You ate that long passage!
Ji Pingxi spread his hands, speechless: "You should say those sweet words yourself."
What kind of talk is that?!
If Ji Rong hadn't spoken, it would have been fine; if he hadn't spoken, Liu Boyan would have just treated him as her 'son-in-law' and told her some little secrets about the princess. But the moment he spoke, she was so embarrassed that she wanted to turn around and run away.
Seeing that she was about to fall, Ji Rong quickly stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Ji Pingxi decided not to disturb the two elders' love talk any longer and tactfully stepped into the backyard.
"Auntie, His Highness is back!"
Yu Zhi received a mild scolding from her mother before her tears stopped. After drinking a couple of sips of honey water, she heard Yin Ding's report and her heart suddenly started racing.
Meanwhile, the princess muttered the cheesy love words she had learned from her aunt. The curtain was lifted, and she turned into the inner room. When she looked up, she suddenly met the beautiful woman's willow-leaf eyes, which were as clear as spring water, and her heart warmed.
Chapter 81 How could I possibly take it seriously?
The warmth in his heart traveled to his fingertips, and Ji Pingxi curled his fingers, his lips slightly dry.
Seeing her standing there speechless, Yu Zhi suppressed her shyness and got up to greet her, her eyes bright and affectionate, filled with an innocent charm that could be seen through: "You're back?"
Her voice still carried traces of crying, yet she was smiling now, her willow-leaf eyes curving into a beautiful arc as she smiled, one hand tugging at the hem of someone's clothes.
When Yu Zhi woke up in the morning and didn't see her, she thought that she was staying in the palace and wouldn't come back today. Yu Zhi was very happy to see her. But then she realized that she had met a pair of auspicious phoenix eyes that were full of teasing. A heat rose to her cheeks and her fair face and neck turned red.
Why do you look at me like that?
Her voice trembled at the end, and she shyly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Day and night are different, after all. You can be as noisy as you want at night, but as for daytime...
Princess Changyang was experiencing love for the first time in eighteen years. It was a sweet taste. She casually glanced at the gold and silver ingots, and the four maids filed out, leaving only the two of them in the inner room.
"come over."
Yu Zhi obediently walked to her side with aching legs. The princess sat elegantly on the low, soft couch, and with a gentle wave of her hand, she embraced the beautiful woman, who was as lovely as a flower.
The two of them squeezed together intimately in the small space. Ji Pingxi put his arm around her waist and massaged her aching lower back: "Are you tired?"
It all felt like a dream, or perhaps the dream hadn't ended yet. Yu Zhi was surprised by her gentleness and shook her head: "I'm not tired."
Her voice was still the same, but after being moistened by the honey water, it was slightly less hoarse and sounded quite pleasant to the ear.
Yu Zhi's body went completely limp as she nestled against her, like a peony that was both serene and alluring, her every smile and frown carrying a damp, captivating charm.
She whispered softly in Ji Pingxi's ear, "I didn't see you when I woke up..."
It caused her to overthink for a long time, especially when she thought about losing control in the middle of the night. She was afraid that Xi Xi would find it disgusting.
Her earlobes turned red, and she twisted her waist uncomfortably, feeling a slight pain in the soles of her legs.
Ji Pingxi took in her subtle movements and said slowly, "Miss me?"
When you can't see someone, don't you miss them?
Yu Zhi was stunned, then nodded blankly, completely powerless against the gentle and charming princess before her.
The atmosphere was harmonious. The fresh flowers in the white porcelain vase on the table in the inner room slowly released their fragrance. Seeing her nod, Ji Pingxi was in a good mood, and that joy shone through her eyes, which made Yu Zhi's eyes light up as well.
"I went to the palace and spoke a few words with my mother."
She remained silent, her fair fingers lifting Yu Zhi's chin: "Let me take a look."
have a look?
The beauty's eyes slowly widened, and she let out a soft "ah," seemingly both ashamed and surprised, her hands awkwardly covering her dress: "Maybe we shouldn't?"
She spoke haltingly, not wanting to upset anyone in the end, and slowly let go of the other person's hand under their persistent gaze.
The sash hanging at the waist was untied.
Yu Zhi closed her eyes, her breathing rising and falling, suppressing a turbulent secret.
Ji Pingxi took out a tube of ointment from his sleeve: a secret recipe of the palace, a precious item that the royal family does not share with outsiders, exclusively for the use of the empress and concubines.
It serves two purposes: healing and nourishment. It's a treasure that's beneficial and harmless to women.
The moment her fingertips touched that soft red, Yu Zhi's body trembled slightly. Just then, the delicate flower released its clear, moist nectar, and she shyly covered her face. Princess Changyang smiled broadly, her eyes barely visible, and unusually, she did not take advantage of the situation to bully her. Compared to last night, she displayed a gentlemanly and dignified demeanor.
The four maids were kicked out and left to stand in the wind; they dared not even imagine what was happening inside through the door.
"My imperial aunt has angered my mother-in-law again," she suddenly said.
Yu Zhi lay there in a daze, barely managing to regain some consciousness: "Hmm?"
Ji Pingxi's hands were gentle, and his voice was soft: "When I came back, my mother-in-law was wiping away tears with a handkerchief, and my imperial aunt..."
She recounted everything she had seen and heard in great detail, drawing Yu Zhi's attention and causing her to forget her shyness: "Compared to the Eldest Princess, Mother's status is indeed inferior..."
"That's true." She scooped out a large piece of clear ointment and filled it in, watching the beauty's face grow increasingly red, her heart burning with an uncontrollable heat: "And what about you and me?"
Yu Zhi approached him lightly, almost imperceptibly. After all, she had been doing this for a while, and in the face of her beloved's intimacy, she unconsciously revealed a hint of desire and coquettishness. Her bright eyes reflected a hazy mist, and her mind was still a bit foggy.
Asking or not asking makes little difference.
Ji Pingxi laughed out loud.
She smiled, and Yu Zhi, a beat slower, blinked and looked down at her movements.
Ji Pingxi leaned closer to look at her, grinning like a wolf in sheep's clothing, wasting her fair and flawless face: "Zhizhi, do you prefer a true gentleman or a hypocrite?"
That was an interesting question. Yu Zhi's calf was held in her palm, and she glanced at her: "Which one too..."
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly bit her lip and looked at someone reproachfully.
Her Highness said in a serious tone, "Think it through before you speak."
With her at his mercy, Yu Zhi obediently yielded, her face turning as red as a boiled shrimp: "I like gentlemen..."
Her voice was very soft, and Ji Pingxi laughed out loud: "A gentleman wouldn't apply medicine to you."
Her smile is truly beautiful. If Yu Zhi had never seen her smile, she would never have believed that there was a woman in the world whose smile was a blend of innocence and mischief.
She pursed her lips: "A true gentleman wouldn't make someone so weak that they can't even walk."
She had been enduring it all in front of her mother, thinking that it would pass if she just kept putting it off, but she never expected that this was another ordeal to come.
Ji Pingxi snorted: "How could a gentleman have the same good fortune as this princess?"
"..."
Yu Zhi's limbs went weak, and she dared not look at her directly. She stared blankly at the princess's fair hands and muttered to herself, "All you do is bully me."
Her voice gradually faded into silence. Princess Changyang, preoccupied with her own thoughts, hesitated for a moment and then asked casually, "So, do you like me like this?"
In an instant, Yu Zhi's alarm bells rang. She dared not let her love show, hiding it tightly, afraid that Yu Zhi would see through her and be abandoned.
She didn't even dare to look Ji Pingxi in the eye: "You're good-looking, who wouldn't like you?"
That "I like it" was half-hearted, a very perfunctory answer.
Ji Pingxi's expectations were dashed: "Oh..."
I love her face.
Her fingers, buried deep inside, remained motionless as she thought: Isn't this exactly what she initially 'liked' Zhizhi?
At first glance in the bustling city, she liked Zhizhi's face and body, and in turn, Zhizhi liked her face too.
At this moment, she finally understood Yuzhi's feelings—this kind of affection, treated like a decorative vase, was truly indescribable.
"Besides the face?"
Yu Zhi slowly raised her head, her acting skills reaching their peak, and smiled brightly: "It's rare enough that Your Highness likes me, what else do you want me to do?"
She had nothing else to give.
She gave herself to him.
I gave my heart too.
You just don't know it.
She didn't dare ask her to know.
Yu Zhi placed her delicate white feet on the princess's waist and tentatively said in a soft voice, "I heard someone say..."
"say what?"
"I've heard that you never like a person or thing for more than six months. Is that true?"
"Of course it's fake."
Ji Pingxi frowned: Isn't this just saying that she's fickle?
She explained, "In less than six months, I had learned everything I wanted to learn. As for the person, naturally I didn't like them that much anymore, so I got tired of them."
What you truly love, how can you get tired of it so easily? Isn't Zhizhi a perfect example?
Undeniably, hearing these words filled Yu Zhi with waves of joy, proving that Xi Xi still held a place for her in her heart.
She happily wiggled her toes: "Oh, I see. You're really smart."
The princess, who had always learned things quickly since childhood, raised her eyebrows proudly.
As the ointment took effect, Yu Zhi withdrew her finger from it, staring blankly at her middle finger, which was now wet.
Ji Pingxi wiped away the marks with a plain white handkerchief, covered her with the spring quilt, and turned to leave the room.
Yu Zhi let out a long sigh, opened her palm, and a thin layer of sweat appeared between her fingers.
If hiding her feelings was the only way to stay by Xi Xi's side, she was willing to hide them for a lifetime.
...
Princess Yunzhang patted someone on the shoulder and scolded, "What are you doing hiding here?"
Where did I hide it?
Ji Pingxi blushed and retorted.
"Tsk tsk tsk..." Ji Rong, as an elder, lacked the tactful consideration to protect the younger generation and bluntly said, "Your face is so red, what are you thinking about?"