She naturally took Yuzhi's hand, and Yuzhi smiled as they ran together across half a street to a narrow alley.
"What exactly is it—"
"Shh." Ji Pingxi deliberately moved very close to her: "Don't speak."
The delicate scent of agarwood filled her nostrils and entered her lungs. Yu Zhi nervously gripped her sleeves and held her breath.
"look."
Yuzhi opened her eyes wide: What are you looking at?
Ji Pingxi half-lay on her back, staring at the smooth, white skin on the back of her neck, his throat moving slightly: "Cat."
Watching the cats?
Yu Zhi looked up.
A summer breeze blew by, and a snow-white cat nimbly scurried over, leaping across the rooftops. Behind the white cat followed a large orange cat, which looked majestic, but its round face somehow diminished its imposing presence, making it rather cute at first glance.
Yu Zhi and Ji Pingxi hid in a corner where the cat couldn't see them, acting as the 'bad guys' spying on the cat. Just as she was wondering what was so interesting about the cat, the orange cat moved.
The orange cat meowed around the white cat a few times, and the white cat shook it off but was caught again. Watching this scene for a while, it looked like a street ruffian relentlessly pursuing a noble lady. Yu Zhi wanted to laugh. The next moment, as if the two cats had reached some kind of agreement, the orange cat rode on the white cat's back.
"..."
Ji Pingxi's eyes and brows exuded an indescribable wickedness, yet she was young, innocent, and full of vitality, so even her wickedness could earn her a few compliments.
Yu Zhi stared at the two cats, slightly stunned. When she realized what was happening... her face instantly turned rosy, even more beautiful than the morning glow on the horizon.
She was furious but dared not disturb the cat's... well, you know. She carefully mouthed, "You're just going to let me see this?"
What's so interesting about that? She's twenty, not twelve!
She had watched the cats 'fight,' and there was nothing to be ashamed of, but... she glanced at Ji Pingxi and, thinking about how she and this person had been sneaking around spying on the two cats, she suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed, and her neck flushed pink.
She was as round as a boiled shrimp, unaware that Ji Pingxi had gone to great lengths to call her over, not to see the cat, but to see her blush.
She felt a sudden itch in her heart, her body went limp, and she leaned against Yu Zhi's thin back, the scene strikingly similar to the intimacy between the cats in front of her.
Realizing this, Yu Zhi was so embarrassed that she couldn't speak. She twisted her body a couple of times trying to shake her off, but the person on her back was no different from that persistent orange cat, and she couldn't shake her off no matter what she did.
She snapped, "You're bullying me again!"
She was the older one of the two, yet she was always bullied. She used to consider herself the older sister, but after being frightened to tears by a dough frog when she was ten, she could no longer maintain that image.
Ji Pingxi was young, and this was the first time he had done something so frivolous. He couldn't hide his blush and pleaded softly, "Sister, just let me lie down for a while?"
She hadn't called her "sister" since she was five. The affectionate terms she'd never used before were now being used, and Yu Zhi had completely taken them by heart, making her blush and flustered: "Are you treating me like that white cat?"
No longer caring whether she would disturb the two cats' "romance," she turned around and shoved the princess with one hand.
The push was placed in a more subtle way, and the softness that her palm touched constantly reminded her that Xi Xi had grown up.
She was so embarrassed that she blushed and stormed away.
"Zhizhi! Zhizhi, wait for me!"
Ji Pingxi took off after him.
"Why are you still chasing me? All you do is bully me!" Yu Zhi's eyes reddened, and her eyes were faintly filled with glistening tears.
Ji Pingxi was flustered, realizing that simply lying on her back and watching the cat could make her cry. "Hey? You, you don't cry."
The more she tried to stop Yu Zhi from crying, the harder she cried. Eventually, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing, and the princess almost knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Sister, sister, please don't cry. I was wrong. Please hit me to vent your anger."
She took Yu Zhi's hand and slapped herself across the face. A sharp slap rang out unexpectedly, and Yu Zhi was stunned. Ji Pingxi herself was also stunned.
It hurts so much.
She didn't hold back in that slap; she used the other person's hand to hit her left cheek. Yu Zhi saw the five-finger mark quickly appear on her fair face and angrily shook off her hand: "What kind of madness are you having?"
Feeling more heartache than shame and anger, Ji Pingxi followed behind her like a little chick, watching her enter a pharmacy and come out holding a tube of anti-swelling ointment.
"Behave yourself, I'll apply the medicine for you."
Sitting in the private room of the restaurant, Ji Pingxi's eyes remained fixed on her red and swollen eyes from crying, and he said with lingering fear, "I really know I was wrong. I didn't expect you to react so strongly..."
These words undoubtedly stepped on a cat's tail, and Yu Zhi glared at her: "Who's reacting bigger?"
"I...I had a strong reaction."
"..."
Since she was so obedient, Yu Zhi couldn't bring herself to argue with her anymore. Besides, seeing her face that had been ravaged, she couldn't bear to say anything harsh. She huffed and said, "You're smart to know what's good for you."
The sensible princess remained silent and cooperated with the application of medicine. Seeing that she had truly become obedient, Yu Zhi paused for a moment, realizing that she might have misunderstood her.
Watching the cats fight and Xi Xi lying on her back are not necessarily contradictory. Xi Xi didn't intend to bully her by using the cats' fight.
She used to love leaning on my back and shoulder. But today, the timing wasn't right…
Yu Zhi was born into a wealthy family. Her father died early, leaving her and her mother to depend on each other. Even so, the mother and daughter still lived a life of luxury. At her age, she could find the answers to anything she wanted to know in books.
When she was fifteen, she accidentally saw a storybook in the study that described fairies fighting, and she was so ashamed that she buried herself in the quilt and couldn't breathe that night.
Her reaction shows a lack of knowledge or limited experience.
Twenty years old is different from fifteen years old. Yu Zhi, at twenty, has long passed the childish stage of blushing and losing sleep over watching fairies fight, but Xi Xi is not.
Xi Xi was only fifteen, just turned fifteen. Given her noble status, even if the palace servants had eighteen times the courage, they wouldn't dare let her see anything that would offend her eyes.
The princess of the imperial family was raised with more pampering than anyone else.
That's why I'm so ignorant.
Even when the two cats are fighting, she has to sneak away to watch.
Having figured this out, Yu Zhi glanced at Princess Changyang with a slight look, silently stamping her forehead with the label of "ignorant" once again. Suddenly, she smiled and found it rather amusing.
Ji Pingxi had no idea what was going on in her head, but her intuition told her it wasn't anything good, probably cursing her. She pointed to her chin and said, "And this."
The slap not only injured her face, but also scratched the tip of her chin with Yu Zhi's well-groomed fingernails.
Looking at the faint red mark, Yu Zhi felt both angry and sorry for her: "Serves you right. I didn't hit you. You asked for it."
"Didn't I ask to be beaten up so you could vent your anger?"
"What do you mean, 'calm down'? You're even angrier now." Yu Zhi leaned closer and carefully applied the ointment to her.
Princess Changyang, at the age of fifteen, possesses a unique charm that lies between innocence and mischief, a charm that is strangely captivating—she can kiss her when no one is looking in the noodle shop, flirt with her with a smile in the villa, and she also has the curiosity and restless desire of a newly blossoming love.
Realizing she had misunderstood her, Yu Zhi's movements became even gentler.
"elder sister."
Yu Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly looked at her.
Ji Pingxi was surprised to find that every time she called out "sister", the person in front of her would react in a very cute way, and she would sweetly say, "Sister Zhizhi".
"Stop shouting." Yu Zhi covered her mouth with her hand, thinking to herself: What kind of older sister is constantly being made to cry by her younger sister? It's so embarrassing.
Ji Pingxi removed her hand: "Why are you so angry? What did I do to offend you?"
What did you do that didn't offend me?
"I don't understand." The princess stared intently. "Are you angry because you're embarrassed? Do you think I'm watching the cat so I can do something inappropriate to you—ugh!"
Her mouth was covered.
Yu Zhi was so embarrassed she felt like her head was about to explode: "Shut your mouth! All you do is annoy me!"
Ji Pingxi raised her eyebrows and quickly swept her tongue across her beloved's palm. Yu Zhi underestimated the extent of her shamelessness and hurriedly withdrew her hand in fright, only to be embraced by someone in the blink of an eye.
"Zhizhi, don't be angry with me."
She nuzzled against Yu Zhi's neck again.
It rubbed against you until you lost your temper, leaving only a little deer running around in your heart.
"Zhizhi, I love you. Will you marry me?"
"What?"
Yu Zhi suddenly looked down at her.
All I could see was His Highness's adorable back of his head.
“I told you I like you. Mother summoned Aunt Yu to the palace today to discuss our marriage. Let them discuss theirs, and we'll discuss ours.” She said seriously, “I love you. Will you stay with me for the rest of my life?”
"How...how can I stay with you for the rest of my life?"
"Marry me, or I'll marry you."
Yu Zhi stared blankly at her, thinking: As expected of the little princess who is pampered by the emperor and empress, she dares to say such things. She is too arrogant.
"Will you marry me?" Ji Pingxi's gaze met hers, his forehead pressed against hers, their breaths mingling, and his lips deliberately brushed against the corner of her lips: "Zhizhi, I can't live without you."
Chapter 110 Green Plum 9
Who can't live without whom? Her father loved her so much, yet he left so suddenly. Her mother respected her father, and a few years after his passing, she naturally got together with the Princess. Now, when Xi Xi says she can't live without her, is it genuine, or just sweet talk to appease her?
Yu Zhi knew that people's hearts couldn't be tested, and that Xi Xi's ability to sweet-talk her was something most people could only dream of. Her lips moved slightly, her breath mingling with the princess's: "I'm willing, willing to marry you..."
Ji Pingxi's eyes lit up with surprise: "Really?"
"really."
She looked down on all the young men in Kyoto, but the one who frequently stirred her heart was a girl five years younger than her. Yuzhi was startled by the fleeting emotion that ignited in the other girl's eyes. It is said that the love of youth is given with all one's blood, sweat, and soul, without any falsehood. The heart of a young person is sincere and fearless; they love when they want to love and pursue what they desire with all their might.
Thinking this, Yu Zhi's mood suddenly brightened—no matter what happens in the future, Xi Xi's first love was her.
Ji Pingxi carefully observed her expression, then smiled and shook her hand: "Do you also think I'm young and impulsive?"
"No way." Yu Zhi recovered from her shyness, her voice soft and gentle, like willow catkins floating in the air in spring, drifting and scattering, or like light snowflakes, covering the sky with an undeniable white and crystalline beauty.
She said no, but in her heart she probably thought she was just playing around. Ji Pingxi had never felt so angry and powerless as she did now. She wanted to argue that her love was not just talk, nor was it just playing around. But then she thought that even so, Zhizhi had promised to stay with her forever. A smile unconsciously appeared on her face: "You underestimate me. Time will tell. You will know sooner or later that I love you more than anyone else."
When young, one often professsses love; as one grows older, the love in one's heart must be hidden. Yu Zhi snorted softly, hooking her little finger around hers and swaying it: "You're just being glib."
"I don't care, I'm sticking with you now."
Yu Zhi tilted her head and laughed at her: "Little rascal."
Ji Pingxi's heart suddenly opened up at her words "little rascal," and he couldn't help but follow suit: "Little rascal likes you."