Chapter 49 Part 1

Eat water?

Jiang Li froze, confusion flashing in her eyes. Eat what water? What water had to be professed liking before it could be eaten…

Ah!

“Lu Yihuan, you’re sick!”

Her mind spun a few circles, Jiang Li’s lips trembled, and she finally understood which “water” Lu Yihuan meant by “water.” Her expression was extremely annoyed.

Lu Yihuan didn’t deny it at all. “Mm, I only realized it recently.”

Her face was utterly calm, not embarrassed in the slightest by what she’d just said. Instead, it was Jiang Li, the listener, whose face and neck flushed completely red because of it.

Scolding her for being sick—this person fully agreed, and even deliberately acted in ways that fit even better.

Watching this, Jiang Li began to suspect if the problem was with her instead.

No, she’d been led astray by this scoundrel again.

What she’d clearly meant to ask just now was why Lu Yihuan liked her.

“You… like me?” When it came to Lu Yihuan liking her, Jiang Li was utterly lacking in confidence. She always felt it sounded so unreal.

In the original worldline, Lu Yihuan was indeed a hopeless romantic, but aside from that, she showed no signs of any emotional entanglements whatsoever.

For a woman who’d only focused on her career in her perception to suddenly fall into love—and with her, of all people.

Jiang Li thought, who could have guessed? Who would dare to?

Pulling Lu Yihuan out of the male and female leads’ storyline was certainly good, but could she catch Lu Yihuan’s affection?

Could she like Lu Yihuan?

The confusion on Jiang Li’s face was obvious. Lu Yihuan saw it all, and thinking back on her own various behaviors, suddenly felt she should have told Jiang Li sooner.

Her Your Highness seemed unusually dense in this regard compared to typical nobles—or perhaps she selectively ignored it.

If she’d confessed first and loved later, Jiang Li would surely have felt it.

But Lu Yihuan hadn’t understood her own feelings before this.

To now insist on dissecting her past emotions and spelling them out would seem contrived.

Lu Yihuan believed she and Jiang Li would have many tomorrows. No rush for now.

But at this moment, Lu Yihuan shifted her feet slightly, leaning forward to cup this cute, bewildered face in her palms. The soft flesh of the cheeks pressed against her palms—very comfortable.

She gently pinched the soft cheek, her eyes narrowing in a smile. She felt confessing to Jiang Li right now would be just right.

Not too early or too late—as long as her Your Highness remained hers.

As for Ling Yue or anyone else, she would deal with them.

Her features softened, her gaze sparkling with amusement at the bottom of her eyes. Lu Yihuan began pondering how to cleverly sabotage the Emperor’s plan to select a prince consort.

Right now, Jiang Li was somewhat dazed, immersed in her own world, her mind full of thoughts about her, with no room for anyone else.

How wonderful.

The feel of the face in her palms was truly superb. No matter how Lu Yihuan pinched, it felt good—the owner even seemed like dough she could knead at will, never resisting.

What are you doing! Jiang Li glared angrily.

She decisively pulled the hand away and retreated a few steps, eyeing the person before her warily, afraid she’d pounce again in the next second.

Lu Yihuan regretfully withdrew her hand.

Lifting her gaze, she looked earnestly into Jiang Li’s evasive eyes. The hand behind her back wasn’t as calm as her face, tapping her palm repeatedly.

“Your Highness, have you thought it over?”

Jiang Li didn’t answer for a long while.

Biting her lip, she lowered her head, furrowing her brows tightly, emotions complex in her eyes. Clearly trapped in her thoughts.

Had she thought it over? She didn’t even know herself.

She didn’t know if she liked Lu Yihuan, or if she should respond to Lu Yihuan’s affection, or if she even had the right to accept it…

Jiang Li pursed her lower lip. She thought: she couldn’t casually agree to Lu Yihuan’s feelings.

So, “Lu Yihuan…”

The expression on her face let Lu Yihuan understand her reluctance to speak. Since she was reluctant, it probably wasn’t the answer Lu Yihuan wanted to hear right now.

Mm!

The refusal about to slip out was muffled by a palm. Jiang Li blinked, staring at the hand over her mouth, then lifted her eyes to Lu Yihuan.

What was this…

“Your Highness, no need to rush your answer.” Unlike before, Lu Yihuan didn’t press hard this time, only lightly covering it, her eyes calm.

Completely different from the flush on Jiang Li’s face—it made Jiang Li seem like the unsteady one.

Confusion flashed in Jiang Li’s eyes. “I just wanted to say if I could have some time to think.”

This wasn’t something she could respond to lightly. Responding too easily to Lu Yihuan’s affection would be irresponsible to her—and to herself.

She needed time to sort things out properly.

Sort out her feelings for Lu Yihuan, and that heart-fluttering excitement upon seeing this face—she’d have to ask 123 if she could stay in this world like the first one.

Ah, so that’s it.

She unconsciously let out a long breath, her pounding heart slowing. Realizing she’d been too tense, Lu Yihuan’s cheeks warmed, and she gave a light cough.

She withdrew the hand from Jiang Li’s lips, clenching it into a fist against her chin.

With a glance, Jiang Li spotted the slightly red ear tip peeking from Lu Yihuan’s hair.

She’s shy, huh, Lu Yihuan.

Her lips curved instantly, soft ripples blooming in Jiang Li’s heart, making it soften too.

Jiang Li had thought this person had no more capacity for shyness, yet she’d never imagined Lu Yihuan would get shy at a time like this.

After, confessing to her.

Her heart felt like it was dyed with honey—sweet and silky. Even the smile on Jiang Li’s face sweetened. Seeing it, Lu Yihuan relaxed her hand behind her back.

She simply straightened the hair by her ear openly for Jiang Li to see.

This was her affection for Jiang Li—nothing to hide.

The color of her ear tip was even deeper than the evening glow Jiang Li had seen in the palace today. Her gaze fixed on it, her thoughts drifting.

Lu Yihuan’s next words pulled her back.

“My patience for Your Highness will never run out.”

“So, Your Highness can take your time to consider.”

As she spoke, the light in her eyes flickered like leaping flames—fervent and bright, making it hard to refuse.

Jiang Li looked a few times, then couldn’t bear it and averted her eyes, her heart jumping wildly.

For a moment, she thought she’d rather deal with the bold-speaking Lu Yihuan than this somewhat pleading version.

She couldn’t handle Lu Yihuan making herself seem pitiful.

It made her want to give her everything.

Maybe, this was liking? Jiang Li wondered.

So cute, Your Highness.

Lu Yihuan watched the awkward Jiang Li who wouldn’t meet her eyes, sighing inwardly with admiration.

One second embarrassed by her shyness, the next wanting to cover her ears just from two sentences.

And so, one looked while the other dodged. In the quiet surroundings, a few fireflies slowly flew by, circling them, drawing a barrier around just the two.

Only each other inside.

Just as she was about to say something, a voice suddenly came from behind.

“Regent King, Eldest Princess Your Highness, the birthday banquet is about to begin. Chancellor Ye sent me to inform you both.”

This maid’s voice was like a savior to Jiang Li. Seizing the chance, she bolted, calling considerately to Lu Yihuan behind her.

“No time left—Chancellor Ye is even urging us. Let’s go quickly.”

A graceful figure fleeing in disarray.

Jiang Li covered her face, her steps flying, desperate to shake off that gaze behind her.

Lu Yihuan watched the fleeing back, amusement flickering in her eyes. She was laughing at this fool, Jiang Li.

Her gaze shifted to the maid still waiting nearby, and the amusement in her eyes vanished, reverting to the majestic, cold Regent King.

Compared to Jiang Li’s flustered rush, Lu Yihuan was far more composed.

After Jiang Li took her seat, she realized something was off only when the person strode straight toward her. Why had she run?

The familiar figure sat gracefully beside her. Lu Yihuan smoothed her robes, her posture impeccable—nothing like Jiang Li’s slightly hurried seating.

If not for Lu Yihuan opening her mouth, Jiang Li might have been fooled by this upright facade.

“Your Highness, why the rush? Tell me next time if you want to eat something.” Tilting her head, Lu Yihuan smiled at Jiang Li. “I have all kinds of delicacies.”

Shameless.

Lu Yihuan’s light words were heard clearly by Ye Chengyuan at the head seat, who leaned forward laughing.

“So Your Highness hurried back just now for the dishes at my mansion?” After a string of hearty laughs, Ye Chengyuan added, “Then you must taste more today—see if the special dishes prepared at my place suit your palate.”

It happened that Ye Chengyuan had specially invited a famous chef from the jianghu for today.

A perfectly measured smile on her face, Jiang Li nodded slightly in response to Ye Chengyuan, indicating she’d try some later.

Turning back to the poised, cool-faced Lu Yihuan beside her, Jiang Li itched with anger. Putting on an act again.

Just now, seeing Lu Yihuan’s expression when she said it—ambiguous smile—based on Jiang Li’s understanding of her, she clearly wasn’t talking about food.

The “eat” she meant… Jiang Li’s hard-won cooled temperature rose again. She shot Lu Yihuan a glare and turned her head away.

Eat what? She never wanted to eat it again in her life!

Lu Yihuan lifted her teacup to moisten her lips, her peripheral vision catching every move and expression of Jiang Li’s clearly. Amusement flashed in her eyes—she was utterly delighted.

Your Highness seemed to have become like her without realizing it. And it seemed she quite liked it.

Those pure eyes from their first meeting—now, Lu Yihuan only wanted to dye them black by any means.

After the banquet ended, the two began tugging at each other again at the Prime Minister’s Mansion entrance.

Jiang Li looked at the hand gripping her sleeve cuff, her lips twitching. “Let go.”

Lu Yihuan firmly: “No.”

“Let go.”

“No.”

They tugged for a long time at the Prime Minister’s Mansion gates. Passersby recognized the faces but didn’t dare approach, only throwing frequent glances.