Chapter 22: Pretend to be sleeping?
Official Wife! What did the Sixth Prince mean by that? How could he even think about it? She wanted to end it here. If she would get punished, then she would accept that too. Except for Feng Lao, no one could be her husband.
“Your Highness, I am afraid, but that’s not up to you to decide. Also, I love someone else,” Li Hua answered.
“Who?” Lóng Wei immediately asked her. A grim expression appeared on his face.
“It is not appropriate for me to speak about my personal matters with His Highness,” Li Hua politely refused to talk about the man whom she loved.
“I don’t care about whom you love. I only care about you,” Lóng Wei answered and began to eat again.
Li Hua wondered what Lóng Wei would be thinking in his mind. Why was the Sixth Prince so unpredictable? Was he thinking of marrying her? She would be stuck if the King ordered her to marry.
Her eyes darted to his right hand. The knuckles had turned bluish, and she got tenser. Her heart had melted for him the moment he took a hit for her. She had never been hit, and probably that would become her first time to get a blow from the stick.
.....
But Lóng Wei protected her.
“Why isn’t His Highness scared of the punishment?” Li Hua’s question made Lóng Wei stop eating his meal. “His Highness harmed the First Princess despite knowing that he might be given severe punishment. She’s the Queen’s daughter, and His Majesty will not let it slide,” Li Hua said with a troubled look.
Lóng Wei smiled. “I like to see that you are concerned for me,” he stated.
Li Hua opened her mouth to speak but then closed it.
“Punishments make you stronger, and also, it’s an easy way to subdue the anger of the person before you. Why do you think I didn’t feel the pain when the hot water fell on my hand?”
Li Hua recalled that the Sixth Prince didn’t flinch when she mistakenly threw water at his hand. She didn’t want to believe that his hand was put in boiled water. Goosebumps appeared on her body after having a small thought of it.
“I got hit many times. I even forgot the count,” Lóng Wei said proudly and curled his right hand’s fingers.
“It’s not a proud thing, Your Highness,” Li Hua said. “A royal body isn’t meant to be harmed. If His Highness does not take care of his body, then it will trouble him later when he turns old,” she opined.
“You will be there to take care of your oldie husband then,” Lóng Wei affirmed that made Li Hua loss of words. She couldn’t utter a single word after that. She averted her gaze away while Lóng Wei smiled, noticing her reaction.
Soon, they finished their meals. Li Hua thanked the Sixth Prince for letting her eat with him and started to put the dishes on the table. She left for the Royal Kitchen, and heard the servant whispering about her.
She put the tray on the table, where the other servants glanced at her, in the hateful way. She understood why they behaved that way but explaining them would only increase the gossip.
She silently left the royal kitchen with a jar of fresh water in her hand. Entering the chamber, she saw Lóng Wei reclining in the lounge and had closed his eyes. Her eyes again fell on his right hand. She put the water jar on the table and walked out.
After a few minutes, Li Hua returned with the first-aid box in her hands. She decided not to break Lóng Wei’s sleep and walked near him. Getting onto her knees, she put the first-aid box quietly beside her and opened it. She took the ointment in her fingers and gently, without disturbing the Sixth Prince’s sleep, applied it to his knuckles.
“What are you doing?”
Li Hua was intimidated to hear his voice and gazed at him in astonishment. “Did I disturb His Highness sleep?” She asked. freeweb(n)ovel
Lóng Wei chuckled. “If you apply the ointment this way, then anyone will wake up,” he replied.
Li Hua blinked a few times and lowered her eyes. She almost withdrew her hand when she heard Lóng Wei say, “Do I have to pretend to be sleeping to make you apply the ointment? What an amusing way to show concern!” He chuckled.
“I didn’t show any concern, Your Highness,” Li Hua said and continued to apply the ointment.
“You cannot lie to me,” Lóng Wei stated. Li Hua finished applying the ointment and moved her hand back when Lóng Wei caught it.
“Your fingers are bruised. Let me help you,” Lóng Wei said. With a swift motion, he pulled Li Hua up. He made her sit on the chaise lounge. Li Hua told him that she would do it herself. Lóng Wei had put his right foot on the floor while his left foot was still on the lounge. He pulled her close, and their faces came closer.
Li Hua moved back a little upon seeing that proximity.
“You must feel lucky that the Sixth Prince wants to apply ointment on your bruises. I never did this,” Lóng Wei said. He applied it gently over her fingers and asked her about the secret of the soft hands.
“Pardon me, Your Highness?” She was puzzled.
“A servant’s hands are rough. Mostly the lower class works as servants, and their hands are rough because of the physical work they do, compared to the noble class and royal class,” Lóng Wei cleared his words. “You look like a daughter from a noble class family. Everything about you is different.”
His fingers traced the small length of her fingers. Li Hua felt vulnerable in front of the details that the Sixth Prince provided her. He noticed too many things in her in just a day. That was strange!
“Did you bring your belongings?” Lóng Wei asked her.
Li Hua shook her head. “I was waiting for His Highness’ return as I had to inform him about the King’s summon.” She again attempted to let her hand go from Lóng Wei’s grip, but she failed.
“The more you will run away from me, the more it will make me keep you closer,” Lóng Wei affirmed when Li Hua made an effort to remove her wrist from his hold.
His fingers moved to her palm where the cut was still prominent. “Don’t let anyone touch you except me.” Li Hua gaped at him. “Understood?”
“I never let anyone touch me, Your Highness. I also do not want His Highness to do this to me,” Li Hua said sternly.
“You let the Crown Prince touch you,” Lóng Wei reminded her and then clicked his tongue, “I am an exception among all. After all, I am Lóng Wei.” He smirked with a gleam in his eyes.
Li Hua stopped blinking and gulped. Lóng Wei let go of her hand. “Sleep on this chaise lounge,” he told her. “You need to watch me closely,” he affirmed and stood up.
“Your Highness, that is inappropriate. I might be thrown out of the palace for committing the crime by staying in the same chamber as His Highness,” Li Hua immediately made him aware of the consequences that she had to bear. “I shall stay outside,” she opined.
Lóng Wei went to bed and picked up the quilt. He brought it to Li Hua and put it on the foot of the chaise lounge. “Sleep,” Lóng Wei said and blew off the two candles while the lanterns at the four ends of the chamber kept glowing.
He returned to the bed and removed his shoes before lying on the bed.
“I am tired, Li Hua, so I don’t want anymore arguments. The day was fun. If you leave in the middle of the night, be ready to face my anger,” Lóng Wei said and closed his eyes. Li Hua could not help but silently sleep on the chaise lounge.
“Does His Highness not need this quilt?” She asked in a low voice. However, no response came, so she covered herself from the quilt and slept off.
After two months, she got to use such a quilt. It was warm, and it made her sleep soon.
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