a long time before falling asleep.
At dawn the next day, as the sun rose, the Xiaoyao Prince's mansion appeared calm on the surface, but the inner courtyard was anything but. His wives and concubines had somehow heard that the Xiaoyao Prince had not only accompanied Liu Hanruo shopping the previous day, but had also stayed overnight at her residence. This served as a wake-up call for them, foreshadowing a new wave of news.
Just after Chen Shi (7-9 AM), these restless women arrived at Meixiang Garden with gifts, ostensibly to pay their respects, but in reality to probe the truth.
Meanwhile, Liu Hanruo had been sleepless all night because of the Prince of Xiaoyao. She finally fell asleep just before dawn, but was awakened by the commotion outside. Her tired eyes and gloomy face showed that Liu Hanruo was extremely unhappy. It seemed that some of her wives and concubines in the backyard were going to be in trouble!
---Aside---
This is my first 10,000-word update since the book was published. Thank you all for your support!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
